It's hard to find an appropriate sized box for your cat that is easy to keep clean and is not horrid looking in your home. I have spent some time and money trying to find boxes that are a good fit for my cats and my home. Here's what I found.
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Top requirements for a litter box: Size, Height and Easy to Clean
For reference, I am a Feline Behavior & Feeding Coach living in a 2 bedroom NYC apartment with my husband, teenage son and 5 rescue cats. In my line of work, I see a lot of house soiling cases, many resulting from unattractive litter box setups. My goal is to provide litter boxes that we can tolerate in our small home, but also keep the cats happy. Some compromise is required.
What is an appropriate size for a litter box?
Maybe bigger than you think. The vast majority of the commercial boxes available are too small. Often, way too small. Finding the right size is easy math.
Measure your cat from the tip of their nose to the base of their tail. What do you get?
Let's say they are 15 inches in length. Multiply that by 1.5 to get the minimum length of your litter box. Boxes should be a minimum length of 50% longer than your cat.
15 x 1.5 = 22.5
For this 15 inch cat, the box length minimum is 22.5 inches. If you have a long cat, you might have to work harder to find a box that suits them and you might end up creating our own using a storage box.
Here are the litter boxes my 5 cats and I recommend:
Cat's Top Choice - Jumbo Box
First, I recommend not using the cover so there's ventilation and do not buy the tray inside or the length will be too small. Just use the box which is a whopping 29 inches. Super long. This is now my cat's favorite litter box and the one that gets the most usage. I keep it under the windows in the living room. It's frequented by all of my 5 cats.
Pros:
Cats love it - it's the most used box;
Very long - I've never seen another commercial litter box this long at 29 inches;
Super Tall - litter gets kicked out just at the entrance. There is no litter surrounding the box;
Easy Scooping - it's generally easy to scoop, though sometimes because the box is so tall, it's initially awkward until you get used to it.
Cons:
Because it's so big, you really have to make space for this;
Hard to clean out for a full cleaning because it's so big;
The entrance is pretty short so litter is easily kicked out;
It's on the expensive side for a plastic box that is going to get scratched up and need to be replaced eventually.
A Cat Favorite - Uncovered Large Box
This is an all around great uncovered litter box. We had to stop using it because the high sides are not high sided enough for my cat Josh who is training to be in the cat olympics for kicking litter outside the box. We end up with litter everywhere.
Pros:
Cats love it;
Really good size at 24 inches length;
Uncovered which most cats prefer;
Easy to clean for both scooping and regular dumping out;
Inexpensive
Cons:
Not high-sided enough for Josh. If it were another 3 inches, it'd be a keeper and I'd have 3 of them. If you don't have a cat who is an olympian litter kicker, this could be a great choice.
Stainless Steel Option
I was really reluctant to buy the stainless steel boxes which seem pricey, but I finally gave in when I saw an option for one with a plastic high-sided attachment that brings it to almost 14 inches tall. It's almost as big as the Frisco's 24 inch box so I tried it and liked it so much I bought a second one.
Pros:
Cats like it;
So easy to scoop which I was not expecting. Nothing gets stuck at the bottom - smooth scooping;
Josh can still kick out a little litter, but nothing like before;
I really like the little step in front and on the plastic top - it helps with those random litter pieces stuck to paws;
It's hard to tell in this picture, but the stainless steel is attractive, for a litter box.
Cons:
I wish the box were an inch longer and wider - looks huge in the above pic, but that must be a tiny cat;
Expensive! I did not pay full price. I kept checking Amazon as it's frequently on sale and I purchased it at a discounted price. They even offer a 30% off coupon sometimes, so keep checking if you're interested in this one.
Catit Covered Box
I have 2 of these in my bedroom. They are less frequented by the cats than the living room boxes, but they still use them. DO NOT use that ridiculous door. Remove it so the box is semi-open and easy to get in and out of.
Pros:
The box is a nice size. Although a few inches shorter than I'd typically recommend, the nice width makes up for it;
Without the door, it has an open feel to it for a covered box;
Easy to clean, though wiping down the top feels like an extra step;
The cats use it, though they prefer the open boxes.
Cons:
For some long cats, it may not be long enough at 22.5 inches;
The cover can be tricky to "unlock" and remove.
The litter box is an important resource for your cat. You want to make sure they view their bathroom as an attractive place for elimination. Otherwise, you have have a problem. Offering a big box is one way to make your cat's litter box an attractive place which can help eliminate or prevent house soiling.
Check out my Favorite Products for more recommendations.
About the author: Jennifer Van de Kieft, CAFTP, FFCP, PNCC is located in Brooklyn, NY. She is certified in feline behavior and pet nutrition. She owns Cat Advocate, a feline behavior consulting company. She provides cat guardians with the strategies, tools and knowledge needed to address their cat's behavior issues. Jennifer provides virtual consultations throughout the United States.