Thread: Nature v Nurture

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)