Best Cat Litter Box Reviews [ Automatic, Top Entry, Covered ]

Do you have a kitten or cat? Are you looking for the best cat litter box for your kittens or large cats? These litter box reviews will serve to provide a guide to finding the best kitty litter box for your cats.

Why Get a Cat Litter Box?

Best Cat Litter Box - Automatic, Top Entry, Covered As most cat owners will happily tell you, furry felines can make for wonderful pets. Full of character and personality, just like humans they are incredibly unique, and no two are truly the same. House cats are increasingly common in the modern world, with their need for outdoor exploration negated by the fact that they are introduced to an indoor environment from a very early age. (It has also been claimed that an indoor cat will live up to ten years longer than an outdoor one).

But as with most domesticated animals, having a house cat (or wanting to keep your pet indoors due to external dangers such as predators or busy roads) comes with its own set of issues, such as owning an apartment without external space, meaning that the pet is restricted for where they can do their business.

What is a Cat Litter Box?

Best Cat Litter Box Reviews

Thankfully there are ways around this issue, namely in the form of cat litter boxes, which your pet can be trained to use with relative ease, and are invaluable for those who want to keep their pet indoors. These boxes (often called a sandbox or litter tray) are designed to be filled with litter – formed from varying materials such as clay, silica, wood pellets and corn – and are dedicated spaces where your cat can relieve themselves without soiling floors or carpets. Often no training is required at all, as some cats will instinctually use a cat litter tray with no encouragement.

Types of Cat Litter Boxes

There are a number of different types of cat litter boxes available, ranging from very cheap to over several hundred dollars, depending on design.

Open litter pan

The most common is an open litter pan, which is essentially a shallow box (usually made from plastic, although it is possible to get disposable variations for one-time use). The benefits of an open litter box are the fact that the cat won’t feel closed-in, and that visible excrement will encourage owners to clean the box more often. However, there are some drawbacks to this type of litter box. The main issue is that due to the open nature of the litter box, there is the strong possibility of unpleasant smells, which is particularly noticeable in smaller homes. In addition, due to the shallow edge design of basic litter boxes, it is possible for cats to occasionally urinate or defecate over the sides.

Hooded litter boxes

Covered Litter Box Hooded litter boxes are more expensive than open models, but can still be found for very competitive prices by the savvy shopper. Like open litter pans, hooded cat boxes are usually formed from plastic, but feature a hood designed to cover the litter pan – which can be lifted off when cleaning is required. Hooded litter boxes feature a dedicated entry hole that the cat needs to walk through in order to urinate or defecate. More often than not, that same hole will have a gate attached, that can be closed off to restrict access at certain times. Due to the fact that they are enclosed, the benefits are that smell is generally reduced and there is no chance of waste spilling over the edges. If you like a cat litter box for odor control, hooded ones are more ideal for you.

Self-cleaning litter boxes

For people who have issues with the cleaning aspect of cat litter trays, or might be too busy to be able to empty them regularly, self-cleaning litter boxes are available. Certain types feature combing instruments that draw waste out of the litter and deposit it in sealed disposable bags stored in a dedicated compartment.

More expensive models also feature a sensor that will detect when the cat has entered the litter box and will only activate several minutes later, to avoid disturbing the pet whilst it is still in the tray. The most expensive versions can be hooked up to drainage systems, and have the capability of washing and drying the tray compartment (which has to contain permanent litter pellets).

How to Choose the Best Cat Litter Box?

In order to find the best litter box for you and your cat, all you need to do is decide on what features you need it to have. If you are readily available to clean and remove waste, then a basic litter tray might be all that you need, or a hooded one if smell might be a potential issue. If you don’t like the act of cleaning, or are limited for time, then a self-cleaning tray might be the perfect fit for you. As with most products, the best way to make a decision is to shop around, taking notice of price and reviews, so that you can make an informed purchase.