Merry Pet Cat Washroom Bench

I was unable to post a detailed review as a verified purchaser because Amazon limits you to 400 characters and I have lots to say... I sat on the fence about buying this for a long time and I hope my review helps those of you like me to make your decision. This product is amazing! Solid wood, excellent workmanship, sturdy and strong, easy assembly, and although it builds like an Ikea piece, it's parts are of far better quality. You can easily choose the side the doorway is on. I imagine I will have this for years and years to come. I got the walnut finish and it is beautiful. No one would ever know you have a litter box inside. It looks like a solid, sturdy, and beautiful piece of furniture. When I first opened the shipping box (which was wrapped to ensure nothing broke), I did notice a paint smell, but it aired out quickly. Most importantly, my cat loves it. He is 17 pounds and goes in no problem. He prefers it to the other litter box in our bathroom, which is open. I chose not to use the divider so the box is large and roomy on the inside. There is enough light coming into the box so it does not look like a dark hole for your cat. Light comes through the entrance hole as well as the cut outs for hand placement when opening the cabinet doors. There is also a small round hole at the bottom back center (in case you have a plug in litter box), but mine is covered over because I have the Scotch Cat Litter Mat lining the bottom. There are no odors, which is what I was most afraid of; however, I want to note that I was able to use my litter box, the Omega Paw Self-Cleaning Litter Box, Regular, Taupe dimensions 20 inches x 18 inches x 18 inches, which is literally the perfect fit and is a litter box with a covered top. I am not using carbon filters or any odor killers at this time. No mess makes it out of the setup I have. The Merry Pet Cat Washroom Bench is definitely worth the money (honestly, it looks more expensive than the price) and I will be buying a second one for my bedroom to replace the one in the bathroom. I am so happy I bought this product! When you see the photo of the cat inside, keep in mind he is 17 pounds.

Just what I was looking for after a long search for something to contain the dust and hide the litterbox. It fits perfectly under the low window so it also doubles nicely as a great lookout for the cats and it keeps the litter and dust contained. Easy directions to follow and easy to put together. I was able to do it myself, but as others stated, it would have been helpful to have another pair of hands. Still, I was able to get it put together on my own. I left out the inside insert to fit my larger litter pan in. (24" long by 17-1/2" wide by 10" tall.) And to also have a space for the cats to walk on before exiting so some of the tracked litter will stay in the cabinet. I also used packing tape (based on another reviewer's idea) to seal around the bottom sides to keep the scattered litter in and that works great. I also had a longer piece of heavier, flexible plastic like might be used on the top of a desk and set that in the bottom to catch any dribbles from my one boy that likes to hang his back side over the litter box occasionally. I left one door open a bit at first so the cats would get used to the new place for their litter box, but now I have it closed and they are using the side entrance just fine. I added a small LED stick-up battery light like you might add to a closet to the inside top of the cabinet so I can see to scoop at night which works great. All in all I am very satisfied. Seems to have plenty of room without the inside divider and tall enough for my boys to not feel too cramped. I would definitely recommend this product. A great way to hide the litter box. UPDATE: 10/10/15 - This box has continued to work wonderfully. I added putting a pee pad inside as one of my boys still occasionally likes to hang his backside over the edge of the pan and this solves any stray urine troubles. Still loving this beautiful addition and love that it hides the box and helps keep in the dust and litter.

