DIY Cat Litter Boxes

The typical store-bought litter box has sides that come up only 5 to 7 inches. If your cat stands to urinate or enjoys kicking the litter around after going, the wall height of a standard litter box isn't tall enough to contain kitty's mess. One alternative is a litter box with a cover, but some cats don't like their bathroom closed in and will refuse to use it. A better and less expensive option is building your own litter box out of a large storage container.

Things You'll Need

  • 18-gallon plastic storage bin (or larger)
  • Ruler
  • Marker
  • Box cutter
  • Sandpaper
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Instructions

    • 1

      Remove the lid from the storage bin and set it aside.

    • 2

      Measure a door for your cat. Measuring down from the top lip of the bin, mark off a 9-inch by 9-inch square. The door can be centered or off to one side.

    • 3

      Cut the door out with the box cutter. Discard the piece of plastic you cut away.

    • 4

      Sand the edges where you cut the door to smooth them.

    • 5

      Cut off about a third of the length of the bin's lid. Keep the large piece and discard the smaller piece.

    • 6

      Fill your new litter box at least four inches full of cat litter. Place the box where your cat will use it. Position the larger portion of the lid in front of the door to catch any cat litter clinging to your cat's feet when it comes out of the box.