End Tables With a Litter Box Inside
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Quick answer. A litter box inside an end table can work, but the cover has two costs that the source states. A cover holds odors in, and most cats prefer an uncovered box. Measure the box, the opening and the entry height before you buy or build anything. Our research has no end-table or cabinet listings, so this guide names no hidden box, only an open box with a low entry. You may not need to buy anything: an uncovered box with low sides matches what the source says most cats prefer, and what kittens and older cats need.
This guide covers whether to hide a box in furniture and how to measure for it. It does not cover how to build one.
What the source says about hiding a box
Cornell Feline Health Center’s house-soiling guidance says, “from your cat’s point of view, covers hold odors in.” It also says, “Most cats prefer an uncovered box that lets odors escape and allows a 360-degree view of their surroundings.” A cabinet or end table is a cover, so it carries the same trade-off.
The same guidance says, “Young kittens, elderly cats, and cats with mobility problems need boxes with low sides.” A raised sill or a tall cabinet opening can make entry harder for these cats, so check the entry height before you choose a cabinet.
The guidance also notes that “humans like covered boxes for reducing odor and stray litter.” That is the owner’s reason for a cover. The cat’s side of the same point is the first quote above.
Measure before you buy
- Box footprint. Use the outside size on the listing of the box you plan to use. Examples from our research, as each listing states them (checked 2026-10-17): Amazon Basics Large, 19 x 15 x 11.75 inches; FZGhome XL enclosed, 23.62 x 15.75 x 15.35 inches; BlissBlaze XXXXL enclosed, 28 x 20 x 17 inches.
- Opening and sill. Measure the cabinet opening and the height of its bottom edge. The box has to fit through the opening, and a high sill is a problem for a kitten or an older cat.
- Clearance. If the box has a lid, leave room for it to open. Leave space for the scoop and for your hand inside the cabinet.
- Cat size. The same guidance says, “Overweight and large cats need bigger boxes.” A cabinet sized for a small box will not suit a large cat.
Terms used in this guide
- Covered box. A box with a lid or an enclosure around the litter. Cornell calls this a cover.
- Outside size. The box’s full dimensions as the listing states them, walls included. Compare it with the cabinet’s inside floor, not the cabinet’s outside.
- Sill. The bottom edge of the opening that a cat has to step over to get in.
- Lowered front. The part of a box’s front wall that the listing says is cut lower for entry. The Amazon Basics listing uses this wording.
- Cabinet floor. The inside bottom of the furniture, from wall to wall.
Several cats
Cornell says to “provide as many boxes as there are cats in the house, plus one.” It also says to “place multiple boxes in multiple locations to give your cat more options.” One end table holds one box in one place, so for a multi-cat home it does not meet that guidance on its own.
Decision rule
Choose a hidden box only if all three are true: the cabinet is larger than the box you plan to use, the entry is low enough for every cat that will use it, and you know your cat accepts a covered box, or you accept the odor trade-off. If any of these is not true, use an uncovered box in the room, with low sides.
When you may not need a hidden box
You may not need a cabinet if the only reason for it is appearance. Cornell’s guidance favors an uncovered box for most cats, so a hidden box is a trade you make for the owner, not a step the source recommends. You may also not need a new box at all if your cat already uses an uncovered box in the room you have and that box meets the entry check above. In that case the work is to check the box, not to buy furniture.
Products
We have no end-table or cabinet listings, so we cannot compare hidden boxes on their listings. The box below is an open box. We carded it because its listing states a lowered front for entry, which is the sill check above. If you find a hidden box, check its interior and entry figures on its listing, and check the current price on Amazon before you buy.
At a glance: the 1 pick, by its own spec fields
| Pick | Dimensions | Weight | Flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amazon Basics Large Cat Litter Box, Open Top | 19 x 15 x 11.75 inches | 1.95 lb | Not an end table or furniture-style hidden litter box — this is a plain open litter box. Title and a bullet say “high sides,” another bullet says “lowered front” — these conflict. |
This pick is not an actual end-table-style litter box enclosure — it is a standard open litter pan. If you need furniture that hides a litter box (an end table, cabinet, or bench with a litter box inside), search specifically for “litter box furniture” or “cat litter cabinet” listings.
