indoor/outdoor cats and pooping

My cat is mostly indoor, but does go out for seriously only like one hour here and there. I am trying to wean him off it (he was a stray and so wanted out side int he worst way when I adopted him) The other day he was crying and crying at the door. I didn't let him out, so he seemed suddenly resigned. And then went and pooped in the box and then seemed less interested in going out. Now it hit me, maybe he *likes* going outside to be able to relieve himself and that is part of the urge to be out. Obivously I don't want that since it's mean to the neighbors. It never occured to me cause he is so particular about his box and privacy so why the heck would he CHOOSE to go out in the open without sand etc.

But what do you find? Do outdoor cats go pee poop outside primarily? Or just as an alternative? I seriously do want to get him indoor only but it's taking sometime. The longest he has been out is two hours at a time. he always comes back.

My cats prefer using the outdoors. They don't need sand, they find dirt, or leaves, or grass to cover their business. In the summertime my litter pans show very little action, but in the winter I scoop a lot more. Not that I blame them, who wants to potty out in the rain and wind.

If you can make an outside litter pan enclosure where he can get outside but still be enclosed and safe and put the pan in there, that works well. We have one under our stairs to the second floor outside. The cats get in and out through a hole in the wall

My two had both been outdoor cats. One lived outdoors for at least six months before I took him in. The other had been outdoor all day and in the garage at night for at least a year before I got him; don't know how he spent his time with the first family. With that as background, I just couldn't see forcing my two to be indoor only. So I do allow them out as much as they want in the daytime.

My experience is that they much prefer to do their duties outside in decent weather. It isn't a big problem here, because only about one in five lots in town is developed, so they have plenty of vacant wooded lots, including one I own, to use. When it is raining (which on the Washington coast is about six months a year ), they prefer to do their duties inside. But only if the litter is as clean as they like. And one of them is REALLY particular. I must get every little 1/8 inch particle of affected clumping litter out. And even with the clumping litter and taking such care, one of them demands that it be changed in as little as one week or he sniffs it, marches to the door, and wants out.

Just in comparing my two with the few indoor-only cats I've known of others, I think my two are much more fastidious about the litter being very, very clean. Don't know if that holds true for all cats or just my experience.

Thanks. Yes see mine was outdoor for months too. And loves being out. If I try to keep him in he gets cranky and odd. If he goes out he is happy and well balanced. So I don't fully want to keep him in.
I could put a box outside but had no idea he would prefer that! We have a vacant yard area too right here he loves to roam around in. And he has some friends he plays with, I see them out my window chasing each other very playfully.

Thanks so much for the help.

My older cat used to be indoor/outdoor, and yes, he prefered to go outside. As a matter of fact, he would hold it all night until he could get outside. I rarely, if ever, had anything in the litter box. My current house has an outdoor atrium that is surrounded by 20 ft. walls on all sides. The cats have a cat door so access it, and I notice that since I moved here, Squirt once again prefers to go outside in the atrium, as opposed to the litter box.