I bought this after moving to a small studio apartment. There is no room in my bathroom for a litter box, and the open pan in my living room was unsightly and messy -- litter kicked everywhere! My two cats aren't big fans of covered litter boxes, so that was out. I knew I needed to find a solution I could live with, and this piece of furniture seemed worth a shot. Assembly was straightforward. If you've ever put together Ikea furniture, you'll do fine. I did it by myself. There's one tricky step that the directions suggest you get help with, but I was careful and it was fine. This is not fine furniture -- the pieces do not fit together perfectly. There are small gaps, etc. But once everything is in place, it looks all right. I didn't use the divider. Based on other reviews, I put down some clear contact paper in the corner where I planned to put my cats' pan, in case of spills. It doesn't look great (I had a hard time getting it even), but who cares? No one else is going to be looking in there. I put the pan in with one of those charcoal air purifiers behind it -- not sure it makes a difference, but it seemed worth a shot. I also added a large rubber mat from a pet store, to cut down on tracking. It's big enough that it goes up the side on the back wall, but since it's rubber, it stays in place through friction. The result is that very little litter makes it all the way out of this piece of furniture. Much improved from the previous situation! I was worried that my cats wouldn't like the enclosure, since as I mentioned they prefer an open pan. But it seems to provide enough room for them to be comfortable. I have been using it for about a week now. I left one of the cabinet doors open for three or four days to make sure they were familiar with their pan's location, and then closed it. So far no problems -- knock on wood! The enclosure is not gorgeous and doesn't match my style super-well, but it suits its purpose. At the retail price, it would have been unaffordable to me (and not worth it for something so imperfect -- I probably would have tried to make my own from Ikea cabinets that more closely suited my decor, if I were going to spend so much anyway) -- but I found one on Amazon's "warehouse deals" at a lower price that I could afford, and used some old gift cards to knock down the price a bit more. The enclosure I got is missing a tiny bit of the white finish in one corner of one piece. It's not noticeable, thankfully. The magnetic closure of the cabinet doors is effective. I worried about the strength of the hinges, which are attached with tiny tiny screws, but even with my crazy cats leaping over the door and slamming it shut when I had it open for a few days, they've stood up all right. I believe this enclosure will suit its purpose for a long time.

In my little apartment, this cabinet doubles as an end table. It looks much nicer than it costs, in my opinion. Not high end, naturally, but not cheap either. It should blend well with your average furnishings. I like that it opens from the front instead of the top because I can put a lamp and other living room necessities on it. Assembly instructions were very easy to follow. I had no trouble assembling it myself with a small cordless drill. It did take me a little bit to balance the doors on my foot just right so that I could attach them to the cabinet. Not impossible to accomplish alone, but that part would have been easier with a friend. In hindsight, I probably could have found a thick book to keep them level while I screwed in the hinges instead of using my foot :) I did not install the divider. I put a carpet square in the cabinet and pushed my cat's normal covered box all the way at the back of the cabinet. There was still enough room for me to store a 20lb jug of litter, a scoop, and a roll of bags against the wall of the cabinet, which was a nice surprise. My cat still has plenty of room to get to and from her littler box, but she's only 7 lb and doesn't need a wide walkway to the box. Cleaning the tracked litter (and my spills from scooping) is pretty easy with a little dust buster style vacuum. With the carpet square in the box, very little litter is tracked onto the main living room carpet. Naturally, the box does smell for a short time immediately after use, but I've not noticed any lingering odors after the first 5 minutes or so. Overall, I am thrilled with this cabinet. I had been eyeing it for a long time and am glad that I finally purchased it.

I have been searching for a way to secure the cat's litter box, not only out of sight, but out of reach of the dog. I know, gross, but seriously I have tried everything and this product finally gave me the perfect solution. Since I have a 27 pound Maine Coon cat, he needs a super-sized cat little box and we just did not have any place to put one that worked. We selected the white bench because it matched the bathroom better, though I really liked the wood look as well. It was easy to assemble with good instructions and turned out very sturdy. We placed two towel shelves on top of the cabinet, so it made for easy extra storage. I did not use the divider because the need for a large box, plus I wanted to set the box itself far enough back from the opening so my golden retriever could not reach in there for cat "treats". I lined the bottom with a cat litter mat so by the time the cat exits the opening his feet have been properly wiped clean of stray litter. I was worried my cat may not use it, but he adapted to it right away. I love this product, it is cute and wish I had invested in it much sooner. I will mentioned that I was concerned initially that the product was slightly damaged in shipping. The shipping box had been crushed a little and I could see through an opening that a portion of the cabinet was chipped. Before even taking the pieces out of the box, I contacted the seller and asked about a damaged part replacement or return policy. I immediately received a response that I should remove the cabinet from the box, look at the parts on the instruction sheet and send them the part number I needed replaced and they would ship the replacement part to me right away. However once we removed the cabinet from the packaging, which was actually well padded, and inspected the chipped part, we realized it was not too damaged and it was a panel that would be on the back of the bench facing the wall, so we did not feel the need to have it replaced. I really did appreciate the responsiveness and willingness of the seller to handle for us with no hassles though.

