Everybody poops! Or alternately: Full-time RVing with cats, and where the heck did we put the litter boxes?

We have four cats and live in a 35-foot RV. Where do our cats poop? Not gonna lie: this was at the top of our priority list when we were RV shopping. It is extremely important to have a clean and safe area for cats to go to the bathroom, because without that, it can cause all kinds of behavioral problems that could lead to anything from aggression to physical illness.

When we bought our rig, we knew right away that we would use the under-bed storage for our cat boxes. I installed a pet door on each side of the bed to allow access from both sides. I added a foam gasket along the top edge of the storage area to help reduce dust and odor.

View of the under-bed storage area with pet door openings

Using 3M Command hooks, we installed a broom and dustpan and an ultraviolet flashlight to make sure we don’t miss any potential messes. (Pretty much all biological materials fluoresce under UV light, which includes pet stains, dirty hotel rooms, and that one time you sneezed without covering your mouth and nose.)

View of the small broom and dust pan inside the cat box area

We have tried many many different cat litter types and brands over the years, and have found that the Arm & Hammer Clump and Seal lightweight unscented litter works the best for us. This litter is virtually dust free and effectively stops odor without added perfumes or fragrances. We have used a Litter Genie for years, and I’m glad to report that it also fits well in this space.

view of the complete cat box area with three cat boxes and cleaning tools

In an ideal household with cats, it is best to have one litter box for each cat, plus one. Obviously, this is tougher in a tiny home like an RV, so we had to get creative. For over a year, we have four cats sharing these three boxes and have not had any complaints so far. And Tycho is quite particular about his litter box! We make sure to keep the area scooped at least twice a day.

view of the finished cat box area with Tycho checking it out

If we start to notice problems with the cats regarding the boxes, such as aggression around the boxes, or if someone starts going to the bathroom outside the box, we will definitely have to consider an extra box in an alternate location. I know many RVers will place litter boxes in their shower (consider covering the drain, so no litter gets into the gray tank!), which is tough if you use your shower more than RV park bath houses. I think we would probably use one of these fantastic litter box cabinets in our main living space, so it’s private and out of sight, but also a secondary location for low-stress kitty potty breaks.

We’d love to know about your creative kitty litter solutions! If you brought your cats with you when you went RVing, what did you do with their litter boxes?

2 thoughts on “Everybody poops! Or alternately: Full-time RVing with cats, and where the heck did we put the litter boxes?”

  1. Last fall was the first time we have RV’d with our feline family. We spent the winter in Texas; our 3 kitties came with us. We purchased one of those long, not-too-deep plastic totes from WM, and had it in the garage portion of our 44 foot Cyclone toy hauler. It worked great. This year when we go, we are going to put it over the bathtub in the small bathroom in the garage. It’s kind of high for them to get to, so the Spousal Unit made a couple of steps for them for easier access. We do not use the back bathroom, but he did put something in the tub to catch any stray litter plus he put a piece of plywood on top of the tub for the litterbox to sit on. I think it will work just fine, but the felines will be the judge of that one.

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  2. We have one cat who is a high peeing cat. He stands not squats to pee. I was also thinking of doing What you have done. But not sure this World work for Chester. Any suggestion What we can do.

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