Outdoor enclosure, looking for advice on outside litter choices

[wendy vernon]

DSCN3712.JPG

• wendy vernon
• Apr 26, 2014

DSCN3713.JPG

• wendy vernon
• Apr 26, 2014

My cat enclosure is the same size as a one car garage/carport. The little door to the right of the human size door is where the cats go in and out of the house. There are only two cats here but they LOVE to use the potty outside. They prefer to "go" under the windows in that dirt where the "scratching logs" are located. I added sand thinking it would make the dirt more loose and it just made it more compact. I rescently had some free mulch and added it to the dirt and that has helped alot. But the mulch is in big pieces and very stringy so it is not ideal, really.

Any ideas of what I could put there to provide more "dig-ability'? Should i dig all this crap out and put in a fine mulch? Or potting soil? Or just throw some peat moss in what is already there?

I had read a thead about someone using aquarium gravel for an outdoor litterbox but am not sure how all that works. I haven't been able to find the thread again either.

Any help would be great! Thanks in advance!

Wendy, and Charlie (cat in pic)

 

[catgirl12]

i have 2 cats of my own and my best litter choice is Fresh Step, it will work PERFECT out side. I HIGHLY suggest not to use mulch that will increase the risk of getting the mulch stuck in there paws. i really stress that.But, i do like the idea of potting soil because it is soft.But, the only problem you will have is how you will find there "business" in all that dirt. i highly rec amend getting a litter box out there. i hope this advise helped you!

 

 

[andrya]

Hi @Wendy Vernon  , what a great cat-run.

l agree with the poster above. l'd probably put flagstones over the open soil areas and give them covered litters, or covered totes to go in. You could put soil in them so they have the "outdoor" experience but it would stop it get wet and clogged up, and you could change and clean it.

Can the kitties not jump out off the bench? My cats would be up and over and gone! 

 

[kittywhiskers]

Hi there, I also have a cat enclosure and my cats have an "outside loo" if you like. My husband built them a little rabbit hutch type cabin and they have normal litter trays in there with standard clumping litter.
You must have very well behaved cats if they don't climb the fence, my naughty Amber would be up and over in no time he he.

 

[wendy vernon]

One cat only has 3 legs so he can't climb. but the other, I have no idea why he can't get over. He used to try but eventually gave up. It used to have fencing that came in at an angle but it started falling down so we removed it.
Thanks for the tips! We used to have what sounds like your rabbit hutch type enclosure when we had more cats but it was not practical to put a litter box in it. It was 3 levels and they loved it!