# Training my 7month old kitten to go to the toilet outside...



## Miloandmonkey (Oct 3, 2010)

Hi Everyone

I am having a little bit of trouble with my new kitten. Her name is monkey and she is approaching 8 months old. I recently had her spayed and have begun trying to train her to say goodbye to the litter box and hello to the outside world!

I have another cat (Milo- hes 3) who was an absolute breeze to train. He was so ready to go outside (around the 7 month mark also) and i went from backdoor open with litterbox by the back step, to taking the litter box away completely with no accidents at night etc within about a fortnight!

Monkey however is a different story. Since we got her (about 3 months ago) shes always been so curious about outside- we would often have to stop her from running out the door if werent careful. I was so sure that as soon as she was spayed she would be as easy as milo to train as she seemed so eager to be out there. Weirdly- she is now really scared of being outside. She runs when i open the door and i have to physically pick her up and put her out there. She stays very close to the house and always seems to be in "survival" mode- slinking around with wide eyes. 

I am putting the litter box at the back door and leaving her out there for a few hours at a time (on my vets advice- and yes, i initially would spend time out there with her to reassure her). I used to leave the backdoor open but that defeats the object as she only runs back inside. After about 30 mins she cries at the back door to be let in. I feel awful but i know if i come running everytime and let her back in the house, she will never learn that outside is where you go to use the toilet! We have had awful problems with her peeing on furniture (on the whole she has been good with her litter box- she just randomly decides to "go" on things! its so frustrating and im fed up of the cleaning up!) 

I am so desperate for her to use the outside as her toilet- im not wanting her to be a total outdoor car- im quite happy for her just to pop out now and again, do her business and come back- shes our pet after all and i love her and milo being in the house (milo is great in that respect- does what hes gotta do and comes back and keeps me company while i work!).

Does anyone have any advice how i can help her to understand that outside is not so bad and to make that connection between outdoors and going to the toilet!

Thanks guys.


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## Nando (Jun 28, 2010)

my cats are indoor ones but id say patience is the key here as cats if anything are curious you sit there leave the door open shell probably eventually go out but you'll have to leae the door open still and eventually shell feel free too cats have different personalitys that cant be changed my 2 weve got a boy whos as confident as can be and a girl whos very timid and cries if picked up.. will purr cos your stroking her to settle her but still cry i think patatince will be the key aswell as giving her the freedom to make her own choice


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## Loulabella1 (Nov 18, 2009)

Have you tried putting some of her dirty litter and poops outside in an area she can use as a toilet? Not saying she will stick to where you like her to go but might get her started on going outside? My two soon go the idea and after a week or so would hold their wee all night (I kept them in at night for a few months) rather than use the litter tray. Now they have 24 hr access to the cat flap so after a few weeks of not using the litter tray I have now taken it up. 

Not sure if any of the above will work for you as mine were desperate to go outside from a few months old and waiting till they had recovered from being speyed wasn't fun as they were constantly trying to escape, so mine were very ready to go out by the time I let them!


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