Nature v Nurture

[Elizabeth77]

I have wondered about the following.
Maisie is a great hunter and keeps the house mouse and vole free. She will sit on watch for a long time. She also catches mice , voles and even a rat in the garden. The scratching post is used several times a day. Yet though having been out with me in the garden for most of a day she will only toilet in the litter box. Now there are wonderful places in the garden she could use but never. I would have thought that being outside so much she would much prefer to do her poos etc there. Why is a basic instinct like going to the loo outside surmounted by early training with a litter box? Yet the hunting instinct , sharpening claws etc are not affected.
( Whisper; I am glad she uses the box as her poo is gigantic)

[Antonia]

Hehe... mine are the same. Never pee or poo in the garden. They come inside through the catflap to use the litter tray and then pop out again. Why... I haven't got a clue.

[Suzygeorgie]

Yep, Kenny goes outside on his harness and miaows to come in and use his litter tray. It's somehow reassuring to know that other cats do exactly the same.

[CatsMom]

Perhaps they are just prim & proper MC's doing their business behind closed doors?

[candes]

Gee I never even thought about this. But yup, all of my 4 kitties never go potty outside.

[Helen & John]

In the summer(!) I nearly got bowled over by Hector rushing in to use the tray, I think he had hung on for as long as he could so he would not have to give his spot on the wall up to Roxy!!! Bless they stay in our garden or on the back wall and gateposts when not hopping on to next doors low wall below the fence to sit and wait for him to realise that he is being watched (evil sense of humour my pair hair!!)

*whispers* my oh can never get over the size of their poops!! More than once he has wondered if a medium sized dog has sneeked in and used the tray!