Choosing a cat litter box based on their pros and cons

One of the important aspects of creating a comfortable environment for your pet is the proper arrangement of the cat’s toilet. The more you know about your cat's habits, the easier it will be to choose the perfect option, so arm yourself with knowledge and read our review of the best cat litter. We will look at all types of trays (open, closed, with and without bars, with sides, travel and disposable), and also talk about new products - bio- and auto-toilets.

Criteria for evaluating cat litter

The characteristics of the pet and the owner’s preferences in the frequency of cleaning significantly influence the answer to the question: which litter box is the best for a cat. The following criteria will help you decide on the appropriate type of cat litter.

1. Material – almost all trays are made of plastic of varying quality. The main thing is to make sure that it does not smell of chemicals and does not bend under slight weight. Cats have a sensitive sense of smell and will simply reject a pungent-smelling litter box.
2. Tray design - if you are the owner of a timid cat or someone who likes to rummage through the litter until they go crazy and throw it out of the toilet, then closed toilets with protection from prying eyes and walls to hold the litter inside the structure are suitable for you. The open type is suitable for owners of several cats, as it is immediately clear when cleaning is necessary.
3. Size – small trays, although they look neat, are actually only suitable for kittens. An adult cat needs a toilet that is more spacious so that it can easily turn around, and for closed types it is important to choose the height of the top lid, otherwise the cat will not be able to straighten up inside the toilet house.
4. The need to use filler - a lattice-limiter will allow you not to spend money on filler, but not every cat will agree to this option; it is better to accustom it to such a tray from a young age.
5. Cost – traditional litter boxes with or without bars are cheap, and you can buy two of them at once, which, by the way, cats love. Expensive dry closets and self-cleaning trays are a serious purchase, and it’s worth weighing the pros and cons, because in addition to buying the filler, you will need special cartridges, cleaning products and sprays.
6. Ease of cleaning - open toilets are quick to clean, however, in the absence of filler, a difficult-to-clean residue may form in the corners of the tray. Closed toilets should be easy to disassemble and not have hard-to-reach areas where dirt can accumulate.

Review of popular types of litter boxes for cats:

Reviews from Breeders

Many cat owners prefer litter boxes. Among them, most breeders prefer products with high sides, which prevent granules from scattering around the room.

Devices with mesh require regular washing and cleaning. Dry toilets and automatic devices do not require regular cleaning or filler. However, such products have a high cost. Judging by the reviews of many breeders, it is possible to accustom a cat to a regular toilet using special attachments. This option is not suitable for kittens and pregnant animals.

Choosing a litter box for your cat is an important process. The cleanliness of the apartment, the absence of odor, and the comfort of the cat depend on its correct selection.

Types of trays

Traditional (ordinary) tray

This model of cat litter is a standard plastic tray with low sides, usually a laconic rectangular shape with straight or slightly rounded corners; corner (triangular) types of litter are less common. The absence of a grid implies the mandatory use of filler. We talked about how to choose the right type of filler in this article.

Advice! Place a rubberized mat under the tray, this will make the tray more stable and the fallen filler granules will not spread too far.

Open tray with grid

A traditional toilet with a plastic grid-limiter fixed directly above the tray capacity. This design allows you to keep your cat's paws clean, but requires frequent and quick cleaning. A good option for those who do not want to buy litter, however, the cat must also approve of this solution to its needs.

Advice! Take a tray made of thick plastic so that the grid does not press under the weight of the animal, otherwise the cat will soak its paws in its feces. Try to lightly press the grate with your hand and estimate the distance to the bottom of the tray (the optimal value is at least 2 cm).

Please note that this model of cat litter makes it difficult to clean up solid feces, as they can dry out between the grid cells.

Tray with sides

Included with the standard plastic tray (with or without a grid) is an additional high side, secured with clips along the edges. This tray is suitable for those owners whose pets often miss the low sides of the toilet and stain the walls, for cats of large breeds and those who like to dig around and scatter litter around the area adjacent to the tray.

If a grate is included in the package, the toilet can be used without filler. If there is no grate, then the most convenient solution is to purchase garbage bags or film and cover the bottom tray with it, press the edges with the sides and at the end add the usual filler. Even a child can clean such a tray; you just need to carefully remove the film with all the contents and lay a new one.

Closed tray house

A type of litter box that will make cats feel protected. It has an aesthetic appearance and can be placed in any room of the apartment, as it holds unpleasant odors inside well. This option is perfect for those who do not want to keep the toilet door constantly open for the cat to access the litter box.

When purchasing, be sure to pay attention to how easily the upper part of the house can be detached from the lower tray. After all, such a house will have to be cleaned as often as open models. The bag-at-the-bottom tip works here too.

These litter boxes come standard with a door, which not all cats accept and use the tray as a personal bed and sleep inside. In such cases, we recommend simply removing the door while they adapt to the new litter box. Alas, such a decision will affect the spread of odor in the room where the toilet is located.

Try showing your pet how the door works several times, especially if you are going to accustom your kitten to a closed type of tray. By the way, we have a detailed guide on how to train a kitten and a cat over 6 months old to use a litter box.

