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dan glenn - 10 Sep 2004 09:32 GMT

I moved a few months ago. Before I moved, my two cats, who could come and go
inside or outside, very rarely used the litter box I had for them. When I
moved, I was told by virtually everyone (on this newsgroup and another) that
I ABSOLUTELY HAD to keep them indoors for at least two full weeks (many said
at least a month) or they would run away the first chance they got. Well, I
know now that was stupid advice, but I did keep them locked up in my room
for about 2 weeks. Thus they had to use the litter box all the time, which
they did, being nice, behaved puddies.

But now I have them outside most all the time - they can come and go as they
please, through a window I keep cracked open for them. In fact, the only
reason they usually come in now is to use the litter box! I'd love it if I
could get them back the way they were, when they used it only once in a blue
moon. Can I do this?

I mean, if I just hide the litter box now, what will happen? They'll come
indoors, look for the litter box, see it's gone, and then what? Are they
going to poop on the floor where it was? Are they going to get the idea and
start using the outdoors again like they once did? Is there hope?

Someone must have some experience in this particular thing. Would greatly
appreciate any advice, tips, prognostications...

-dg

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M.C. Mullen - 10 Sep 2004 17:32 GMT

| I moved a few months ago. Before I moved, my two cats, who could come and go
| inside or outside, very rarely used the litter box I had for them. When I
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
| for about 2 weeks. Thus they had to use the litter box all the time, which
| they did, being nice, behaved puddies.

It's not stupid advice at all.
A neighbour who just moved here lost the cat he had for years because he
didn't believe it. It was chased away by the ruling tom and most likely
didn't find the way home. He's been looking for it for two months now, even
didn't go on hols.

| But now I have them outside most all the time - they can come and go as they
| please, through a window I keep cracked open for them. In fact, the only
| reason they usually come in now is to use the litter box! I'd love it if I
| could get them back the way they were, when they used it only once in a blue
| moon. Can I do this?

Absolutely no problem: Scoop out the poop, but leave the urine. The smell
will put them off eventually ...
And ... they may not feel too secure to go outside yet, they need a quiet
spot, so give them time. None of my 7 cats I had so far used a litterbox
when they could go outside, but they were all trained initially.

| I mean, if I just hide the litter box now, what will happen? They'll come
| indoors, look for the litter box, see it's gone, and then what? Are they
| going to poop on the floor where it was? Are they going to get the idea and
| start using the outdoors again like they once did? Is there hope?

Try it out and tell us the outcome ;-)

| Someone must have some experience in this particular thing. Would greatly
| appreciate any advice, tips, prognostications...
|
| -dg

I can tell you, I'd much rather clean out dirty litter boxes than losing a
cat, so cheer up.

Carola

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Ted Davis - 12 Sep 2004 17:46 GMT

>I moved a few months ago. Before I moved, my two cats, who could come and go
>inside or outside, very rarely used the litter box I had for them. When I
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>Someone must have some experience in this particular thing. Would greatly
>appreciate any advice, tips, prognostications...

Several years ago, I moved to the country, got a bunch more cats, and
installed a cat flap to give them 24/7/365 access to the outdoors.
After all the cats began spending time outside I tried letting the
litter pans go without cleaning to encourage them to use the outside.
This was almost working, then I got dogs and the cats mostly refused
to go out.

After getting rid of the dogs, and getting the cats back to going
outside, I tried again. Maryweather went back to peeing in my bed
when the pans got too dirty for her (and dumping behind the TV). I
cleaned them last night and was surprised to find almost no solids,
but almost all the clumps were urine, and there were what must have
been the full six days since last cleaning accumulation from most of
the cats. They are sort of half doing what I want, but weirdly.

--
T.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu)

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dan glenn - 12 Sep 2004 20:29 GMT

> >I moved a few months ago. Before I moved, my two cats, who could come and go
> >inside or outside, very rarely used the litter box I had for them. When I
[quoted text clipped - 36 lines]
> --
> T.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu)

So you didn't even try removing the litter box - just leaving it
to accumulate enough to discourage the cats. Someone must have told
you that it would never work - just removing it from the start?

