For any cat owner, but especially those who exclusively have indoor cats, a good quality litter box is a must. Buying a poor-quality litter tray will lead to your house being trapped by litter, smells coming from the box whenever it is used, and challenging and messy cleanup times. Our group of pet experts and cat lovers have compiled a list of the best litter boxes for cats to help make your decision, including those appropriate for households with many cats and those with limited room.
The Best Cat Litter Box
The right litter box can be hard to find, so we tested hundreds of cat litter boxes and litter pans to find the cheapest, highest quality, and most reliable based on their prices, design, ratings, and whether they were self-cleaning. We narrowed our quest down to 10 of the top-rated litter boxes and pans that cat owners can buy for their beloved pets.
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Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Pan
Catit’s Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Pan provides protection for your cat while ensuring that their litter remains in the box. For quick cleaning access, the broad hood rises, while the carbon filter eliminates odors. The litter box size makes it an idea for households with more than one cat and the neutral colors mean that in every room in the house it can easily blend in.
Key Features
- Hooded litter box, safety promotion
- And extra-large cats handle the Jumbo scale
- The filter of carbon helps eliminate odors
- The hood is raised for quick washing.
- For multi-cat households, fine
Good Pet Stuff Hidden Litter Litter Box
If the litter box for your cat is in your house’s main room, then this is the best way to make it less visible. The Good Pet Stuff Secret Cat Litter Box is built to look like a big terracotta plant pot, even with its own fake plant for full effect. Made of strong polypropylene, the litter box pot has a filtered vent system to control odor and dust.For households with many animals, the litter box is wide enough and the doorway is built for even the biggest domestic cats.
Key Features
- Hidden” cat litter box, with ornamental moss and plant litter box.”
- The Spacious Interior
- Dust and odor management by the filtered vent system
- A perfect small-space solution
IRIS Top Entry Cat Litter Box with Cat Litter Scoop
The Top Entry Cat Litter Box by IRIS is ideal if you are searching for the best litter box that provides your cat with privacy and prevents other animals from sniffing, pawing at, and scattering the litter around the house. The grooved lid offers the ideal entry and exit platform into the litter box, while the grooves also act to catch bits of litter that might have been stuck on the paws of your cat. The litter box comes complete with a scoop and, when it is not in use, has an incorporated hook for convenient scoop storage. The rounded oblong shape makes it easy to sweep, ensuring that there are no corners to get caught in for litter or other mess.
Key Features
- The litter box for top entry, BPA free
- Litter scatter prevents the enclosed style and grooved lid
- For quick washing, rounded corners
- Special and trendy non-skid rubber feet concept
Nature’s Miracle High-Sided Litter Box
Simple but successful, Nature’s Miracle’s high-sided litter box is a budget-friendly litter dispersion solution. Made of durable plastic, this litter box is easy to clean and maintain, with a non-stick surface and antimicrobial protection. It is ideal for bigger cats and older felines with joint problems because it is very wide (L23″ x W18.5″ x H11″), with a low entrance.” Of course, for younger kitties, the box is also ideal as it is basic and super easy to use. Another plus is that the interior of the box has no grooves and the corners are square, making the scooping process much easier and smoother.
Key Features
- Basic, fast litter box to use
- High-sided to avoid dispersing litter
- Low entry, ideal for older cats
- Non-stick surface for cleaning with ease
Pet Mate Arm & Hammer Large Sifting Litter Pan
A simple, but effective, litter tray system is the Large Sifting Litter Pan from Arm & Hammer. It helps you to clean your cat’s litter without the need for a scoop, consisting of two trays and a sifting pan. You just dump the used litter into the empty tray through the sifting pan and throw away the cat mess that is left behind in the sifting tray. It is intended for use with litter clumping and provides an antimicrobial defense to prevent the production of odor.
Key Features
- Basic, simple to use cat litter box design
- 3 Pan device for quick cleaning (two trays + a sifting pan)
- The life of litter is prolonged by antimicrobial protection.
- Durable, reinforced bottom, strengthened
Modkat Flip Litter Box with Scoop and Reusable Liner
This product is one of the best cat litter boxes on the market with its spacious interior, high walls, and high entry, as well as an adjustable lid for privacy. This box is specifically designed to avoid spreading and spraying litter and is ideal for messy cats and tidy owners. To satisfy every cat’s choice, which is a major plus for fussy felines, the flipping lid has 3 different locations, closed, half-closed, and open. Thanks to the Modkat patent-pending hook design, the liner is reusable (lasting up to 3 months) and still firmly secured to its position. It’s rip-resistant as well, so it should last for a long time, plus it’s pretty easy to clean. As a bonus, a convenient little scoop comes with the package.
