Bringing a Cat Home: A Renovation Proposal for Cat-Friendly Living [7]

KEY2 Cat’s room ——Independent Cat House · Part 2

· Easier to Clean with Glass Cabinet Doors

When considering both cat activity and ease of cleaning, it’s best to avoid hard-to-clean grille panels and fragile acrylic. Instead, opt for durable and easy-to-maintain glass doors. Glass allows ample sunlight to pass through, offering natural sterilization while giving your cat the full benefit of basking in the sun.

A double-door design is also recommended—when fully opened, it reveals every corner of the cabinet, making it easier to spot and clean any dirt or residue. Additionally, applying silicone sealant to the joints between shelves and cabinet surfaces can help prevent dust and cat hair from getting trapped.

· Minimum Dimensions for Cat Cabinet: Approximately 90cm Long by 60cm Wide

Most cat cabinets feature a combined design of climbing structures and a litter box compartment. The recommended overall height is between 180–220 cm, with a depth of around 60 cm—dimensions that allow an average adult to reach in and clean easily.

The lower litter box area should be about 45–50 cm high to ensure your cat can use it comfortably without bumping its head. As for the overall width, this should be adjusted based on the number of cats. For one cat, approximately 90 cm in length is sufficient. For two cats, the width should be increased to 120–150 cm—comparable to that of a standard walk-in closet.

· S-Shaped Interior Layout Recommended for Cat Cabinets

In space-limited cat cabinets, it’s important for owners to design the litter area entrances and step dimensions from the cat’s perspective to ensure comfort and ease of movement. When a cat jumps up from the litter area to the step zone, there should be at least 30 cm of clearance above the entrance to prevent it from hitting the step when leaping in or out.

Additionally, steps should be arranged in a staggered, alternating pattern to form an S-shaped path, allowing enough space for natural and comfortable jumping movements.

· Minimum Dimensions for Litter Cabinet: 55cm Wide by 50cm High

Most commercially available litter boxes measure around 30 cm by 40 cm. Therefore, the litter cabinet should not be designed too tightly. It’s ideal to leave a 5–10 cm buffer in front and behind the litter box to accommodate varying toileting habits among cats—some may avoid using a space that feels too cramped.

To ensure comfort, the recommended external width of the litter cabinet is 60 cm, with an internal width of approximately 55 cm (accounting for the thickness of the front and back panels). A height of 50 cm is also ideal, allowing enough headroom so the cat doesn’t feel confined.

· Litter Box Entrance Should Be 10–15cm Above the Ground

Most litter boxes have a certain height—typically around 10 to 15 cm. Therefore, when designing an entry hole from the outside into the litter cabinet, the opening should be positioned approximately 15 cm above the ground.

The diameter of the entry hole should also be no less than 15 cm to ensure smooth passage; if the hole is too small or too low, it may hinder the cat’s movement. If the opening is placed closer to the ground, a height of around 25 cm is recommended to maintain comfortable access for the cat.

· Cabinet Doors of the Litter Box Should Be Inset Into the Cabinet Frame

When planning the litter box cabinet, it is essential to ensure that the cabinet doors are inset into the cabinet frame rather than placed on top. Otherwise, cat litter can easily fall out through the gap between the door panel and the bottom of the cabinet, creating cleaning challenges. The hardware for the doors should include hinges that allow for 180° opening, ensuring that the door doesn’t obstruct movement when open.

The hardware inside the cabinet, such as hinges, can easily rust from cat urine, so it’s advisable to position the hinges on the outer layer of the cabinet. Some designs include drawers for the litter box, with the intention of making it easier to slide out for cleaning. However, in practice, it’s found that the drawer rollers often get blocked by cat litter, making it difficult to clean and prone to damage.

· Adding Wheels for Easy Mobility, but Stability Must Be Considered

If you wish to install movable wheels on the cat cabinet, it’s important to ensure the overall stability of the cabinet. Wider square cabinets are generally more suitable for this addition. However, for narrower cabinets, adding wheels can lead to instability. If adding wheels is absolutely necessary, it is advisable to choose fixed-direction caster wheels and place the cabinet against a wall to ensure stability and safety for the cat during use.

· The Cat Cabinet Base Should Be Elevated

The bottom panel of the cat cabinet must be elevated off the ground. This can be achieved by using waterproof pads, feet, or wheels to raise the base. This helps prevent issues like moisture from vomit, urine, or poor toileting habits from soaking into the bottom panel, which could lead to material damage or rusting of the hardware. This is especially important in households with multiple cats, where marking territory or competition for space may increase the likelihood of such issues.