How to choose litter box furniture

Why hide the litter box

A litter box is often the least attractive thing in a flat, and it tends to end up in the bathroom or hallway. A cabinet turns it into a piece of furniture. It also contains scattered litter, keeps a dog or toddler out, and gives a shy cat a covered place to go.

There is one condition. The cat has to like it. A cabinet that is too small, too dark or too stuffy can put a cat off the box. Size and air come first, looks second.

Size of the box and the compartment

Measure your cat from the nose to the base of the tail. The box should be about 1.5 times that length, and never less than 45 cm. Its width is about 70% of its length. Round to the nearest 5 cm.

The compartment needs room around the box. Add 10 cm to the length and width so the box slides in and out easily. The inside height should be the shoulder height plus 25 cm, and at least 45 cm, so the cat can stand and turn.

A worked example. A cat 46 cm long needs a box of about 70 x 50 cm. The compartment inside is then 80 x 60 cm. With a shoulder height of 25 cm, it should be 50 cm high inside. Many ready-made cabinets are smaller than this.

Odour and air flow

A closed cabinet traps smell if air cannot move. Look for air slots at the back or sides, and a gap above the box. Some owners add a small carbon filter. Air holes help, but they do not replace cleaning.

Clumping litter, scooped daily, does most of the work. A full change every one to two weeks does the rest. The cabinet should make that easy, not hard.

Cat door size and position

A round opening of 20 cm suits most cats. Large breeds such as Maine Coon, Norwegian Forest Cat and Savannah need about 24 cm. If in doubt, measure the widest part of your cat's shoulders and add a few centimetres.

Put the door at the side or the end, not straight above the litter. The cat should step in onto a clear area, then onto the litter. Entering from the side also keeps litter off the floor.

Cleaning access and litter tracking

You will open the cabinet every day. A full-width front door or a pull-out tray on runners is the most practical. A small flap or a lift-off top gets annoying quickly.

Litter travels on paws. A step or mat inside the door catches most of it before the cat leaves. A drawer above or beside the box keeps the scoop, bags and spare litter within reach.

• Front door that opens wide enough to lift the whole box out.
• Or a pull-out tray, so the box slides out like a drawer.
• A mat or step inside the cat door to catch litter.
• Storage for litter and bags next to the box.

Homes with dogs

Many dogs raid the litter box. A cabinet stops that, but only if the dog cannot get through the door. A small dog can fit through a 20 cm opening.

A dog-proof design raises the cat door to about 25 cm off the floor, with a step inside for the cat. Cats jump in easily, small dogs usually give up. For a very small or determined dog, a door that only the cat can reach, such as one set high at the side, is the safer choice.

Materials, cost and ready-made or made to measure

A litter cabinet faces moisture, litter dust and daily cleaning. Furniture boards with a sealed surface and fully banded edges handle this well. A plastic tray or liner on the compartment floor protects it further. Avoid raw or oiled wood inside, it absorbs urine.

Ready-made litter cabinets are cheap and fine for a small or average cat, if you can find one large enough. Check the inside size before you buy. Many fit only a small box.

Made to measure makes sense for a large cat, a cat and a dog together, or a cabinet that has to match the room. At Barkitecture a litter bench starts at about €1,750 and a litter cabinet with drawers at about €1,850. A litter sideboard with cupboards lands closer to €3,150. VAT is included and delivery is extra.

Checklist

1. Measure your cat from nose to tail base.
2. Box length about 1.5 x body length, at least 45 cm.
3. Compartment inside: box + 10 cm in length and width, height shoulder + 25 cm, at least 45 cm.
4. Air slots at the back or sides.
5. Cat door about 20 cm, 24 cm for large breeds, at the side or the end.
6. A front door or pull-out tray that lets you lift the whole box out.
7. A sealed, banded surface and a tray or liner on the floor.
8. With a dog: cat door raised about 25 cm, with a step inside.

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