Lidded litter trays

[TwigTheWonderKid]

6 month old DKittens' open litter trays are under the stairs. I read that cats prefer their trays in a quiet place but not too enclosed so they don't feel worried they'll be ambushed by a predator. Which would be fine except the little buggers are so messy that there is constantly more litter on the floor that in the trays.

So I am wondering about getting them covered litter trays. I guess I'm not really going to know if they'll like them unless I actually buy them and try them but can anyone help me with best buys or trays to avoid? Obviously the kittens are fairly small now but I suspect they will turn into quite big boys.

Have attached a photo of the filthy little devils just for the sake of it.

Kudos on correct supply of kitten photo in starting post. They look proper little characters.

We have (I think) [[https://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/cat_litter_litter_boxes/hooded_litter_box/litter_boxes_filter/284528?variantid=284528.9&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIgKC5_5rs7gIVE5ftCh1qlwMLEAQYASABEgI_1fD_BwE this one from Zooplus]. The lid folds back double so there's plenty of room to scoop.

But they're much of a muchness, really. They do save on the mess until one of the cats decides that 'near the tray' is just as good as 'in the tray'.

We also have a Tesco one, and a flat one shoved under a cupboard that one of our more eccentric old cats liked to squeeze in and use in situ.

Cuties!! I have a covered tray (a corner one from Argos) and I am having all sorts of trouble with it.
The latest being Sparklingcat (medium sized moggie) goes in through the door but leaves her bum sticking out and wees backwards with it coming out horizontally. So we have a pissy towel in front of the tray (attractive)

It looks neat and the odours are very contained (she does manage to actually poo in it-hurrah!) The lid attachment is a bit fiddly and it came with a tiny scoop which is a bit useless.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Relaxdays-Cabinet-Drawer-Wooden-Cupboard/dp/B0839B9SXQ/ref=mpssa1117?dchild=1&keywords=litter+tray+cupboard&pdrddr=de780c84-fe4c-4c49-977d-cedff5fab00b&pdrddw=hMtDT&pdrddwg=LU02a&pfrddp=f9379ecf-b158-4af1-9ba7-e10b1fa9db88&pfrdd_r=C1WTZZSPQKC9Z67XPK7V&qid=1613403273&sr=8-17

I've got one like this, as I can't stand it looking like a litter tray. Looks really nice, and the drawer is useful for keeping the bags and scoop in too.

This is mine

www.argos.co.uk/product/8509242?clickSR=slp:term:lidded%20litter%20tray:2:12:1

I have lidded trays in the house, and unlidded in the garage. They generally prefer the lidded ones, and they are defo less messy to use, as well as being less unsightly. I took the front ‘door’ off so the tray basically has a cat flap sized hole in the front as mine didn’t like the door. Well worth buying ime

I have a large lidded one in the hallway and a corner lidded one in the kitchen. I was going to keep the door off while they got used to it but it was on in a day or so.
(My 2 kittens are 8 months and have used them from day 1....).

We have a lidded one, it's not perfect but it has reduced the amount of litter kicked onto the floor by about 90%.

I would really love a top entry litter box but no one seems to sell them in my part of the world.

We have a lidded one. Definitely improves litter spread and keeps some odours in. The door stays off as big fat cat can't fit his whole self in with it on
Also, you have gorgeous kitcats there

I have this one as one of mine seems to want to dig to Australia when she goes and used to squat dangerously close to the edge!

www.petplanet.co.uk/p31150/round_cat_litter_box_top_open_white.aspx?ptm_source=google&ptm_medium=shopping&ptm_campaign=under10_70485&campaign=9791169979&adgroup=100170520215&keyword=&gclid=Cj0KCQiA962BBhCzARIsAIpWEL0vgJp9wwj8Ggb0jqYctqonsz-V_GnyaSvhc1REEKQEAOYzgld4JQUaAh2bEALw_wcB

I put some of the litter from their old tray in to start them off and neither have had a problem using it. It’s plenty big enough, reduces the sound of her digging so it doesn’t wake me in the night and the litter isn’t everywhere. Lid comes off completely so really easy to clean.

We very much preferred the lidded trays - less smell, no litter being scattered everywhere and Silky Cat has a tendency to stand in the tray with her bum over the edge and wee outside it. Top entry was the best but expensive and annoying to clean I made DH do it

Unfortunately Old Lady Cat is now too old to climb in so it's open trays everywhere and our house is covered in litter and puppy pads.

