Litter boxes: they’re a necessary part of being a cat parent. Despite how unpleasant they can be, cleaning cat pee out of your carpet is much more unpleasant. While you may be tempted to pick the first a litter box you find or go for one that is gimmicky to you, your cat would prefer you took a different approach. They’ll thank you by peeing in the box instead of on your carpet.
Litter Box Size
Cat prefer larger litter boxes. Think about the last time you used a porta potty or a tiny bathroom that you could barely turn around in. Did you enjoy the experience? Probably not.
Cats don’t think about litter box usage in terms what they should or shouldn’t do. Instead, they go somewhere that meets their needs. If you set up a litter box that is too small, their needs won’t be met. Floor it is!
Instead of going for a small litter box, pick the biggest one you can find. Honestly, most commercially available boxes are a bit too small so even going with the XL sized litter boxes won’t be too big. This holds true even for small cats. It’s better to go bigger than to go too small.
Litter Box Style
There are a lot of different choices of styles of litter boxes. You can get covered litter boxes or uncovered boxes. There are boxes that the cat enters from the front or from the top. Which one is best?
Covered or Uncovered
Generally, cats are going to prefer uncovered litter boxes. This is especially true for cats in mutlicat homes. If your cats have tension between them, covered litter boxes can quickly result in a cat being corned in the box. You won’t like what happens next when your cat becomes scared of using the litter box.
If you’re worried about a high peeing cat or a cat flinging litter everywhere, check out my guide on making a storage tote litter box. It solves those issues and allows you to keep the box uncovered.
Top Entry or Front Entry
Skip the top entry boxes entirely. They require more work for your cat to get into and you want to make the litter box easier for your cat to use, not harder. Plus, as your cat gets older, they may develop pain and movement problems. A top entry box is going to hurt for your cat to get into.
If you’re still thinking of getting a top entry box, just know that I get a lot of clients who have top entry boxes whose cats aren’t using the litter box. When they switch to a regular box, the issues get resolved very quickly.
Skip Self Cleaning Boxes
I’m not even going to mince words with this one. There aren’t any self cleaning litter boxes currently that I recommend. I have a longer explanation if you want it, but otherwise keep it simple with a basic litter box.
Special Considerations
If you have an extra special cat (all cats are special so your cat is extra special) such as an older cat or a cat with medical issues, there are a few extra things to consider.
Seniors And Cats With Mobility Issues
If your cat is older or has a harder time getting around, the entry to the box should be really low. A boot tray or a DIY storage tub box, once again, often makes a better box than most actual litter boxes for these cats. Even having to lift their legs a few inches can hurt or not be physically possible.
Check out my full guide on litter box selection for senior cats for more ideas.
Long Haired Cats Have Similar Preferences
Long haired cats may also prefer really low entry litter boxes. These cats don’t like their fur rubbing against the edges of a litter box when going in and out. Once again, skip the covered boxes and pick a box they can just stroll right into for a happy cat that uses their litter box consistently.
Cats With Medical Considerations
If you have a cat with certain medical conditions, you may need a different style of box temporarily. The best person to ask for specifics is your veterinarian, but cats that recently had surgery may do better with lower entry or low sided boxes so they don’t risk opening an incision climbing in and out of the box.
For cats with certain infectious conditions, consider a disposable litter box. I won’t name names, but somebody brought home giardia when he was adopted. Cleaning was a nightmare and I really wish that somebody else who will remain anonymous wasn’t a high peer so I could have used disposable boxes. It would have made my life so much easier.
For the record, I did try putting them inside a different box. That was quickly rejected with a puddle of urine on the floor in front of it.
Cleaning is important with giardia or your cats can become reinfected. A disposable litter box allows you to just toss the whole thing rather than cleaning their regular litter box diligently. Doing less work may actually be more effective.
Another pro tip if your cats do have giardia: I switched my dudes to newspaper crumble litter temporarily and it resulted in much less gross parasite infected poo being stuck to them. A non-clumping litter will be more comfortable for all involved!
Keep It Simple
In general, a simpler litter box is better than a fancy one. While some litter box manufacturers design litter boxes that may benefit us, they aren’t really designed with cats in mind despite the advertising claims. Unless you’re using the litter box (no judgment from me, but my focus is on cats), then it matters more what your cat prefers or you’ll spend all day cleaning cat pee.
