HOW CAN I TEACH BARNEY TO TOILET OUTDOORS ?!!

[JulieandBarney]

Well, hoping for help from you all yet again.....Barney has been indoors from October until about a month ago, he loves the garden, we live in a rural area, with no main roads at all, so we decided to let him have the freedom to wander in the sunshine, he is amazing, he has a stroll around his "patch" lies in the sun in the garden and as soon as he is called, comes running to us, as obedient as a dog !! However, bless him, as he was in rescue for a while before we adopted him, and also been indoors for the whole of winter, he is well trained in using his litter trays in the house and is very clean.

Now he is going outdoors whenever he feels like, (he rarely goes far and has a curfew of 7pm !) he goes on his walkabouts but then comes back in the house to use his litter tray ! I have tried sprinkling his litter on parts of the garden to give him an idea to use the garden instead, I have also put his tray outside as a hint, but he still comes back in to use his tray, is there anything anyone could suggest I try please ? Poor fella has been so well trained, I don't think he knows any other..... would appreciate any ideas at the moment....x

[DollyB]

Hi, when ours were first let out they would come back in to use the litter tray but eventually they started to use our garden, then beyond. Now I wish they would use the litter trays, even occasionally, so I know all is working as it should! Mine are in at night too. Their curfew time is when they have their tea be that 6pm or 7pm they know the score.

[Kay]

I have the opposite problem , in that Trigger prefers to use his outdoor earth pit whilst Tiffany and Tosker use the indoor trays - I find it much easier to keep the trays nice than the earth pit

remember that it isn't just the location of his toileting you are seeking to change, but also the litter, as outside there is only soil

you could start by digging a patch for him near the door, and fill it with builder's sand, which many cats like to dig in - and you could try mixing some garden soil into his litter tray so he gets used to the smell of it - if that doesn't work try putting a bought compost in a hole outside, as that won't smell of all the stuff soil smells of

I have recently found that Triggeris more willing to use the indoor trays now I have switched to using Nature's Calling, which has quite an earthy smell - if all else fails you could try that indoors in the hope he will switch to soil more easily

[bobbys girl]

My first cat, Willow (the princess) is 11. She, like all the others, has the run of our large garden and the wilds of rural Fermanagh beyond. She goes out, has a toddle around, then comes in to use the litter tray - she always has!
How much of a gardener are you? I will tell you a sure-fire way of getting Barney to toilet outside.
You simply have to create a seed bed! I kid you not, it works every time for me (and I don't want it to!)
I have to grow my carrots in a cage. Just this morning Thomas was sitting in the sunshine with a blissful look on his face. I pussy-wussied him and tickled his ears. Five minutes later I was calling him every name under the sun as he had found a gap in my defences and was peeing in my salad bed - lettuces everywhere!
Find a patch of earth - the lighter and sandier the better. Rake it down to what we gardeners call a fine tilthe (crumbly) and stand back. Cats can't resist it.

[JulieandBarney]

Thank you all......you have given me a smile tonight ....Thought I was the only one ....will try all methods, but if the little fella still wants to come home to his trays then so be it I imagine !!... .x

[Crewella]

A couple of mine still come in to use the trays, and because of the night curfew I'm stuck with having them, so like you all I can do is try to encourage them to go outside. We do seem to be getting there, slowly.

I can vouch for the attractions of nice, fresh, raked earth. I prepared a planter the other day, put the crocks in the bottom and half-filled with fresh compost .... then changed my mind about the plant and put it on one side. Next day there was a lovely poo 'planted' right in the middle - it's only about 10" diameter, so the culprit must have sat on top like a proper toilet!

[SarahT1 [PLLE]]

Hi Julie, nice to see you on here again. Do come and join us TTCF - we miss you and Barney!

As you know, mine have now had outside access for a while. Pepsi, since March and Lou and Edgar since May when the cat proofing went up. All now toilet in their litter trays and outside as the mood takes them. Pepsi took to outdoors as soon as she started going into the garden, and Lou Lou was quick to follow once she had outdoor access. Edgar was hesitant at first, but now has found his little place that he likes to go! As Crewella says, freshly turned earth is particularly attractive. We are going to dig them out a toilet pit but I suspect they will still go where they like. But they all still use their trays, with Edgar and Lou coming in sometimes to use them, though Pepsi only uses her tray at night now.

Fusses to your beautiful boy, and hugs to you.

[Lyn from Australia]

It took Summer a good 6 months to realise that she could do her business outside. Now using a litter bowl is a fairly rare occurrence for her.

[Walesgang]

Hi Julie

My four have unrestricted access to our large enclosed garden, plus four indoor trays. They use both! I honestly can't work out any logic to it apart from two of the four trays are generally more popular, and finer grain clumping litter is their indoor preference