@Purplecatshopaholic

I have lidded trays in the house, and unlidded in the garage. They generally prefer the lidded ones, and they are defo less messy to use, as well as being less unsightly. I took the front ‘door’ off so the tray basically has a cat flap sized hole in the front as mine didn’t like the door. Well worth buying ime

Yes that's what we've done too. Works fine.

I have a lidded tray but the door is off. This is because I read about smells possible building up with a door on. Kitten got used to it very quickly.

We take the door off. Otherwise non of them (currently 5) will use them.
A litter catcher mat in front works wonders.

I am very envious of everyone with a cat that does a vertical wee when the door is off.
I thought Sparklingcat was spraying but she did it at the vets (it was a long wait to be seen that day) and the vet confirmed no, it was wee but that's just the way she does it.
Can't go back to unlidded because it would be everywhere but I would say 1/4 of her wees come out backwards through the door.

@Sparklingbrook

Can you put the lidded tray in a shallow large tub with newspaper laid in it.? Might just catch the extra?

[quote Bargebill19]@Sparklingbrook

Can you put the lidded tray in a shallow large tub with newspaper laid in it.? Might just catch the extra?[/quote]
I was thinking about that. I think I am going to have to do something like that with a tub to create a wall. The soggy towel thing is getting me down, I tried a puppy training pad but she weed on that and didn't bother even going into the tray.

I love her to bits but her toilet habits are shocking. She doesn't go far now and she has a little patch of border close to the patio she uses when the weather is a bit warmer so fingers crossed this might be a bit better come Spring.

I've got this one:

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PawHut-2-Door-Design-Hooded-Kitty-Litter-Box-with-Lifted-Cover-Grey-White-/303729128236?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

The lid just swivels and pops out, I've taken off the doors. It is very easy to clean. And my litter-spreader's attempts to cover the whole floor are foiled.

I previously (with my last cat) had one of the lidded Catit ones with clips to take the top off and it was a pita to clean. I much prefer the smooth high sides of this one.

My kittens love their huge hooded litter tray. They learned to use the door no problem. We put it on a double layer rubber mat which catches most of not all of the spillage.

Thanks for all the suggestions. Action must be taken as their vigorous "digging" is now not only sending showers of litter everywhere but now the actual poo too. Hurrah! An actual shower of shit. Good job for them they are so cute. Probably won't go for @sparklingbrook's one though...

@TwigTheWonderKid

Thanks for all the suggestions. Action must be taken as their vigorous "digging" is now not only sending showers of litter everywhere but now the actual poo too. Hurrah! An actual shower of shit. Good job for them they are so cute. Probably won't go for *@sparklingbrook*'s one though...

Very wise. I mean it fits in the corner-lovely, very neat and tidy. But the pissy towel in front ruins the effect somewhat!

Oh they are sooo cute!!

Originally we gave our cats 3 massive trays in the cupboard under the stairs , DH fitted a simple catflap (they use a microchip catdoor to go out so fine with the simple one)

Little buggers peed on the floor , poohed on the floor ( how I do nt know because there was hardly any floor showing ) as much as the tray .
And they liked using the same tray !

So - lidded tray , biggest we could find . In the hall so its quiet . Took the door off and the filter .Honeycomb rubber mat for tracking litter .

They like it cleaned immediately and will often wait on the stairs till it's cleaned (even a pee spot) then go in to use it again .

They will come inside , walk purposefully to the tray , lots of noise (so we know) scraping the wall. Then wander back outside . No attempt made to bury it .

We use a deep layer of CatsBest .
Very occasionally a pooh on the mat but usually they are very clean.

@LadyDanburysHat

I have a lidded tray but the door is off. This is because I read about smells possible building up with a door on. Kitten got used to it very quickly.

Same. We actually used lidded trays with doors, but one of our cats broke the door in one of the trays and I have noticed that cats use the "open" one more often than the 2nd one with the door. Since then, the door has been removed from the 2nd one as well, but lid stays. It works for me and for cats.

I have two that share a lidded tray with the door off. Makes a huge difference to kicking littler and contains more of the smell too. They've had it from 8 weeks old with no bother.

Also lidded with the door off and a honeycomb type mat under it to capture (the tidal wave of) stray litter particles.

Ours stares at you through the door hole in a confrontational manner as he has his morning crap.