Though many people balk at the idea, the best location for a litter box may be the bedroom, living room, kitchen, or dining room. "I'd rather have a litter box in my bedroom than a cat peeing on my carpet," Pam Johnson-Bennett, owner of Cat Behavior Associates, told PetMD.
Of using these common locations, Jackson Galaxy further explained to Catster, "You have to get over 'litter box as enemy.' These are the concessions you make when you consider the beautiful results of having a relationship with a cat."
Galaxy often stresses the importance of what he calls scent soakers: signposts such as soft beds, cat trees, scratching posts, and litter boxes, where cats can detect their own odor. Scent soakers reassure cats that they're safe in their own territory.
"Now the litter box is the king of all scent soakers. That is where they mark; it's not just a place to eliminate — it's a place for your cat to identify a key part of her ownership of this territory," he explained to Modern Cat. "Make sure that your litter boxes are not just scent soakers but that there is enough of them to be signposts throughout the socially significant parts of the house." The bedroom and living room are socially significant — the attic and basement usually are not.
Still unsure about a litter box in the living room? Flip through "Catify to Satisfy: Simple Solutions for Creating a Cat-Friendly Home" to see photos of a dresser, end table, trunk, antique chicken coop, and more, each repurposed to hold a litter box.
