Last updated Mar 1, 2023
Finding the perfect place to put a litter box for your cat is crucial for avoiding toileting issues in your house in the future. Your cat needs to feel like they are safe to use the litter box and able to do so discreetly. If they don’t feel comfortable in the place you choose, you might end up with some unwelcome soiling elsewhere.
Proper placement of the litter box can prevent cats from eliminating outside the box. Place litter boxes in quiet but easily accessible places, such as a spare bathroom, spare bedroom, or the laundry room. To avoid issues in multi-cat households, use at least one litter box per cat, plus one more for good measure. Key Takeaways
Litter Box Basics
Cats are clean and don’t like sharing litter boxes, so be sure to have at least one box per cat, plus one extra.
Making sure you have enough cat litter boxes is really important, especially in a multi-cat household. Cats often dislike sharing litter boxes and this can encourage them to potty around the house. As general rule, always provide one more litter box than the number of cats. So if you own two cats, put out three litter boxes.
Cats will also use their litter box better if you maintain clean litter by regularly scooping out their box. This also reduces litter box odor.
Cat litter generally comes in clumping and non-clumping varieties. The non-clumping cat litter does often get rid of unwanted odor better but when you go to clean it, you generally have to empty the whole tray each time. Clumping cat litter forms clumps when your cat pees or poos (as the name would suggest), so it’s easier to clean up.
You can remove clumps of pee or poo without having to empty the whole tray (although you should still refresh the litter completely about once per month). Some cats prefer one over the other, so if your cat isn’t taking to the litter box it’s worth trying out a different litter to see if they use the other more. Most cats prefer an unscented litter.
Also Read: How Do Cats Know To Use A Litter Box?
Location of the Litter Box
If you need to move the litter box to a new location, do so gradually. Move the litter box incrementally every day until it reaches where you want. Your first litter box location should be well thought out, but if you do need to move it then most cats get used to a new location if you move it appropriately.
1. Choose Somewhere Quiet
Cats are more likely to use a litter box that is in a quiet place in the house. It should be away from the kids’ playroom or a busy hallway, and a good distance from a noisy washing machine or your dishwasher. Place the litter box in a quiet and peaceful area in order to encourage your cat to use it.
Also Read: How To Litter Train A Kitten In 3 Simple Steps?
2. Provide Privacy
Cats crave privacy in the bathroom as much as people do.
Your cat’s litter box should be located where your cat is unlikely to be disturbed while they do their business. Often a quiet laundry room or guest bedroom or bathroom is perfect for this.
Try to avoid high-traffic areas like the living room for example. This can be difficult in a small apartment as you might not have as many room options. However, if you have a closet or small store room you can insert a cat door into, this can be a great solution.
Cats will also want to feel safe while they do their business, so placing the litter box against a wall or a corner where your cat can see out around the rest of the room will make it more appealing.
Also Read: 6 Common Reasons Why Cats Pee Outside The Litter Box
3. Maintain Accessibility
Remember to keep in mind your cat’s physical health when planning the best cat litter location. If you own an elderly cat then stairs might be difficult to navigate and therefore put them off from using the litter box.
Senior cats might not want to travel far from their usual hang-out spots for litter boxes either. Also ensure that your discreet location (e.g., a guest bathroom), always has an open door or has a cat door installed for accessibility.
It’s also worth considering lighting for your cat’s litter box. A litter box in a dark corner that’s hard to see might not be optimal. Night-time usage of the litter box shouldn’t be discouraged either and providing your cat with a nightlight near the litter box makes it just that bit more accessible.
Also Read: How To Stop A Cat From Peeing On The Carpet
4. Place It Away From Food And Water
Do not place litter boxes close to eating or drinking areas.
Cats don’t like to eat and drink near where they toilet. Rightly so, they instinctively know that it could contaminate their food and water, and cats are meticulously clean animals. With this in mind, cat owners should try to place their cat’s litter box far away from any water bowls and your cat’s food bowls you have around the house.
Also Read: Litter-Robot 4 Review (We Tested It For a Month)
5. Consider Litter Box Options
You might have to try a few different litter box styles to find one your cat likes best.
The days of one-size-fits-all litter boxes are gone. Make sure your litter box is large enough for your cat’s size—it should be at least one-and-a-half times longer than your cat. Some cats like open litter boxes as they don’t trap odors, while others enjoy the privacy of covered covered boxes.
You can even get cat litter boxes fully installed within a piece of furniture to maintain a stylish interior decor. A quick search online shows that there are plenty of attractive litter boxes hidden inside cabinets, coffee tables—you name it.
Also Read: Why Do Cats Bury Toys In The Litter Box?
What If My Cat Still Isn’t Using Their Litter Box?
When your cat stops using the litter box, it’s time to start troubleshooting to discover the reason.
It’s important to set up your cat for litter box success early on. If you’ve made sure you’ve put a litter box in a place that ticks all the above boxes, you have plenty of litter boxes for the number of cats, and your using your cat’s preferred litter, then you might want to find out more from this course from a cat behaviorist, which teaches extra methods for teaching your cat how to use the litter box as a potty.
Also Read: 5 Easy Tricks to Teach Your Cat According to a Cat Behaviorist
Final Thoughts
Hopefully, with this guidance, you can work out a perfect spot in your home to put a litter box for your cat. The more thought you put into getting it right initially will reap rewards with consistent litter box use later down the line.
Also Read: Why Do Cats Knead Their Owners?
Frequently Asked Questions
Where should you not put a litter box?
Avoid putting your cat’s litter box in high-traffic areas and rooms with lots of noise. Do not put it somewhere they can’t access at all times and might struggle to reach because of old age. Try to keep the litter box away from their cat food and water bowl too.
What room should I put my cat's litter box in?
Optimal rooms for your cat's litter box are the spare bathroom, spare bedroom, or laundry room.
Is it okay to put a litter box in the bedroom?
If you don’t have any more private options for your cat and you don’t mind the odor, you can put the litter box in your bedroom. Be mindful that you need to make sure your bedroom door is always open, even throughout the night, in order to allow your cat access whenever they need to use it.
Great article and especially helpful for newbie cat patents. Well, I have had cats for over 34 years@ i also pet sit from time to time.
We have always kept the litter box in one of the bathrooms. Not perfect as the bathroom is sometimes in use. The nice thing is my cat Vita times the use of the litter box quite often when I am in it , so we have never had a problem with her peeing or pooing in other places.
When we had the space we had 2 litter boxes. This only happened once.
Did you know apartments are getting smaller and smaller? What about people who live in bachelors?
You have to live in an uncluttered space. You almost need to live a minimalist lifestyle in order to accommodate the number of litter boxes you suggest.
Our closets are already too full to accommodate a litter box, and even if we got rid of stuff, you don’t want litter box smells with your clothing.
Even if a closet was a possibility, we cannot make a cat door as we cannot drill holes. We are tenants.
This remains a tough one to solve.
As for litter type, Vita, prefers the clay litter that has a sand like texture. I use to buy a corn based litter, and it was too coarse.
I empty it as often as possible and replace once per month. It’s not a good idea to top up the litter as your cat could pee on the sides of the litter box, and there also could still be hidden spots where the scoop can’t reach.