Training to go to the toilet in the garden.........

[funkiechicken]

My boys prefer the great outdoors and back in the day when i had my wonderful cat flap, the litter trays were gone!!! 

Now i have no cat flap  so the trays are back. However, Nuggie would rather wait and take his chance on the fact that i must be home soon and Peanut is pretty much the same. It gets used only if occasionally.
Tazi, who went to the bridge last year, was also a Garden Fan...however  whenever i changed litter, he would climb in and pee. Often forcing himself to just pee a little bit just so his scent was in the box!  It would not be used for a fortnight until i put fresh litter 

  mymblesdaughter! that reminded of the time the Council were resurfacing the roads and tarmac-ing the pavements. THey foolishly left about 2 tons of sand outside my gate. Several times a day mine were caught "covering" and all the cats in the street used it. Some weeks later when the Council finally shoved a shovel into it, i dread to think what was there 
 

[paddypaws101]

Another vote for OKO plus here. It took me ages to get over the shock of the initial expense, but it lasts forever and can be composted or easily put in kitchen bin as it is so much lighter than clumping clay etc.

[Peggy C]

Oscar hasn't used his tray since the first time I let him out when he had been with me for  a few weeks     He walks past it every day but evern when the cat flap is locked for November 5th and New Year he will just wait
At least he knows it is there!

[Skiddaw]

Funny how they vary isn't it? Our Munchkin will do just about anything rather than use a litter tray (even if it involves crossing his little legs) no matter what litter I use. I gave up in the end. Previous cat, on the other hand, much preferred his tray to going outdoors.

[Dawn F]

agreed oko is fab, it seems expensive but I only do a whole change about every six weeks (admittedly my lot do use the garden as well as the trays)

[emmmy_lou]

Maybe putting a bit soil in with the litter, or putting some litter or a tray in the garden???? 

Mine go outside, but I use natures best (I think - sorry am at work at the mo...) its more expensive, but you dont need to change it so often. If she will use a different litter of course!

just googled its cats best oko plus http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_litter/cats_best/14001

[Mymblesdaughter]

I've just been talking to my Mum and she said Dad has built a lovely big sand box at the end of the garden for their two cats. It's mainly to stop them using the greenhouse which they really love. Anyway they won't use it and are waiting at the greenhouse door every time he opens it trying to get in. Apparently the next door cats like it though 

[Liz]

I have 30 trays thoughout the house and last years kittens still come back in to go to the grit box they learn with time but some always come back in to do the business, one of mine at 17 still does that

[Gill (sneakiefeline)]

No, cats will go where and when they want.

Its better if they use a tray as you can monitor their health, cistitus etc.

I so understand how you feel as have 6 trays in the house now and all are being used. Lupin doesnt understand you can go in ther garden , Misa does but he will come back in and use a trya!

[Tempest]

Meg kitten is now almost all grown up and is going in and out through the cat flap quite happily and spending a lot of time with Jasmine outdoors and enjoying herself which is lovely

One thing that she's not doing (and it's not a problem really but am just wondering) is that she doesn't toilet outside at all. She'll be out and then come back in to use the litter tray and go back out again. When Jasmine went outside she instantly starting going to the toilet in the garden of her own accord. We always had a litter tray inside but she rarely used it.

Just wondering if there's anything I can do to help encourage Meg to also go in the garden. Am just spending a fortune on cat litter at the moment and cleaning the trays out (we have 2) twice a day and it would just be nice if I wasn't having to clean them out so often if Meg was also going outside too.

Don't get me wrong, we'll always have a tray in the house as the cats are brought in about 5pm every evening but it would be great to be doing less cleaning (and save some pennies too!)