Cats are very private when it comes to their bathroom matters. Aside from having a cat litter tray in your house, you also need to place it in the right position if you want your cat to use it. Vets recommend having a litter tray for every cat you have in your house plus 1. If you have two cats, for instance, you would need 3 litter trays, If you have one, two litter trays, and so on. That being said, most will just buy one if they have only one cat.
While all these are important things to keep in mind, the most important factor is ensuring that you have the right litter tray to start with. Get the wrong one, and you will end up cleaning your cat’s messes a few too many times but what we are really trying to do is make it as less mess as possible and reduce smells.
There are lots of litter trays on the market, but if you are looking for the best ones, you have come to the right place. We have gone through dozens of litter tray reviews and prepared you a list of the 6 best cat litter trays and boxes you will find on the market currently so that you don’t have to do all that.
Modkat XL litter box, our Best Pick, is a perfect place to start your search for your next cat litter box. It’s a 2-entry point litter box with a top entry and a front entry. The litter box comes with two reusable liners, each for each configuration, top, and front. The lid has a swivel design, which allows you to scoop the litter without having to take it apart. When using the top configuration, it eliminates litter-tracking. The closed design of this litter box also minimizes cat waste odours in the house which is always a good thing.
BEST PICK
Our Runner-up
Cat Litter Trays and Boxes Reviews
1. Modkat XL Litter Box
BEST PICK
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
Cleaning cat litter is a daily chore for all cat owners. This is why you need to get a litter box that makes the task as easy and less smelly as possible. With the Modkat XL litter box, this task is as simplified as can be. The litter box features a two entry design, the front entry, and a top entry option.
One thing that no cat owner wants is litter tracking where your cat sprays litter all around the litter box, which eventually ends up being walked all over your floor. With this litter tray’s top entry, there will be no litter tracking as the tray’s walls keep the litter contained in the box, however hard your cat digs. With the front entry option, there is a walk-off step through which most of the litter remaining on your cat’s paws will fall through to the litter box below.
Every litter box comes with two reusable liners, one for the top configuration and one for the front entry configuration. When you install the litter box liner, it securely hooks on four hooks on the box walls so that it won’t fall however hard your cat digs through the litter.
The lid has a swivel design, which makes the litter box easily accessible. All you have to do is swivel the lid and scoop the litter without having to open the entire lid as it is with conventional litter boxes.
The reusable liners are rip-resistant and also clean easily, with each liner lasting up to 3 months so offer excellent value for money in terms of when they need replacing.
To include cats of all sizes, this cat litter box measures 21 x 16.5 x 17 inches, with large entrances that will accommodate any cat breed. The only thing you really need to worry about is if you have enough space to accommodate the little tray box.
Pros
- This cat litter box features a two-entry points design with a top entry and a front entry.
- Every litter box comes with two reusable litter box liners, each for the two entry configurations.
- It has a large door for any cat breed you have.
- The liners fit in and safely secure on the box with four hooks so that they don’t fall into the tray.
- The litter box has a swivel design lid so that you don’t need to open the lid when it’s time to scoop the litter.
- The top entry configuration eliminates litter tracking.
- Rip resistant litter box liners that can last up to 3 months.
Cons
- It’s a bit expensive.
- You still have to scoop the litter manually.
Why do we recommend it?
If you are looking for a functional litter box that’s easy for your cat to use without lots of training, this is one of the best cat litter trays you will find on the market. We love that it has two entry options, the top, and the front options. This way, if you have an old cat stuck on the conventional litter trays, you can easily convert this litter box to be a front entry litter box.
Every litter box comes with two rip-resistant liners, one for every entry option. The liner will securely hook onto the box so that it doesn’t fall off when your cat uses the litter box. The top entry configuration eliminates litter tracking so that you don’t have pebbles from the litter box all over the house. The front door has a walk-off step that significantly reduces litter tracking by allowing any litter stuck on your cat’s paws to fall through into the tray below.
Don’t forget to check out some of the best self cleaning cat litter boxes in our guide here
2. PetSafe ScoopFree Ultra Self-Cleaning Litter Box
Runner-up
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
If, on the other hand, you are looking for a premium scoop-free litter box, the PetSafe ScoopFree ultra self-cleaning litter box will be an ideal choice for you. With this litter box, scooping cat litter every day will be a thing you used to do. Its really is that brilliant.
The litter box uses modern technology to automatically remove cat waste and odor so that you don’t have to touch the waste. Instead of the conventional litter, this litter tray uses very absorbent crystals that reduce litter tracking significantly compared to conventional litter.
