Cat Chat Feline Forum

Hi,
We had to move in to a rented house on Friday due to some works being carried out at our own home.
We have had to bring our cat with us as we felt he would have been distressed by the noise and different people in our home.
The problem is, he is used to roaming and toiletting outside and of course can't do that at the rented house (I don't want to let him out for fear of him getting lost or run over- it is a much busier road then he is used to)
Since we brought him here on Friday evening, he has not used the litter tray we have provided -and I can't find any evidence he has been anywhere else, so I am worried he is holding it in and will make himself unwell.
Apart from being very vocal about obviously wanting to go out, he doesn't seem particularly distressed in any other way ( he is eating, purring when cuddled etc)
Any advice???

Hi and welcome. You’re right not to let him out, least of all because he will probably get lost, or try to find his old home, so definitely keep him in. How long will you be at the rented house, and have you tried placing him in the litter tray and do you have one at your home? My sister has a cat who always goes out to toilet but she has a litter tray in the house as well, because if for any reason he can’t go out he is used to having a litter tray. Although he has been known to hold it in for over a day! My cat prefers to go outside but she only goes out half the day so will use the tray when she’s in.

cats can hold it in for a surprisingly long time - the worry would be if he was trying to go and nothing coming out, but you would probably know if he had been into the tray without using it

cats are also good at weeing in very hidden places too, though, so you might have missed it - have you put the litter tray in some very prominent place which he can't fail to pass regularly?