As RV owners who frequently live full time with our pets, we have to come up with ideas for how to “make it work” - to my husband’s dismay. Traveling with our pets is something we consider to be one of the perks of RV travel. This is something almost impossible to do if you were to stay in a hotel, particularly if you have a cat. We have a cat and love to have her on the road with us. Though a dog is the most popular companion for RVing (we have one of those too!), cats can be great as well. The issue with our furry cat is of course the issue of a cat box.
The Cat Box Conundrum
When we first decided that the cat was coming with us, we threw around all kinds of ideas about what we would do with the kitty litter. For example, we considered putting it in the bathroom tub, a closet and even the RV basement.
Our work at DoItYourselfRV.com exposes us to some of the best RV pet ideas available, but we struggled to find the right solution. None of these options seemed realistic for us, so we kept brainstorming.
It wasn't until we were wandering around a big box retail store that we stumbled on to the perfect solution.
The Solution
Why couldn't we convert a standard toy box into a hidden cat litter box?It was too “purrfect” - a place to hide the cat box, keep the smell contained and have a place that could provide a flat surface in which to use for storage in the living area. With any luck, it might even match.
This seemed for us to be the right choice and went to work researching how we could camouflage it into the décor and also make sure that the kitty would be comfortable.
We settled on a relatively inexpensive toy chest from Amazon.com called the KidKraft The Austin Toy Box. We loved that it had nearly a dozen different colors to choose from. It was also nice to see so many great reviews, which we can say are spot on. It is a well-made box that is 30 inches long x 18 inches wide x 19 inches tall, which made it just the right size to put between the entry door and the recliner in our Thor Hurricane motor home.
Once we got our hands on the toy box, we had to modify it in order to give our furry friend access. My husband, who is a contractor, decided to use a hole saw to cut a 6-inch hole in the side facing away from the door. Then we purchased touch up stain that matched the finish of the toy box to color the unfinished wood that was revealed. The cat could then sneak in around the chair, so as not to upset her sensibilities (take it from me she is easily upset). We then found a cat box that would fit snugly inside the toy box.The setup is wonderful. We simply lift the top to clean the cat box and refill it with cat litter. There is actually enough extra room inside so we could put down a special mat that is supposed to remove most of the litter from the feet of the cat on the way out of the box.
We couldn't be more pleased and are very happy that we don’t have to share the bathroom with the cat. It is tight enough with two of us in there!
About the author
Tami Radson is an avid RVer who over the past 30 years has owned pop-up campers, travel trailers and most recently motor homes. She has been camping since before she can remember and offers her humble, time-tested perspective. A lover of animals, the outdoors and camping, you are most likely to find her with her dogs near a body of water. She is also a regular contributor DoItYourselfRV.com where you can find useful RV Tips, RV Guides, RV Mods and more!
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