Kitten Housetraining

[Roughquest]

My kitten has had all his vaccinations and has been going outside for a few hours in the day, but he always comes back in to use his litter tray - how can i teach him its ok to go to the loo outside now?
TIA
RQ x

[Siamsal]

Our cat is now 4, and still does this.

On the positive side, your cat won't be annoying neighbours by using their gardens as a toilet.

[makemesmile]

Take the litter tray away - he'll have to find somewhere else to go. But be prepared for annoyed neighbours!

[makemesmile]

btw - you don't have any large pot plants, do you?

[Ava77]

Try gradually moving the litter tray closer to the back door a bit at a time, until eventually it's outside. At first he will still use the litter tray outside, but eventually you can take the tray away and he'll toilet in the garden.

[DivaDebs]

Sprinkle cat litter liberally on the ground where you want him to go. When you see him going to the tray, take him and show him the outside area. Gradually, sprinkle less litter in the area, and he'll eventually realise it's ok to go in the dirt!

[wolf63]

life must be pretty confusing for kittens. Their mums take time to litter tray train them, we take them away from their mums, and after a little while we take away their litter trays.

Is this why they spend the rest of their life winding us up and driving us nuts - just to get their own back.

Good luck with the training, my cat was an adult when I got him and I was very lucky that he was fully trained - it was pretty amazing to see him trot off to his new tray on the first night.

[luckyeight]

I think that cats do prefer to go outside rather than use a tray and be in the vicinity of their waste.... a good way to encourage them to go outside is to create an attractive 'litter tray' outside ie a gravel area (as they are naturally attracted to this to scratch and cover their waste)... if you put some waste (transferred from the litter tray) onto some gravel outside then they would be encouraged to use this area as it will be scented with their waste. I think that given time your cat will naturally begin to go outside so don't worry too much - I would always advise keeping a tray inside purely because if it is cold and wet outside cats will be inclined to stay in, and also it just avoids any 'accidents' if you take away the tray.

[annavc]

My cat does this - he'll be outside all day but come in to use his tray then go straight back outside again. I think he thinks he's too posh to go to the loo outdoors - he prefers an indoor toilet! It doesn't bother me though.

[WendyS]

Our cat used to do this too. He was trained to use the litter tray as a kitten and would nearly burst his bladder waiting to get inside to use his tray when he was out in the garden. However, eventually he cottoned on and would use the garden when he had to, but if the earth was cold or wet it was a last resort and he seemed to prefer the comfort and cleanliness of a nice clean litter tray indoors.
If you can set aside a small area of sood chippings or forest bark outside under shelter so that he can use it when it's raining you may be able to wean him off an indoor litter tray. Some of the big plastic trays sold in garden centres might be appropriate. Then you could keep that area clean and refreshed and not have the whole of your garden soiled.

[lyd4eva]

maybe if you close the door leading to the litter tray he will go outside as he will become to need the toilet more badly!If you keep doing this he might keep using your garden as a loo-and I thaught that cat owners didn't wont there cats to pee in there garden!