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The problem with many of these, is when it's out of sight, it's out of mind, so you might forget to clean it as often. And many of the covered litter boxes offer little to no ventilation. Cats have very sensitive noses, so trapping those odors in there (especially if you forget to clean it), might make them seek other locations (fireplaces are popular).

While I'm all for trying to come up with a good compomise of function and design, a pet owner's priority should be the cat's comfort, not whether or not it contributes to your modern-traditional decor. When you get a cat, you get everything that comes with it, often including an ugly litter box.

my question about these kind of litter boxes is, "where do you put them?" sure, they might be pretty enough to have in your living room, but would you want to have a cat toilet in your living room? that seems kind of weird to me (and we have 3 cats). no matter how diligent you are in keeping it clean, when the cat goes in there to take care of #2, it's gonna smell, at least for a few minutes. so there you are, kicking back watching TV, or hosting a little get-together, or whatever it may be and kitty decides it's time to drop a stink-bomb, and uh oh... you better get out of there quick!

also, dear writer:
it's spelled "theirs" not "their's"
http://englishplus.com/grammar/00000262.htm

wouldn't it be dark inside the box? i don't know that my cat would use a box if it was pitch black inside.

I still adore these ones from Ikeahacker.com:

http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/2007/08/simple-ideas-for-cat-litter-boxes.html

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/sf/pet-decor-2006-entries/my-designs-dreamy-danas-kitchen-kitty-pooper-010991

I also like this one, but would opt to use the dark-wood akurum cabinet instead:

http://ikeahacker.blogspot.com/2007/12/kickass-litterbox-cabinet.html

All affordable and potentially classy - IKEA has great hardware for added "legs," pulls, handles, etc...

oooooo...good call, thegoodbigirl!

The biggest benefit is adorable moggie does not spray cat litter all over the floor that you have to clean up.

But as puck said, I'm not sure how willing a cat would be to go to the toilet in a dark enclosed box.

Mafan
high power laser RULZ

Our cats will just poop on the first area of that maze, they will never make it to the litter area, they're just plain lazy. Or even worse, they will just do their business wherever they please if we ever use a litter like this one because they will not even bother reaching for it. Plus, we have a litter crisis at home where the oldest cat will not use the litter if any of the other 2 cats uses it, so now we have to clean 2 litters every day in order to please our majesty...

I am so sick of cat box articles. I mean, they deficate: we know it, they know it, and everyone else knows it. Do we really need to discuss it ad nauseum? It's really gross.

Cat behaviorists seem to agree that most cats prefer NOT to use an enclosed litter pan if there's more than one cat in the house. No escape route, in case the other cat decides to nose around. Since I read up on that, I've taken the lids off my boxes and there has been a lot less out-of-box pooping.

Medusa, how about you just skip right over the catbox articles, just as I skip over the articles about babies, meat-eating, $5000 custom sofas, and everything else that does not apply to my lifestyle, eh?

I had a wood bench/litter box cover made for my 2 cats and they have no problem using a covered space. I even had the guy make a little box inside where I could place a baking soda deodorizer.

Originally I lived in a studio apartment so it was needed, I had no place to hide it. Now that I moved I just have it in the 2nd bedroom.

It's definitly not out of sight out of mind, just set a certain time each day that you clean it. I make it part of my getting ready for bed routine. With 2 indoor cats I find it necessary to clean it every day.

I have a very similar box and my cat is 100% fine with it. The few times she's not used it, she went in the bathtub (the box is in the bathroom) and I forgot to clean the box, so it's totally my fault. I would never use an open or basic plastic-covered box again.

Perhaps, Jezebella, but neithr a $5000 sofa or a cut of prime rib deficates. And people don't ramble ad nauseum about how, when, where and with what degree of frequency they deficate. Strangely, the articles about babies avoid this topic, too. All I'm saying is that perhaps it's possible to have an article about a cat without talking about where it craps?When there's a picture of a top view of a cat's backside about to crap into a box, with a full color picture illustrating same, it's hard to avoid.

I just don't feel where a cat craps is a cogent design issue.

Medusa, do you have a cat? Before I got one, I also thought it was an irrelevant isssue. But once you have a cat, it's quite a priority. An open litter box like ours in an apartment with no hidden areas to keep it, sticks out like a sore thumb. It is definitely a home-decor and design issue.

