Recessed litterbox
If your cat has trouble getting into a low entry litterbox, which is about 2"-3" high, you can reduce the height of the entry by creating a recessed litterbox. To do this, raise the floor around the litterbox with upholstery foam, sold at fabric stores.
For this project, you will need:
- 5 feet of upholstery foam 24" wide and 2" thick
- 1 felt tip marker
- 1 yard stick
- 1 electric carving knife
- 1 bathmat the size of the crate
- waterproof material such as disposable underpads, a plastic shower curtain, or dropcloth
Remove everything from the crate, including the plastic tray.
Place the litterbox where you want it to go in the crate.
Measure inside the crate from wall to litterbox. Mark the foam in a couple of places with the felt tip according to the measurements. Then draw a line on the foam using the yard stick as a straightedge.
Cut along the line with the electric carving knife. Cut additional pieces of foam as needed.
Lay a moisture barrier in the bottom of the crate. In this picture, underpads are shown lining the bottom.
Arrange your foam inside the crate. It should cover the floor of the crate wall-to-wall except where the litterbox will go.
Cover the foam with a waterproof barrier to protect it from moisture.
Lay the bathmat on top, and set the litterbox in place.
Now the entry to the litterbox is even with the floor of the crate and your cat will not have to step up to enter the litterbox!
Below is a pattern showing how the foam was cut for this project. The measurements may vary for your project, these are only an example. The crate being adapted is 30" x 48" and the litterbox is a Purina SecondNature dog litter pan. Different crates and different litterboxes will be different sizes.
Here is the way the pieces of foam were arranged in the bottom of the crate after they were cut. If you wish to put the litterbox in a different corner or facing a different direction, your measurements and placement will differ.
