# Re-House Training



## chris9486 (Feb 16, 2011)

Hi,

I come to you in desperation, seriously. My cat that is approaching 3 years old needs re training to go to the toilet outside. I really do not know what to do. She is doing her business in the same spot every day regardless of how long I let her out. She knows she is doing bad because when I just woke up she ran and hid under my bed. What I cannot understand is I was in bed for 4 hours and she needed the toilet in this time, even though she was outside for 3 hours before. I don't want to have to leave her outside overnight, but it seems if I cannot train her to do it outside again, she will have to and ultimately, if she carries on even if she is outside all night, I will have to get rid of her.
I have tried a litter tray but it is pointless as she never hits the tray, even with the XL sized, she misses the tray and the paper around.
At my previous address she rarely did this, it was twice in as many years.
Does anyone have any tips please?


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## lucylocket35 (Feb 5, 2011)

chris9486 said:


> At my previous address she rarely did this, it was twice in as many years.


Hi, have you moved house very recently?


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

^^^^ as above.If you have moved recently your cat may be finding it hard to settle in to her new area.There may be a bully cat chasing her when she tries to go to the toilet.Cats need to feel safe and secure in their toilet area.If as you say this is not like her to do this then i would have her checked out at the vets to rule out any infection first.Feliway difusser is a great tool when dealing with stress,it may be worth plugging one in.I would persevere with the litter tray ,and I dont recommend you shut her out overnight .This is something I'm sure can be sorted.If you cant get her to use the tray when she has the freedom of the house try shutting her in one room with her food and litter tray overnight until she starts using it


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## chris9486 (Feb 16, 2011)

Thanks for the replies.

I moved in December. But I moved 6 months before that so it has been a bit of a terrible 12 months.

It's not that she doesn't know how to use her litter tray, it is that she wants to do her business right in the corners and so she always misses. She is fine for doing a pee, but the other always ends up outside. She didn't have a litter tray at the previous addresses and went outside always to do her business.

I think she is being bullied outside. I don't know what to do about it. I am resorting to going out with her now so I can scare off the other cats and she seems to think she has to protect me now, she is fighting back against one bigger cat. I have just come back from work and I have restricted access to the area she likes to do her stuff, I think because she's done it there before she thinks it is ok to do it there again, and anyway she has been in all day since 7am (now 3.30pm) and there's no nasty surprise waiting for me.

She had an annual health check four weeks ago and all the tests came back fine. So I am going to keep going out with her now and again to make sure she is fine. It is just so unlike her and I love her so much and I don't want to have to give her up.


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## Cloudygirl (Jan 9, 2011)

how about a concealed or corner tray that she can walk into


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## chris9486 (Feb 16, 2011)

I have tried that, I spent £29.99 on a litter tray that was like a carrier with a flap on the front. She wasn't having that. I also tried putting the litter tray in a box that was higher and it only just fit in. That just ended up being a mess. I think I just need to go out with her more till she settles. Thanks for the suggestion though.


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## Cloudygirl (Jan 9, 2011)

is it a corner tray though? If she particularly likes going in that corner I'd get a corner tray that fits into it and see if she'll go in there. Also did you try taking the flap off your tray. My boys are too silly to use it with the flap so I had to take that off my covered tray.


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## Lulus mum (Feb 14, 2011)

I also bought a corner tray and I took off the flap,as they I didnt think they would use it 
One of my cats has the same the problem as yours- and often misses the tray,but surely thats not a major problem.I put 2 plastic table mats in front and behind the tray ,they are easy to clean 

As the previous post aid-try putting her in a room over night with her food,water and tray.
To be honest if youve moved twice in the last year or so it must be quite upsetting to her -new surroundings,new cats in the area etc.
Please dont get rid of her,as you said you may have to 

Good luck,from Maureen


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## Kiwi (Nov 18, 2010)

It sounds as though you are becoming quite stressed out by this, which the cat will pick up on (if she is running for cover when you wake, as you describe, it shows she is stressed too IMO ). I think she needs reassurance, so I would try relocating the litter tray somewhere nice and private (and ensure it is scrupulously clean). If you can't provide an outside run, I'd continue to walk with her (I go out between 10-12 with my cat every evening to ride shotgun at the mo as she has been scared by something recently too :scared. You might also try putting the litter tray inside a larger one (or getting a smaller one to fit inside your existing one). If this is a behavioural rather than health issue (which it sounds like) then it should be fixable with patience. Don't despair, I'm sure you can resolve this with time  xx


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## BigTourist (Feb 25, 2011)

I use a cheap, plastic underbed drawer instead of a litter tray, it's about 3 - 4 times the size of a normal litter tray and the sides are much higher, it might be worth a try as you can pick one up for less than a tenner. The one I use is like this but without the lid (obviously!!): PACK OF 3 x 32 Litre (Underbed) Plastic Storage Box with Lid - DiscountHomeCentre.co.uk


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## Jansheff (Jan 31, 2011)

We have a tray with a cover, but no flap. I think they feel more secure at a "vulnerable"  time anyway if they're inside a covered tray. They certainly can't miss with a covered tray.

The other thing that occurs to me is you mention that she is currently pooing in the same place everytime - how are you cleaning this up? The vet once told me that unless you use a special enzyme remover when you clean up, the cat can still smell where it went before and that gives him the go ahead to go there again. We had a cat that persisted on pooing on the bath mat then rolling it all up inside. :angry: You can imagine what a lovely, sticky cleaning up job that was!

I can't remember what the enzyme stuff was, it's a long time ago and that cat, bless him, is no longer with us, but a pet shop or the vet will stock it. Also, apologies if someone's already mentioned this and I've missed it, a Feliway diffuser plug in might go some way to chilling your cat a bit, if she's stressed out from house moves and local bullies.


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