Litter boxes are essential for our feline friends but they don’t exactly blend with our home aesthetics. This article will guide you through various creative and practical ways to camouflage your cat’s litter box.
From furniture hacks to strategic placements, we’ll cover everything you need to know about hiding that litter box effectively while still keeping it easily accessible for your furry friend. Stick around, because this is going to make your life as a cat parent so much easier!
1. Put It Under the Bathroom Sink
Utilizing the often-underused space under the bathroom sink (never kitchen sink!) can be a clever way to hide a litter box. Ensure there is ample room for your cat to enter, exit, and maneuver inside. For a small bathroom though, I do not really recommend this.
Make sure that the space under the sink is free of any harmful substances or chemicals that your cat might come into contact with. Additionally, it should be adequately ventilated to prevent the accumulation of ammonia fumes from cat urine.
2. Make a Litter Box Basket
A litter box basket is a stylish and practical DIY solution for those concerned about aesthetics. Choose a wicker basket with a lid to provide privacy for your cat and keep the litter box concealed. Place a liner inside to prevent leakage or odor, and locate the basket in a low-traffic area for your cat’s peace.
3. Use a Large Plastic Container
Transforming a plastic container into a hidden litter box is a budget-friendly and private solution. Cut an entrance hole in one of the sides and place the litter box inside, offering high privacy levels for your feline companion.
4. Place It In a Cat House
Cat houses are a perfect hideaway for litter boxes, providing a secluded space and being adorable. Choose one with pre-cut holes for access and ensure proper ventilation of litter box smells and enough space for comfortable movement.
5. Cabinet Conversion
An unused cabinet can be turned into the perfect DIY hidden restroom for your cat. Simply remove any inner shelves and cut a small entrance hole on one side.
6. Hide the Litter Box Among Plants
Hiding the litter box under potted plants is a refreshing and natural solution. Use a large, sturdy pot and place a plastic liner between the plant and the litter box to avoid soil contamination, adding a touch of nature to your living room or any space!
7. End Table with Curtains
A side or end table can serve as a decorative and practical concealed litter box, and works well in a small apartment.
Choose a table with doors or an open bottom for easy access and cleaning, and place a decorative item on top to enhance your room’s decor. By adding curtains around it, you can personalize it even more.
8. Make a Litter Box Bench
A litter box bench is a dual-purpose solution, acting as a piece of furniture with storage space in plain sight and a hidden compartment. Choose a ventilated bench with doors for easy cleaning and a cat flap, maximizing utility in compact spaces.
9. Hide the Litter Box Under Stairs
The often-overlooked space under the stairs is the perfect solution for a hidden litter box, providing a quiet, secluded area away from household traffic. Ensure proper lighting and ventilation holes for your cat’s comfort.
10. Install a Cat Door
A cat door, either purchased or created, on a closet or room can keep the cat litter box hidden while allowing unrestricted access for your cat. This straightforward cat litter box hider can be easily implemented without significant modifications.
11. Toilet Train Your Cat!
Toilet training can eliminate the need for a litter box altogether. It requires patience and consistent training, but the effort is rewarding. Use training kits and follow the instructions carefully for successful training.
But, realize that while it is possible to toilet train some cats, it may not be suitable for all cats. Some cats may resist toilet training totally, and forcing them can lead to stress and behavioral issues.
12. Install a Simple Door Strap
A door strap can keep a door partially open, allowing Fluffy to the cat litter box hidden inside a closet or room. It’s a simple and effective way to provide privacy and conceal the box, particularly a large litter box,
13. Utilize Corner Cubbyholes
Got an awkward corner that doesn’t serve much purpose? Why not turn it into a concealed cat toilet area? Install some shallow shelving at ground level and place the litter tray there.
14. Hide It In a Custom Litter Box Enclosure
Using plywood or similar material, construct a box large enough to house the litter tray. Don’t forget to cut out an entrance hole for your kitty. You can paint or decorate this box to match your room decor.
15. Purchase Litter Box Furniture or an Enclosure
I’ll let you in on a little secret. You can hide that pesky litter box in plain sight by investing in some furniture specifically designed for this purpose. Yes, that’s right. There are stylish pieces of furniture available that also serve as camouflage for your cat’s litter box.
Consider this: there are coffee tables, sideboards, or even litter box cabinets with hidden compartments perfectly sized for a litter box and commercially available.
These cleverly designed units have easy access holes for your feline companion but look just like regular furniture to anyone else. The beauty of these pieces is not only do they hide the litter box, but they also provide additional storage and surface space.
When choosing one of these pieces, here’s what you should be looking out for:
- Aesthetics: Make sure it matches your existing decor.
- Easy cleaning: Features such as removable tops or sliding trays can make clean-up much simpler. I must emphasize the importance of regular cleaning and maintenance of the litter box, regardless of its location. A dirty litter box leads to cats refusing to use it and can cause health issues for both cats and humans.
- Size and Fit: Ensure the compartment comfortably fits your cat and their litter box. Choose a litter box and hiding solution that accommodates your cat’s size comfortably, allowing them to turn around, dig, and cover their waste without difficulty.
As someone who has raised both an indoor-outdoor cat and a Maine Coon, I understand size matters!
What to Consider with Litter Box Placement
When it comes to hiding your cat’s litter box there’s a lot to keep in mind:
- Avoid high-traffic areas in your home. Much like us humans, cats appreciate some quiet solitude during their bathroom breaks. So don’t put the litter box in near a washing machine, areas with lots of people, noise, and foot traffic. However, it still needs to be in their territory – somewhere they often go unprompted.
- I’m sounding like a broken record, but proper ventilation is essential wherever the litter box is placed to avoid the accumulation of odors and to ensure a fresh environment. This is especially important in enclosed spaces like cabinets and under the sink. You ever go into an enclosed port-a-potty? It’s like that!
- Cats are creatures of habit and may resist changes to their environment, including the location and type of their litter box. Introduce any changes gradually and monitor your cat’s behavior and comfort level with the new arrangement.
- Hiding the litter box should not hinder the your ability to clean it and monitor your cat’s health. The litter box is a great gauge for owners to monitor their cat’s health, and observing changes in urine or feces could mean a health issues.
- Consider safety – especially if you have young children or other pets around. It is essential to ensure that the litter box is placed in a location where it does not pose a risk. Mischievous toddlers or curious dogs might find the contents of a litter box interesting (gross but true!).
- Cats are pretty clean creatures. They prefer their eating and sleeping areas separate from where they eliminate waste – much like we don’t eat in our bathrooms.
- Another important point is accessibility. Even if you’ve found the most discrete corner in your house, if it’s difficult or impossible for Fluffy to reach due to their age or other mobility limitation, then it’s pointless.
- And for you multi-cat parents, it is generally advised to have one litter box per cat plus one extra to prevent territorial disputes and ensure that each cat has a clean box. That means 2 separate hidden litter boxes or pieces of furniture, and not next to each other.
I’m Gary Hu, a proud cat dad to a 15 lb Maine Coon. Have taken care of outdoor and indoor cats for over 10 years, and learned tons on behavior, habits, health, and products. I help new Maine Coon (or any other cat) parents with common questions and issues based on real, practical experience.