Purchased this so we can pretend that we don’t have cats that poop and get litter everywhere. It’s super sturdy and looks really cute actually. It’s relatively easy to assemble when you think about the comparison of what it’s like to assemble anything from iKEA. However, I did need help from my husband at the very end with holding the sides in place. So, for a hot minute it became a two person job. If you’re someone who has cats because you have no friends, either start training your cats now to help you assemble this bench or make a friend. Or put up a post on Craigslist or something. You’ll need the back up for like 5 minutes and then you can go back to being an introvert like I did. I haven’t spoken to my husband since and that was months ago. It’s been really nice. TheCats like this thing, they took right to it. My one cat is Siamese and kind of dumb and she hangs out in there which I do not appreciate. And she gets angry if I peek in to see wtf she’s even doing. Seriously, it’s like the SheCat People Haters Club clubhouse now. We put a mat inside it to help catch a lot of the litter. We are moving in a few weeks and once we settle into our new house I’ll be weather stripping the bottoms of the doors to keep litter from coming out those tiny cracks. But it honestly overall lessened the litter tracking which is great because we have small kids who crawl/lick things (bless their tiny boy hearts). It’s holding up really great. I totally recommend this if you are trying to hide the litter box from plain sight/lower litter tracking/give your cats a new nasty af hideout to hate on you from.

Hello! I was hesitate to buy one of these due to the price and not knowing if I'd like them. There also seem to be a lot of units from other sellers that are super cheap/basically cardboard. I struggled with whether this was a 3 or a 4 out of 5. If there hadn't been some of the relatively minor issues with this unit it would have been a 4 definitely. Pros: * Looks great! * Feels sturdy (although I don't know if I'd use it specifically for a bench/sitting area) * Looks nice and is what expected * Large enough for a large kitty litter bin + storage (make sure you measure though) * Easy to put together alone - took about 20 minutes * They sent an extra piece of each of the items it took to put together (screws, wooden pins, etc - nice to do that in case they break!) Cons: * The cost (although worth it for me : -1/2 star) * The doors didn't align. I tried multiple times taking them off and working around to see if I could get it to align. This means that one of the doors only hits one of the magnets and never feels like it shut right. (-1/2 star) * Large cracks and scraps on parts of the lower portion of the box. They appear to be cosmetic so far... but are quite big. (-1 star) Overall, I think I'd still recommend this unit. I've grown to be OK with cosmetic damage when ordering things online... and this thing allows me to hide away all the kitty litter stuff without looking like a hoarders den in a corner of a closet.

