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The litter tray

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Original poster

What type of litter tray to get

22 replies

pinkpanther84 · 05/04/2022 16:25

We adopting an adult cat soon, and I need to buy a litter tray. What type would people recommend? I've been looking on Amazon and have narrowed it down to a normal style tray but with high sides so help stop any accidents, or a tray with a roof and cat flap style door. I like the idea of this to reduce odours escaping but not sure if the door would be off putting.

OP posts:
Whyaskwhenyoudontwanttheanswer · 05/04/2022 16:33

Lidded litter tray.
You can always start them off without the lid then, once they are used to using the tray and it’s location, put the lid on. You can remove the flaps and put that on later too.

Danikm151 · 05/04/2022 16:58

start off with whatever type of tray they are currently using. Then transition to the type you want.
Took a month for my cat to go from a basic tray to a hooded one

dementedpixie · 05/04/2022 17:02

We have a large high sided one.

RandomMess · 05/04/2022 17:16

I always had lidded ones with a flap.

Then current Mr Huge Paws arrived who digs and digs and flicks it through the flap and manages to track the litter for 20' with ease Shock he has a top entry litter tray it's very deep and there is no longer litter on every floor of the house (3 floors)

MrsPaperclip · 05/04/2022 17:36

We've got a top entry high sided one. The covered ones definitely do keep the smell in (compared to the open kind, anyway!)

LynetteScavo · 05/04/2022 17:45

Definitely lidded with flap. I taped the flap up initially so they realise that la the litter tray.

Original poster
pinkpanther84 · 05/04/2022 17:54

Thanks all. I imagine he currently just has a basic litter tray but will check. Will maybe start with that and then transition to a lidded one with door 👍

OP posts:
DontKeepTheFaith · 05/04/2022 18:00

We got a covered one but our rescue is a very large ragdoll cat and it didn’t really work for her. We now use a larger open one.

DeathMetalMum · 05/04/2022 18:02

We have top entry high sided really reccomend as we get very little litter spillage as they jump onto the roof to exit and it all mostly falls back in.

MrsPaperclip · 05/04/2022 20:32

@DeathMetalMum

We have top entry high sided really reccomend as we get very little litter spillage as they jump onto the roof to exit and it all mostly falls back in.
Ours is like this - our cat clearly hasn't got the hang of wiping his feet as he still traipses litter everywhere!
Soubriquet · 05/04/2022 20:34

we have this one

Cat got used to the flap straight away

fairylightsandwaxmelts · 06/04/2022 08:32

Whatever the cat is used to for now - you can always transition to something else once they've settled in.

We just have regular plastic trays with no lids or flaps.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 06/04/2022 19:02

I've tried all sorts with our cats - from lidded to open , cat door into the cupboard under the stairs .Giving them 2 Giving them 3 .

Best thing for them is a huge litter tray ( I use one of those underbed boxes , took the wheels off it)
30" x 19" depth of 7"
Cats Best litter
It;s in a quiet area and scooped several times a day (and immediately after use )

My Top Tip For Non-Niffy Moggies .
If he's on a grain based food go Grain Free . Any changes need to be very gradual.
Our smelled 1000% better ( or maybe we just got used to them Wink )

Original poster
pinkpanther84 · 07/04/2022 08:51

Thanks everyone, that's really helpful

OP posts:
Zazdar · 07/04/2022 09:06

Not always possible, I know, but my top tip for a non-niffy house is to put the litter tray outside.

Snog · 07/04/2022 12:52

Cats tend to prefer the non lidded trays. They are also easier to access to clean so probably will get cleaned more often.
You can get a stainless steel version - plastic tends to hang onto the smells more.

Cats also prefer non fragranced litter. Some types of litter are much more effective at odour control than others.

pastaandpesto · 07/04/2022 19:20

Like snog says, ours is stainless steel (and massive). Looks like a giant turkey roasting tin! Plastic starts to smells very quickly and is impossible to clean really thoroughly I think.

Plump82 · 07/04/2022 21:26

We use under bed storage boxes so they have plenty of room to scrabble around.

Furries · 09/04/2022 03:11

I can’t provide a link, as I got mine a while ago, but I went for the biggest bastard lidded version I could find, had it delivered to the office as I was working all hours - boss asked if I was purchasing a panther!

IMO, lidded gives them more privacy. It’s harder in many households to find a truly convenient, out of the way and quiet spot for a litter tray.

Having a kid (with a flap) gives them privacy, stops them spraying/shitting over the edges.

Think I said this on another thread, but when I decided on the litter tray I got, I had in mind my nights out in various pubs/bars - where the toilet cubicles are so small that you have to contort yourself to open/shut the door. I decided my cat was never going to feel the same way 😂

RandomMess · 09/04/2022 11:26

I have to say our top opening one is massive and gives privacy and they are pretty cheap!

The git still manages to track litter though as he won't use the pellets 🙄

What type of litter tray to get
Zazdar · 09/04/2022 17:04

We use under bed storage boxes so they have plenty of room to scrabble around.

Don’t they wake you up?

Plump82 · 09/04/2022 19:02

@Zazdar

We use under bed storage boxes so they have plenty of room to scrabble around.

Don’t they wake you up?

Haha they're not actually under the bed. Just boxes that fit under the bed. However they do love to wake us up in multiple different other ways!
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