Where to Put a Cat's Food and Water Bowls, Litter Tray, Bedding and Other Essential Resources

Rachel
2 days ago
6 min read

Tabby cat lying on white floor, gazing at an empty wicker basket against a plain white wall.

Are you new to cat parenting? Whether you're expecting a new addition, bringing another cat into a single-cat household or want to minimise stress in existing residents, a safe and comfortable environment is what all owners should be striving for.

Cats are known for their territorial natures, and rather than treating it like a problem, we should accept them for the highly intelligent and perfectly developed species that they are. It all starts with viewing the world through the eyes and behaviours of your kitty companion.

Learn the best places for a cat's resources and where to put litter trays, food bowls, bedding and scratch posts for a more cat-friendly environment.

Fluffy white cat lounging in a gray pet bed on a wooden floor, looking relaxed and content.

Beds

Quiet Rooms

While many cats enjoy sharing a bed with their human guardians, it's a good idea to provide a variety of sleeping areas, especially in multi-cat homes. Spare rooms, studies or anywhere they can retreat for some peace and quiet will greatly improve their sleep quality - as we know, cats love their naps!

Baskets, cushions, blankets or something as simple as a pile of old clothes gives them plenty of options when beds are occupied by other cats.

Elevated Surfaces

An elevated area such as the top of a wardrobe, drawers or cat tree offers both privacy and a good vantage point, as cats feel safe when they can observe their surroundings. Make sure it's accessible by placing a chair or other item of furniture next to it, especially for older cats that find it difficult to climb.

Away from Doors and Windows

Doors are heavy traffic areas that come with a lot of noise, and windows are the perfect opportunity for surprise encounters with outdoor cats or passing dogs. Beds should be in a safe, secure and stress-free zone.

Tabby cat eating from a red bowl with paw prints on a wooden floor.

Food and Water Bowls

Quiet Rooms or Areas

A lot of owners put food and water bowls in the kitchen because it's convenient, but that doesn't mean it's convenient for your cat. Kitchens are high-traffic areas with potentially multiple people coming and going to collect food, drinks and snacks; washing dishes, laundry and other tasks. This can result in cats running away and leaving their food or, conversely, scoffing it as quickly as possible.

A dining area is better, or other less used rooms with space for a food and water station. Providing multiple bowls and/or fountains in different areas allows cats to access them at all times and prevents squabbling if one is being used by another cat.

In fact, some experts recommend that cats in multi-cat households are fed in separate areas that are out of sight from each other. The exception being when cats are being introduced for the first time or going through the separation and reintroduction process.

Not Overlooked

Cats don't like being overlooked by other animals or people, so you should avoid placing food and water stations in the centre of a room or near doors and windows. Cats Protection advise placing them slightly away from the wall with enough space for cats to sit in between, allowing them to keep an eye on their surroundings from all angles.

Visit

Elevated Surfaces

Raised surfaces are a good idea if children are in the house to keep little fingers out of bowls, and it allows cats to eat undisturbed. It also prevents greedy cats from stealing other cats' food, if they're on the fatter side then they might not be willing to climb.

Away from Litter Trays

As obvious as it sounds, keep food and water away from litter trays - or at the very least, across the other side of a room. No one wants to eat where they poop, and you don't want your cat ingesting any stray litter.

Separate Food and Water Bowls

Cats tend to prefer having their food and water bowls in separate locations, since they'd typically hunt away from water sources in the wild.

Siamese cat using a gray litter box in a room with white tiled walls and floor, looking alert with blue eyes.

Litter Trays

Privacy

As with food and water stations, cats need to be able to see what's going on around them, and toileting is when they're most vulnerable. Litter trays should be in a private, accessible place away from doors, windows and busy traffic areas.

Bathrooms

Conveniently, bathrooms are the perfect location and most hygienic for everyone - animal and human. They're quiet, private and secluded from eating and sleeping areas. Upstairs landings are also a popular spot, but this won't be possible in every home.

It's only natural to want to tuck litter trays out of sight - no one wants them stinking out their living room, and this isn't an ideal place for cats either. However, in small apartments where space is limited, it may be the best place. You should consider putting the interests of your kitty before your own.

Multiple litter trays placed around the home reduces stress and accidents, as well as territorial behaviour between resident cats.

A cat scratches a beige sisal post in a sunny room.

Scratch Posts

Doors, Windows and Cat Flaps

Cats have scent glands between the pads of their paws, which they use when scratching as a form of territorial marking. Wild cats would scratch trees for the same purpose, as well as leaving visual markings to warn off intruding parties. Providing scratching opportunities at entry and exit points may help to prevent territorial behaviours like urine spraying or aggression towards other household cats.

Remember, aggression isn't always physical: blocking, staring and ambushing are just a few intimidation tactics that cats use to protect and defend their turf.

Beds and Sleeping Areas

Cats like to stretch their limbs and sharpen their claws when they wake up from a nap. Placing a scratch post or mat nearby sleeping areas may prevent them from doing it elsewhere!

Two fluffy cats relax on a wooden cat tree by a window with grey curtains.

Cat Trees

Favourite Areas

The great thing about cat trees is that they double up as beds and hiding places, hence why they're an essential piece of kitty furniture. You can place them in your cat's favourite resting or play areas to encourage use, as long as there's enough space; and away from human traffic like doorways and halls. Make use of corners that are a bit more private, especially in living rooms so they can interact with and observe the family while having their own designated safe place.

Windows

While it's generally not advised to place sleeping areas near windows, cat trees offer a great vantage point which enhances safety and security. Most cats love observing the outdoors and it's particularly stimulating for housecats. If you have strays or other four-legged visitors in the area that upset your resident cats, an upstairs window means they're less likely to come face to face.

Gray cat with yellow eyes sits alertly in an open cardboard box against a plain background.

Hiding Places

Elevated Surfaces

The wildcat uses height to escape predators and keep a lookout for threats and food, which you can replicate at home with things like floor-to-ceiling cat trees, shelves and wardrobes. As always, make sure areas are accessible and easy to climb.

Dark Spaces

Underbed spaces, cupboards and wardrobes make great hiding places around the home. Make sure any doors are left open so cats can get in and out without being trapped.

Private Rooms

Unused or quiet rooms away from noisy areas of the house helps to reduce fear and stress by allowing cats to retreat and escape other cats.

Summary

The best locations for a cat's resources can vary depending on who you ask, and while there are certainly "good" and "bad" places, it also comes down to personal preference - and I'm not talking about yours!

If kitty seems happy with the way things are, or you've had the same layout for the last decade without any problems, then switching them around can do more harm than good. My boy, Simba, was most upset when I tried moving his food bowl out of the living room - the noisiest area of the house - to the less used dining room.

The guidelines in this article mainly apply to new cats or those that have started displaying behaviours that are out of character. One of the first solutions you can try is modifying their environment by moving resources to a more suitable area of the home.

Gray tabby cat with open mouth, possibly yawning or meowing, on a tiled floor.

For example, if your cat starts toileting in areas other than the litter tray and a vet has ruled out illness, it's most likely a stress-related problem. Likewise, if cats are fighting over or around food stations then you should reconsider placement and whether there's enough space around the bowls so cats never have to turn their back on a potential threat.

It's important to observe your kitty, as well as its behaviour around other kitties, in order to minimise stress and insecurity that could lead to deeper behavioural issues. And remember the golden rule: one resource per household cat, plus one extra (two cats = three litter trays and so on).

Spreading resources around the home can help to satisfy a cat's natural desire to explore, as well as increasing exercise. Resources go way beyond eating, sleeping and toileting; they also need plenty of enrichment and stimulation, including toys and play.