build an outdoor litter area on stone pavement?

BerniceT

TCS Member
Thread starter
Kitten
Joined
Jul 13, 2020
Messages
1
Purraise
0
What litter mix and how deep to set up outdoor cat litter area of 6x3, on top of currently stone flooring? Would 1 foot deep with mix of dirt/pea gravels enough for the urine to sink? Would it better to have an absorbent layer in the dirt? What would happen when it rains (plan a simple roof top for the cat house enclosure of 6 by 3, 6feet tall).

The goal is no need to scoop every day, and no smells. But will bleach and flush down the area well at least 2x a year.

From watching various videos, there of course have to be treated wood panels around it so the litter can be held inside first but I really not sure how deep that need to be and what litter? A mix of non-crumbing litter + pea gravels + dirt?

Thanks for any insights.

Here are the online research links I have:
"Pee" Gravel? - Double Happiness
Encanto Outdoor Enclosure Cat Cage (some feedback has the dirt bottom as litter)
 

Attachments

FeebysOwner

TCS Member
Staff Member
Forum Helper
Joined
Jun 13, 2018
Messages
22,436
Purraise
33,200
Location
Central FL (Born in OH)
Hi. I really can't answer your questions, but am curious about how you think the drainage is going to work with the flooring being stone? It is just going to flood when it rains, and not likely to drain very well. And, the litter mix will take forever to dry out once it is rained on. Will your cats tolerate that? Plus, the poop is going to take a long time to even semi-decompose and will smell pretty badly in the meantime - not to mention your cats walking through it on their way in/out of the litter area. And, how big of an area within the bottom of the catio are you talking about in terms of size - surely not the whole floor, right? Wood panels, treated or not, if peed on will hold the urine smell forever, and the idea of using bleach as a clean up is only a good one if you plan to keep your cats out of the catio for several days afterward.

As I said, I really have no answers to your questions - sorry for that. But, at least by me responding to your post, it will be 'bumped up' on the list and maybe offer the chance for some other members to see it and provide you with some ideas/suggestions!
 

basscat

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Dec 29, 2015
Messages
1,874
Purraise
5,724
Not sure that's possible. Dirt mixed with pea gravel: Dirt will settle and lock all the pea gravel together in the bottom. Sand and pea gravel will do the same. Pea gravel alone might work? But poo will remain on the top until it slowly disolves, runs down, and acts like dirt....but it won't be dirt. No matter what, it WILL Smell.
Water and rain will compound everything above, and make it worse.
I'm not guessing about this. My cat stays in an outdoor enclosure several days each week (during the day). I've tried everything I can think of and sand is the best. And that's being kind to sand. Actually there's nothing good about it.
The "box" was to stop him from doing his business in EVERY corner of his enclosure. But, after a few years of trial and error? Him going on the ground, in corners, is actually preferred now. Easy to pick up and dispose of, and/or it just goes away with weather fairly quickly.
About the only way an outside box works is if it's covered/sheltered from rain and mother nature. And you use litter, and scoop it often.
 

Willowy

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Mar 1, 2009
Messages
31,886
Purraise
28,287
Location
South Dakota
Maybe just have regular litterboxes outside? Yeah, you'd still have to clean them, but at least the litterbox odor wouldn't be inside.

Anything you have outside has to be cleaned too, or it'll smell and attract flies. I'd be especially concerned with it over stone instead of dirt, as it sounds like it wouldn't drain well.
 

cataholic07

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 28, 2014
Messages
1,502
Purraise
1,691
If the poo smell is the problem then look at feeding a raw diet. It gets rid of the poop smell completely.:) For urine if they arent fixed it will always smell pretty rank, especially for tomcats but females to. So just get them fixed. If the urine smells strong in a fixed cat that can be a sign of dehydration. The litter box is the best way to tell how your cats are feeling. Small clumps of urine only? It's a uti! Diarrhea? Constipation? Not even using the litter box? All clear signs that a vet trip is needed. the litter box may not be fun to clean but it can be a difference in life or death of a cat for sure.
 
Top