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The Spruce Pets / Lecia Landis
It can be tricky finding the perfect location for a litter box, particularly in a small apartment. The right spot for your litter box should serve your cat’s needs first, providing it with a safe haven where it can easily access a private place, away from noise and disturbances. In general, cats prefer a litter box location that is both private and open enough to observe their surroundings. Cats like feeling that they can escape and can’t be cornered.
“In general, cats prefer unenclosed litter boxes,” Dr. Uri Burstyn, Medical Director of the Arbutus West Animal Clinic in British Columbia, told The Spruce Pets. “If you do want to make an enclosure, the bigger the better, to let the cat have room to move and scratch around.”
But if your cats are less picky and comfortable in enclosed spaces—for example, if they already use a top entry or enclosed litter box—then litter box furniture, which disguises the box’s presence by hiding it inside an enclosure, might be an option in your space.
The best litter box furniture will provide both privacy and comfort for your cat, so you’ll want to consider enclosures that are well ventilated, to avoid odor build-up. The right piece of litter box furniture should also be easy to access and clean, helping you resist the temptation to clean less if your box is out of sight.
Our favorite is the Furmia Litter Box Enclosure, which has exceptional ventilation and visibility for your cat, plus a roomy interior with a metal grate that should minimize litter spreading, but there are other litter box enclosures we also recommend that may work even better for you and your cat.
Best Overall
Furmia Litter Box Enclosure
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Furmia
Can accommodate large litter boxes
Excellent venting
Slitted doors let your cat keep an eye on surroundings
Metal grate keeps litter inside cabinet
Entrance can be placed on either side
No way to latch the doors shut
The Furmia Litter Box Enclosure has a clean, light wood look that will fit into many modern spaces, but this is also our favorite piece of litter box furniture because of how well it integrates features that your cat will also appreciate. First is the spacious interior, which can hold litter boxes up to 19 inches wide and 21 inches long (or you can fit a whopping 30-inch-long litter box inside by removing the litter grate). It’s also well ventilated, with long slits on the doors that let your cat observe its surroundings, even from inside the litter box.
This litter box furniture is also easy to clean, with big, broad doors that open up for easy access. It has a metal grate in the entryway, designed to catch litter trapped on your cat’s feet and keep it inside on the box instead of on your floor.
The Furmia Litter Box Enclosure comes flat-packed, but if you’ve ever assembled a piece of Ikea furniture, it will be no problem. Plus, while the Furmia retails at a prohibitive $400, it’s recently been frequently available for much less.
Price at time of publish: $200
Dimensions: 33 1/2 x 21 x 21 inches | Materials: Plywood, engineered wood | Litter Box Included? No
Best Budget
PAWLAND Decorative Cat House
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Amazon
Rotary catch keeps door securely shut
Large ventilation holes
Raised borders on tabletop
No scoop storage
Won’t fit litter boxes larger than 15 3/4 x 19 1/2 inches
Many brands offer very similar variations on this straightforward, budget cat furniture design, but we think the PAWLAND version has an edge, thanks to a few key design choices. The raised border on the tabletop is perfect for cats and provides them a lip to rest against, or partially keeping them from their very favorite activity: knocking your stuff to the floor. The rotary catch door provides a more secure closure than the magnetic latch found in many similar furniture items. Plus, it has nice, big vent holes in the back to keep the air circulating through.
However, it is a little narrow and can’t fit litter boxes larger than 15 3/4 inches wide and 19 1/2 inches long. The minimal design also doesn’t feature a place to store a cat litter scoop. The PAWLAND Decorative Cat House is made of engineered wood and comes in two finishes—white and espresso—with shiplap-style detailing.
