A tiny-home owner uses a genius storage hack to keep his cat's litter box out of sight

Tim Davidson is a self-proclaimed "weird cat guy."

So, when Davidson, 31, moved into a 270-square-foot tiny home that he purchased for $70,000 in 2017, he wanted to make sure it would be a space his cat Oliver would love.

Four years later, the duo lives in the same house on Shellmate Island, a private, 1.5-acre island in Sarasota, Florida, that Davidson bought for $200,000 in 2019.

Since purchasing the island, Davidson added a second tiny house with an unusual octagon shape designed to withstand Florida's hurricane season. 

Davidson said Oliver quickly adjusted to tiny living — thanks to a secret litter box that helps Oliver thrive. 

Finding a discreet spot for Oliver's litter box was Davidson's top priority

When Davidson bought his first tiny house — named Tiffany, after the Tiffany light fixtures that fill the home — it wasn't entirely complete. As the builder was finishing the home, Davidson had him add a few personal touches.

Davidson's favorite addition was a secret litter box, tucked underneath the staircase.

"He's got his own little cat door that he can go in, and it's all hidden away," Davidson told Insider of Oliver's space, which Davidson can access via the bathroom to empty and replace the litter.

To make the litter box feel more homey, Davidson added some fake grass and a Tony Roberts book for Oliver's bathroom reading. 

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Davidson said visitors rarely realize a cat lives in the home, thanks to the concealed litter box. And Oliver loves it, too. 

The area has room for some of Davidson's own belongings as well; like many tiny-home owners, Davidson used the rest of the space under the stairs for storage.

Oliver has fallen in love with the home's wooden beams

When he's not under the stairs, Oliver can be found climbing the wooden beams of Davidson's home.

The wooden beams weren't added for Oliver's sake, but the cat loves to walk across the beams that stretch the width of the home.

Davidson said Oliver will hang at the center of the beam and scope out the entire tiny house.

The duo has no plans to change their lifestyle anytime soon

Initially, Davidson was worried that Oliver wouldn't have enough space to play in the tiny home, but Oliver has loved the lifestyle switch. 

Shellmate Island is filled with fruits, plants, and trees, and the island attracts plenty of birds and animals that Oliver likes to keep watch over, Davidson said.

The homeowner said that Oliver will post up at one of Tiffany's windows or peek out the front door to watch all the action that happens on the island.