Enclosed Litter Box Q

Hi there. I'm a bit of an amateur carpenter, and I've already made a cat tree for my kitty. Now I'm thinking of making an enclosed little box, because it would solve quite a few of the problems that comes with having inside cats in a house shared with other people. Namely the smell, which I don't particularly like and my flatmates don't appreciate. 

BUT. My cat, Mama cat, isn't keen on boxes. She'll go into the ones on the cat tree now that she's used to them, but it took her a very long time to get to that point. I am wondering, if I were to make this enclosed litter box, are there any tips on how to make it as appealing as possible? I'm talking width, depth, height, doorway, even making little glass windows, anything else I haven't thought of yet.

Also - having it enclosed would save the rest of the house from the strong litter smell, but would it make things more unpleasant for the cats? Do you think they would refuse to use it? 

Thanks for your time! 

Hi Malt,

Wow, home made litter boxes seem to be very popular at the moment. Have you seen this thread?

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/282568/home-made-litter-box-furniture

Maybe you could share some ideas with people on here.

If your cat is insecure about enclosed spaces (which it seems she is) having her litter box in an enclosed space might deter her from using it.

The cons of having an enclosed box are just as you mentioned...it keeps the smell INSIDE the enclosure...with the cat. This *can* also deter cats from using it. Most cats are picky about their boxes and want them clean and stink-free. Another issue is that some cats feel trapped in the box or get ambushed by another cat when they try to exit the box.

If you want to try an enclosure, I would put in 2 entry accesses and make sure it is tall enough so that kitty doesn't feel claustrophobic. For your cat, I might suggest putting in large windows on all sides so that she can see out all around her. Also, make sure you clean the boxes out frequently (at least twice a day.)

Also, in transitioning, you will need to keep her current box where it is and add the new enclosure/box(es) as well.