Key Features
- Roomy, perfect also for extra-big cats
- Enclosed with elevated entry to avoid scattering of litter
- 3-position flipping lid to suit any cat’s preference
- It is easy to clean and lasts a long time. Reusable liner
- It comes with 1 liner and 1 scoop
iPrimio Ultimate Stainless Steel Cat XL Litter Box
Looking for a cat litter box that is easy but highly efficient? A great alternative is the iPrimio Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box. This box is bound to last a very long time and is made of high quality, robust stainless steel that never rusts. Another big benefit of stainless steel material is that it does not absorb any odors, or at least it absorbs as little as possible, definitely the least of any litter box we checked, which is excellent news for both your cat and your apartment. The box is also super quick to clean with a sponge and a little mild soap because it’s basically non-stick. The construction is also robust-large, the box is intuitive to use with rounded corners and no-slip sides, and guaranteed to remain in its position without scratching your floors.
Key Features
- Durable box of stainless steel
- Does not rust, does not absorb fragrances
- Simple and clean to use
- The non-slip bottom keeps the box from falling.
- Strong, sufficient for even extra-large felines
Petmate Litter Pan
Check out this comfortable and spacious box by Petmate if you prefer top entrance litter boxes. This litter box eliminates litter spreading and spraying with high walls and a large and textured lid that gently wipes litter from cats’ paws as they leave, helping to keep your apartment clean and tidy. As virtually any and all signs of odor remain inside the design also helps with privacy as it is sealed, as well as odor control. In order to fit even larger animals, the interior is very spacious, although the entrance might not be wide enough for super-large felines.
Key Features
- Litter box Top-entry
- High walls and a textured lid keep paws from sticking to litter.
- Promotes confidentiality
- Spacious For Big Cats
Nature’s Miracle High-Sided Litter Box
The Oval Hooded Flip Top Box by Nature’s Wonder, specifically designed to minimize litter box odor and litter spreading and spraying, is ideal for picky cats. The box includes a charcoal filter that not only greatly aids in odor absorption but also leaves the area of the litter smelling fresh and clean for a long time. The box prevents litter spreading and spills from spraying, since it is sealed, and encourages protection for fussy felines. The box is also simple to clean, as the top can be opened easily, plus there is a non-stick surface for the material.
Key Features
- Enclosed hooded oval litter box
- The charcoal filter absorbs scents and keeps the litter fresh.
- Litter Scatter Prevents
- The non-stick surface makes cleaning quick.
- Low entry, perfect for senior citizens as well as kittens
LitterMaid P-70000 Disposable Litter Box
Apart from the fact that you won’t have to deal with waste in close quarters, this product has a whole lot to offer. If not for something, this is a cat litter box well put together which reduces the burden of becoming a pet parent. The Disposable Cat Litter Box of Nature’s Wonder Jumbo is constructed from some heavy-duty materials. So as a whole, there is no need to be careful of shredding or leakage. And the material used here is similarly breathable, despite being as robust as it is. This is excellent because it does not impede airflow and in exchange, the blend produces less moisture. The end result is drier litter that can stay fresh for much longer, and with Nature’s Miracle disposable litter box, all sorts of litter can be used in addition to this.
Key Features
- It is environmentally friendly and disposable.
- Infused with baking soda, the package is
- Packed with technology for stellar odor management
- Robust and water-resistant construction
Check here for more products on Cat Litter Boxes
Best Cat Litter Boxes Buying Guide
When it comes to cat litter boxes, multiple households have different needs. Your needs would be significantly different from a larger home with multiple cats if you are in a tiny apartment with a single cat. The type of litter box you choose will also rely on your routine of cleaning, the type of litter you want or your cat would use, and your own toilet routine for your cat. We discuss these and other elements in this section of the guide that may impact your choice of litter box for your cat.
Importance of a Litter Box
Just like you in order to go to the bathroom, your cat requires somewhere clean, reliable, and reasonably comfortable. They are likely to locate or build their own toilet area within your home if they don’t have somewhere provided for them, and this might not be in an area where you would like to go for them. The perfect toilet solution is a litter box since it offers a room specifically for your cat and more specifically, for your cat to use as a toilet. You can also provide them with a litter tray in the house even though your cat goes outside. This suggests that if they do not want to go outside, they still have somewhere to go, do not feel healthy enough to toilet outside if the weather is bad, or they are recovering from illness or injury.
Different Types of Cat Litter Boxes
Automatic self-cleaning litter boxes
It makes life sound a lot better just by hearing the words’ self-cleaning.’ This is a perfect path to take, seeing as conventional litter boxes are synonymous with major messes. An electrical mechanism, which does most of the heavy lifting, controls this option. Unfortunately, if not used accurately, the procedure is not quite smooth, resulting in an even bigger mess. Then there is the problem that your cat dislikes the mechanical noises that this kind of litter box makes. This is a valid option, in addition to these few setbacks, for pet parents who do not have time or just do not want to deal with it.
Disposable litter box
There really isn’t something that doesn’t have a disposable version out there. This is particularly true when it comes to products associated with waste. So it’s no surprise that one thing is disposable litter boxes. These are generated using decomposable and recycled papers in most instances. They don’t need any cleaning in general, just chucking it outdoes the trick. Once they have been used, they clearly have a very short life span, so pet owners will need to keep a close eye on that. The end result, if not, might be dramatic.
