I live on my own in a decent-sized flat; however, while it is plenty big enough for myself, I'm starting to worry that there might not be any ideal place for the litter box to go - I have a fairly large living room but I would have thought that would be out because guests would probably find it offputting and weird.

The kitchen, I would have thought, is unsanitary.

The bedroom might be a problem because I like to have the door shut at night to block out as much light as possible and I wouldn't want the cat to feel trapped (however I do now have a draught excluder on my front door to block out light from the outside hallway so I'm open to the possibility of leaving my door open, but there still might be problems, eg. if I bring a girl back she might not like there being a litter box there, and she might want the door closed for an increased feeling of privacy). pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

The bathroom is large so there's room in there, but again while the door being open isn't an issue for me, any guests would obviously want the door shut - meaning the cat wouldn't have access to the room...but can cats learn to 'hold it in' and wait their turn for the bathroom to be free like humans do?

(Also the bathroom obviously tends to get very wet and I'm guessing the cat might not like that; there's only a thin shower curtain and not a proper cubile for the shower so sometimes the whole floor is quite damp/wet; a lot of water gets splashed from the sink too.)

I only have those four rooms in my flat - no extra laundry or utility rooms, etc. like a lot of cat-owning people with houses might have. Apart from that there's only a narrow hallway connecting the front door with the bedroom/bathroom/living room.

So, where do you think the best place to put the litter tray would be, so that the cat always has easy access to it and so that it is both in a proper and sanitarily wise location?

I live in a tiny apt-small bedrm, bath & a living room kitchen combo. i had to place the litter box in the kitchen pantry closet 7 leave the door open as that was the only place it would fit. yes it stinks having it in the open so to speak but I had no choice. As long as you place it somewhere easy to access and find it's fine and yes the cat would be ok if a guest were to shut the bthrm door for a few minutes. you can always get a covered box with a door as well which would help contain the smell no matter where you put it.

You don't want the box in a high traffic or open area - usually people put it in the bathroom on in a basement. But if you don't want them there, they make some very cute "hiding" furniture that is secluded for the cat and give privacy, but you never know there is a litter box inside the furniture.

pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

Here's a website with the cool litter furniture.

http://www.catlitterfurniture.com/

http://www.onestopcatshop.com/cat-litter…

First, congratulations on getting a kitty soon!

I have been a cat owner for over 15 years. I have to say "NO" to putting the litter box in the bathroom. It sounds as though your bathroom can get very wet/damp at times and you wouldn't want this affecting the cats routine with going in his or her box. As cats grow older, they may become more finicky and picky about their things, especially the litter box. This is something to consider, as a young kitten may not have problems with damp litter at first, as the kitty grows older, problems may arise.

Also, you want to put the litter box in a place where it won't be bombarded, blocked or closed in. The litter box should be easily accessible and not have other odors going into it (like from the kitchen). I have learned this information from my family Vet doctor whom I have been seeing for my cats over the last 15 years. In your situation, it sounds as though your bedroom may be the best place for your kitty's box. I would choose a spot in your bedroom, maybe in a corner or such, that is somewhat away from your bed. Depending on what you choose, I would recommend training your kitty to use a perfume/dye free litter, so it is easier for the kitty to breathe, but also for you. Since you have a small place, you don't want to be breathing in fumes all of the time from the litter. If you have FreshStep Perfume Free and Dye Free litter, clumpable, that is a good choice to try out.

pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com

Lastly, if you do "bring a girl back to your apartment", I wouldn't worry about the kitty needing to use the litter box. If your one nighter turns into a relationship, your girlfriend should understand and love the cat just like you and she will be ok with having the cat's box in the bedroom. If she is not and doesn't love your cat, she isn't worth it. ;-) Best of luck.