After your cat has used the litter box, absorbent crystals absorb moisture from the waste, drying it to make raking easier. The automatic stainless steel rake will usually activate 5, 10, or 20 minutes later depending on the configuration you have chosen, to push the solid cat waste into a self-covering compartment, locking it in, and the odors that come from it.
Installing the cat litter box is very simple. All you need to do is put the disposable tray with the crystals under the litter box, and you are done. The tray could go for up to a month before you have to replace it. When it’s time to replace it, all you have to do is remove the tray, cover it, and dispose of it and replace it with a different disposable litter tray. The only downside to this is that you need to buy new little trays every month and there not cheap. however, each one will last a month and we think its worth the cost to not have to manually handle the cat litter waste.
Another good feature is that the litter box also has a health counter that keeps track of how many times your feline uses the litter box so that you would know if they had a health problem.
Aside from the crystals serving as litter for the cats to poop in, they also absorb odours keeping the house smelling fresh. You can choose from the original design without a hood or the hooded design that gives your cat some privacy as they attend to their business. The hooded design eliminates litter tracking better than the open one so if you have a cat that flicks the litter about, the enclosed version may be better.
This litter box is ideal for all cat breeds. To avoid scaring the cats, the litterbox uses a silent motor too.
To assure you that you are making a worthy investment, the litterbox comes with a 2-year warranty to caution you against defects.
Pros
- It’s self-cleaning, meaning you won’t have to scoop or touch cat poop with this litter box.
- One box of disposable litter could go for up to a month.
- The litter is pushed into a covered compartment, which reduces odor.
- You can set the automatic rake to sweep the cat waste after 5, 10, or 20 minutes.
- The health monitor keeps track of how many times your cat uses the litter box so that you know when they might be sick.
- Uses a silent motor to avoid scaring the cats.
- You can choose between the hooded and the open design.
- Comes with a two-year warranty for full peace of mind.
Cons
- Works best with dry cat waste, not the best if your cat is having a running stomach.
- The automatic mechanism may scare off some cats so take them a while to get used to the sound.
Why do we recommend it?
This is one of the best self-cleaning cat litter trays you will find on the market currently. We love that with this cat litter box, you no longer have to shovel out cat poop from the litter box. The cat waste is pushed into a closed compartment, which eliminates the odour which is welcomed. The crystals also absorb odours from the cat waste.
Unlike the conventional litter boxes that use conventional litter, this litter box uses crystals, which significantly reduce litter tracking. With the hooded design, your cat can attend to their business in private. We like that you can set the rake to sweep over the litter box at different intervals, 5, 10, or 20 minutes. Overall, this is an awesome litter box but its a little expensive, especially the refills.
3. PawHut Pet Cat Litter Box
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
If you are looking for an affordable, but functional litter box, this is a perfect choice. It features a closed design that eliminates cat odors in the house. The closed design also gives your cat privacy as they use the litter box.
The litterbox is made of strong pp plastic, which makes it very sturdy and durable. It also features a removable litter tray that makes cat waste management easy because it’s easy to clean. The removable tray also has a walk-off panel, which reduces litter tracking by allowing any litter stuck on your cat’s paws to fall off to the tray below before the cat gets out.
Every litter box also comes with a scoop, deodorizing mat to reduce the odor from the cat waste, and garbage papers, everything you need for the cat waste chore.
To prevent the removable tray from sliding out when the cat uses the litter tray, the litter box has a pedal that secures it in place. Next to the pedal, there is a compartment where you can store your cat essentials like the garbage papers for the litterbox. For when you need to move the litter box to a different location, there is a handy handle.
The litter box measures 54 x 42 x 41cm so you may want to double-check you have enough space as its quite large.
Pros
- Very affordable model.
- Made of strong pp plastic material that’s very durable.
- Features a removable litter tray that makes it easy to clean.
- Every litter box comes with a scoop, deodorizing mat, and garbage papers, everything you need for the cat waste management.
- It has a pedal that secures the removable litter tray in place so that it doesn’t slide out when the cat uses it.
- Features a closed design that reduces the cat waste odours and gives your cat privacy when they use the litter box.
Cons
- There may not be enough wiggle room for large cat breeds.
Why do we recommend it?
This is a great cat litter box if you are looking for an affordable choice that gets the job done. We love the closed design of this litter box. Aside from offering your cat some privacy while they attend to their private matters, the closed design also reduces cat waste odors.
It comes with a removable litter tray that’s locked into place by a pedal. The closed design also reduces litter tracking. In the top compartments, you can store kitty essentials that you need, like litter bags for the litter box.
