Re-training my old cat

Question
My cat is 6 years old & we need to train her to start going to the toilet outside rather than in her litter tray in the Kitchen as the smell is becoming unbarable & me & my partner are thinking of trying for a baby? Is this possible to do? If we take her litter tray away wont she just go to the toilet in the Living Room etc?

Answer
Faye,

Unfortunately, having a litter box is usually part of cat ownership. A cat that is used to having one inside may resist going outside to use potty as a cat is a creature of habit and routine. And yes, she may go on the floor.

You can do it but there are factors to consider in making the decision to get rid of the litter box inside:

Some cats are shy and don't like the openness of doing their business outside.

If the cat gets 'jumped' or scared by something when she is going potty outside then she may be scared to go potty outside anymore and may do it in the house.

What about at night? Night time is the most dangerous time for a cat to be outside. Are you going to get up and let her in and out? Cat's don't pee and poop on schedule. And 'holding it' too long is not good for the cat's kidneys. You may want to have the litter box outside during the day but have one inside at night.

What if you aren't home and she has to go?

What if she eats something that gives her diarrhea and she can't get outside soon enough?

What about when the weather is bad? Especially when it is raining?

To train a cat to go outside put the litter box outside near the door and show it to the cat. Keep moving it farther away until it is where you want it. Usually they will use the litter box outside instead of dirt at first. You can also add dirt to the cat litter to get them used to the transition. The next step is to remove the litter box after a few days. The cat should then start going outside.
If the cat is outside and starts crying to come in and look for the litter box, or looks like it is going to go where the litter box was, hurry and pick the cat up and take it outside to some dirt (or sand) and try to keep it there. Eventually they will get the idea and make the connection that if there is not a litter box inside, then they are supposed to go outside. It's all in association and repetition, but you have to be consistent about it.

There shouldn't be any smell to the litter box these days. I use Tidy Cat Crystals scoopable cat litter and I have a number of cats that use the litter box, and there is no smell. It needs to be scooped at least once a day, and add more litter as needed. Sometimes I will use Arm & Hammer baking powder too in either the bottom of the litter box before I put in the litter or mix some in the litter. That helps the odor too. Using a larger litter box with deeper litter helps too. Do not use clay litter...that WILL smell. Only use clay litter if there are very young kittens using the litter box.

Tabbi