Dave the kitten has decided that using the cat flap is far too difficult ! ( my girls cats never had this problem so wonder if it is a boy thing ! ).

So the litter tray remains for the moment but we really need a dog proof one as the girls just thong that it is snack time everytime he has a poo which is fine but it causes a mess and Moose has been sick a couple of times as I think the consumption of litter does agree with her !!

I have seen a top entry one on amazon but it is in the US.

We really need one as we have tried the litter tray outside and put him out as much as we can but we have just found he had been going to the loo behind the tv unit :rolleyes:

Thanks

Took me a while to find the link, but I found this site last year and it has some interesting ideas for camouflaging/dog proofing cat litter trays:
http://www.ikeahackers.net/2011/05/hol-cat-litter-box-with-sliding-top.html

Would love one!!! Tod uses the cat flap, Connie on the other hand thinks its beneath her!!! So she waits to have the back door opened for her, and waits for us to open the window to let her in in the morning!!!!!
We have an open cat tray, but it is on the stairs with a child stair gate up, so the dogs cant get upstairs but the cats can come and go as they please!!!! the only time we have problems is when one of the cats goes in it in the night and we open the bedroom door and let the dogs out in the morning (they are only allowed upstairs at night)
Beano also is going deaf and blind, but by god, he can sniff a crumb out at 10 miles, and has the speed to go with it!!!!! So camoflaging the delicacy of cat pooh would not work!!!!!
Looking at the link, it would be good for Lucy, as she has 3 big dogs :) :)
Unfortuantly Beano has managed once to sqeeze himself through a cat flap (how I have no idea) so not good for us.
But good ideas :) :)
Lea :) :)

> Unfortuantly Beano has managed once to sqeeze himself through a cat flap (how I have no idea) so not good for us.

I'm sure you could make it as top-opening?
I would be inclined to put in a partition, just behind the opening (if at usual cat-height)... something which a dog probably couldn't squeeze round or over, but a cat could. Or even just put the opening higher up, with a step down inside for the cat.

Perhaps you could install a magnetic cat flap so the cat wears a collar with the 'key'?

put the tray on a table. cat can jump up easy enough, dogs (hopefully!) won't

Thanks for the link but I am confused looking at the sliding top how this would stop three opportunist Labs ??:-)

As for a table they are very resourceful and a table would only be one more obstacle to get on and into the hole!

I don't want to get anything that is custom built or expensive as the little lazy monster will be learning that he poops outside so only a temp measure !!

Can you just put the litter tray into a smallish dog crate with a top opening door?  The 24" Savic one has a top door and others could just be turned over so the door is more convenient

Alternatively just fix the side/end opening door so that it only opens wide enough for a cat - either by wedging it up against something or using a cable tie or similar?

You can get plenty of cheap secondhand crates on eBay or see if you can borrow one

I honestly don't think here is such a thing as a dog proof litter tray -which is why you need the trays behind baby or dog gates. (Except when some of your dogs are SMALLER than the cats, that doesn't help either, as they squeeze UNDER it believe it or not!!) You also need to take care to not make it too hard for the cats to get in as if it is, they may well think it's not worth the hassle, let's jsut go somewhere easier... So in your case I'd suggest putting trays behind a gate -that the cats will either jump over, squeeze under or squeeze through. You can even buy dog gates with a small cat sized opening in I've seen -not much use for those of us with tiny dogs though LOL. We have our litter trays in the utility room.

Yes I think that is right but downstairs is open plan and shut off at the exit to the back and the stairs by two gates with dogs in both areas so it means going upstairs which I don't really want to do unless really the only option as the transition to outside will be more difficult. I am just going to how to think how to shut off an area leading to the downstairs larder cupboard when the gate is closed for the moment so he can jump on and down to the litter box but strong enough so the girls don't move it as they been known to move heavy objects if the reward is tasty enough !

Our cats litterbox was at the top of the stairs.  We kept our cat inside for a while after moving here but he was desparate to go out and as soon as he did we trained him to 'go' outside.  The fact that his littertray was upstairs didn't come into it.  Do you mix a little grass/muck into the sand in his box when training?  This lets mine get the message straight away.  We have a cat flap fitted but our cat hates it and will chap the flap when he wants me to open the door for him.  And Like a good, trained owner, I obey!!!lol.

Yes good idea had for got about mixing some soil in !

I think we have been far too soft on him as he has been treated a bit too much like a little princess rather than a roughty toughty boy ! :-D