Peeing In The Garden

[bluebirdy]

We just moved and have been taking my cats out into the backyard. They've never been around loose soil and apparently my male kitten thinks it's a place to dig a hole and then pee. I was surprised as when they would go out before at our previous place to play they would both come in to use the litter box.

I'd rather he didn't pee in the garden as it's a shared garden. The other tenant has a dog (they're away at present). I'm thinking the dog may mark there and that's why my male kitten is acting different than normal with the peeing outside. My female has no interest going anywhere but the litter box.

When they go outside I'm with them and they're harnessed but I let them move around without holding the leash unless they go near the trees to climb. We typically play with wand toy since there's a bigger space and am out for 30 mins each time.

Any strategies for stopping this behaviour?

 

[danteshuman]

I would ask your neighbor about it first. He is marking his territory, a perfectly normal cat thing. Better yet he is not doing it inside your home! If you want him to stop put gravel over the loose soil and give him a post to mark nearby. Maybe his own small dirt patch. I would look for a tree stump he can scratch, pee on & even sit on

 

[danteshuman]

If you or a neighbor are trimming a tree, you can always strip a branch or chunk of branch of it's leaves. Then bury part of it (1/3?) so that it doesn't wobble. I would add some of the dirt from where he pees to the ground near the branch and then cover his regular pee spot with gravel. If he still pees there put grapefruit & orange peels all over the gravel. Replace the peels every week or two until he learns to not mark there. Good luck.

 

[Columbine]

Something else to try (especially if he's used to covered boxes) is to get a covered litterbox and place that next to the dirt patch - I think Ferplast even make a couple of boxes designed for outdoors You could put a layer of that dirt over the cat litter to start with, to help him make the connection. I don't think I'd worry overmuch though - after all, your neighbour can't reasonably object to your boy peeing out there if his dog does too

 

[bluebirdy]

Thank you very much everyone. I think I shall leave it as is unless the other tenant objects. It's not like he's spraying everywhere or anthing.