Price at time of publish: $68
Dimensions: 18.9 X 20.9 X 22 inches | Materials: MDF Wood | Colors: White, espresso | Litter Box Included? No
Best Luxury
Tuft + Paw Haven Litter Box Enclosure
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Tuft + Paw
Beautifully designed
Built with high-quality materials
Easily access inside to clean
No storage
The Tuft + Paw Haven Litter Box Enclosure is breathtaking, in both its clean, modern design aesthetic and its steep price. What you get is a litter box enclosure with a number of thoughtful features, which won't look out of place wherever you choose to place it.
The Haven enclosure hides a litter box—which is included, or you can use your own, up to a maximum size of 21 x 17 inches—behind a drop-down panel that glides silently open on a hydraulic strut with the turn of a knob. Opening the panel lets you remove the litter box for cleaning, while also exposing a small storage area, where you can keep the included accessories: scoop, brush, and dustpan.
Your cat enters the Haven via an elevated opening on the left side of the enclosure. This entryway uses a metal grate to help keep kitty litter off your cat's paws when it exits. The enclosure is also well ventilated, with a metal grate above the litter box.
Your cat can also sit on top of the enclosure, since the wooden rim around the cabinet's top makes it easy to keep a cat bed in place.
Price at time of publish: $699
Dimensions: 32 x 19 x 24 1/2 inches | Materials: premium plywood with ash veneer, white semi-gloss metal, plastic | Colors: Ash and Walnut | Litter Box Included? Yes
Best with Integrated Litter Box
Curio Modern Cat Litter Box & Litter Liner
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Etsy
Made from real wood, in four different attractive patterns
Custom litter box liner fits the interior perfectly
Replacement litter box liners are expensive
Lift-off lid means you have to move anything on top every time you clean the litter
The entrance to the litter box is a little high for older cats
Most litter box furniture is trying to disguise itself as another piece of furniture—like a planter, nightstand, or bench—but the Curio doesn’t really hide what it is. Instead, it takes on the challenge of turning a litter box into an attractive piece of furniture on its own merits. The result is a side table styled “Litter Box Solution,” made from real wood—walnut or maple europly. There are also versions of the Curio that enhance its plain wooden look with an attractive mid-century pattern that shouldn’t remind you too much of the carpet in The Shining.
While the Curio has a great look, the integrated litter box features are what make it a standout pick. The Curio is designed to be used with the Curio Litter Liner, which is made from ABS polymer and fits perfectly into the wooden furniture. The liner has handles on either side, so you can lift it out for cleaning. And while the Curio’s wood is pre-finished to resist stains and moisture (in case your cat misses the mark sometimes), you won’t really need it to be, because the Litter Liner is 10-inches high, allowing your cat to dig around without kicking litter out.
Of course, you could also use the Curio with your own litter box, if it will fit the 14 1/2 x 20 1/4-inch interior. You could also ditch the litter box concept entirely, and your cat can enjoy it as a hideout for napping.
The only real downside is the entrance hole, which is elevated 10 1/2 inches off the ground. This does an excellent job at keeping litter from spreading outside the box, and should be fine for most cats, but people with elderly cats might want to look elsewhere.
Price at time of publish: $263
Dimension: 21 3/4 x 15 3/4 x 20 1/4 inches | Materials: Maple or walnut europly, 1/8-inch ABS polymer (litter liner) | Colors: Maple, patterned maple, walnut, patterned walnut | Litter Box Included? Yes
Best Side Table
Frisco Mid-Century Modern Side Table Cat Litter Box Cover
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Chewy
Unique mid-century design details
Can be aligned with entrance on front or side
Rotary latches keep double-doors securely closed
Roomy interior
Tabletop weight capacity is only 22 pounds
Could use more ventilation
The Frisco Mid-Century Modern Side Table Cat Litter Box Cover occupies an excellent middle ground between our budget pick and more premium side table-style litter box furniture, with useful features like rotary latches and a large entryway that can be installed on either side. Its design is striking, and it can be configured in your space to have the cleaning-access double doors on front or displayed on the side, with the entryway in front. The interior dimensions are also large enough to accommodate most standard litter boxes under 23 1/4 inches long and 20 3/4 inches wide.
