A feline companion can help deliver a truly remarkable experience. And being a cat owner, you have to accept that the best cat litter box or tray is a great investment. The reason being, cats tend to be fussy about where they relieve themselves.
You’ll need to choose a litter box wisely to keep your home fresh-smelling and clean while avoiding messes. The shape, size, design, and characteristics of a cat’s litter box can influence its bathroom habits.
Because each cat has different needs and habits, it is natural to require litter trays or boxes with various features. And if you have several furry buddies, you may have to acquire a variety of litter boxes as well.
To look at the best cat litter boxes and trays, we’ve compiled a list of top-tier selections for every price range. But first, here are a few things to consider before making that purchase.
Buying Guide
We all want value for our money, don’t we? Mr. Charlie as well could sure use a good litter box. Picking the right items from the store during our purchase is crucial to ensuring quality, durability, and fitness of purpose. And this applies to all products across the board, cat litter boxes included. Several vital criteria that can be used to select the best cat litter box include:
Size and Shape
The dimensions of a cat litter box does matter a lot. A litter box’s sides should be wide enough for your cat to fit in comfortably as they go about their business. Cat owners seriously need to consider this before purchasing one. Observations show that most cats tend to avoid a litter box that feels rather tight. The sides of the box should not be too high, which would prevent your little furry friend from using it.
For cat litter boxes, it is imperative to consider the shape of the box. The shape should facilitate equal distribution of the cat litter. Also, the body should not hinder but rather facilitate ease of use.
- Ease of cleaning and use
It is only natural for a human being to always goes for convenience. It would be more beneficial to find a litter box whose cleaning and maintenance are merely effortless. A good example is a litter box that features a small shovel for scooping out messes. Alternatively, some models come with unique features, including a plastic bag for holding the cat’s waste, making disposal of the litter much easier. You’ll only need to seal the contents of the bag and dump them in the trash.
Also, any product worth purchasing ultimately has to satisfy its primary purpose directly. The best cat litter box or tray should be quite effortless to use. In other words, it ought to offer minimal to zero hindrance during use.
- Durability
A good product continually provides the owner with its affiliated utility. Hence, durability is quite crucial to consider while purchasing a litter tray. One should look for a litter box that’s made out of rigid premium materials. Such kinds can withstand a spectrum of things like accidental drops and heat from the sun when exposed to direct sunlight. You also don’t want to keep replacing cheap litter boxes now and then.
- Odour management and usability
Nobody wants to have a stinky litter box filling up their house with the foul smell of cat droppings. Despite this being majorly handled by the litter, some litter box models come with unique features like lids. Such features enable the cat to take a leak while keeping your home odour free.
It would be best if you also went for an excellent option in which your cat can relieve herself without spilling any mess on the ground. It should have a reasonable depth coupled with an entry point that is easily accessible.
- The number of cats using the litter box
How many cats do you expect to use the litter box? Being another crucial factor to consider, the cat population should determine the type and size of the litter box. If you have several cats, a larger box should be a significant consideration. In the same way, you could also consider a litter box with unique features such as lids to seal in the odour, etc.
- Price
As with any purchase, you aim to punch within your weight. Many litter box options in the market feature different price points with various features, sizes, and designs. Hence, you should pick the one car litter box that’s within your budget.
- Location
The spot where you intend to station the litter box is an important consideration. The box should be located where there’s minimal traffic. In other words, a place where people don’t keep constantly passing or sitting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cats prefer closed or open litter boxes?
Most cats prefer an open litter box because they like to see what’s going on around them. Closed lids retain odours anyway, which is as unpleasant for both you and the cat.
But also, most cats still accept an enclosed litter box. A model like the Modkat Flip Litter Box is ideal. It’s not only stylish but also easy to clean. Moreover, it has a low opening to make it easy for your cat to enter and exit with ease.
How often should I clean my cat’s litter box?
Experts advise that you scoop your cat’s litter box once every day, replace the litter, and clean the pan at least once every two weeks. Alternatively, if you have the time, you can replace the litter and clean the litter box using warm water and soap once every week.
How can I prevent the litter box from smelling in the house?
Scooping the litter box every day and replacing the litter every few weeks is the best approach to keep it from stinking. If you have several cats, you may need a few cat litter boxes. Also, it would be best if you replaced the cat litter more frequently to maintain freshness in your living spaces.
The Four Best Cat Litter Boxes
Cleaning a cat’s litter box is one of the least favourite chores for anyone. Luckily enough, the new-fangled PetSafe ScoopFree Self Cleaning Litter Box eliminates such chores. It pulls out the cat’s waste allowing you to avoid using the scooper.
