Alright, so let me tell you about this “ms cat litter box” project I tackled. It wasn’t exactly rocket science, but it was one of those things that bugged me until I finally did something about it.
It all started because my cat, Mittens, is a bit of a diva. She’s picky about everything, especially her litter box. I was using one of those regular, open-top boxes, and she’d kick litter everywhere. Plus, the smell wasn’t exactly pleasant, you know?
So, I started doing some digging online. Looked at all sorts of fancy self-cleaning, high-tech contraptions. Honestly, they were way out of my budget. I figured, “Hey, I can probably build something decent myself.”
First, I went to Home Depot. Grabbed a large plastic storage container – the kind with a lid. Nothing too fancy, just a sturdy one. Then I picked up a jigsaw, some sandpaper, and a pack of those stick-on felt pads. Also grabbed a charcoal filter, figured that would help with the odor.
Back home, I measured Mittens. I needed to figure out how big to make the entrance hole. Didn’t want her squeezing through, but also didn’t want a huge gap where litter could escape. Ended up tracing a dinner plate for a rough circle, figuring that would give her enough room.
Then came the fun part: cutting the hole. I carefully drilled a pilot hole inside the circle, then used the jigsaw to cut along the line. Man, that plastic was tougher than I expected! Took a bit of elbow grease. Once the hole was cut, I sanded down the edges to smooth them out, so Mittens wouldn’t get scratched.
Next up, ventilation. I cut a smaller rectangular hole on the top of the lid, near the back. This was for the charcoal filter. I just taped the filter over the hole on the inside of the lid. Not the prettiest solution, but it works!
Finally, I stuck those felt pads on the bottom of the container. That way, it wouldn’t scratch my floors when I moved it around.
Put in some fresh litter, and waited. Mittens was initially suspicious. She sniffed around, circled it a few times, but eventually she went in and did her business! Success!
Here’s what I learned:
- Measure twice, cut once! Seriously, take your time with the hole.
- Sanding is your friend. Smooth edges are happy cat edges.
- Don’t overthink it. It’s just a litter box.
It’s been a few weeks now, and honestly, it’s been a game-changer. Way less litter scattered around, and the charcoal filter actually helps with the smell. Plus, I saved a ton of money compared to buying one of those fancy automatic ones.
Could I have done it better? Probably. But for a DIY project, I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. And more importantly, Mittens seems to approve. That’s all that really matters, right?