Excellent product for the price. I have read many reviews and done so much research, and I picked this bench because I want to put a supersized litterbox in it. After receiving the first one, I liked it so much that I bought another one for downstairs. The first one goes in the kitty room (guest bedroom). It fits the "Petmate Giant Litter Pan" BUT, the litter box covers 1/2 the cat entrance on the side. So, I went with the "Whisker City High-Back Open Cat Pan Item: 36-5216338" that I got at Petsmart. I couldn't find it on Amazon. It's a perfect size! For those with cats that like to pee up high, I recommend this Whisker City litterbox because of its high back. Many of the reviewers expected high quality and perfect product for a $200 piece of furniture. I feel that if you are more realistic and consider the quality of the furniture you'll get for less than $200, this product will most likely meet your expectation. You're not going to get Ethan Allen quality furniture for $200. I am very pleased with this product. I found 1 damage and 1 imperfection in the wood, but I am okay accepting it. Mainly because the damage is in the insider corner of the door near the hinge, and I don't really see it every time I open the door. The imperfection is in the edge if the top of the bench. Even if I were to exchange this bench for another one because of the damage and imperfection, there is a chance that I could get another bench with more issues. For the hassle of returning because it's such a heavy bench and the risk of getting something worst, I'll stick with what I got, and I am happy with it anyway. (see pictures) I wanted a piece that I can assemble, mainly because, I can carry it up 2 flights of stairs 1 or 2 pieces at a time, since I am not strong enough to pick up the box. This furniture has a nice weight, and even on the box, there is a sticker recommending 2 people carrying it. I didn't have any issues assembling it by myself. The only little complication I ran into is when I was screwing the right door onto the bench.I'm right handed, and it is difficult to hold the door up and screw the little tiny screw into the bench. The screw is very tiny, and if you have big hands, see if you can get someone with smaller hands to at least get the screw into the wood so that it will stay in the wood. Trying to screw the screw all the way into the wood was a challenge for me since the wood on the side of the bench moves a little so I have to pull the wood toward me as I screw the screw in, and I have to push real hard with the screwdriver into the screw and pray that I won't strip the screw. To accomplish that, I used the top of my feet to balance and hold the door up, while I used my right hand to hold the wood that the screw is going into from underneath or above the door being balanced on the top of my feet, and used my left hand to push the screw into the wood with the screwdriver as I turn it. It takes some coordination, and fortunately, I am pretty coordinated :-).I followed the instructions, and the instructions are excellent. Some reviews complained about cat urine ruining the wood... ummm... cat urine can ruin A LOT of things. Don't blame the product for it! If your cat likes to pee HIGH up... get a tall or hooded litter box. I don't recommend a hooded litter box, mainly because you'll need to take the whole box out to clean because the hood will need to be removed. I like the Whisker City litter box because it has its 10" high back, and unless you have a supersize cat with long legs, and likely the cat won't even fit into the entrance/exit hole anyway, it should work. I guess your cat could pee on the side of the litter box which is lower. To prevent that, this is what I did, not that my cats does it, but just in case.... I used the 3M Command Hooks and small bidder clips to clip the puppy training pads up. To catch any drip, put another piece of training pad to catch the drip. The one hanging on the interior wall will need to sit over the pad on the base. (see pictures) Hope this helps. I just ordered the "PetFusion SmartGrip Cat Litter Mat. Large" on Amazon. It's 35" by 25". The interior base of the bench is 35" by 19". I'll have an excess 5". I plan on adding more 3M Commander clip to clip the excess up along the interior back wall. The reviews said that it's flexible so that can be easily implemented as I plan. This mat should protect the interior base of the bench. How big is your cat? You might want to consider that before getting this bench. The opening is 7" across and 8" the highest part. I have a 12 lb big boned Himalayan (Himalayans are usually 6-7 lbs), and she made it in fine. Of course, my 2 (2 and 3) month kittens can climb in and out without any issues. From the floor to the bottom of the opening is about 7.5". For real small kittens, you might want to put a block inside and outside the opening to serve as steps for the little one. Even though the doors have holes for light to enter, the interior is still very dark. I am not sure how well cats can see in the door. I also ordered the "Motion Sensing LED, Kuled® LED Sensor light". Based on the reviews of many battery operated lights, I feel this one should work best. Main because the interior cabinet is not that bright, and I wouldn't want to blind my cats when they go in. This one sounded it provides just enough lights. It also has motion sensor, and I plan on mounting it inside and above the entrance. I'll update this review when I get it and install it tomorrow. For the divider that comes with the bench. I chose not to use it because it will take up too much space plus I want to use the litter box that I got. To store the divider, I put it under the litterbox and training pads. With all that, i still have plenty of room to clean the litter box while it sits inside the bench. Oh, one more thing, I used binder clip to clip a sheet of the training pads in the front of the litterbox to catch any litter stuck in the little paws as they come out of the box. (see pictures) Please see my pictures to give you an idea. I uploaded the pictures in the order as I discussed above. HIGHLY Recommended!! If I need another one, i would definitely buy it again!

