Nacktschnecken omlet Cube

[Cranfield Kate]

hello all

 

I am sure someone out there knows a solution for this.... I have two cats. one is an awesome, well adjusted kitten. the other is a desperately nervous young cat. the kitten happily uses the cat flap and runs in and out all day. the cat doesn't use it but she likes being outside (she lived outside for a week recently after she dashed out the door and was too scared to come back and she used to be a stray).

 

the kitten will come inside from playing in the garden to use the litter tray! I have never known a cat do this.

 

the cat obviously doesn't go outside and so also uses the litter tray.

 

any suggestions for how I can get the cat to use the cat flap (we can't pick her up and she is so nervous that if we come too close when she is on the floor she runs off. we can hand feed her treats when she's on her cushion though) and the kitten to toilet in the garden???

 

thank you!

[Alis girls]

I feel your pain. I have a fat lazy tabby cat who will go outside and then come back in and poo in the litter tray My OH says she doesnt like the damp cold soil on her bootie I have no idea how to advise you - could u prop the cat flap open. My cat never took to the flap - there are soem vets and vet nurses who may be able to advse. Good luck.

[WitchHazel]

When our cats were kittens, they would always come back in to use the litter tray.

 

The only way I have found to solve it is to move the litter tray outside (gradually if it is a distance from where the litter tray is normally sited, and then remove it completely.

 

If we have to put a litter tray down for any reason (for example, if one of the cats is unwell), then their kitten brains kick in and they both use it.

 

With the nervous cat, you would probably need to prop the cat flap open for some time so that she gets used to going in and out without having to tackle the flap. Moving the litter tray outside (just the other side of the cat flap) might help encourage her while the flap is propped open.

 

Once she's used to doing that, bribery often helps. We set a camera up once, when we changed cat flaps and the cats were too scared to use it. We discovered that they would go in and out when we weren't there, but did not when we were around. Maybe they sensed us watching them and it made them nervous? Or they were just cheeky monkeys.

 

The Cats Protection League might have some information for you on how to help ex-strays overcome their nervousness.

 

Good luck.

[Olly]

I have also successfully used the trick of moving the litter tray gradually and then having it outside till they got used to it.

 

I have a similar problem at the moment - Claudette cannot/will not use the cat flap, although she has mysteriously been found on the other side of it sometimes. In the summer I use large clothes pegs to hold it open, and she happily hops in and out, but it's too cold now, so I've had to resort to a litter tray; as soon as the pegs are removed, she won't even attempt it. Unfortunately my other cat hates the tray and will not use it under any circumstances, and if she uses it and I don't spring to attention to clean it up, he howls and scratches at the cupboard doors to let me know how offended he is!

 

I've always trained cats to use cat-flaps by just poking them gently through a few times, and then holding a dish of irresistible food (sardines for example) on the other side. Claudette still cannot be handled easily, so this isn't an option - I've just resigned myself to winter litter trays. I would love to get a webcam though, and see what they do when I'm out.

[chicken bark]

Another vote for moving the litter tray. I put mine just outside the back door next to the cat flap with the cat flap propped open.

 

You can also put a bit of soil in the litter tray and a bit of cat litter in the garden in a suitable toilet area and take your kitten to it.

 

No idea how to help with your nervous stray though.

 

Incidentally I have one cat that NEVER uses the litter tray - she'd rather cross her legs for 48 hours. My other cats all use the litter tray and although I try to hide access to it during the day they still manage to force their way in on bad weather days and they can all use it at night. I decided to not worry about it. Emptying the litter tray every so often is no real hardship (it is a covered one).

[Cranfield Kate]

it's good to know i am not alone in this problem!

 

what i don't understand is why the nervous cat will use the flap on the litter tray (it;s one of those ones with a lid and a flap to get in and out) but not the flap to the outside world where she can see straight through it.

 

I wonder if it maybe smells funny. perhaps if i clean it....

 

and, you know, i do suspect her of using it when we;re not looking. i don't seem to poo pick enough for two cats.

[jasperaliceuk]

Just wanted to say that I have recently discovered Baby Chick Crumb is brilliant cat litter and very flushable.

 

Sue

[chicken bark]

Just wanted to say that I have recently discovered Baby Chick Crumb is brilliant cat litter and very flushable.

 

Sue

 

 

I wonder how you found that out.

[dancing cloud]

I found out about chick crumb from a forum a few years ago and it's saved me a fortune

 

Used to use "World's Best" cat litter, which was good and flushable but very expensive, especially with four cats then and no cat flap. Chick crumb costs less than 1/4 of the price for a bigger sack, and works and flushes just as well. Had to explain to the pet shop what I was doing with all the chick crumb - they thought it was very funny !

[Bramble]

Going back a looooooooong time, we used to have a cat who refused to use the catflap - she knew what to do as we used to post her back and forth through it to show her what to do, but she wouldn't use it herself ... after some time, my Dad figured out that if he took the magnetic frame off it, she was very happy to pop in and out all day - it seemed that it was just to much effort for her to push against it with the magnet thing on it, but as soon as it was removed she was fine with it - might be worth a go? Good luck!!!

PS Love the idea of using chick crumb as cat litter - brilliant (shame I don't have a cat!!!!!!!)