Litter box in a small apartment: where it goes

Written from the sources below on 4 October 2026.

In a small apartment the litter box sits a few steps from your bed and your kitchen. You want it out of sight and out of smell. Your cat wants a clean box it can reach in peace, any time. Most of the time you can give it both.

The advice below comes from the Cornell Feline Health Center, International Cat Care and the ASPCA. On the basics they agree with each other.

How many litter boxes you need

Cornell, International Cat Care and the ASPCA give the same number: one box for each cat, plus one more. One cat means two boxes. Two cats means three.

In a small apartment that sounds like a lot. International Cat Care gives a reason to keep the second box. Put boxes in different spots, not side by side. Some cats see two boxes next to each other as one box, and won't use either if one is dirty. In a home with more than one cat, spread-out boxes also stop one cat blocking another.

Where to put the box

Cornell says most cats want a spot that is quiet, private, away from where they eat, and open to them 24 hours a day. International Cat Care adds: a discreet corner, away from food and water, full-length windows and busy walkways. The ASPCA says to avoid spots where a cat might feel trapped.

Spots that often work in a small apartment:

• A bathroom corner. Prop the door so it can't close on your cat.
• A quiet corner of the bedroom, away from the door.
• The end of a hallway nobody walks down much.
• Inside a closet, but only if the door stays open day and night.

Spots to avoid:

• Next to the food and water bowls. Cornell, International Cat Care and the ASPCA all say to keep them apart. In a studio, put the box on the far side of the room from the bowls.
• Right by a glass balcony door or full-length window. International Cat Care says big windows can confuse cats: they see dangers outside, and glass gives them nowhere to hide.
• Your entryway or main walkway. That is the busy area all three sources say to avoid.

Box size and shape

• Size: International Cat Care says the ideal box is one and a half times your cat's length, nose to the base of the tail. It adds that many standard trays are too small.
• Shape: a rectangle gives more room than a corner, triangle or oval box. Corner boxes save floor space, but they give your cat less room to move.
• A cheap option: the ASPCA says plastic sweater storage boxes make excellent litter boxes.
• Low sides: Cornell says kittens, older cats and cats that struggle to move need a box with low sides.

Covered box or open box?

A lid hides the box from you. Your cat may not like it. Cornell says most cats prefer an uncovered box, partly because a cover traps smells inside and blocks their view. International Cat Care says some cats feel vulnerable in a covered box with one way out, and large cats may not fit well inside a small hooded one. If you use a covered box and your cat stops using it, try taking the lid or flap off before anything else.

Keep the smell down in a small space

In a small space you notice smell sooner. Most of the answer is cleaning. Skip the perfume, because most cats prefer unscented litter.

• Scoop at least once a day (ASPCA and Cornell). International Cat Care says at least twice a day.
• Wash the box regularly. The ASPCA says once a week, with warm water and unscented soap or baking soda, then replace all the litter.
• Clean with care. International Cat Care says some disinfectants that turn cloudy in water, like chloroxylenol (Dettol), are toxic to cats. Use hot water and a biological detergent, and skip heavily scented products.
• Use unscented litter. Cornell and the ASPCA say most cats prefer it. International Cat Care says cats can find scented litters, deodorants and liners off-putting.
• Keep the litter shallow: about one to two inches (Cornell and the ASPCA), or about 3 cm (International Cat Care).
• Pick a fine litter. Cornell says most cats prefer a finer texture. International Cat Care says many cats like clumping litter, because soiled litter comes out more easily and the box stays cleaner.

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Use height for everything else

A small apartment has little floor space, but it has walls. International Cat Care suggests cat trees or towers, including floor-to-ceiling ones, and cleared spaces on shelves or on top of wardrobes, because cats feel safe up high. It also suggests scratching panels fixed to the wall if you are short on space, hiding spots under the bed or behind the sofa, and rotating toys so they stay interesting.

With beds and scratching up on the walls, the floor has room to keep the litter box well away from the food bowls.

If your cat goes outside the box

See your vet first. Cornell says problems such as urinary tract inflammation, kidney disease, thyroid disease, diabetes and digestive problems can cause it. The ASPCA names urinary tract infections, feline interstitial cystitis and bladder stones.

If your cat is healthy, check the setup. The 2014 AAFP/ISFM house-soiling guidelines for vets start with two steps for every case: make the litter box better, and meet the cat's basic needs at home. Look again at the number of boxes, where they are, the lid and the litter.

Bringing a new cat home? Read Adopting a pet. Moving to a new apartment with your cat? Read Traveling with a cat.