Top tips for litter trays

[PuttingOnTheKitsch]

I'm getting a rescue cat this week. He will eventually be going outside, but until then we'll need a litter tray. He's a big lad and the rescue have said that his aim is sometimes less than true.

Any tips on litter trays and generally minimising smell and hassle? It's been a long time since I've had a cat at the litter tray stage.

Puppy pads around the litter tray.

Didn't matter how big a tray I got, or even a covered one, one of mine would still wee over the edge (or stick her bum out of the entrance)

High sided tray, puppy pads and clumping litter so the tray is always clean.

Congratulations on your new arrival! I have 9 cats, both indoor and outdoor. For the lndoor trays, I wouldn't buy anything other than Tranquille mineral based litter with carbon. Absolutely zero smell, the wee clumps into dry balls so it's very easy to clean and although pricey, you use less and can just top up regularly. It's available on Amazon U.K., not sure where else as I'm in europe. For the tray itself, if he's a big chap with a dubious aim, do get a large but covered tray which reduces overspill and smell as well as giving him privacy!

High sided tray.
Decent clumping litter - I use vancat.
Litter crumb catcher mats around tray.
Keep scoop and bags close by so they're handy.

Covered litter tray and wood based litter. It turns to sawdust with wee, that can then be sieved out so less waste, poops are easy to pick out with a poop bag and there is little to no smell.

You will still need a litter tray, even when he goes out.

The deeper the better.
Once you find a litter you like, order a couple in reserve as it is so hard to get hold of at the moment.
Someone told me a lot of litter comes ftom Ukraine.

For cats inclined to hang their arses out of the litter tray entrance, a 'top loader' as opposed to a front loader may be a better bet and they tend to have higher sides. We have one and there's never any overspill.

Thank you everyone for your replies. I am stood in Pets at Home reading them all. I've got puppy pads already, as I figured they'd be helpful.

@pantherrose I did ponder about a toploader for him. I might wait and see how he does with a high-sided first. He is a chunk, so although the exercise might do him good, I'm not sure how keen he'll be on jumping in and out.

Pets at home do a really good neutralising powder and spray that we found great when we first got our rescues!! Also definitely doggy poo bags to clean it out, and tbh I cleaned ours like twice a day to make sure it didn't smell. Was so glad when they went outside! I'd get two trays as well (one per cat and a spare).

We had a toploader:

Pros - no litter tracked all over the house
no stray wees

Cons - as the cat got old and arthritic they hated it
DH hated cleaning it as it was much harder than an ordinary tray

Ultimately DH had the deciding vote and it's back to normal tray.

10 cats here, I find Catit covered trays are good. I can't abide wood litter as I find it does smell I use Tigerino Canada Clay, no smell, easy to scoop and lasts ages. the only drawback is that it's heavy. Available from Bitiba or Zooplus.

I have this tray for our big boy and it’s great:
www.argos.co.uk/product/8509242?clickSR=slp:term:corner%20litter%20tray:1:15:1

As other posters have said, clumping litter is the best. We use Worlds Best Cat Litter, from Amazon. Also we use felight spray and powder to neutralise anything a bit stinky.

Good luck with your new boy!

We have a stainless steel litter tray that looks like you'd roast a giant turkey in it. It means we can clean it properly - in my experience plastic always absorbs odours over time. It's big and high sided (DCat is a chonk).

Clumping litter. We use Natusan which is great although it does track a bit. We have a little dustpan and brush next to the tray.

But more importantly than anything - high quality food. We feed Katkin and DCat barely poos at all and there is zero smell. There is a thread about KatKin.

I have just come back to pay the tax and thank you all for your advice. I got a large high-sided tray, a big mat for underneath it and some clumping litter. It's been a doddle so far, so much less hassle than our dearly departed guinea pigs!

Awww he looks lovely! And big!
Hope he is settling in well.

Oh gosh he's gorgeous OP, what a handsome chap and looking very relaxed! He's a lucky boy to have found you, thanks for the update and photo x

Thank you for the compliments. He's an absolute pudding of a cat. He is on my knee, purring, as I type this.