Yesterday we got cat. Owner kept him outside he won’t use litter box. I put him in it 20 minutes after eating and waking up and zillion times throughout day. I even take his paws and drag them through the litter. He immediately jumps out takes no interest. Finally took him outside he pooped and I was told put it into litter box and immediately put him in box, that didn’t help either. I don’t want to keep taking him outside we want him to be inside cat only. Any suggestions??????
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House Training Outside Cat Help!
- Thread starter Niese423
- Start Date
Hi
N
Niese423
and welcome to TCS!
He'll go when he wants to go.. putting him in the litterbox won't do it.
Has he gone inside, but outside of the litterbox?
When you get a new cat it's usually a good idea to keep them in a relatively enclosed space.. Can you do that? Somewhere you can spend quite a bit of time with him. Have a scratching post, bed, safe spots and two litterboxes there. Two litterboxes are a good idea as some cats won't wee where they poo.
Use uncovered boxes.
Most cats will automatically go in the litterbox as it's the closest thing the going outside.
It's great you want him to be an inside cat. It will keep him safe.
He'll go when he wants to go.. putting him in the litterbox won't do it.
Has he gone inside, but outside of the litterbox?
When you get a new cat it's usually a good idea to keep them in a relatively enclosed space.. Can you do that? Somewhere you can spend quite a bit of time with him. Have a scratching post, bed, safe spots and two litterboxes there. Two litterboxes are a good idea as some cats won't wee where they poo.
Use uncovered boxes.Most cats will automatically go in the litterbox as it's the closest thing the going outside.
It's great you want him to be an inside cat. It will keep him safe.
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Keep him in. Honestly, he'll learn. Cats like to be clean and they like to be able to cover their 'business'.
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I stopped taking him outside. I tried to cage him in big cage with his litter box, bed and food, water. He explored litter box like crazy. But then he got mad and little stinker managed squeeze out between the bars. I would of never dreamed he would fit. So he’s back in the bathroom but he has nothing do with his litter box in bathroom. Sorry to be such pain.
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Yes he’s been inside now for whole day. Still hasn’t used litter box nor gone anywhere. I have him confined to just bathroom.
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- #14
Oh yes I go in every half hour to an hour and play with him. He still hasn’t gone poo he did pee next to litter box. He has very comfy bed plenty toys and a safe place. Thanks for all your help. I’ll let you know he uses the litter box.
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- #16
He’s about 5 months old, not neutered but if I can’t get him litter trained I can’t keep him if I can get him trained then immediately he is getting neutered. So far no luck he still hasn’t pooped and wants nothing do with litter box. He was also runt of his mommy’s litter.
I have indoor/outdoor cats who also prefer outside. We don't keep a litter box in the house because they won't use it during the evenings when they are locked in. We only put it out now if they are locked in for more than 10 hours. Even then my girl Rocket will hold it for up to 18 hours to avoid the box (not purposefully testing but that seems to be the point where poo appears in the box).
I have been there with the same thing during those times. I wouldn't call it housebreaking in the sense you house train a dog but rather breaking the delusion.
My boy Link broke his leg and was housebound for three months. From that experience,
1) Two boxes are a must. Outside cats don't poo and pee in the same spot. A cat transitioning to inside will still want two spots. The larger the better, Link prefers a box at least a foot longer than him. The two boxes he has for inside are both large sized and across the room from each other. He will go back and forth for a while scratching at both until he decides which is better.
2) Keep it clean. I get the logic of putting poo in it but think like an outdoor cat. They don't go in the same spot twice. They dig a new hole elsewhere. Having poo already there indicates it's a used spot and they need to go elsewhere. Link absolutely refused to use a box with even a tiny pee spot. He also came and got me to clean it after every use, my boy is a little special.
3) Be patient and give him space. Link only pees twice a day and poos once. He prefers when no one is around and poos at night. Rocket has never ever gone when I can see her inside or outside (I've had her for two and a half years). Cats are prey animals, they are venerable when going. While he is your cat, he might not feel comfortable enough yet to go when you are nearby. Which also ties in with him needing to relax to go at all.
I have been there with the same thing during those times. I wouldn't call it housebreaking in the sense you house train a dog but rather breaking the delusion.
My boy Link broke his leg and was housebound for three months. From that experience,
1) Two boxes are a must. Outside cats don't poo and pee in the same spot. A cat transitioning to inside will still want two spots. The larger the better, Link prefers a box at least a foot longer than him. The two boxes he has for inside are both large sized and across the room from each other. He will go back and forth for a while scratching at both until he decides which is better.
2) Keep it clean. I get the logic of putting poo in it but think like an outdoor cat. They don't go in the same spot twice. They dig a new hole elsewhere. Having poo already there indicates it's a used spot and they need to go elsewhere. Link absolutely refused to use a box with even a tiny pee spot. He also came and got me to clean it after every use, my boy is a little special.
3) Be patient and give him space. Link only pees twice a day and poos once. He prefers when no one is around and poos at night. Rocket has never ever gone when I can see her inside or outside (I've had her for two and a half years). Cats are prey animals, they are venerable when going. While he is your cat, he might not feel comfortable enough yet to go when you are nearby. Which also ties in with him needing to relax to go at all.
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- #18
Yeah I was going to recommend potting soil mixed with half non clumping unscented litter & if that worked adding more litter week by week until it was all litter. Our semi-feral uses the backyard. He had to be inside for 2 weeks because he was gravely ill at the time. He used the litter box with no issues but once he got back outside he stopped using it. I would keep your cat secured in one room with the litter boxes/toys/food/cat beds/ cat scratchers for 2 weeks. If he uses the litter box faithfully for two weeks then you can open the door & let him roam around inside. It will also help keep him inside & give him time to acclimate to your house/claim the room as his home. Once he starts exploring the place you can move his stuff slowly outside of his room. Only move one litter box at a time & I would leave one in the original spot while moving the other box 1-3 feet at a time per 3-7 days. Cats dislike change, some more than others. Honestly I would just buy a third litter box (cheap) and put it out where ever I want the second litter box place to be, then in a couple of months just remove one of the boxes. (Hold on to it in case he wants /needs it back.) Most cats like having their litter boxes in more than one room, far away from their food/water. It also helps them mark their space. Which means your cat who is used to marking his space outside/everywhere may want 3 boxes in 2 different rooms. Please tell us how it goes?
I was going to recommend potting soil mixed with half non clumping unscented litter & if that worked adding more litter week by week until it was all litter. Our semi-feral uses the backyard. He had to be inside for 2 weeks because he was gravely ill at the time. He used the litter box with no issues but once he got back outside he stopped using it. I would keep your cat secured in one room with the litter boxes/toys/food/cat beds/ cat scratchers for 2 weeks. If he uses the litter box faithfully for two weeks then you can open the door & let him roam around inside. It will also help keep him inside & give him time to acclimate to your house/claim the room as his home. Once he starts exploring the place you can move his stuff slowly outside of his room. Only move one litter box at a time & I would leave one in the original spot while moving the other box 1-3 feet at a time per 3-7 days. Cats dislike change, some more than others. Honestly I would just buy a third litter box (cheap) and put it out where ever I want the second litter box place to be, then in a couple of months just remove one of the boxes. (Hold on to it in case he wants /needs it back.) Most cats like having their litter boxes in more than one room, far away from their food/water. It also helps them mark their space. Which means your cat who is used to marking his space outside/everywhere may want 3 boxes in 2 different rooms. Please tell us how it goes?