1. Amazon Basics Large Cat Litter Box with High Sides, Open Top
Specs (from the listing, checked 2026-10-17): 19 x 15 x 11.75 inches; 1.95 pounds; open top; lowered front for easy entry (listing bullet); scoop with onboard storage; BPA-free and recyclable plastic (listing bullet). The title and a bullet say high sides, and the same listing says the front is lowered. Both are shown as stated.
Pros: the listing states a lowered front for entry; it weighs 1.95 pounds, so it is easy to move for cleaning. Cons: it is open, so it does not hide the box; the high-sides and lowered-front wording conflict.
Best for: an uncovered box with an easy entry, which is the type the source says most cats prefer. Skip if: you want the box hidden inside a cabinet, because it is open.
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Worked example: a sample cabinet
This is a sample, not a measurement of any cabinet. Suppose the inside floor of a cabinet is 20 inches deep and 16 inches wide. The Amazon Basics box’s listed footprint is 19 x 15 inches, so it fits with 1 inch to spare in each direction, if you place its 19-inch side along the 20-inch depth. A BlissBlaze XXXXL box’s footprint is 28 x 20 inches, and its 28-inch side is longer than either side of the sample floor, so it does not fit in any position. Measure your own cabinet’s inside floor against the listed footprint before you buy.
Our rule of thumb for the margin: the Amazon Basics footprint covers 19 x 15 = 285 square inches of the sample’s 20 x 16 = 320 square inches floor. That leaves 35 square inches, or about 11 percent of the floor. Treat that margin as room for the lid, the scoop and your hand, not as room for a larger box.
Mistakes to avoid
- Measuring the cabinet but not the box. Use the box’s listed outside size.
- Putting one box in a cabinet for a multi-cat home. The guidance is cats plus one.
- Hiding a box without knowing whether your cat accepts covered boxes. The source says most cats prefer uncovered boxes.
- Choosing a high sill for a kitten or an older cat.
- Trusting the title. The Amazon Basics title says high sides, and its listing also says the front is lowered, so the entry details matter more than the title.
- Forgetting the lid. If a box has one, the cabinet needs room for it to open, as the clearance check says.
Who should skip this guide
Skip this guide if you want a finished furniture product, because our research does not include one. If a cat has trouble using its box, ask your vet. This guide does not give health advice.
For a box that suits a small room, see our litter box guide for small apartments. If you want less manual scooping, our self-cleaning litter box guide covers automatic options.
FAQ
Does a covered litter box help with odor?
Cornell’s house-soiling guidance says, “from your cat’s point of view, covers hold odors in,” and that most cats prefer an uncovered box. A cover is not a general fix for odor.
Can I put a litter box in an end table?
You can if the box fits, the entry is low enough for every cat that uses it, and your cat accepts a covered box. Measure first.
How many boxes do two cats need?
Cornell’s guidance is as many boxes as cats, plus one. Two cats need three boxes, placed in more than one location.
Which cats need low sides?
Cornell says, “Young kittens, elderly cats, and cats with mobility problems need boxes with low sides.” For a health question about a cat’s mobility, ask your vet.
Is there a product for this in your research?
No end-table or cabinet appears in our listings. The one product card here is an open box, chosen for its entry height.
What if my cat avoids a covered box?
Cornell’s guidance says most cats prefer an uncovered box that lets odors escape and allows a 360-degree view of their surroundings. The source does not describe how to change a cat’s preference. If your cat stops using its box, ask your vet.
If the same cat also uses vertical furniture, our guide to cat trees for small apartments covers that separately.
Sources
- Cornell Feline Health Center, Feline Behavior Problems: House Soiling. Cited for the cover trade-off, the note that people like covers for odor and stray litter, the low-sides guidance, the box count, and the note that large cats need bigger boxes.
- Box sizes: Amazon listing figures for each box, checked 2026-10-17. Specs are as each seller states them. We did not measure them.
