Should I keep the old litter tray when introducing a cabinet?

Keeping the familiar tray during a change can preserve a reliable toileting option and help you distinguish unfamiliarity from a genuinely unsuitable setup. Where practical, retain the tray and litter the cat already uses while introducing the cabinet separately. Avoid changing tray shape, litter texture, location and enclosure on the same day unless there is a compelling reason. If you need a different tray to fit the cabinet, confirm that it still offers appropriate usable space before beginning the transition.

Keep the existing option accessible while assessing the new one, and clean both appropriately. Do not interpret a single visit as proof that the change is complete. Watch for consistent comfortable use over time, without hovering during toileting. If the cat repeatedly chooses the old arrangement, investigate why. The cabinet should adapt to the cat's needs rather than make a previously successful routine unnecessarily difficult.

If a replacement tray is unavoidable, introduce that tray as its own change before adding an enclosure where practical. This separates the cat’s response to the tray itself from its response to the cabinet around it.