As discussed in other articles on our blog, cleaning out your kitty litter box is anything but a glamorous job. But, it is so important to your cat’s health and well-being. I mean, let’s be frank – they need to do their business somewhere, and if they are indoor cats then that means they need a good litter box as their go-to toilet. It’s better than them using the bathroom in other places – like the laundry basket! But, I digress…
It’s incredible to see the variety of cat litter boxes now available on the market. Below, find some of the traditional and modern versions of litter boxes that cat lovers are choosing:
5 Best Types of Litter Boxes/Litter Trays
- Traditional, open litter box – They may not be super fancy or expensive, but boy do these old time favorites work! Open litter boxes come in a choice of sizes, depending on the size or number of your cats. Simply fill with litter and either scoop out the mess (if using scoopable litter) or throw the litter out and replace with fresh litter. There are types that have extra-tall sides to keep the mess to a minimum – an awesome choice! The walls around the side prevents the litter from ending up all over the floor! This means less mess, and less waste of litter. Hooray!)
- Traditional closed litter box – Also called a hooded litter box, this enclosed box keeps the mess all in the box, rather than the cats scattering the litter all around the floor. These boxes really do contain the mess of cat litter much better, but be careful to use a less dusty cat litter, as your cat will likely be breathing in more dust. Some cats also love enclosed litter boxes because they are far more private – a real plus in a small space, or a home with multiple cats. (Our article on the wide variety of cat litter will help you find a dustless litter!)
- Rolling litter box – This is a neat invention – simply roll the litter box over onto its side, and the messy clumps of dirty litter are deposited into a receptacle. Then you just dump the clumps (that’s catchy!) right into the garbage. Sorry, now I can’t stop repeating: “Dump the clumps” to myself! Perhaps it’s a catchy new song to hum while we’re cleaning the cat litter? You’re welcome. The Omega Paw Roll N Clean gets consistently high reviews, and seems to have created a design that works great. (Must use with clumping litter.)
- Electronic, self cleaning litter box – this one is for you high-tech cat lovers, of which there are many! This one does all the work for you, and generally will clean out the litter box each and every time your cat uses the bathroom. Pluses: no work! Negatives: if you have a skittish cat, they might not like the noise this creates. It is something to keep in mind. But boy, these get some amazing reviews online because of how effortless it is to keep the litter clean, and your cats happy! The Litter Robot III is a super high-tech litter box for those of you who want to keep life easy. (But, it’s not cheap! Currently, it’s listed at $659.99. But there’s no denying that it’s the Rolls Royce of kitty litter cleaning!)
- Top Entry cat litter boxes – This is an interesting concept! Instead of the traditional box, which has an entry at the front for kitty, these allow agile cats to enter from the top! There is usually a large hole at the top, and cats can drop down into the litter box, which is mostly enclosed. This helps greatly to reduce litter getting scattered all over the floor, and with cat spraying, too. And, if you’re a household with dogs too, this design will prevent dogs from digging in the cat litter.
New types of litter boxes are being invented all the time, and we will gladly add to this list of litter box varieties as we find them. Litter box cleaning may not be a wonderful job, but as cat lovers we are glad to do it to keep our cats healthy and happy and clean. Here’s to the mighty scoop!
Kitty litter accessories
This mat is designed to trap cat litter! Keeps the flooring under and around your cat’s litter box nice and tidy.
This is the best cat litter scoop money can buy! It’s lightweight, well-constructed and allows you to scoop litter with ease. Designed so the litter will not stick to the scoop.
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