Please help. My cat Sophie is 2 years old now and we`ve had since she was a kitten. At first she used a litter tray and if taken out she would still use it with no problems. The thing is she has a cat flap which she uses but in the winter she DOES NOT!!! When it gets too cold she refuses to go outside and goes to the toilet inside the house. What can I do to stop that???

is she using the litter tray in the house or going where she shouldnt?

Going where she shouldn`t. I don`t want to put the litter tray in because I know she can go outside. She is a big cat now!

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"Love a lot, trust just a few and always paddle your own canoe"
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I can`t do that. Cats are meant to go outside. If I get the litter tray out than she will never go outside and its like we`ve given up. The vet has also told me that she is overweight. We only feed her twice a day but she does no exercise at all and if she doesn`t go outside she will get even less. I haven`t got much experience with cats we have only had Sophie for two years but I think because we got lied to about how old she was as a kitten (the vet said 4 weeks) she was very poorly. She had eye infection, ear mites, with upset tummy for months and then she had complications from being spayed and chipped she nearly died. I think this is why me and my partner have gotten used to spoiling her and now she just does whatever she wants!!! She will be ok now for 2-3 days, coz I have told her off, and then she will do it again coz she knows she can get away with murder.

id bring the tray in my cats dont go out at all and never done them any harm if she is messing where she shouldnt a tray surely has to be better, i exersice mine with toys make them chase balls or the toys on strings.

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www.saikousiameseandorientals.com

"Love a lot, trust just a few and always paddle your own canoe"
"Who is the greater fool - the fool themself or those that follow them"

Two issues here:

1. the litter tray - or not - issue

2. weight issue

1. There may be many reasons why she is not going outside but I really think, even if she is an outside cat, that you should provide a litter tray. It can be covered (a hooded one) and it can be put in an out-of- the - way spot.

My two go out but I keep them in at night and they use the litter tray. However they prefer to go outside and you can encourage this by making a special place for them outside to go in - sectionoff some ground and add gravel and nice layer of top soil.

If you are american and in a northern state then the weather is probably far more harsh than in UK.

2. Weight: there is great advice on feeding on this forum. Carbs are not good for a cat so try to feed a meat protein diet - high meat protein foods possibly supplemented with raw

I know if feels like you are giving in but my advice would be give her the choice of a litter tray inside or going outside.

Isn't it better for her to go to the loo in a litter tray rather then in places she shouldn't.

It's probably just a seasonal thing, its cold, wet and dark outside at the moment and even though my two adult cats have free access to the outside, I still provide a litter tray for them, just in case and on occasion they use it, but not very often.

Also they are staying in a lot more now because of the change in weather. In summer I hardly saw them, but now they are in more then they are out but I fully expect not to see much of them at all again in summer.

I know it might seem a bit weird but have you thought about taking her for a walk on a harness if you are worried about the amout of exercise she gets? I'm fully intending on harness training my new kitten as he is going to be an indoor cat. it might be an idea for you to make sure she gets more exercise.

Good luck.

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Thanks & Best Wishes

Tracey

My gorgeous little baby Nero xxx