An essential tool for every cat owner is a litter box. Both you and your cat must like the litter box—albeit for different reasons! Cats need something that they can use comfortably, and you need something that isn’t too difficult to clean. But you might not have time to research and review the multitudes of litter pans out there.

That’s why we did the research and developed reviews of the best cat litter boxes. There’s also a buyer’s guide with information that should help you with your decision.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites (2024 Update)

The 10 Best Cat Litter Boxes

1. Frisco High Sided Cat Litter Box Extra Large — Best Overall

The best overall cat litter box is Frisco’s High Sided Cat Litter Box. It’s essentially a basic litter pan, but it’s a good one! There are no bells or whistles, but you get a well-constructed, sturdy litter box with high sides to prevent litter scatter or spraying outside the box. The front of the box is lower (5.6 inches) for easy access, and it’s made with BPA-free plastic. It’s also quite roomy!

The main flaw is for people who use liners for their litter boxes because these boxes are awkwardly shaped, and most liners don’t fit. Additionally, the lower entrance can still lead to litter scatter if your cat kicks the litter in that direction.

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2. Petmate Litter Pan — Best Value

The best cat litter box for the money is Petmate’s Litter Pan, which is a simple yet sturdy litter box. It has a big base, which adds to its stability and is designed to prevent litter scatter and other spills. You can choose between large and jumbo sizes, and it’s made with durable eco-friendly plastic.

However, the large size might be too small for large cats (which means you should purchase the jumbo), and the plastic is thinner than some other litter pans.

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3. Nature’s Miracle Hooded Corner Litter Box, With Odor Control Charcoal Filter — Premium Choice

Nature’s Miracle Advanced Litter Box is our pick for the premium-choice litter box. You can get it with a hood or without it for a lower price, but both pans are designed to fit in a corner. This can be helpful if you are looking for space-saving alternatives.

It has a charcoal filter on the inside hood, which helps reduce odors for up to 3 months (not available in the pan without the hood). It also has an antimicrobial coating and a non-stick surface for easy cleaning. The main obvious flaw is that it’s relatively expensive, and there are also large stickers on the inside and outside that are difficult to remove.

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4. Shirley K’s Senior Cat Litter Box X-Large

Shirley K’s Senior Cat Litter Box is excellent if you have a senior cat or if they have mobility issues.  It’s a large litter box, which will give your cat ample room to turn around, but it has a low entry point, making it easy to enter and exit. It’s quite stable and has a smooth surface that makes it easier to clean. It can also work well for kittens, and it’s made in the U.S.

However, this litter pan will not be a great choice for cats that really kick their litter around or are high sprayers because it has low sides. Additionally, it’s expensive.

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5. Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan

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Catit’s Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan gives you a hood in addition to a removable door, which should do an excellent job of keeping the litter inside. It has an anchor that keeps the litter bag in place while you’re scooping and has a carbon filter on the hood for reducing odors. It also has a handle so it can be easily lifted and carried.

However, the door can sometimes get stuck, usually with the cat still inside. Additionally, the side locks that keep the hood in place can be challenging to open.

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6. Van Ness High Sides Cat Litter Pan

The Van Ness High Sides Cat Litter Pan has high sides to help keep the litter inside, so it’s effective for cats that tend to be heavy-duty diggers. It has a smooth and polished finish, which makes it easier to clean, and it is stain and odor resistant. It’s been made with 20% recycled material, making it eco-friendly, and it’s manufactured in the U.S.

The main problems with this litter pan are that the inner dimensions are smaller than expected and that it can tip over relatively easily.

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7. Catit Cat Pan With Rim

The Catit Cat Pan With Rim is a litter pan with a large, removable rim that helps keep the litter inside. The box has high sides and an even higher back, which also prevents litter scatter. It has a litter bag anchor, which will hold the litter bag in place while you’re busy scooping.

