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RV living with cats requires some planning, and one thing to figure out is where to put the litter box so that it’s out of the way. With some ingenuity, you can hide a litter box in just about any empty space in an RV. Here are a few ideas for litter box storage.
In a closet
A cat hole like this one, which can be stained or painted, can to allow a cat to access a litter box behind a closed door.
Under a dinette booth
RV owner Ted, creator of the public campground database ultimatecampgrounds.com, installed a cat door to allow access to the storage space under the bench seating.
Inside a storage bay
If you can find a place to cut a hole for access, the advantage of this location is that the litter box can be cleaned from outside. A cat door with weather stripping can help minimize drafts.
The owners of the RV pictured below chose not to have a built-in vacuum system in order to free up the ideal space for their cat’s litter box.
Attempting to adapt these ideas for our RV, we used a cardboard concrete form as a tunnel to bypass some electrical wiring leading through the stairs into our storage bay. It’s not pretty on the litter box side, but it works!
At first we were worried that our 14-pound cat might not fit through metal frame of the stairs, which is only 6 inches high, but it’s amazing how quickly and easily he can flatten himself and dart into his tunnel when he wants to!
Smell hasn’t been a problem as long as we clean the litter box regularly.
Under the sink
A cat flap could be installed on the side of a cabinet, like in the picture below, or through a door on the front.
Another option involves temporary cabinet door removal instead of a cutting a permanent hole. You could even remove both doors and cover the space under the sink with a curtain instead.
Under the bed
This RV owner uses a plastic storage bin with a hole cut in the side as a tall-sided litter box to help minimize the mess and allow side entry in a low-clearance under-the-bed hiding spot.
In a storage trunk
A wicker storage trunk becomes an attractive disguise with handy storage for cleaning supplies with this DIY project.
In an end table
A thrift store find can be used to conceal a litter box.
Alternatively, ready-made litter box cabinets are available to match any style of decor.
If you’re looking for other ideas for RVing with pets, check out my RVing with Pets Resource Page:
Great ideas!! Thank you for posting!
Glad you find them helpful! 🙂
Thanks for the post. I hope you’ll add in the future to address the needs of big fluffy cats (mine are nearly 18lbs each) that normally have an entire room for their litter needs, lol. I’m also curious about litter box placement in small motorhomes. If I get out there, I’ll share solutions for my trio of felines!
Good points! Perhaps some of these ideas could be adapted for larger cats? For example, a dog door could be used instead of cat door. If you have a dining booth with storage space under the benches, perhaps both benches could be used – one for each cat. Would love to see photos of any solutions you come up with!
I haven’t found a place to hide my litter box yet. My cats are big, tall, not fat. They’re much too big for a normal litter box, because when they stand in the box, their backside is not over the litter, so I made a plastic bin into a litter box. Then when I brought it into the RV (small 24′ class C), I put it in the shower and leave the bathroom door open (access) with the vent fan running 24×7 (smell). I have to remove it when I take a shower, then I have to dry the shower pan before it’s ready for them to use again (annoying). I also use a towel and mat under the box to make sure they don’t get in the box with wet feet.
I am going to try one of the ideas in this article. I was trying to figure out how to gain access to the storage under my 2nd dinette seat, so I’m going to try to set up that area for their litter box.
Love these ideas! Any idea how people stop the litter sticking to their cats feet and getting tracked all over?
I purchased a litter mat for this very purpose! You can probably get one just about anywhere cat litter is sold, but here’s an example so you can see what I’m talking about.
i have an RV with an over the cab bed. It is now the cat suite!
My cat would love that!