How We Live With a Cat (& Litter Box) in a Small Space

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Tidy Cats. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting the content that keeps Jojotastic going.

Let’s talk litter boxes… I was definitely NOT prepared for the number of questions I received when I posted this Instagram in partnership with my friends at Tidy Cats. There were a lot of opinions and questions about how we could possibly live with a litter box in our living room. Trust me, I know. That is a huge part of why I was so thrilled to team up with Tidy Cats — because we were literally willing to try anything to make this situation better for everyone involved, including Georgette. After using the BREEZE Litter System for about a month now, I wanted to post a more in-depth review of it here on the blog + take some time to answer more questions.

Tidy Cats BREEZE Litter System Review + Tips for Living With a Cat in a Small Space! #AD Find out why I love the ammonia odor absorbing pads and anti-tracking pellets from #TidyCats and how I transitioned my cat to a new litter box on jojotastic.com #EaseofBREEZE

My Tidy Cats BREEZE Litter System Review

To start, here’s a quick overview of the Tidy Cats BREEZE Litter System: basically, it a really well-designed, thought out litter box that uses odor absorbing pads and anti-tracking pellets. It’s so easy to set up, too. Basically, you just put a pad in the litter drawer and pour one bag of the pellets into the box.

Pellets

Speaking of pellets… here’s where my transparency with you will always be most important and my top priority here on the blog: Georgette does not like pellet litter. I’ve tried to find one for 12 years that she actually will use. So imagine my nervousness to transition to this new system… Because of this, we took things reallllly slow. As in, the old box lived next to the BREEZE system for about 2-2.5 weeks because I was so nervous. Georgette is a champ though and get this: she actually likes these pellets. I suspect it’s because they actually feel a little softer to the touch on her paws? Or maybe it’s because they clump better?

One thing that Tidy Cats suggests trying while transitioning is to stop cleaning the old box. So, I bet she started using the new one initially to have a clean place to go… and then realized how nice these pellets actually are!

Tidy Cats BREEZE Litter System Review + Tips for Living With a Cat in a Small Space! #AD Find out why I love the ammonia odor absorbing pads and anti-tracking pellets from #TidyCats and how I transitioned my cat to a new litter box on jojotastic.com #EaseofBREEZE
Tidy Cats BREEZE Litter System Review + Tips for Living With a Cat in a Small Space! #AD Find out why I love the ammonia odor absorbing pads and anti-tracking pellets from #TidyCats and how I transitioned my cat to a new litter box on jojotastic.com #EaseofBREEZE

Odor control

Ok, honestly, my biggest priority when evaluating a litter box (aside from if Georgette will actually use it or not…) is odor control because our home is SO small. Also, the box literally lives next to our couch! I’m already extremely sensitive to smells, but a litter box in the mix makes life even more interesting. I’m here to say that, yes this is an ad, BUT the odor control of the BREEZE pads is incredible. Cat lovers will know exactly what I mean when I say this: gone are the days of me running around trying to make the house smell nice before people come over. It’s that good.

The pads are such a great idea, when you really think about it. I’ve never tried using them or any time of litter box liner before, but I am a believer now. Plus, I love that they are guaranteed to control ammonia odor for up to 7 days.

Tracking

Ok, the OTHER thing that I used to do before people came over was run around with a broom and hand vacuum worrying that a stray piece of litter would poke a guest in the foot (or worse). I think the pellets from the BREEZE litter system definitely help because they aren’t so small that they get stuck in her paws, but are big enough that I can immediately see the one or two that have come out and just put them back in. It’s a big improvement.

Tidy Cats BREEZE Litter System Review + Tips for Living With a Cat in a Small Space! #AD Find out why I love the ammonia odor absorbing pads and anti-tracking pellets from #TidyCats and how I transitioned my cat to a new litter box on jojotastic.com #EaseofBREEZE

The ‘cons’

I put that in quotes because, honestly, there aren’t many and I’m being majorly nit-picky to even come up with this list. First, I’d say the biggest con is I wish I had gotten the XL size with the higher sides because of our dogs. Not to go into too much detail, but they are especially… nosy about the box. I also suspect that Georgette would prefer more privacy — but definitely not a covered top! Cats can be so picky. I love that Tidy Cats offers that option, so we may switch eventually. Until then, I’m using a spray bottle to keep the dogs away whenever I can.

Storing the pads was another thing we had to get used to, but that’s a pretty small gripe. We now keep them in the credenza under our TV so that they are easily changed out once a week.

And my last ‘con’ is one that I’m pretty sure Tidy Cats can’t do anything about: I still wish we didn’t have a litter box in our living room! But this easy change has made it so much more tolerable. IF only our mudroom was one foot wider…

Tidy Cats BREEZE Litter System Review + Tips for Living With a Cat in a Small Space! #AD Find out why I love the ammonia odor absorbing pads and anti-tracking pellets from #TidyCats and how I transitioned my cat to a new litter box on jojotastic.com #EaseofBREEZE

So that’s my experience with the Tidy Cats BREEZE Litter System so far! I literally never thought I’d write a blog post about a litter box, but this one is so good and has made a big difference in living with a cat in a small space — and having a litter box in our living room! If you check it out, let me know what you think. And I’m planning another update in a few weeks about the BREEZE system, so feel free to ask me any questions you may have!

Photography & styling by Jojotastic.

Behind The Blog

Joanna Hawley-McBride is a Pacific Northwest-based social media strategist, content creator, and former textile designer. Joanna is the founder and editor-in-chief of Jojotastic, a lifestyle blog focused on Joanna’s work-in-progress cabin, finding the best pair of underwear through #UnderwearThesis, and empowering women to explore nature — all in her signature unfiltered style. Her work has been featured in Domino, CNBC, and Eating Well.

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Please note that I use affiliate links at times here, as well as on my social media accounts. This means that if you click on a link to a product and purchase that product, I may receive a commission based on your purchase. I only feature products that truly inspire me. Any products that have been gifted to Jojotastic for review are noted at the bottom of the post. Sponsored posts are noted as such. All opinions are my own and always will be! Thanks for supporting content that keeps Jojotastic going.

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