Due to some unexpected circumstances, I had to move cities and into a smaller place that didn't have anywhere really to put my cat's litter. At first, I had it in my bedroom. I have asthma, so that wasn't great, and I didn't like waking up to the sound of my cat digging in the litter. So I began a month-long search for the best way to conceal his box, yet also not take away from the aesthetics of my home. I narrowed it down to a few options, but when I sifted through reviews, this Cat Bench rose to the top. So I took the chance and ordered it. Two of us put it together, which made it easier. I liked that the company provided 1 extra of each screw/piece. Much better than going to construct something only to find out that you're missing pieces. I had read some reviews saying the magnets weren't strong enough. I've had no problem with that whatsoever. Everything lined up nicely. And before I put the sides and top on, I picked up some clear mac tack from the dollar store and lined the bottom with it to prevent any concerns with odors from any possible leaks. Now it's easy to wipe clean with no possible seepage even if there was an accident. I decided not to add the divider. Instead, I put the cat litter bin at the far end and then added a small Floorguard Magic Mat (2'6" x 1'8") and placed that near the entrance. It fit perfectly. That gives enough space for any litter to be left behind and my kitty's paws to get cleaned off on the soft carpet. The Magic Mat can be ordered online at Costco and is awesome at soaking up liquids and holding onto any dust/debris, and it's fully washable. My cat took to this new piece of furniture right away. And best of all, I have it right out near my dining room/living room and no one would ever know unless I pointed it out to them. No smell either. I use silica crystals with a charcoal filter on a hooded litter box inside, but have since removed the swinging flap door, as this bench provides a nice barrier that the flap is no longer necessary. I could probably take off the hood, too, except I have no where to put it and don't want to toss it away, just in case we need it for traveling or another move. Oh, one of the things that sold me on this was being able to open the two doors wide and change the litter. Very easy to do. Oh - this is a solid piece of furniture. It's heavy. Seems to be very good quality. I wouldn't sit, but I have placed a nice plant on top. People who visit think it's all part of my home's decor and haven't a clue it's the cat litter! My only complaint is the price. I think it's ridiculous that they're charging $309 for Canadians to buy it from Amazon.ca while Americans only have to pay $130 from Amazon.com. Canadians are being ripped off. That's more than double the price. One can argue conversion and customs and all, but still, it should be just under $200 then, not over $300. However, I don't have any regrets ordering this, but I did consider alternatives, such as getting it from the USA to save on the cost or have a local carpenter custom build one for me for that price. All in all, this Cat Washroom Bench has totally solved my kitty litter woes.

This is a great piece of cat furniture. It is high quality and looks great. It was also easy to put together and I managed to do it without any help. My cat immediately took to it and I haven't had a slip up yet. I have a Pawkin cat mat under the litter box and it fits well inside the bench. I put my cat's bed on top of the litter box and she loves it. It's under a window that she can look out of and large enough that she can fully stretch out in comfort. I would recommend this product to anyone who wants a nice piece of cat furniture that blends in well with its surroundings and is easy for a cat to use and for you to keep clean. Good job Merry Products!

I wanted this to be awesome, and it *nearly* is. It's a good size, looks reasonably decent, and the cats like it. However, I wish I'd sealed the joins with silicone or something right after putting it together. The litter gets jammed in them and it's impossible to clean them out. Also, if your cat occasionally gets cranky and pees beside the box instead of inside it like mine does, the trough for the divider will fill with pee and slowly leak onto the floor. If you're willing to do a bit of work to seal the joins I think this would be a great litter cabinet, but as is, it's going to go in the bin next time I move apartments.

Was hesitant on this purchase as it's quite a bit of cash to drop on a box that just holds another box inside. BUT! I'm glad I pulled the trigger, because this is great. Putting it together is about as annoying as Ikea furniture, and you can expect to take about as much time doing it. My two cats took to it right away, and the smell is much more contained than with an open litter pan. The roommate still smells it with her sensitive nose, but I don't smell a thing. We have ours inside the hall closet (with the sliding door open enough for them to enter the closet), and it's worked out perfectly. We hang our jackets above, and it fits in there like it was built for the space. I like the swing-open doors, as we leave stuff on top of it and I don't have to move it every day when I clean the box, as I would if it opened from the top. The storage space on the other side of the divider is big enough to hold a large bulk-sized box of litter, as well as the scoop, litter box deodorizing powder, bags and whatnot. Very happy with the purchase!

Great for keeping tidy with your cats toys and grooming supplies. And your car can go discreetly.