First litter box for an outdoor cat gone indoor

Bringing an outdoor cat fully indoors is a big change — and the litter box setup really matters here, because a cat who's never used one before is already adjusting to a lot. One thing worth knowing upfront: most litter boxes on the market are too small. Cats need a tray at least 1.5 times their body length to feel comfortable using it, and covered boxes — though tidier for us — often make first-time indoor cats feel trapped and exposed at the same time. Not a great combination when they're already anxious about the transition. How many cats are we setting up for, how big is yours, and have you noticed any hesitation or accidents so far?

That reluctance near the back door is really telling — she's still associating that spot with going outside, and the small tray probably isn't helping. A 5kg cat needs a box that's genuinely large, around 50–55cm long at minimum. Can I ask: what litter are you using at the moment, and where exactly is the tray positioned in the house?

That combination is likely what's causing most of your problems, honestly. Wood pellet litter feels very different underfoot from soil or grass — which is what she's been using her whole life — and the covered box with a flap is about as far from an outdoor experience as you can get. She's probably using it when she has no choice, but she's not comfortable. I'd switch both things at once.

For the box, I'd go with the Iris Open Top Cat Litter Tray — the large version. It's genuinely big at around 56cm long, open on all sides so she can see what's around her, and has a high back and sides to contain scatter without making her feel enclosed. For litter, swap to a fine unscented clumping clay — something like Catsan Natural or a similar sandy texture. It's much closer to soil than pellets, and former outdoor cats almost always take to it faster. Put one tray near the back door where she's been having accidents — yes, right there — and a second in the bathroom if you want one elsewhere. Two trays for one cat is worth it while she's still adjusting. Once she's consistently using them, you can gradually move the back-door one to a better spot.

Most cats settle into reliable litter box use within two to four weeks once the setup is right — sometimes faster. The accidents near the door should stop pretty quickly once she has a large, open tray in that spot with familiar-feeling litter. Keep both trays very clean, especially in the early weeks — outdoor cats are used to always having fresh ground, so a dirty box puts them off fast. If she's still having regular accidents after three weeks with the new setup, it's worth a vet check just to rule out a UTI, since those can cause urgency that looks like a litter box problem.