I guess what I'm hoping for is to hear from someone that they were
in a simular situation, that they removed the litter box, and that
their cats got the idea immediately and from that time on did it
outside. I know this all depends on the cat, of course. But if I
could just know that it could work for SOME cats, I'd give it a
try myself. To my way of thinking, leaving the litter box present
can't possibly suggest to the mind of a cat that he should do it
outside - the cat will just think his owner is an idiot for not
cleaning it out more regularly, and might get pissed off enough
at the owner to pee in the owners bed :)

-dg

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Ted Davis - 13 Sep 2004 02:31 GMT

>> >I moved a few months ago. Before I moved, my two cats, who could come and
>go
[quoted text clipped - 49 lines]
>to accumulate enough to discourage the cats. Someone must have told
>you that it would never work - just removing it from the start?

I tried moving the litter pans outside in good weather - that's when
they started dumping behind the TV. I tried removing them completely
- they then started using the kitchen floor as well.

>I guess what I'm hoping for is to hear from someone that they were
>in a simular situation, that they removed the litter box, and that
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
>cleaning it out more regularly, and might get pissed off enough
>at the owner to pee in the owners bed :)

I can deal with the bed in less than half an hour, but it sometimes
takes that long just to find where the stink is coming from when they
go somewhere else. The plastic air mattress is covered with a sheet
of thin plastic that I discard when one of them makes a mess - the
mattress pad, sheets, and comforter are all washable (I buy only thin
comforters that I think will fit in my washer).

--
T.E.D. (tdavis@gearbox.maem.umr.edu)

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Jeannie - 15 Sep 2004 09:32 GMT

> I moved a few months ago. Before I moved, my two cats, who could come and go
> inside or outside, very rarely used the litter box I had for them. When I
[quoted text clipped - 20 lines]
>
> -dg

One of my friends moved to my new house and, like your cats, her cat always
came back inside the house to do her business in the litter-box. I read in
another n.g. about mixing earth from outside in with the litter to encourage
former outdoor cats to use the litterbox indoors. I thought that this
technique might also work in reverse and am happy to report that it did :-).

What she did was gradually increase the ratio of earth to litter until the
box was all earth. The cat's got the idea that the earth smell = toilet and
now, while her cat's still use the litterbox indoors in bad weather most of
the time they go outside.

HTH
Jeannie

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dan glenn - 15 Sep 2004 20:04 GMT

> > I moved a few months ago. Before I moved, my two cats, who could come and
> go
[quoted text clipped - 47 lines]
> Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
> Version: 6.0.726 / Virus Database: 481 - Release Date: 22/07/04

Wow - who'd ever guess?! But it sounds like a LOT of work, mixing in
gradually-increasing amounts of dirt to the litter. I'm thinking that
instead of gradually changing the litter material, I'll gradually
change the environment - or at least take a couple of steps to change
the environment. Like just putting the litter box immediately out the
window (where they enter), where they can't miss it and hoping they
start using it there when they need to with no problems. Then, when
they are used to using it on the immediate outside, when I remove it
altogether I think they will stay outside and do their business there.

I hope I hope I hope...

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Jeannie - 16 Sep 2004 14:14 GMT

> > > I moved a few months ago. Before I moved, my two cats, who could come
> and
[quoted text clipped - 63 lines]
> Wow - who'd ever guess?! But it sounds like a LOT of work, mixing in
> gradually-increasing amounts of dirt to the litter.

A lot of work? You only have to put a shovel full of dirt in the litter
tray and mix it up every week or so...and if your cleaning the litterbox
anyway... Any how, it worked for my friend so if all else fails...

Jeannie

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zuzu22@webtv.net - 16 Sep 2004 17:12 GMT

Cats that go outside should always have access to a litterbox indoors.
Period. End of story. There are many instances where a cat may need to
go potty and outside circumstances are such (storms for example) that
the cat won't want to go outside at that moment it needs to. The cats
shouldn't be allowed out after dark any way for safety reasons. If you
take care of the litterbox properly, smell shouldn't be an issue and
you won't notice it's even there. Take away the litterbox and you'll
likely be cleaning up cat pee and poop off the floor or maybe even your
bed.

Megan

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formerly known as 'cat arranger' - 27 Oct 2004 05:22 GMT

Probably someone else said this alreade but:
move the box towards the yard a little or a lot
every day depending on what works, then leave
it out and put a different kind of box with
different kind of litter inside.
Good luck.
You said the advice about leaving them inside
was bad. Maybe so, but I will do that if I move
and I bet you do to when confronted again with
maybe losing one.

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