Unfortunately, since it slopes down toward the front, if your cat tends to pee high, they might still urinate over the rim. Some cats might also pee on the litter bag’s anchor, which means splattering will occur.

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8. Frisco High Back Cat Litter Box

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Frisco’s High Back Cat Litter Box has plenty of space for your cat to do their business, and its sloped design gives it a high back to help prevent litter scatter. It comes in both navy and gray and is made with BPA-free plastic that is recyclable and easy to clean.

That said, it is relatively expensive for a simple litter pan, and the high back isn’t high enough for all cats that scatter litter easily or pee high. It also has rounded corners, which can make scooping and cleaning challenging.

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9. Tidy Cats Breeze Cat Litter Box System

The Tidy Cats Breeze Cat Litter Box System is a starter system if you’re interested in trying something different. This system includes litter in the form of pellets that are 99.9% dust free and don’t track around the home as much as most other litter. It also comes with four disposable and absorbent pads, which are kept in a drawer at the bottom of the litter box and absorb liquid as it passes through the litter.

The pellets enable the urine to sink through to the absorbent pad, but the waste stays on top for easy scooping. You change the pad once a week and the litter once a month. However, the box is fairly small, even for average-sized cats, and if your cat gets diarrhea, this system won’t work at all. Additionally, not all cats will enjoy walking on and digging into the pellets.

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10. Whisker Litter-Robot 4 Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box

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The Whisker Litter-Robot 4 Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box is expensive! But if you love technology and have the budget for it, this is a good self-cleaning litter box (or sphere). Since it’s self-cleaning, you don’t have much to do except monitor the usage of the litter box through an app. It also analyzes and provides health insights.

It neutralizes odors, and the cleaning system is quiet enough that it shouldn’t freak out your cat too much, and you only need to empty the drawer from time to time.

But like anything running on technology, it isn’t always reliable, and it might end up being more work than your basic litter box. Also, some cats will refuse to use it.

Buyer’s Guide

Read on to learn more about litter boxes, which might help you pick the right one for your cat.

Size

This is a crucial point. A litter box that’s too small will make a large cat uncomfortable, and a large litter box might be too big for a tiny cat. A cat should be able to enter the box and turn around easily. They need to pick the right spot and have room to dig.

Also, bear in mind that the dimensions that manufacturers provide are for the outside of the litter box, so you’ll need to shave off a few inches to get a better idea of how large the pan is on the inside.

Hooded Litter Boxes

A cover on a litter box can effectively keep litter inside, along with the odors and even urine if your cat pees high, but some cats might not like feeling enclosed.

Also, your cat must do their business in an enclosed space with those intense odors. That said, cats prefer hooded litter boxes, and if that’s the case, aim for one with a carbon filter, which should somewhat reduce the odors for your cat. But don’t purchase a litter box for convenience that will just make your cat uncomfortable.

Multiple Cats

Many litter box manufacturers state that their large litter boxes are perfect for multiple cat homes. It’s important to note that you should have multiple litter boxes if you have multiple cats. The general rule is that you should have the same number of litter boxes as cats and one more, so two cats will need three litter boxes. No matter how large a litter box is, you can’t just have one when you have more than one cat.

Cleaning

Besides your cat using the litter box for their needs, it should be easy to clean. The kind of litter you choose is a huge factor, but some litter boxes might prove quite challenging to access and, consequently clean. Aim for an easy-to-use scooper, which can also make your life a little easier.

Conclusion

Our favorite litter box is Frisco’s High Sided Cat Litter Box, which is basic in design but with very high sides which are effective at keeping urine and litter inside. Then we have Petmate’s Litter Pan, a simple, sturdy litter box that’s very affordable. Lastly, Nature’s Miracle Advanced Litter Box is a little pricier but fits neatly in a corner to save space. Plus, the hooded pan comes with a charcoal filter to reduce odors.

We hope that these reviews have brought you closer to purchasing your cat’s next litter box, one that you both will enjoy!

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Featured Image Credit: Lightspruch, Shutterstock