My cat goes outside. Do I still need a litter box inside the house?

It’s impossible to know why Snoops is doing this but he must have either gotten used to it or he decided he liked the experience. This is actually not unusual for cats. At some point his tastes may change and he may begin going outside again but until then, keep the litter box available. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

It should be fine if he’s choosing to go outside. I would think you would find urine or feces in the house if he is going indoors. Many cats prefer to go outside and as long as he has the choice to use the litter box I wouldn’t be concerned.

That could be tough. You can try taking away the litter box for short periods of time. Make sure he has access to the outside. If everything seems to be going well, gradually length in the amount of time the litter box is removed. Be careful though, he may find another place to go inside the house. You could also try gradually moving the litter box to the door from its current location. And then move the litter box outside the door. Then take it away. Of course he would still need to watched that he is not finding an alternative place to go in the house. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Mother cats usually teach their kittens how to use a litter box by example. So, if she is using the kitten's litter box, she is likely trying to teach them to use it as well. I would not discourage her from using the box as it may cause her or the kittens to start having accidents in the house instead. If you are planning on having the kittens be outdoor cats like their mother, then making sure they are vaccinated and old enough to go outside first is best. They can then follow their mother and explore outside more to learn to do their business outside as well.

Yes, no problem but consider that if you need to keep him indoor in the future (even for few days), and he is not trained to use the litter tray, he might urinate/defecate in inappropriate places within the house. Hopefully will never happen but consider that won't be possible to check for any change in urine/feces pattern or appearance in case Oliver get sick (i.e. diarrhea, urine tract infection,..). Please post again on the forum or request a consultation if you would like to discuss it any further.

Start now with closing the cat door at night and keeping Kitter in with a litter box available. After a few days or a week keep him inside only. That way he will adjust before the stress of moving. Most cats naturally use the litter box but you may want to confine him to a smaller area with the box at night when he's in. Use plain litter without fragrance and clean it daily and fully empty it and scrub it with mild dish washing soap weekly. Cats are fussy and if the box is dirty they can start going out of the box. Also pick up bath mats and laundry so he doesn't start urinating on those. He should be fine, most cats adjust well. Make sure you play with him a lot and he may enjoy a cat tree since he is probably used to more exercise when he's outside. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Kitter.

I suspect Coco has found a nice spot outdoors to defecate. If given a choice on where to go, cats will usually poop outside instead of in the litter box. However, if you have any concerns, especially if her appetite is decreased or she is having any vomiting or lethargy then I would encourage you to consider taking her to the veterinarian. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.