This litter box isn’t anything spectacular to look at. It features tan-coloured grey fairly thick walls with a purple hood at one end. And it also includes a single button that releases the rake manually.
The purple hood helps conceal the waste trap. It then comprises a small handle at the front that enables you to lift the box’s frame. It measures 71cm long by 48cm wide and is 15cm tall. As such, it’s slightly bigger than a standard litter box.
The PetSafe ScoopFree Litter Box is based on a simple concept. At one end of the litter box, there is a stainless-steel rake. Furthermore, it incorporates motion-detection sensors present in the litter area’s interior walls.
The rake glides slowly down the box’s length, collecting even the tiniest solid waste in its tines. It also runs at a low hum which you can’t detect over background noise, such as the TV.
Features
- Silica gel beads for absorbing foul smells and waste
- Purple hood for concealing the waste trap
- Stainless-steel rake and tan-coloured fairly thick walls
- Motion-detection sensors
- 2-year warranty
It then features silica gel beads which have super absorbent properties. Through this litter, the box not only absorbs cat urine but also gets rid of the smell. It also somehow dehydrates solid waste.
This litter box comes with three pieces of plastic: a cover, a base, and a scooper. And setting it up was impressively simple. After unwrapping the product, clip the scoop to the edge of the lid, then fill the unit with litter.
Many litter boxes are unsightly, but you’ll appreciate the design of this one. Its plastic material is strong, blends in, and comes in appealing neutral colours.
The IRIS cat litter box design, nonetheless, lacks special features even though it includes a scooper. However, if you want a simpler cat litter box model, this design is perfect.
Features
- Three pieces of plastic
- Fundamental and simple design
- It has the shape of a huge bin
- Grooved lid to brush off litter particles from the cat’s paws
- Large top entryway to facilitate easy entry and dumping
What stands out is how simple it is to clean this litter box. It has the shape of a large trash can with rounded corners. As such, you can easily dump the litter into a bin bag and wipe it down.
The Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan features sturdy plastic and is vast in size. It also boasts high walls, and its hood and pan overlap. As such, it prevents leaks in case the cat aims high or from spraying.
Four sliding lock tabs secure the hood to the pan. They do not feel very secure, though, and most people would prefer clips. Even so, this can only be a problem when lifting the litter-filled pan through the top ergonomic handle.
The bag anchor was one human-friendly innovation that you’ll like. It’s more of an essential projecting lip along the inside of the entryway. You can use it to catch the front of the rubbish bag you’re scooping into and keep it open.
The top of the litter box’s doorway has a slit for a changeable carbon air filter. If you remove the plastic front door, odours tend to escape, limiting the unit’s ability to fight odours to its total capacity. Catit also sells additional carbon filters to retain your litter box’s freshness.
Features
- Sturdy plastic materials
- High walls with overlapping hood and pan
- Four sliding lock tabs attaching the hood to the pan
- Human-friendly bag anchor for convenient use
- Replaceable carbon air filter
Lifting and folding back the carbon filter receptacle extends the large opening halfway across the roof. This design makes clean-up a snap by providing you with direct access and a clear view of all four sides of the cat litter box.
If you’re tired of looking at unattractive litter boxes, you should get the Modkat Flip Litter Box. However, you must be willing to break the bank as the model is somewhat costly.
This litter box has some minor functional improvements, but they are primarily for you, not the cat. It then includes a hinged top that folds entirely back. By being out of the way, it allows simpler scooping and cleaning.
What’s even more impressive is that the top magnetically snaps back into place after you’re through. The Modkat Flip, like some of our other favourites, also boasts high sides. As such, they help keep messes inside and from exiting the box. Its front entry is low, making it simple for your cat to enter and exit.
The Modkat Flip features sturdier, thicker plastic than its counterparts. It cleans up more straightforward than the regular drab plastic box. However, it would be best if you utilized the brand’s changeable tarp liners waste and litter tend to lodge in the box’s angles and corners.
Features
- Attractive design
- Hinge foldable hinged top for simpler scooping and cleaning
- High sides for keeping messes inside the box
- Low front entry for easy entry and exit
- Sturdy thick plastic material
- Replaceable tarp liners
The liners are an extra and continuous expense for an already pricey cat litter box. Modkat suggests changing the liner every three months, but it’s still possible to use them twice as long.
Conclusion
Cleaning up after your cat is nothing easy. And most cat owners lack time to do so every time the cat decides to take a leak. But as you now know, the best cat litter box cuts some slack to it. You need to pick the best litter box that works for both you and your cat. All the litter boxes reviewed in this list are a good starting point. Make your purchase now!
