Kittens and litter tray.....

Bessacadia

Well I have an adorable kitten, Miguel, about 6 1/2 months old or so.Got him from the rescue woman, but the problem is I cannot seem to wean him off the litter tray! I give him ample opportunity to go out during the day, into the garden and beyond,(I live in a very quiet area with practically no traffic) but I don't think he does his business anywhere else....

He sort of wanders off, usually comes back when called, and then goes into the tray to pee/poo. The tray is by the back door, and I have tried moving it into the garden, but the weather is so bad it turns into mess.

ALSO there do not seem to be any other cats around except one I have seen, horrible ginger thing and it has attacked my kitten twice. I heard terrible wailing, and once he was bitten on his leg, but the last time a week ago he was so hurt I had to take him to the vet.
What to do???

PeadarofAodh

Don't worry too much about the litter tray, it should sort itself out. As my cats started approaching the 10 month old mark and had become more accustomed to the garden they used it less and less (though I still keep it around just in case!) I haven't had to clean it out for the past ages which is a job I really don't miss!

About the aggressive cat, do you know is it neutered? You could try asking around the area to see if anyone owns it and is so who. If nobody owns it then I would call up some sort of animal control and if you find an owner be sure to demand they get it neutered as this is probably the cause of its aggressive nature. Until you do find all this out I would just make sure you scare the jebus out of it whenever you see it around to make sure it doesn't show its face around your area again. Good luck!

SpaceJunkie

Firstly, you need to know that cats are territorial. Especially cats that are allowed to go outside. They will stake out an area for themselves and defend it if necessary. This is a survival instict learned millions of years ago. Although neutering a cat can in some cases reduce the instances of fighting between cats, it alone will not stop it. It's in their nature.

I have a black slender but muscular male tuxedo cat that has been neutered ever since he was 1 year old. He's 8 now. If he sees another cat in our yard, he will cycle back and forth by the sliding back door desparately wanting to go out and chase the intruder off. He will likely always be that way.

Fights between stray cats (trying to survive day to day) and pets (who occasionally go out for a romp in the woods) will almost always end with your pet getting injured. They just don't have the need and thus the determination to fight for their territory. My "Loverboy" is that rare exception. My other 4 cats are the rule. They will cut and run if the fight gets too violent.

If you let the cat outside, you must accept the dangers that go along with that choice. If the cat is not killed by a car, it will eventually need Vet attention for fight injuries. Keep the Master Card handy.

On the litter tray issue, it is always a good idea to keep a tray handy for the cat to use when it cannot get outside like during the night when you are sleeping. Forcing a cat to hold his job until you can let him out is unhealthy for the cat. It is more likely that the cat will find a corner of a room and go anyway. For me, it is far better to clean a tray when needed then to clean and sterilize a section of carpet the cat chose to use.