While the double cabinet doors have cut-outs that will provide some ventilation, we would have preferred a few more openings to increase airflow. Another downside is the tabletop’s weight limit—22 pounds.
Price at time of publish: $108
Dimensions: 24 1/2 x 22 x 24 inches | Materials: Composite wood | Colors: Walnut, almond | Litter Box Included? No
Best Bench
Whisker Litter Box Bench
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Chewy
Comes with cushion top
Sturdy metal frame
Large entryway for cat
Interchangeable side opening
No way to latch front doors shut
Nothing to prevent litter spreading
Only available in one style
Lacking in ventilation
This attractive bench has a large, open interior that can fit any cat litter box that’s 18-inches wide or less. Rather than the mid-century modern Ikea look, the Litter Box Bench has more of a farmhouse aesthetic, with a sturdy metal frame bracketing the included cushion top.
The large front of the cabinet makes accessing your litter box for cleaning simple, while the big entrance should be inviting for your cat.
Price at time of publish: $239
Dimensions: 33.11 x 18.94 x 24.09 Inches | Materials: Composite wood | Colors: Farmhouse | Litter Box Included? No
Best Planter
Good Pet Stuff Hidden Litter Litter Box, Gray, Large (HL3)
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Amazon
Looks like a plant
Can be rotated to blend in
Easy to disassemble to clean
Not very spacious
No removable litter box
Good Pet’s Hidden Litter Box incorporates foliage (albeit plastic) into its litter box furniture. The plant on top, which can be replaced with any other replica foliage, comes with a bit of moss to add to the immersion. The moss does double duty by disguising the vented top.
The large base made to look like a terra cotta pot isn’t a litter box enclosure, but is instead its own litter box—all you need to do is add litter. To empty, you have to lift the plant off, which is a little annoying.
Price at time of publish: $85
Dimensions: 19 x 19 x 20 inches | Materials: Plastic | Colors: Brown | Litter Box Included? Yes
Best for Automatic Litter Boxes
Whisker Litter Box Storage Cabinet
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Amazon
Fits our favorite automatic litter box, the Litter-Robot 4
Opening can be installed on either side
Double doors provides easy access to the machine
Optional hutch adds storage or play space for your cats
Your Litter-Box ramp accessory won’t fit in here
Very heavy, even before the Litter-Robot is inside
Only available in one style
If you own one of our favorite automatic litter boxes—either the Litter-Robot 3 Connect or Litter-Robot 4—and you don’t like the idea of having a high-tech poop machine in plain sight, then check out the Whisker Litter Box Storage Cabinet. The concept is straightforward: It’s a cabinet that will hide your Litter-Robot. There’s not much more to it, though there are some thoughtful features, like the ability to install the opening on either side. There’s also an optional hutch for storage or for your cat to play on.
It’s a bummer that the Whisker Litter Box Storage Cabinet isn’t available in more styles, other than its dark-stain composite wood. For a lighter look, check out the Coastal Credenza instead.
Price at time of publish: $399
Dimensions: 30.7 x 28.1 x 34.3 inches | Materials: Composite wood | Litter Box Included? No
Best for Easy Cleaning
unipaws Cat Litter Box Enclosure
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Amazon
Great for larger litter boxes
Divided, can be configured in multiple ways
Opens from the top for easy cleaning
Assembly required
A white color option would have been nice
This litter box enclosure from unipaws not only opens up from the front, so you can slide a litter box in or out, but also has hinges that open the entire top, making it much more accessible for cleaning than most litter box furniture. The large opening on the side makes this an inviting option for your cat, who will have plenty of space to explore or escape quickly if it feels nervous.
The interior of the unipaws enclosure is 20 inches deep and 28 inches long, which is long enough to offer as much as a foot of extra space in front of your litter box’s entrance, giving your cat interior room to stretch and feel comfortable. At more than 18 inches high inside, it should be able to accommodate most boxes. Plus, the unipaws comes with an optional divider that can either split the interior into two different spaces, or wall off a little extra storage space inside the chest.
