How to hide a litter tray

Where the litter tray should go

Cats want privacy, an escape route and quiet. A bathroom, a hallway corner or a spare room usually works. A busy kitchen, a spot next to the washing machine that suddenly spins, or a place right beside the food bowls does not.

In a flat, the litter tray often ends up in the bathroom or the hall. That is fine, as long as the door to that room is never shut on the cat.

Ways to hide it

There are three common ways, and they suit different homes.

• A cabinet: a small cupboard with a cat door. Easy to place, and a drawer above holds the litter.
• A bench: the tray under a hall seat. Good in an entrance, and you get a place to sit and put on shoes.
• A sideboard: the tray at one end, cupboards beside it. The tray disappears into a piece the room needed anyway.

Sizes that keep your cat happy

The tray should be about 1.5 times as long as your cat, up to about 75 cm for the largest breeds. The compartment around it needs about 10 cm more in each direction, so your cat can turn and dig. The cat door should be round, at least 20 cm, or 24 cm for a large cat.

Air matters as much as space. Slots high at the back and low in the plinth let air move through, so odour does not build up.

Mistakes to avoid

Most refusals come from a door that is too small, a compartment that is too tight, or a change made too fast. Move the old tray into the new furniture first, and leave the door open or off for the first days.

Checklist

1. Pick a quiet place your cat can always reach, away from the food.
2. Measure your cat and your tray.
3. Choose a cat door of at least 20 cm, 24 cm for large cats.
4. Make sure the compartment has air slots.
5. Move the old tray in first and give your cat a few days.

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