# Housebroken cats?



## thequeensblessing (Mar 30, 2003)

How many of you have had luck housebreaking your cats? We've had two cats over the years, and they both have been housebroken. They sit in front of the door and cry to go out. We don't have any litterboxes in our home, and our cats never make mistakes in the house. We started housebreaking our cats when I wanted a cat, and DH said no, he HATED a litterbox in the house. He said the only way he'd have a cat in the house was if it was housebroken to go outside. I bet him that I could do it. It was soooo easy. Why don't more people housebreak their cats? Isn't it much nicer and easier than a litterbox? I suppose I can understand for cats that have to stay indoors for whatever reason, but for cats that go in and out? 
Just wondering if you all have housebroken your cats too.


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## james dilley (Mar 21, 2004)

I have A litter box, But my cats All 5 of them prefer to use the cat Window, Yes Window not door to come and go. they prefer to go outside, But when its baby kittens they start on the litterbox. And the 5 cats also use it when the weather is extremly Hot or cold..


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## pumpkinlady (Sep 3, 2003)

My cat seemed to be housebroke right from the start. He goes in and out as he pleases. I always kept a litter box ready just in case. It seemed the cat did use iwhen he would be sick and not feeling well. Worked great in knowing when to take him to the vet. Now that we go away for a few days at a time, I leave him locked up in the house and he uses his box. He still perfers to go outside and he is over 16 yrs old. Now that winter is here and he is older I am waiting to see if he uses the litter box more.

I don't like the mess and smell of the box but he has been a good kitty all these years so if it makes his life easier in his old age he can have one!


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## Ravenlost (Jul 20, 2004)

We housebreak all our cats. They all seem to prefer the great outdoors to a litterbox any day!


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## COSunflower (Dec 4, 2006)

I have 4 cats and started them all on litter boxes and then as they got old enough to be outside and I saw them going there, I removed the litterbox from the house. I do put it back in if one is sick or in the winter as we get extreme cold and lots of snow. I also have 3 dogs so have a dog door and all cats use it to go in and out. They prefer going to the bathroom outdoors in good weather though. I clean the box every day when it's inside and use a good clumping litter so there hasn't been any smell that I know of. No one has ever said anything about it. I use "Cat's Pride" Walmart brand. I think it has deoderizor in it.


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## lscheopner (Jan 3, 2006)

My cats have all gone outside. If I had to have a litter box I couldn't have a cat. I have also noticed that indoor/outdoor cats don't have that "cat" smell like friends cats that are indoors all the time. Our old cat loved to roll in the dirt when he went out and then licked himself clean. :shrug:


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## Songbird (Apr 2, 2006)

I have one cat that goes outside when the dogs go to do their business, he does his too. I think he thinks he is a dog! LOL The other cats don't/won't go out so I have to have litterboxes for them.


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## DenverGirlie (Dec 22, 2005)

My cats would prefer to use the outdoors, but they choose to do their business in my garden boxes. 

We have tried everthing to discourage them from using the raised garden beds, we currently have large burlap bags covering the dirt right now in the winter. The cats will just move the bag and do their business..... grrrrr.


However, my mom's cats do most of their business outside. they have a litter box inside where they spend the night, but only use it on really cold days or sometimes over night.


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## BaronsMom (May 22, 2005)

Cat indoors - litterbox. No prob with smell but cleaned regularly. We do not have a small litter box and it has a cover - with plenty of GOOD litter.

Cats outdoors need to go potty on their own property.

Oh a solution from some avid gardeners - if a kitty insists on using garden soil or garden boxes for their poo stations, lay chicken wire on top of the soil. You can even plant through chicken wire. In small areas on my property, I use the branches from climbing roses that I've pruned and lay them across poo central.


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## GoatsRus (Jan 19, 2003)

We have 3 cats. We also have a cat door into the garage where the litterbox is kept. However, they do go to the door and cry to go out when they want even though the cat door is always open and the garage door is up when we're home (except at night). They still use the litterbox, but I think out of laziness as I've seen them go outside on numerous occasions. A cat is a cat meaning they basically do as they want. Our male cat will even come like a dog when you call him and will "talk" up a storm if you keep saying something to him. He always announces his presence when he comes in the cat door at night time.


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## BaronsMom (May 22, 2005)

PLEASE teach your kitties to go in their own yard - put a little sandpile in a corner of the yard and plant some catnip around it. Make it their cat poop spot!

I am so tired of picking, wiping more cat poo (poo is too nice a word) from the neighbor's cat out of my shoes AGAIN tonight! HORRIBLE, ICKY, STINKY MESS

In fact, I'm going to try it myself - I have bags of sand and will make a sandpile between our drives - on their property (they won't care) - there is a spot where the cats creep through so the cats poop all they want in the sand!!!!


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## RandB (Aug 13, 2002)

Our current house cat spent most of her life outdoors as a farm cat. When we had to bring her inside (to recover from an injury) she was in a dog crate with a pan of litter, it was the first time she had ever had to use litter. As she recovered and started exploring the house, she continued to use the litterbox. Eventually we started letting her go outside if she wanted to. Now even though she spends most of her time in the house, she only uses the litterbox when the weather is bad outside. She has never had an accident in the house. Smart cat!


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