We have been scratching our heads for the last 3 years trying to figure out a way to make our home look nice with a box of cat litter sitting at the end of the hallway, with everyone who comes over asking "What's that?"

True dat, Trudat. I read every one of these articles!

I'm wondering who is forcing Ms. Medusa to look at these catbox articles. They're always clearly labeled. If you don't want to read about kittypoo, don't click on the articles, m'kay?

I wonder if she freaks out this much when articles about bathrooms and toilets pop up. Talk about ewww, gross!

As for cats wanting a means of escape, I don't see why you couldn't buy (or make) something like this cabinet with openings on both sides. Or even openings underneath. Cats love climbing up into things.

My sister built a cabinet for her cat's box and put it in the garage. They have a kitty door that leads into the house. The cat has had no problem with it being nearly pitch black inside and my sister just cleans it on a schedule. She did not put in a divider but the box is big enough that the kitty walks across about 12 inches from the entrance to the box in the back and comes out with little to no litter on the paws.

I have been racking my mind for a smaller or nicer looking design as our litter box is - ahem - in the kitchen and it's gross. Unless it's enclosed somehow we can't put it anywhere else or the dogs will get into it (the kitchen is gated so the dogs can't get in...) I was also concerned about a few issues brought up in the comments posted here but I have a few solutions as well...

For ventilation, primarily you just need to clean the box regularly and be vigilant about it. But, if you insist on ventilation, cut grooves in various places, or use a router to cut a groove pattern on the side(s).

For other odor control options, our local pet store suggested we use the carbon papers that are sold for use in lizard and snake cages. It looks like a black sheet of construction paper and just lays on the bottom of the critter's abode. They suggested putting it in the bottom of the litter box but when I did the paper just got soggy and gross and had to be changed too often to be economical. With an enclosed box, you could probably just lay the paper UNDER the litter tray and cut to the floor size.

Other options might be fill an old sock with charcoal briquettes for a cheap odor eliminator. I would be afraid to just put a little bowl of briquettes in there uncovered but I suppose it could work.

Currently I generously sprinkle baking soda in the bottom of our cat's box, a tip from our veterinarian.

If you want something nicer and that can function as more than a covered cat box, consider having a cushion cut to size to fit on top or put some nice woven baskets on top to store other things.

I intend to try my hand at making one of these and would most likely make it to fit under our laundry room sink. However, if I lived in a smaller space and it had to be in a main room, I might try to situation it near the front door and have baskets on top to catch shoes or sandals as we typically take them off once we enter the house.

"When there's a picture of a top view of a cat's backside about to crap into a box, with a full color picture illustrating same, it's hard to avoid."

This is probably silly to reply to, since you may never read this post again, but cats don't poop like humans. (ie ass hanging out) If the cat was going to poop, it would be in the plastic bin and squatting.

That image shown is very, very clearly an image of a cat walking through the "maze" section to demonstrate how it makes them weave around. That's all. No poop involved.

Other options might be fill an old sock with charcoal briquettes for a cheap odor eliminator.

Don't use charcoal briquettes. They're typically pre-soaked with lighter fluid. You don't want those anywhere inside your house or near your animals. You need proper filter charcoal.

Also, don't put baking soda in the catbox. It gets on their paws, tastes awful, is high in sodium and messes up their digestion. The bad taste can also lead them to break litter training, if they figure out the source is the litter pan.

I was able to switch my cat to Feline Pine litter (the non-clumping kind), and am so much happier with it. Virtually no odor and far less tracking. And no damn dust.

I second the Feline Pine suggestion for no tracking.

I'm a former one bedroom apartment dweller and feared i'd be single forever with that undeniable cat smell. no matter how clean you and your cat are, there's that special scent in the air--then I found crystals (silica gel). get them. smell problem solved forever.
Trader Joe's sells a brand called "Space" for 5.99 a box (usually 10 to 15 at other stores)..
tracking is a huge issue with crystals but I have a little catching rug outside the pan. our set up just doesn't look so sexy--dome catching rug.
I've been damn close to that pan and don't smell a thing when i know there's a few pee loads in there. promise.

We live in a townhouse and have this product and it has been a lifesaver. Our two cats are completely fine with using this - there is plenty of ventilation and it has eliminated much of the odor. Of course, we do have to keep it clean for them, otherwise, it would start to smell, as any other litter box would. It does, however, minimize the odor. The best part is that I am not embarrassed when we have guests come over. They never even know that it is the litter box.