4. Clean ‘N’ Tidy Cat Concept Multiloo Cube
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
This is another versatile cat litter box that serves 3 cat needs. It comes with a scratch post on the side with a cardboard toy and a cushion on the top of the litter box that serves as a cat bed where your cat can take kitty naps. Your cat can use the scratch post to act out their scratching instincts, which spares your furniture upholstery and curtains.
The litter box has a flipping top lid, which makes it easy to access the litter box. You can access the litter tray a lot more easily, you can take the whole top part off, exposing the litter tray for cleaning. The litter box also comes with a free scoop for cleaning.
This litterbox’s closed design reduces litter tracking as the litter is contained in the box when your cat goes about digging. It’s also the perfect hideout for your cat while they attend to their private business away from the human commotion.
It comes in a flat pack and is very easy to put together. For the unpleasant cat waste odours, this litter box comes with a carbon filter to help eliminate the odours.
The cushion is also removable and machine washable which is obviously important, which makes it easy to clean.
Pros
- Serves three purposes, the top part can be a cat bed, and it comes with a scratch post as well.
- Features a closed design, that offers your cat privacy and keeps the litter well contained.
- The top part is detachable from the litter tray, which makes the litter box easy to clean.
- Very easy to assemble.
- The cushion is machine washable.
- It has a carbon filter, which reduces cat waste odours.
Cons
- It’s a bit fragile.
- Your cat may not want to use a cat bed on top of their litter box.
Why do we recommend it?
This is a versatile cat litter box serving three purposes at once. It comes with a cushion at the top where your cat can relax and a scratch post for your cat’s scratching. The litter box has a flipping lid, which makes it easily accessible for cleaning. The top part is also detachable if you find it hard to access the litter tray with it on.
We love the closed design, which gives your cat some privacy while reducing cat tracking. To reduce odors from the cat waste, the box has a carbon filter which is something not all models have. Every box also comes with a scoop.
5. Catit Design Smartsift Sifting Cat Pan
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
If you are tired of scooping cat poop, how about a litter box that does the scooping for you? This cat litter box does exactly that. It comes with a lever that turns the litter tray to sift the clumped litter out and put it in a waste collection bag for you. You can turn the lever daily and change the garbage paper once a week. Cleaning after your cat can’t get easier than that. The whole process is not motorized, which tends to scare the cats away from using a litter box so this could be a good alternative to our best pick.
The litter box features a closed design, which not only gives your cat some privacy but also reduces cat waste odours and reduces litter tracking. There is a charcoal filter on the box, which eliminates cat waste odours.
For easy access, there is a clear swinging door that easily opens both ways. The clear door also allows you to see and monitor the litter. This litter box measures 66.04 x 48.26 x 63.5cm, large enough for all large breeds.
Every litter box comes with two lines, one for the waste bin and one for the litter tray.
Pros
- The sealed design keeps the cat litter and the odours contained in the box.
- It has an integrated charcoal filter to eliminate odours.
- A flipping cover to make the litter box easily accessible for cleaning.
- No scooping, the litter box has a sifting lever that sifts out clumped cat waste.
- A large swinging door that makes the litter box easily accessible for your cats.
Cons
- May not sift out loose cat waste.
Why do we recommend it?
The Catit jumbo hooded cat pan does all the heavy lifting for you when it comes to cleaning after your cat. We love that there is no scooping involved. The cat litter box features a hooded design which gives your cat some privacy and also reduces litter tracking while containing cat waste odours. The litter box also comes with an integrated charcoal filter that filters out odours.
Every litter box comes with two biodegradable liners, one for the bin and one for the tray. If you are looking for a large litter box for a large cat, this will be an ideal choice for you. The swinging door is large enough to allow large cats through.
6. Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan
Buy on Amazon.co.uk
This is another cat litter box from a trusted brand that you can get for your feline. The litter box features a hooded design, which gives your cat privacy when they attend to their bathroom business. The hooded design also reduces litter tracking and contains the cat waste odours better than the conventional open tray designs. The litterbox also comes with carbon filters that absorb the bad odours from the cat waste and the tray is also surprisingly large.
To hold the litterbox liner in place, there is a liner anchor that holds the bag open and also ensures it doesn’t fall in the box however hard your cat digs.
The cat litterbox measures 57 x 43 x 46cm, spacious enough to accommodate any cat breed. If you have multiple cats in your house, this would be an ideal choice for you. The litter box is locked in place by four locking tabs.
There is a large opening at the top of the litter box that makes it easy for you to access the litter box for cleaning.
