Pooping outside the litter tray

[Hikari92]

Could be that he's been able to see or smell neighbourhood cats for the first time, and they've been able to see or smell him?  Because it's a boundary position, he may feel a bit overwhelmed at the new freedoms.

We do have a few cats on our road, although ive tried to do my best and stopping them coming in the garden when i can as i dont want to freak him out.
If i had been able to, i would have gotten him on a harness first and taken him round the garden a few times before letting him on his own but given that getting his collar on after 25 minutes involved 2 people and a blanket i figured chances of this happening were slim

He still wont be allowed out if im not in yet i figured i would build up to that as i am concerned he is going to get into a scrap with other cats but hes so bored and up until yesterday he has been begging to go out for 2 weeks.

So do you think i should just wait and see what happens

[Hikari92]

was the tray clean?  I know that what I think is clean and what my lot think is clean are two different things!  also mine sometimes kick stuff out when digging, I have to have a big tray under the litter tray to catch flying objects 

Yep it was cleaned thoroughly yesterday and as there was no litter on the floor he clearly deliberately went on the mat

[Dawn F]

was the tray clean?  I know that what I think is clean and what my lot think is clean are two different things!  also mine sometimes kick stuff out when digging, I have to have a big tray under the litter tray to catch flying objects 

[Sue P (Paddysmum)]

Could be that he's been able to see or smell neighbourhood cats for the first time, and they've been able to see or smell him?  Because it's a boundary position, he may feel a bit overwhelmed at the new freedoms.

[Hikari92]

Ok, when we first got Beanie he only used the litter tray a couple of times and then started going anywhere put (r.i.p duvet, mattress, blanket etc) we came to the conclusion he didnt like the litter that the shelter detailed in their paperwork and this fixed the problem overnight

He hasnt had a single problem since, uses clumping litter with liners he has had no problems until this morning when i came down to give him his breakfast and he had gone on the mat by the back door (luckily its machine washable). Now 2 big things happened for him yesterday, the tray was moved from one side of the back door to the other to make it easier to open and yesterday for the first time we gave him the option of going into the garden (he only got his front paws out before chickening out).
I am trying to work out which of these events has triggered this behaviour and i would like opinions, i know that it is possibly moving the tray however he has peed in it. He also peed in his other tray as during the first episode of not using the tray these areas were where he was was going. So this is confusing me

Is it possible it confused him at first and because he clearly has used the tray which is only 2 feet away from its previous location that he probably will next time or is this a wait and see type of thing