How to Train Your Cat to Go to the Bathroom Outside

Once you have thoroughly trained your cat to use the litter box indoors, you can learn how to train your cat to eliminate outside. This project requires patience, love and affection as you train your pet within his nature. Positive reinforcement is the best route and you should avoid hitting or punishment.

Litter Training

Once you have finished litter training the cat, you may think of making the transition to use the bathroom outside. Do not rush to the next step, but wait several days or even weeks before you begin with outdoor training. Observe first whether he is using the litter box regularly.

Moving the Litter Box

After 2 to 3 days, move the litter box a little towards the door that the cat will regularly use to get outside. Again, this should be done in stages. Take a week to 10 days to move the litter box from the original position to near the exit door, moving it only a few inches each time.

By the time you reach the door, the cat will be used to the new position of the litter box. At this point, add a little bit of dirt and a few leaves to the litter.

Fix a Pet Door

Try to get a pet door fixed near this exit door. In the next step, you will move the litter box just outside the exit, so the cat must be able to use the pet door to go out and use the box.

Take the Litter Box Outside

Put the litter box outside the door, and keep a close watch on the cat. Whenever he shows any signs that he is looking out for the litter box or he wants to relieve himself, gently pick him and place him in his litter box outside, all the while making encouraging and petting noises. Add more dirt and things like leaves in the litter box.

This step may take quite a few days, and you need time and patience to keep a close watch on the cat. Encourage him to use the pet door to go out to the litter box outside regularly. Do not rush this step.

Moving the Litter Box Away from the Door

Now that the cat is regularly coming outside to use the litter box, keep moving the box away from the door to the area of the yard where you wish the cat to regularly eliminate. Again, patience is the operative word—move 2 to 3 feet each day, gradually drawing the cat across the yard. Now the cat will use the pet door regularly whenever he wants to relieve himself and come to the yard in search of the litter box.

Final Step

You can dig a hole in the ground and put the litter from the box there. The cat will start using that on a regular basis. Now the cat will come out by itself using the pet door and relieve itself outdoors.

Make small changes and give the cat time to accept and adapt to the change. Patience is very important, and kind words and encouragement will help in achieving the toilet-training of your cat.