If your cat is peeing where they shouldn’t — behind the sofa, on the rug, under the bed — you’ve likely spent a small fortune on new litter, fancy trays, diffusers, and scratcher toys. You’ve probably threatened to sell the house and start again. But before you do, let me ask one very simple question:
Have you thought about where the litter tray is?
I’ve been working with cats and their perplexed owners for over 25 years — judging, breeding, troubleshooting, and, yes, dodging puddles. And in all that time, one of the most overlooked factors in inappropriate urination cases is placement.
It sounds basic. Boring, even. But trust me — get the location wrong, and your cat might decide that your laundry basket is a better loo.
Location: More Important Than the Tray Itself
You can have the fanciest litter box on the market. Carbon filters. Built-in night lights. Self-cleaning scoop bots. But if it’s in the wrong place, your cat might never go near it.
Why? Because cats are picky about where they pee. They're looking for privacy, safety, and comfort. If a tray fails to offer that, your cat will go elsewhere — and unfortunately for you, that ‘elsewhere’ is often your duvet, rug, or bathmat.
If this is all sounding uncomfortably familiar, my ebook Stop Cats Peeing: The Smart, Humorous Guide to Solving Inappropriate Urination in Pet Cats helps you get placement (and everything else) spot-on — with actual case studies, practical plans, and just enough humour to keep you going.
The Four Golden Rules of Tray Placement
Let’s cut straight to it. Here’s what I’ve learned, both from years of working with cats — and from cats quite literally peeing on my theories:
1. Privacy, Please
Would you want to use the toilet in the middle of a motorway layby? Neither does your cat.
They want peace and quiet — not clattering washing machines, stomping children, or the family dog peering in like an over-enthusiastic toilet attendant. If the tray is too exposed, your cat might just refuse to use it.
Ideal locations:
- Quiet corners
- Low-traffic rooms
- Areas where they can see who's approaching
Avoid:
- Next to noisy appliances
- In narrow hallways
- Behind doors that may close unexpectedly
2. Avoid the “Two-in-One” Trap
Please — for the love of cats — don’t put the litter tray next to the food or water bowls. Cats are very particular about hygiene, and they won’t toilet near where they eat or drink.
It might be convenient for you to keep everything in one area, but to your cat, it’s utterly disgusting.
3. Easy Access Is Everything
If you’ve got a kitten, a senior cat, or a cat with arthritis, putting the tray in the loft or on top of a wobbly washing machine isn’t going to win you any litter loyalty.
Same goes for trays behind stair gates, in the cupboard under the stairs, or anywhere that’s blocked by the dog. If it’s easier to pee behind the curtain than climb into the tray, guess where they’ll go?
Think:
- One tray per floor in the house
- Avoid trays that require stairs or jumps
- Low-entry trays for older or less mobile cats
4. Out of Sight, Not Out of Mind
We humans have a habit of wanting to hide the litter tray. Tucked away behind a plant. Inside a cabinet. Under the sink.
But if your cat can’t find it quickly and easily, they’ll just go somewhere else. And if that place starts to feel better than the tray, you’ve got a problem.
Trays need to be:
- Visible (to the cat, not necessarily to guests)
- In places the cat spends time
- Accessible at all times (not behind a closed door)
“But I’ve Only Got a One-Bed Flat!”
I hear this a lot, especially from city dwellers. Space is tight. You don’t want the flat to smell like a public loo. So what can you do?
- Use a high-quality litter that controls odour (unscented, clumping types are ideal).
- Use uncovered trays where possible — most cats prefer them.
- Place trays in quiet, accessible spots even if they’re not ideal for your Instagram aesthetic.
And remember: if your cat starts peeing on the bed, aesthetics won’t matter.
Multi-Cat Homes? Double (or Triple) the Rules
If you’ve got more than one cat, you need more than one tray. The golden rule is:
Number of cats + 1 = number of trays
But that’s just the start. It’s not just about how many — it’s about where you put them. Clumping all the trays together creates a high-pressure hotspot. You might think you’ve provided options. Your cats see a single contested toilet block.
Common Mistakes I See Every Week
Let me run through a few real-life placement blunders I’ve seen:
- Tray in the boiler cupboard: great idea... until it turns on and hisses like a banshee.
- Tray in the hallway: lovely high-traffic panic zone.
- Tray in the garage: sounds fine, but a cat flap and steep step? Not ideal for arthritic legs.
- Tray in a cupboard with a cat flap: might as well call it “The Pee Chamber of Secrets.”
Cats don’t always “act out” when these things go wrong — they simply find their own solution. That solution usually smells bad and soaks into your soft furnishings.
The Tray Is Talking — Are You Listening?
When your cat starts avoiding the tray, they’re not just being difficult. They’re sending a message. That message might be, “It’s too scary over there,” or “I can’t reach it,” or even “I don’t feel safe sharing it.”
That’s why fixing this isn’t just about buying new litter. It’s about learning your cat’s preferences, quirks, and anxieties — and adjusting accordingly.
My ebook, Stop Cats Peeing: The Smart, Humorous Guide to Solving Inappropriate Urination in Pet Cats, walks you through all of this step-by-step — with plenty of examples from real homes and real cats (some of whom were very particular).
Final Thought: The Smallest Change Can Make the Biggest Difference
I once worked with a client whose cat had started weeing behind the TV unit. We tried everything — vet checks, Feliway, diet changes. Nothing worked.
Then I asked where the litter tray was. “Next to the tumble dryer,” they said.
We moved it to a quiet corner in the spare bedroom. Two days later? No more accidents.
Sometimes, it’s not about behaviour. It’s about environment. And cats — being cats — are often too polite (or too subtle) to spell it out.
Stop Cats Peeing: The Smart, Humorous Guide to Solving Inappropriate Urination in Pet Cats
By Ross Davies – Certified Feline Behaviourist