# Training 4 cats to go toilet outside?



## Bears (Jan 10, 2011)

Hi,

I have 4 cats two of them go outside but dont go toilet out there but save it till they get back in to go in the litter tray. The other two will be going outside soon. 
I live in a first floor flat so have to let them out every now and then when they want to go out for a bit. But I want to know if its possibe to train all of them to go toilet outside? as ideally I dont want the litter trays as it smells so much even though I change them every other day. 
We havent got a cat flap so im guessing its not going to be that easy. 

Any advice? 

Thanks


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## Jansheff (Jan 31, 2011)

One of our 3 cats goes out occasionally and he usually does the same, I really don't know how you can persuade them to toilet outside. I can't see how it can work for you anyway, if you don't have a cat flap - unless you are prepared to keep letting out each cat when it wants to "go" - including in the middle of the night. Then get up to let them back in again. Going backwards and forwards to the door at the whim of 4 cats would drive me mad - cats are annoyed by closed doors and when they realise that you will open them on request they'll be at it all the time - and you won't know whether it's a need for the loo or a fancy for a quick trip outside. What happens when you're not in - will they all get shut out? 

Perhaps there's a way of making your litter tray more tolerable. I have 3 cats, only one of which is allowed outside - and that's not for more than about 20 mins at a time, unless we're in the garden with him in the summer. I tend to think that 4 cats into 1 tray is a bit much, I'd seriously think of having 2 separate trays. I use the ones with the lids on, which looks less yucky, helps contains any smells and they can't kick litter all over around it (I'm sure mine take a shovel in with them!). I also remove poops as soon as I know about them, and any wet litter at least twice a day. About every 3 days the whole lot gets thrown out and the tray scalded out with boiling water. The only time the house smells is when we have been out for a longer time than usual, say we go to work and stay in town to see a film or something (leaving extra food down of course!) Then it does get smelly, but it's soon rectified as soon as the tray is cleaned. 

Which litter do you use - perhaps someone on here can recommend a more effective litter. 

The other thing that occurs to me is that if you live in a block of flats and have four cats doing everything outside, you aren't going to be very popular with the other residents.

Edit - sorry, just noticed that you refer to the litter tray as "them" so looks like you already use more than one.


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## Bears (Jan 10, 2011)

Hi 

Thanks for your reply. I have two litter trays. Yes if the smell could be more controlled then it wouldnt be so much of a problem. 
What litter would you recommend? I just use a pets at home wood pellet own brand one. 
The litter trays you mentioned also sound like a better idea as mine are corner ones and open so thats probably not helping.

Thanks
x


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## Jansheff (Jan 31, 2011)

At the moment we use Catsan, because it's the best we've found available at the supermarket, but as I've just started ordering food from Zooplus I'm also keen to know if there's anything better available online. I'd especially like to try a clumping one, as I prefer the idea of being able to get the liquids out of there, as well as the solids, as soon as possible. Hopefully someone else will come along and recommend a good one. If not start a new thread asking. 

I'm not a fan of wood pellet ones - if it's like the one our cattery uses - my cats always smell niffy for a few days after they've come home and it takes it a while to wear off. A sort of nasty mixture of pee and sawdust.


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## lymorelynn (Oct 4, 2008)

I'd recommend trying Oko Plus Cat's Best litter, available from Zooplus as well as pet shops. It's clumping and absorbs the smells, just scoop out the clumps and do a full change every couple of weeks. Its only problem is the tracking but I've found a covered tray with a mat help to stop that.
Training a cat to go outside from a flat is not so easy as from a house. When I have had outdoor cats I have just moved the litter tray nearer to the door until it was outside, preferably on a flower bed and then took the tray away after a while. From a first floor flat I don't think that would be possible so not sure what to suggest - sorry.


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## Jansheff (Jan 31, 2011)

Thanks for the litter recommendation, I've ordered some this morning to give it a try. :thumbup:


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## darkshines (Feb 22, 2011)

Gizmo pees A LOT and we were finding clumping cat litter pointless and expensive. We are now using a paper pellet litter (the chap on our local market gave us a 5 litre bag for free!) an Gizmo is fine with it. We use the scent free tray liners from Poundland in a Poundland tray, so if things do get smelly, we just tie them up and take them straight out to the trash. Gizmo is going to be an indoor cat for at least another month, so we had to come up with a bearable option as I am very smell sensitive. The only time I notice the litter smell now is if I give him "gushy" foods (we accidently bought him As Good As It Looks Felix) but normal poops and wees go unnoticed!

In summary:

Paper pellets
Tray liners
Not so rich food.


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