Over the years of owning cats, I really got tired of looking at a nasty litter box. Sure there are self cleaning ones, or ones with covers. I’ve tried them all.
Then I went ahead and spent about $50 on a small piece of furniture that was intended to look like an end table, but instead contained the litter box inside. It worked out great for a while. The smell was non-existent and my cats adjusted to it instantly. It was a little small for my fat cats, but they were fine.
After a while, I realized that it was too small, not for the cats but for the dog. My dog was poking his head in there and eating out of it. As a result I had to assemble an obstacle course for the dog to keep him away from the litter box. It ended up being a huge hassle for me. I had to take down this obstacle course every time I wanted to clean it.
I decided I wanted a new piece of cat furniture, but couldn’t decide what to get. I wanted one that was bigger, and impossible for the dog to poke his head in. At first I found three different ones that were about $150 – $200 each. But, I don’t have that kind of money to blow.
Then I thought of another idea. What if I used a plastic container used for something else, and cut a hole in it?
That was when I discovered patio deck boxes.
These boxes are meant to keep your deck furniture dry and secure outside. In most cases, these actually have some visual appeal and are quite sturdy. I saw one reviewer state they used this for a cat litter box furniture piece.
I knew I was on to something.
I went ahead and purchased a Suncast Deck Box. This box measures at 41 by 21 by 22 inches which was much larger than my previous cat litter box furniture. Essentially, this was a 50 gallon deck box that weighs about 28 lbs.
How much did I pay? $70 and free shipping.
Much nicer than the previous price tags already.
Of course it was extremely hard to cut the plastic hole for my cats to walk in. So I would cut with extreme caution. Make sure you have the proper tools for this type of project.
Here are the benefits:
1) More affordable price tag than a regular cat litter box furniture
Depending on which one you buy, you could save at least $100.
I spent $70 vs the $165 cat litter furniture I almost bought. Some patio deck boxes are cheaper, or more expensive. It really just depends on the size you want.
2) It has a top lid for easy access to scoop and change litter
Think of it like a toy chest.
My previous box, and the ones I considered purchasing, had a side door only. I had to slide the litter box forward (often dragging litter with it) in order to clean it.
3) Easy to assemble
It literally took me 5 minutes to snap together. My official cat litter furniture, though smaller, took at least an hour with a lot of hassle and tools. Plus my door hinge of my previous furniture piece ripped the particle board almost right away.
The deck box required only one tool, the saw to cut the hole with.
4) Made of plastic vs particle board
My previous cat litter box was made of particle board. My messy cat missed the litter box a couple times and caused the particle board to warp. It was pretty gross.
5) Roomier for the cats.
I had to detach the litter catcher when using my old cat litter furniture. Now with the deck box, I was able to have a larger litter box which helps avoid mess.
6) You can create the hole yourself to deter your dog from entering
With my previous one, at the size it was at it was perfect for my dog to stick his head in there and snatch litter. With my deck box, the litter box is too far away from the hole for easy access. I was able to pick the size, based on the size of my cats and the dog.
7) You can take it outside and hose it down if need be
Since it’s made out of plastic, and meant to get rained on, hosing it down will not hurt it. If it ever gets really messy you can always hose it down and let it air dry. With my old box, it got so warped and nasty I had to toss it.
I am extremely happy that I went outside the conventional use of a patio deck box and used it as a cat litter box. I added the main hole for them to access their box in, and a few extra random small holes for air flow.
The only negative I had going this route was the plastic was very thick, so it can be very dangerous to cut if you don’t have the proper tools.
All in all, if you’re looking for a place to hide your cat litter box, this patio deck box will look like nothing more than a toy chest in your spare bedroom.
Sometimes, all it takes is a little thinking outside the box.
