Where to Put the Litter Box When You Have a Dog
Where to Put the Litter Box When You Have a Dog
The right spot solves most litter-box problems before they start.
Put the litter box somewhere your dog genuinely can’t get to — behind a baby gate with a cat flap, in a room with a cat-sized door, or in a quiet spot on a floor your dog rarely visits — and keep it away from your dog’s food, bed, and busy, noisy areas of the house.
Key takeaways
- ✓A cat that has to pass the dog to reach the box will often avoid using it — placement matters more than almost anything else for litter-box success.
- ✓A cat door cut into a regular door or gate is the most reliable barrier for larger dogs; smaller dogs may still need a covered or top-entry box as backup.
- ✓Keep the box away from your dog’s food and bed — some dogs are drawn to litter box contents, which is unpleasant but common, and proximity makes it worse.
- ✓In multi-level or multi-cat homes, spread boxes across floors — one per cat, plus one extra, is the standard rule of thumb.
Why placement matters this much
Cats are particular about where they go to the toilet, and a big part of that is feeling safe getting there and back. If reaching the box means walking past a dog’s usual spot — or the dog can wander in while she’s using it — many cats will simply hold it, use the box less often, or find somewhere else entirely. None of those are good outcomes.
There’s a second, less pleasant reason placement matters: some dogs are drawn to litter box contents. It’s a common and normal (if unappealing) behaviour, and keeping the box out of a dog’s easy reach solves both problems — your cat’s stress and your dog’s bad habit — at once.
The best spots in a typical home
Look for a location that’s quiet, low-traffic, and — most importantly — not part of your dog’s regular territory.
- A spare bedroom or home office with the door mostly closed
- A laundry room, accessed through a cat door rather than left open
- An upstairs spot, if your dog mostly stays downstairs (or vice versa)
- A bathroom that’s not in daily use
Spots to avoid
Skip anything next to your dog’s food or bed, since proximity makes both the temptation and the stress worse. Avoid loud, high-traffic areas too — next to a washing machine or in a busy hallway can condition a cat to see the box as an unsafe place to be, which leads to avoidance.
Physical barriers that actually work
Behavioural training (“leave the litter box alone”) is unreliable with most dogs, especially small and medium ones that can fit almost anywhere a cat can. A physical barrier is worth setting up properly the first time.
- A cat door. Cut to your cat’s size and fitted into a regular door, a wall, or even a baby gate, this is the most reliable option for larger dogs and lets you keep the human door fully closed.
- A covered or top-entry box. Useful as a second layer of defence, particularly against smaller dogs, though it isn’t a complete solution on its own for a determined dog with full room access.
- A baby gate with a cut-out or gap. Works for small cats and larger dogs, but check your specific dog can’t simply step over or squeeze through.
- A dedicated small room. Even a section of a laundry room or closet, sealed off with a cat door, gives your cat a permanent safe zone rather than something you manage day to day.
Multi-level and multi-cat homes
The standard guidance is one litter box per cat, plus one extra — so two cats means three boxes. In a multi-level home, spread them across floors rather than clustering them in one room, so your cat never has to navigate an entire flight of stairs (or the dog’s favourite napping spot) to reach one.
Don’t let the barrier make the box less appealing
A perfectly placed box a cat won’t use because it’s dirty or the wrong size isn’t a win. Once placement is sorted, keep up with regular scooping and cleaning — see our Cleaning guide for routines that work for both a cat’s standards and a dog’s nose.
Frequently asked questions
My dog is small enough to fit through a cat door. What now?
Cat doors come in adjustable sizes — go smaller than you think you need, and pair it with keeping the box in a room with the main door closed as a second layer of protection.
Is it bad for my dog to eat litter box contents?
It can cause digestive upset and, with clumping litter, a blockage risk in rare cases. It’s worth preventing with placement rather than managing after the fact.
How many litter boxes do I really need?
One per cat plus one extra is the standard rule — so a two-cat home should have three boxes, ideally in more than one location.
Can I use scent or training instead of a physical barrier?
Deterrent sprays and training can help at the margins, but most dogs are motivated enough that a physical barrier is the only consistently reliable solution.
Litter placement is one part of keeping odour under control too.
Better homes for cats, dogs, and the people who love both.