Cat Chat Feline Forum

At the end of August we had two rescue cats who were four and a half months old. Not siblings but had lived together so are happy with each other. The girl was born at the RSPCA and the boy was a stray. They were both fine and used the litter tray easily. They were both neutered on the same day mid September. They both seemed desperate to go outside so by the end of September we let them out but still had a litter tray in the house. Eventually we moved it outside which was fine. Nearly two weeks ago we took it away as it didn't appear to be being used. The first week was fine, no problems or accidents. In the last six days the girl has been either weeing or pooing after her meal on the landing in the house. What can we do to stop this? I don't want to re-introduce a litter tray as I want them to toilet outside. I have been shutting her out after her meal to stop her messing but last night she poo'd in the middle of the night on the landing

before offering advice we need to know if you have a cat flap - if you don't and don't provide an indoor tray then Mittens really has no option, does she?

Mittens does have a fully functioning cat flap and no litter tray

I'd get a litter tray back into the house. Toileting is when cats are at their most vulnerable and I would strongly suspect that something probably scared Mittens outside and she now doesn't feel safe enough any more.

I agree, it may be that Mittens is just an anxious little cat who doesn't like toileting outside - it can be a very threatening place for a young or nervous cat, as they can scent every other cat who's been through their garden, and most cats will only soil where they feel safe. I'm sure she'd rather use a tray than your floor, so do provide her with one, and keep it cleaned out regularly. I know some cats who have 24/7 cat flap access, but still prefer to use a tray. And if their house gets invaded by "strangers", they will start using the floor as a stress reaction until the "intrusions" are dealt with.

Good advice already given. If you adopt from Cats Protection one of the rules is a litter tray needs always to be provided irrespective of the fact it may not be used much, if you keep an eye on what your cat is passing, you can spot many problems, e.g. cystitis is very common in cats and needs urgent Veterinary treatment. It is shown up if the cat uses the tray frequently and/or passes blood, I have known cats with other serious problems and it was only the fact that a litter tray was available 24/7 that the symptoms were noticed. Something you would never know if you didn’t have a tray. Ideally one litter tray per cat + 1 extra is the best option in multi cat households.
Some time ago it was necessary to have Trudie a long term CP cat PTS due to bowel cancer, I would like to think that Trudie's untimely death has not been in vain as a lesson can be learnt from it and that is the reason why everyone should always provide a litter tray (apart from the litter tray evidence there was no reason to suspect Trudie had a problem, she looked so well) no matter how old the cat and irrespective of the fact that it may go out.

It is also wise in these cases to have a vet check just to ensure there are no other underlying reasons.

Really good advice here - cats are not like babies with potty training; they don't move from using a litter tray to going outdoors as a developmental process. Cats will toilet where they feel comfortable and confident. Your girl's comfortable confident place is her home - I'm guessing that for a while she was confident outside, but something has happened and she doesn't feel confident outside, so she wants to go inside where she's safe. As there is no litter tray she's forced to go on the surfaces in the house.

If there are clean, available trays indoors and your cat keeps toileting in odd places it's likely to be either a physical or an anxiety-related problem. Cats are very clean and will always choose litter where they can.