Dec 12, 2017

As cat owners, perhaps one of the most important questions is where to put the cat litter tray. Now, you're probably wondering, why should people care about where they put their litter? Well, it can have many implications for you and your feline friend. 

Considerations: 

First of all, you probably do not want to place a litter box in a common room both for smell purposes as well as to respect the privacy of your cat. Cats are very particular about their litter box locations. Consider a private and quiet location. Much like their ancestors in the wild, while your cat is doing their business, they are placing themselves in quite a vulnerable situation.

As such, they will prefer their litter box be in a private area to avoid leaving themselves exposed to potential dangerous situations. Furthermore, consider an area that is quiet so your cat can do its business in peace. You have probably already noticed how stressed and scared your cat gets in the vicinity of a vacuum. If you decide to place the litter box in the laundry room, keep it away from the washers and dryers as the loud sounds can really stress the cats out. The best place we have found is our study. It is quiet and private for our cats to have their space and open so that the smell does not linger. A guest bedroom or larger closet can work as well. Just make sure the area has some open space so the smell does not fester. 

cat homemade litter box

Second, choose an area of easy access for your cat. If your cat loves napping downstairs, don't put the litter box upstairs. That is a long way to go to reach the litter box. Place the litter box somewhere the cat can get to easily on the same floor as their usual hangout. If you have a larger space, consider getting two litter boxes so your cat is never too far from the litter box when nature calls. We decided to have two litter boxes- one upstairs and one downstairs. This is perfect for our cats as they like to sleep in our room upstairs but also enjoy watching TV with us in the living room downstairs. One of our cats, Precious, is also 11 years old and appreciates not having to run up and down the stairs. 

Third, if you have more than one cat or are interested in having more than one cat, consider getting multiple litter boxes. Whether it is because of pheromones, a potential threat, or asserting dominance, some cats do not like to share litter boxes.  As such, you may need two areas that are some distance away from each other for each cat. This way, they can have their privacy and not feel stressed about the other cat impeding on their territory. Even though our cats, Jimmy and Precious, do not mind sharing the litter box with one another, we keep two litter boxes just in case they need to go at the same time. 

Finally, consider hygiene. Sometimes it feels like cats are practicing for the olympics with their litter throwing. So, choose an area away from food-- both theirs and yours. We do not want anything getting contaminated! The smell can also be difficult to deal with if your feline or you are sitting down for an evening meal. Furthermore, choose a dry area rather than a damp and dark area such as a basement. Even though this may be aesthetically pleasing for you, it leaves the litter box open to potential bacteria and bugs. To protect your cat's health, consider a dry area that is easy to access and free of bacteria, bugs, and chemicals. 

 Examples

Now that we have talked about the several considerations. Let us move on to some examples. As stated earlier, we have two large litter boxes for our cats: one in the study and another in a pantry area. The litter box in our pantry area is one with a roof, a large plastic door, and a carbon filter to trap any smells. These areas work perfect for our cats as they are easy to access, private, and quiet. 

As long-time cat owners here is what we would recommend. 

For a large living space, we would recommend choosing a room (bedroom, guest room, study, etc.), a bathroom, a closet or a pantry area. Since these areas can be closed off, remember to leave the doors open at all times so the litter box is accessible to your cat. 

grand poo cat litter

For smaller living spaces, you may have to get creative. If there is not a private room where you can place a litter box, consider choosing a private litter box. Something that has a roof or door are some great options. Another option is to consider litter box furniture. These typically are shaped like a bench, a nightstand, or even a pot for plants. These will more easily blend into your surroundings while giving your feline friend his or her privacy. You can also consider getting a small divider to section off a corner for your cat's litter box. 

 

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As you can see, litter box placement is an art. There are many factors to consider so your feline is comfortable doing his or her business. However, there is a greater payoff: both you and your cat will be happy and comfortable with your living space. 

Share your ideas of where you put your feline's litter box in the comments below! 

 

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