In early January, our pet status changed when Dobby the cat chose to move into our backyard. She also happily comes inside when the weather is less than hospitable.
I like cats. They're soft and cozy and nice to snuggle with. What I don't like, is changing the litter box. Maybe that's why I wasn't actively looking for a pet in the first place. Lucky for me, Tucson has fantastic weather most of the year and Dobby likes being outside. So, I am able to minimize the indoor litter box activity and contain the activity outside by building an outdoor litter box that I like to call "The Zen Garden."
The Zen Garden still needs to be cleaned out every once in awhile, but it's an inexpensive way to keep the house smelling fresh and the yard free from surprises.
Materials
- 8 - 16 inch long edging stones
- 100 lbs of non-clumping cat litter
- rake
- level (optional)
Directions
When you go to the store to get the cat litter for this project, make sure you buy the cheap, non-clumping kind or you will have a gigantic ball of clay when the first rainstorm hits.
Also, be prepared for some interesting questions at the cash register or even from other customers when you are walking around with 100 lbs of cat litter in your cart. (My husband was ready to say that we just adopted a tiger cub.)
Finally, let your cat add some feng shui to the zen garden.
Please remember that even though it's outside, you will need to remove the solid waste from time to time. You will also need to add more litter occasionally.