Open Top litter box
A more conventional one is this particular alternative. All in all, it doesn’t take much to clean it, and for cats to use it is simple and straightforward. In terms of design, there are two kinds here with the high and low sided design available. The best thing about the high-sided system is that none of the fecal matter is in danger of falling out. Huge and small cats, on the other hand, won’t find this option available. For the low-sided style, the reverse is the case, where access is superb. Nonetheless, by using this one, you can have some runners.
Hidden litter box
This is a viable option for pet owners who are not too keen on keeping a litter box visibly insight. It appears to be a normal piece of furniture on the outside. The thing is that a hidden litter box is actually placed inside. So if you’re trying to look more out of mind than out of sight, then this is the best choice for you. Your feline mate, hopefully, is also on board with it.
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How to Choose the Best Litter Box
There are many items you need to know before you make your final purchase, whether you are buying a replacement litter box or a new one for a new cat. If you’re replacing the current one then take some time to think about what you and your cat enjoyed about the litter box, and what you’d like to change if anything. This helps you to get a better view of the box style that is more suited to your home and the needs of your pet.
If you are a first-time cat owner, then before you bring your cat home, it is important that you have your litter box in order. This means that your cat knows where to go to the bathroom and prevents you from having to keep them out of bad habits. When buying your litter box, here are some additional factors to bear in mind.
Space
Litter boxes are available in a wide range of shapes and sizes. It is important to consider where the litter box will be positioned and how much space you have to accommodate it. Most experts recommend that you have more than one litter box, even though you only have one pet, to make sure your cat still has somewhere clean to go, regardless of where they are at home. Given this, it is important to consider where the second box will go, as well as the amount of room you have for it.
Number of cats
When it comes to the number of litter boxes you need when you have several cats, there are many schools of thought. Although some say that per litter box you can have no more than two cats, others think you need one box per cat. Others recommend that you should have one per cat, plus an extra litter box to make sure your cats only have one clean room to go. Regardless of the number of litter trays you settle on, if you have many cats, it is often advisable to opt for larger litter trays. Small boxes of litter will get dirty too easily and raise the chances of spreading litter around the building.
Size of cat
It is important that your cat is able to get in and out of their litter box easily. If you have a tiny kitten, then it can be tricky for them to enter a really deep box, raising the possibility of injuries. However, if you have a big cat and the box is too small, they can feel cramped and awkward and search for alternate places to finish their toilet activities.
Cleaning
It is important to keep your cat’s litter box clean if you are going to allow your cat to use it as a toilet and nowhere else in your home. A sifting tray that the litter is pumped into contains some litter boxes, leaving behind the cat mess. You need clumping litter, which sticks together when used to use this type of cleaning device. Alternative systems include a hazardous waste removal scoop. A spout or bag hook is included in some litter trays to make it easier and tidier to dump out used litter when it comes to changing the litter in the box.
How to Clean a Litter Box
Cats have an excellent sense of scent, and they are several times more alert than humans. Cats are also incredibly clean creatures, so you can start to understand why they refuse to use a litter box that is less than clean, combined with their sense of smell.
Strong Waste Removal
Removing solid waste is the first step in cleaning your cat’s litter box. This should be done once a day at least. With a special scoop or using a sifting plate, this can be achieved. By wearing gloves and not directly touching them, it is vital that you avoid contact with cat feces. When pregnant, special care should be taken.
To minimize the chance of litter falling through the scoop or sifting pan onto the carpet, place the bin or rubbish bag close to the litter tray. It also eliminates the chance of waste dropping, which a second time would be less than fun to pick up. If a clumping litter is used then every day, remove the clumps with the fecal matter.
Finally, top up the litter to ensure that the base of the pan has a good coating. If you allow the litter level to drop too high, as the urine is not completely soaked up by the litter, you will find a rise in odor.
Full Cleaning
Although waste should be collected on a regular basis to keep your cat’s litter box smelling fresh and free from bacteria, this is not enough on its own. You need to give it a total clean approximately once a week to accomplish this. If you use the same box for many cats, then you will find that you need to do a complete cleaning twice a week. To clean your cat’s litter tray absolutely, you should:
- Empty the old litter out entirely.
- Use warm water and a gentle detergent with no harsh chemicals to wash out the litter box.
- To ensure no residue is left behind, clean the litter tray thoroughly.
- To avoid new litter sticking to it, dry the tray entirely.
- This is optional, but it can help minimize odors, particularly in older style cat litter boxes that do not contain filters. Add a thin layer of baking soda.
- Add clean litter to the tray, make sure you’re having the right balance between too much and not enough.
- Place the litter box back in its normal place and wait once again for your cat to make its mark on it.
You can be confident that you can make the right purchase for your cat by following our buying guide and the tips from our experts.
Final Thoughts
Go with the Catit Jumbo Hooded Pet Pan for a spacious, sturdy, and well-built litter box. For quick entry, the hood lifts and a carbon filter captures and eliminates the scent of litter boxes. We love the IRIS Top Entry Cat Litter Box if you are looking for a slightly more attractive choice, though. Its modern style can fit seamlessly into any room in gray and white.
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