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The litter tray

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Cat litter trays in the cupboard under the stairs- anyone done this?

14 replies

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 15/05/2019 21:11

We are planning inviting two cats to take over our home .

Looking at areas for a cat-litter tray ( well 2 of them) that will be safe, quiet and not disturbed . DH suggested the cupboard under the stairs . Its a good size , he will cut a hole in the door and out in a regular cat door .
He needs to secure the wires and meters but that's easy enough.

So , if I want to give my theoretical cats the Harry Potter Experience , is it workable?

(When we had our old cat she didn't use a tray , she went out but there was always a clean litter tray for her . House is full of teenagers now so I'm struggling to find somewhere quiet enough)

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ExpletiveDelighted · 15/05/2019 21:14

We do but due to the layout of the house we can leave the door ajar for them without it getting in the way. A catfkap wouldnbe tricky to fit to our door because its panelled (we did consider it). Unfortunately there have been times when the cats have wee'd on the other contents of the cupboard (sports kit bags, stuff waiting to go to the charity shop) but on the whole it works ok.

Potentialmadcatlady · 15/05/2019 21:16

Have a look at the Ikea slatted wooden storage boxes (can’t remember their name). If you cut a cat sized hole in the front of them they make a ‘hidden’ cat litter storage box.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 15/05/2019 21:19

ah , the cupboard is empty (DH did this today) so nothing for the to pee on ( except the litter ) Grin

Would a hole in the door work better ? I'm worried in case the cat flap gets stuck and one gets trapped . DH thinks it will contain the 'aroma' but a cat sized hole in the door shouldn't be a huge gateway to nasty niffs ,should it?

I don't want to leave the door ajar because I'd most likely walk into it .

OP posts:
Simonfromharlow · 15/05/2019 21:20

My parents have done this. Seems to work just fine!

SushiGo · 15/05/2019 21:22

The only problem I can see is out of sight out of mind and forgetting to clear it? Especially with two cats if there is already a poo in the tray the 2nd cat to get there may choose to use the floor instead.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 15/05/2019 21:34

I think we'll never overlook the trays because they will track their litter onto the hall carpet Grin

Do they like flat trays or the ones with the rim round them?

We gave our old girl one of the Lakeland blue oven shelf cleaner trays ( they are big and solid ) and when Sainsbury used to sell those solid plastic baskets that you slotted into the trolley .......we got one for the cat , it was ideal.

My DD is making Shopping Lists already !

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MsMightyTitanAndHerTroubadours · 15/05/2019 21:34

I favour litter trays in bathrooms, keep all the nasty niffs together :o and also people are in and out of there all day so no excuses for lingering cat jobs or yicky trays.

Having said that, our old cat who died a few years back now didn't like the bathroom, or any tray anyone else might have looked at, and liked to find interesting corners, so for the longest time we had trays shoved in odd corners all over the house.

ExpletiveDelighted · 15/05/2019 21:36

Our bathroom is tiny, the only free space is where you step out of the bath which is also the route between the loo and the door so we can't put one in there.

LadyOfTheCanyon · 15/05/2019 21:37

our neighbours have this set up for their cat, seems to work fine!

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 15/05/2019 21:41

We have a small downstairs loo and the bathroom upstairs but the space wouldn't fit a decent sized tray ( and I know from experience they like to put their body IN the tray and hang their bum OUT over the edge (hence the massive blue Lakeland tray for Previous Cat) Grin

The corner trays look nice , space saving but I'm worried their gimmicky . Simpler the better really .

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MsMightyTitanAndHerTroubadours · 15/05/2019 21:47

that was old cat's trick...get into tray back up to corner and commence "activity" right over the edge.

...put tray into even larger tray will save your floors

Current cats like to get into tray and manoeuvre their front feet into a corner, so no floor disasters with this pair.

I am worried that it's going to be dark in the understair cupboard for them... you will have to get a motion sensor light :o

Toddlerteaplease · 16/05/2019 15:15

Why didn't I think of putting it under the stairs with s cat flap. Brilliant idea.

MancaroniCheese · 16/05/2019 15:28

Our trays are in the under stairs cupboard, we rent so I can’t put a flap in the door so I just wedge it open with a door stop.

I’ve got deep top entry trays as mine spray in their trays and it was leaking out where the top joined the bottom of the covered trays.

Fluffycloudland77 · 17/05/2019 09:44

I’ve never known a cat flap stick or jam.

I’d get the covered trays with charcoal filters, you can buy big sheets of charcoal filters on eBay, they’re for cooker hoods but you cut them down.

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