Litter boxes may not be the most attractive objects. But with a few tricks they can be well hidden, or even decoratively added to your furnishings.
Anyone with a cat in their life needs a litter box. Admittedly, litter boxes are like practical, square-shaped foreign objects in many homes, although cat owners are happy to put up with this. But many ask themselves how they can position the litter box more inconspicuously in their home. We will offer ideas of how to hide litter boxes or discreetly integrate them into your living space.
Before you try to discreetly integrate a litter box into the furnishings, you should look for a good spot from a feline perspective. This is important so that the cat accepts the litter box and is happy to use it.
The litter box should be in calm surroundings with no hustle and bustle, so the corridor or spots next to the TV are out.
The bathroom is suitable if there is a second litter box in your home. The bathroom door is regularly closed in many households and not all cats wish to or are able to wait.
Two toilets are recommended in principle. According to the rule of thumb, the number of litter boxes should match the number of cats, plus one extra, i.e. three toilets for two cats. If you have outdoor cats who do their business outside, you can often cope with less.
Some cats are undemanding and use any litter box. Other have their preferences: They don’t want a cover, need fine-grain litter or plenty of space to scratch.
Find out more about cat litter in our magazine article about how to deal with cat litter.
Before you hide the litter box, you should have a model that’s right for your cat.
There are now ready-made cat cupboards available to buy, which are designed to accommodate a litter box. Bear in mind that this option is primarily suited to cats that like doing their business in a protected environment, like toilets with a cover.
Another advantage is that cat litter generally stays inside the cupboard and doesn’t end up on the carpet or floorboards. There are the following options:
There are several commercially available cat cupboards that are specially suited to hiding litter boxes. They have an entrance close to the ground, sufficient space and a feline-appropriate opening. They are also easy to clean through the door or flap.
There are cupboards like this in pet stores – and furniture stores too. If you would like an individual piece, you can choose a special sideboard with a side opening for cats.
However, you should consider before investing several hundred euros in antique sideboards that cleaning may be difficult if just a bowl fits inside and no toilet with a cover. This is particularly true for cats that urinate standing up. Hence, furniture should be water-resistant and easy to clean.
Do you like a traditional cupboard or chest of drawers you already own and you have DIY skills? Then simply adapt the piece of furniture for your cat.
For instance, cut out a cat-sized side opening for it to get in and out. When removing the toilet, you should be able to keep the cupboard door open. The inner dimensions should of course also allow a litter box to fit inside.
In this case too, wood is more difficult to clean than customary litter boxes. Hence, paint the inner space with water-resistant glaze. Factor in small ventilation slots on the back wall to avoid a strong ammonia smell inside.
If you have a talent for DIY, you can even build your own cat cupboard. There are several online instruction guides for which differing degrees of DIY aptitude may be required.
Ventilation slots and enough space to climb in and out are important with DIY too. Check carefully at the end that your homemade litter box cupboard doesn’t have any sharp edges or other potential injury risks for your cat.
Tip: You can buy precut wooden panels at the hardware store to make the job easier.
Does your cat prefer urinating in an open environment and not in enclosed spaces? Unfortunately the cat cupboard option is out. Nevertheless, there are options to cleverly hide litter boxes.
For instance, choose a model with a plastic look that is as discreet as possible. Suitable colours are cream or grey. Or do exactly the opposite and choose a colour to make the litter box stand out.
For the cat toilet, choose a colour that you like or that goes with your bathroom fittings. If you have a white and red bath, you can use a flame-red toilet bowl for your cat as an extra splash of colour. Depending on the layout, you can discreetly position the litter box behind existing furniture or the laundry basket.
© FurryFritz / stock.adobe.com
Choose a colour that you like and think about where is calm and where the litter box wouldn’t get in the way.
Perhaps the sofa can be moved so there is a gap to the wall on one side, which would provide space for the litter box.
Screens, large plants or chests of drawers also offer space for little hiding places.
See if you can put the litter box in an existing space or create one. Can you move a rolling cabinet or the desk? Bear in mind too that you have to clean a litter box every day, so it should be easy to reach.
In this case too, find suitable colours and an inconspicuous spot. Perhaps you can create a secluded corner for a free-standing litter box with a stool, show cupboard or attractive trunk. Put the cat toilet as far away as possible from your bedhead. Scratching at night can wake you up.
A cat toilet in the bedroom – doesn’t that stink? Many cat lovers have prejudices regarding where their cat does its business. But if you take on board a few tips, you will save yourself some effort and will enjoy a home free of unpleasant odours.
Fresh piles of faeces are an exception and should be removed immediately. If you refill the cat litter at the same time, you will prevent urine deposits on the base and the toilet bowl beginning to stink. Here are seven further tips:
Have you found a cat that looks like it doesn’t belong to anyone? Here you can read about what to do in this case, what you should do if the cat is injured, how to find out if the cat has a home and when you would be allowed to keep the cat.
Cats are very clean animals by nature and it's important for them to have a clean litter box. There can be problems if the cat litter isn't right for the cat or is changed too infrequently: cats refuse to relieve themselves or do their business where they prefer – which could even be their owner's bed. This article gives you answers to the five most important questions on correctly handling cat litter.
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