By TC Thorn
You love your cat, but you're probably not all that keen on your cat's litter box.
Unless you're one of those patient owners with a talented cat whose been taught to use the toilet (yes, it is possible... you can find videos on YouTube), then you've got to deal with the litter box. Fortunately, there are some ways to hide it or disguise it, so guests won't even notice you have a cat (of course, if the cat comes up and uses your visitor's pants leg as a scratching post, this could be a give away...).
There are a couple of ways to hide the cat box. Most obviously you can stash it somewhere most people don't go, but you can also get a box that is designed to look like another piece of furniture, so people won't even notice it.
First off, if you're trying to hide the box where guests won't notice it, just think of out-of-the-way spots, such as laundry rooms, back bathrooms, basements, or mudrooms.
Do be careful about having the box in a room with carpeting as accidents do happen from time to time (especially if you've been remiss in cleaning the box... Spot might just leave you a "message" at the box's doorstep), and it's easier to clean up the mess if it's done on a hard surface.
In addition to the rooms mentioned, you could even do what my neighbor does (we live in a condo complex, and there aren't a lot of rarely used rooms to hide a litter box in!)--she keeps it in the hall closet. When nobody is visiting, she leaves the closet door ajar so the kitties have easy access, and she simply closes it if guests are going to come over for a couple hours.
Note--if you are keeping the box near a main living area, you will want to be doubly sure to clean it every day, so odors aren't noticeable. That's a dead giveaway that you've got cats.
Okay, now about those litter boxes I was talking about that don't actually look like litter boxes? They're my favorite way of "hiding" the cat box.
If you don't mind investing a bit of money (these definitely cost more than a simple litter tray), then they are a great idea. You can find lots of cat litter box ideas online, so just browse around and see what you like.
Some of the ones that have caught my eye have been shaped like cedar chests (with a cat hole on the side and an actual lid on the top that opens for access), washroom stands for the bathroom (the box is in a cabinet with a cat hole, and there is a table top and a shelf, and even a spot for the toilet paper holder on the side), and potted plants.
The potted plant box may be my favorite. The plant is on top, and the litter box is stored in the "pot," which has a hole around back so your cat can enter to do its business, but from the front, all guests will see is an innocuous house plant.
If you can't find a cat box that suits your d้cor or your tastes, you can also have pieces custom made. Of course, any piece of custom furniture gets expensive, but there are definitely woodworkers out there who enjoy making pieces that are for pets.
Just start browsing around online, and you will be amazed at what's out there in the cat box category!
| The author has a fun Squidoo lens on litter box ideas, and also writes on handy pet home improvements on her blog. |
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