The simple design of the unipaws Cat Litter Box Enclosure allows it to blend into a variety of spaces (though a white color option would have been nice). Disguised like a chest or cabinet, the unipaws enclosure is made from pressed wood panels held together in a metal frame that can support up to 185 pounds on top.
Assembly out of the box is required, and some buyers have reported misaligned drill holes, so you may want to be ready with a power tool in case you need to drill an extra hole.
Price at time of publish: $160
Dimensions: 30.8 x 21.7 x 20.9 inches | Materials: wood and metal | Colors: Weathered gray, walnut, rustic | Litter Box Included? No
Our favorite litter box furniture item is the Furmia Litter Box Enclosure, which we think does the best job of turning cat-beneficial features into human-appealing design elements. But if you’re looking for a budget enclosure, which will disguise a litter box, provide easy access for cleaning, and let you see whether or not your cat is up for an enclosed bathroom, then check out the PAWLAND Decorative Cat House instead.
What to Look For
Features
The most important features for your cat are ventilation and visibility, which might conflict with your desire to disguise your cat litter box inside of a furniture item. Our favorite litter box enclosure, the Furmia, makes ventilation and visibility part of its design cues, integrating it in a way that’s attractive and still looks like modern furniture.
The most important feature for you will be accessibility. The single biggest risk of using a litter box enclosure is that it will alter your behavior, not your cats. People tend to clean less when the messes are out of sight, or when there are physical obstacles to doing so. The right cat litter furniture should fit with your existing cleaning routine, so you won’t feel annoyed every time you have to clear a tabletop in order to lift a lid to access your cat’s poop.
Placement
Many litter box furniture items are designed to be used as side tables, night stands, or other furniture items, which may put your cat in the position of having to use the bathroom when people are too nearby. Cats prefer large, clean, and uncovered boxes, because they make them feel safe and able to observe their surroundings. That makes placement crucial, since your litter box and its surrounding furniture should be somewhere that isn’t high-traffic, but also isn’t hard to access. Cats do not like to be cornered, and they like to know that there is an exit available at all times.
Litter Box Compartment
The interiors of many pieces of cat litter box furniture are simply too small. Even if you can squeeze a litter box inside, it may not be right for your cat if it feels stressed or cornered. Look for litter box furniture that has multiple ways to open up; for example, you can keep cabinet doors open for access when company is not around. Consider litter box furniture that has interior space in front of the litter box, so your cat stretch within reach of it.
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Do cats like litter box enclosures?
No, not typically. Cats have individual preferences (for example, some prefer running water for drinking, some don’t), but in general, cats prefer open litter boxes over enclosures. If your cat is used to an open litter box, it’s possible that it won’t use an enclosed space to use the bathroom. However, if your cat is already accustomed to an enclosed space, then it might adjust well. Dr. Uri Burstyn, Medical Director of the Arbutus West Animal Clinic in British Columbia emphasized that buying cat litter box furniture is more about our comfort than theirs. “They are a great solution for for living in small spaces with cats, but if you have a larger home, it’s better to have an open litter box,” she told The Spruce Pets.
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Where do you put litter box enclosures?
“Somewhere peaceful, away from human traffic,” Dr. Burstyn said.
Why Trust The Spruce Pets?
This article was written by Steven Asarch, a freelance writer and product expert for The Spruce. A devout cat dad of two, he has expert experience figuring out which products are perfect for them. They both currently use cat litter box furniture.
To get the best understanding of what makes an ideal litter box enclosure, Steven spoke with Dr. Uri Burstyn, Medical Director of the Arbutus West Animal Clinic in British Columbia. Using his knowledge of the subject, Steven examined the durability, quality of materials, practicality, and ease of use to find the best cat litter box furniture on the market.
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