You can buy extra liners and carbon filters for a replacement if you want to. You can also use this box with the Catit magic blue ammonia busters, which absorb ammonia gases from the cat’s urine.
This litter box is very easy to assemble too.
Pros
- Spacious enough for large cat breeds.
- Has a large lid that allows you easy access for the litterbox cleaning.
- It’s easy to assemble.
- Cones with integrated carbon filters which absorb odors from cat waste.
- The litter box has a liner anchor that holds the liner in place.
- It has locking tabs that hold the litter box in place.
Cons
- The door tends to stick sometimes, which makes it hard for a cat to access (If the door opening is distorted, pull up from the top of the opening and the door opening should re-align. The door should no longer catch)
Why do we recommend it?
This is the best-reviewed litter box on this list with over 20000 reviews on Amazon, now that’s a lot of reviews. It’s a good size litter box for whatever cat breed you might have. It’s a hooded design litter box, which provides your cat with some privacy as they attend to their bathroom matters and also eliminates litter tracking and bad odors. There is an integrated carbon filter to absorb the odors and also the box works with Catit ammonia busters that absorb ammonia gases.
It has a liner anchor that holds the liner in place, a large lid that makes it easy for you to access the litter box for cleaning, and locking tabs to keep the litter box in place. Overall, you wouldn’t go wrong if you buy this litter box for your feline friend.
Buyer’s guide: what makes a cat litter tray great?
A litter box is a basic need for any cat parent. While there are lots of them on the market, not all of them work as intended. If you get the wrong one, you might end up cleaning after your cat a lot more than you would like to.
Cat waste odours are also not very pleasant in the house. If you are looking for a good, functional litter box for your feline friend that will make living with them effortless, here is what you need to keep in mind when shopping for one.
Design
There are different cat litter box designs on the market. You can get the open design, or the hooded design, front entry, or top entry.
If you want to minimize litter-tracking and cat odors, however, a closed cat litter box will be better suited. A litter box with a walk-off panel also helps reduce litter tracking. Open litter boxes don’t do so well when it comes to preventing litter tracking, especially if they are shallow. A closed litter box also gives your cat some privacy while they attend to their bathroom business.
Size
You want to get a litter box that your cat will be comfortable using. When buying a litter box, ensure that it’s one that your cat will be comfortable in, with extra room to turn around. Before buying a litter box, check the dimensions and make sure that your cat would fit in it and leave a little room.
How easy is it to clean?
If you have a cat, cat litter handling in most cases is a daily chore. You want to make it as simple and pleasant as possible.
When shopping for a cat litter box, there are different options. There are the conventional litter boxes, which you have to scoop cat litter from, the litter boxes with a level that flips the litter, and sifts the cat waste, so you don’t have to scoop through it, and those self-cleaning ones that do all the work but they are generally expensive. You might have to pay more depending on which one you want.
The price
While we know you have a budget for the litter box, don’t buy a cheap litter box that’s not functional. Litter boxes come at different prices, and whatever your budget is, we are sure you can get one you can afford on this list. That’s being said a good cat litter tray can range from £25 for a covered standard litter tray with built-in carbon filters to over £100 for self-cleaning models. You can get cheaper models but they tend to be just standard litter trays you can get from any supermarket, not what we had in mind when reviewing cat litter trays.
In conclusion,
Taking care of your cats’ litter is a daily chore, and you need to make it as easy for you and your feline friend as possible. To do that, you will need the right cat litter box for the job. In this guide, we have listed some of the best litter boxes on the market for you to choose from. We are hoping you find your cat’s next best litter box on the list.
Our best pick, the Modkat XL litter box is a good place to start looking. It’s a 2-entry point litter box, that you can configure for your cat to use either the front or the top entry. The litter box is big enough to accommodate any cat breed. When configured for your cat to use the top entry, this litter box eliminates litter tracking.
The lid features a swivel design, which allows you to scoop the litter without having to open the lid. Any litter left on the lid will also simply fall through to the litter box below. It comes with two anti-rip liners, one for the top configuration and one for the front configuration. There are liner anchors that secure the liners on the inside of the litter box.
Our runner-up, the PetSafe ScoopFree ultra self-cleaning litter box for cats is a good alternative if you don’t want to scoop your cat’s litter. It’s a self-cleaning litter box that uses an automatic rake to push your cat’s solid waste into an enclosed compartment. This litter box uses crystals in place of conventional litter.
These crystals are very absorbent, and they dehydrate your cat’s litter before it’s raked away by the automatic rake. You can set the rake to activate after 5, 10, or 20 minutes. This litter box also records how many times your cat uses the litter box, and you can check their health when there are some changes.
