Alternative Use Ideas

Here are some outside the box ideas for products that are not specifically designed for cats but can be used as cat owner hacks. These include affordable swaps, like using a yoga mat as a litter box mat, and creative uses for traditional products, like using electrical tubing to prevent wire chewing.

Updated August 2023: Stainless Steel Litter Box

Back in 2014, I featured an alternative litter box idea: I proposed this stainless steel steam table pan to be used as a kitty toilet. Since then, several cat supply brands have picked up on this idea, and there are many more choices when shopping for a...

Affordable Litter Mat Alternative

What do you look for in a litter box mat? It's got one main job: to keep litter from scattering all over the place. It would also be nice if it didn't clash with its surroundings, and it fit snugly in the space it needs to fill. Instead of buying a "litter box mat", which may or may not fulfill any of these criteria, consider using a yoga mat!

Genius Shape Corner Litter Box Pooper Scooper

Make your life easier with this uniquely shaped litter box scoop. Instead of a rounded or squared off outer edge, here the outside of the scoop comes to a 90-degree corner, enabling whoever has scooping duty to reach into litter box corners with a lot less effort!

Outdoor / Indoor Playpen for Cats

This is a fully enclosed playpen or jumbo kennel for containing a pet in an indoor or outdoor environment. The octagonal pen has screen windows, a mesh screen roof, and a cloth floor for full containment. The easy to use pen can be set up or taken...

Alternative Use: Suction Toddler Bowls for Cats

This set of three suction cup bowls was designed for kids to help prevent messes at baby's mealtime. They can also serve as pet bowls and users have reported success using these as both water and food bowls for cats who have been known to knock things...

Alternative Use: Kitchen Cart as Kitty Station

Kitchen carts designed to hold microwaves or other appliances are usually sturdy pieces of furniture. Consider using a multiple shelf unit like this one, highly rated for its intended use, as a piece of furniture for your cat! There are several different space-saving ways you can use...