This type of toilet also includes cabinet trays, but they are usually made to order. Caring for such toilets is a little more difficult due to the characteristics of the materials used and design solutions.

Dry toilet for cats

The biotrough is a subtype of closed toilets with the difference that special carbon filters are built into the design of the trough, which perfectly absorb any odors, and a shovel. A replacement filter plate lasts for 5-7 months of use. It is advisable to place a special antibacterial napkin at the bottom of the tray, which will prevent bacteria from multiplying inside the toilet. Such a tray will allow you to change the filling less often, but it is better to remove solid feces immediately.

The cost of such a biological toilet is higher than a closed toilet house, for which you will receive protection from cat odor in the apartment and a drawer for the filler; all other advantages and disadvantages are similar to those described above. On the market, dry toilets for cats are most often represented by Japanese and Italian manufacturers.

Automatic toilets

Know-how in organizing the toilet issue in cats with self-cleaning and a decent price tag. The cat toilet is connected to the sewer system, cold water supply, electrical network, and is an almost completely autonomous device for cleaning cat waste. You will need to think in advance about the place where you decide to place this miracle, but most likely it will be either a toilet or a household room with access to a sewerage system. All the owner will need to take care of after installation is changing the cleaning agent cartridges and purchasing a washable filler.

Cats may be afraid of such a smart litter box, especially if they see the cleaning process, which takes as much as 30 minutes. However, do not worry about the safety of the cat; the sensors will not turn on cleaning when it is directly on the tray.

How to place it in an apartment or house

The tray must be placed in such a place that it is easy and convenient for the animal to reach it, while at the same time it should not be distracted by anything. It is usually installed in the toilet, in houses most often in the restrooms on the first floor. They make a special hole in the door or leave it ajar.

There are cases when the toilet is placed as far away as possible, hiding it in the far corner of the room. This is a common mistake; the animal needs space to do its business. Cats often begin to scratch their paws and dig holes in the poured litter - this is their reflex feature.

Top 10 cat litters

The rating is presented by models that our editors recognized as the best in their segment (traditional, with a grate, with high sides, a toilet-house, a composting toilet, an automatic toilet and a travel tray). Each model has a brief description, approximate cost and a link to the store where you can buy the tray.

Cleaning and preventive disinfection

The cat litter box must be kept clean at all times, as it is a reservoir of parasites and unpleasant odors.
Feces often contain parasite eggs, which can get on the animal’s fur and subsequently on humans, which leads to some unpleasant diseases. This is especially dangerous for children, pregnant women and family members with reduced immunity. Every day and regularly after the animal uses the toilet, it is necessary to remove the waste products. There are special blades and other devices for this. At least 2 times a week, the filler is completely changed and the tray is washed. And once a week it is recommended to disinfect the toilet and the place where it is located. It is necessary to select a special product so that the smell does not repel the cat.

About problems that often arise

Of course, not everyone succeeds in raising an animal the first time. Most often, the owner will face the following problems:

• It happens that a stubborn furry person has chosen a certain place to relieve his needs - and that’s it! No matter what direction the owner points, the animal does not want to give up. The simplest thing in this case is to surrender to the owner, placing the tray in the place chosen by the cat. If such a step is not possible, you need to cover the area with something that will interfere with the cat’s ability to fulfill its needs.
• Sometimes cats become capricious if they don't like the litter box itself. For example, it may resemble something unpleasant like a carrier . In this case, there is nothing left but to purchase a new toilet.
• The whim may also concern the filler. The advice is the same - you should experiment with different options. You can even avoid using filler altogether by placing a grid on the tray.
• If the cat is not the only one in the family, he may neglect someone else's place due to his natural cleanliness. In this case, you need to purchase a separate tray. However, this is sometimes necessary even when the animal wants to have different trays for different whims.

Toilet training a kitten just seems like a difficult task. In fact, this breed gets used to it quite quickly due to its natural aristocracy and intelligence. If the baby is confused, you can always use the above recommendations.

Source

Frequent difficulties

Raising a British pet is not easy, especially if a person is experiencing it for the first time. There are a number of difficulties that owners of luxury pets often face. It happens that a stubborn cat has chosen another place for his toilet and flatly refuses to relieve his needs in the tray. In this case, there are two options to solve the problem. Firstly, the owner can make concessions: put the tray in a favorite place. But if such a rearrangement is impossible, then block access to this place for the cat. It happens that the cat simply does not like this tray. He may remind her of something unpleasant. Then only buying a new toilet can help. If this applies specifically to the filler, then it is worth replacing it.

Automatic restrooms

Self-cleaning automatic litter boxes are purchased by wealthy cat lovers. The devices are connected to cold water. The liquid seeps through the thickness of the sorbent and is sent to the sewer. Sensors record the time you visit the toilet so that cleaning can begin 10 minutes later. The spatula collects solid fractions and directs them into a special container. The machine washes the absorbent granules from odorous compounds, dries and refills the tray. There is no need to change the filler. During cleaning, the cat is removed from the unit so that the operation of the automation does not frighten the pet. Go to the online store.

Automatic dry toilet