Which tray is best for a kitten and a cat: variety of choices

A tray for a small pet is an essential item. The success of toilet training a kitten largely depends on the correct choice of litter box. The modern pet industry offers a huge number of different models: from the simplest and most budget-friendly to the super-functional and expensive. In order not to get confused in the store, it is useful to get acquainted with the advantages and disadvantages of different models in advance.

What to consider when choosing?

When choosing a model, you need to take into account not only the preferences of your little pet, but also the ease of use of the tray for humans: cleaning, absorption of unwanted odors, transportability. It is important to immediately decide on the location for the toilet so that you know what size will suit you. Experienced breeders give the following recommendations:

1. The kitten should easily climb into the container, so you need to choose a height for the sides so that they do not become an obstacle for the baby. Otherwise, he may relieve himself not in the right place, but nearby.
2. Size is very important: it should not constrain the animal.
3. It is better to decide in advance on the type of model - open or closed.
4. Pallets made of lightweight plastic are easily overturned, so it is better to choose more stable options.
5. If the model is difficult to care for, it is not easy to wash it and remove the filler, it is better to abandon it. Cats are very clean and can ignore a poorly cleaned litter box.

The cost of an accessory does not always determine the right decision. The most important points are comfort and suitable size. If the tray is inconvenient for the baby, the process of toilet training will be delayed and will require additional effort and time from you.

How to train a kitten to go to the litter box

The headache of all owners of small kittens and puppies is to teach them to relieve themselves where they need to, and not where they want.

You should choose a tray with low sides so that the baby can climb into it on his own, and add a thin layer of filler to the bottom. You need to put the kitten in the tray after sleep, active games, 20 minutes after eating, stroking its belly. When you first get acquainted with the potty, you should scrape the filler a little with your fingers to interest the baby.

If the kitten has gone big outside the toilet, you need to put the pile in the tray and show it to your pet. As soon as he sits down somewhere with the clear intention of defecating, you need to carefully transfer him to the tray. Places where the kitten mistakenly went should be thoroughly washed so that the animal is not tempted to reuse them for the toilet. Experienced cat owners advise putting food or water there after cleaning, then the pet will disdain to go to the toilet nearby.

Important! You cannot hit the kitten, pull it by the scruff of the neck, or shout at it. This behavior of the owners further aggravates the animal’s reluctance to go to the toilet in a specially designated place.

It’s worth trying different fillers for the litter tray; perhaps the kitten will like some of them more.

Plastic tray with low sides

This is the most popular option. It is as simple as possible, it looks like a plastic pallet with sides of different heights and shapes.

Advantages:

• does not create obstacles for the kitten, as it is convenient to climb into it;
• inexpensive, therefore, if necessary (violation of integrity, the appearance of a persistent odor that cannot be gotten rid of), it can easily be replaced with a new one;
• convenience when replacing the filler, which can be easily poured into a bag or drain;
• easy to clean – a one-piece open container without additional parts can be washed without difficulty;
• transportability – plastic products are lightweight and compact, they can easily be moved or taken on a trip.

Flaws:

• does not protect against scattering of filler due to low sides;
• The plastic is quite soft, so over time it will inevitably develop scratches that cannot be washed out;
• requires the mandatory use of filler;
• Does not block unwanted odors.

One of the modifications is a pot with sides curved inward. It is more practical, as it prevents the filler from spreading, but is less practical to maintain. It is not easy to wash the inner surface of such sides, and it is not always possible to shake out the dirty filling right away: the pieces fall under the bend, and it is difficult to get rid of them without additional equipment.

Plastic toilet with grate

It is a regular plastic tray with a mesh insert inside. We can say that this is an improved modification of a simple tray.

Advantages:

• the grid protects the kitten’s paws from getting wet, so all the liquid flows to the bottom;
• solid feces remain on the mesh and can be easily removed with a dustpan;
• easy to clean: both the tray and the grill can be easily washed with a stream of water;
• the filler does not spread around and does not stick to the cat’s paws, that is, it does not spread throughout the apartment, as it is usually poured under the net.

Flaws:

• does not block unpleasant odors without filler;
• It is more difficult to clean than usual, since it consists of two parts;
• Disliked by cats who prefer to bury excrement.

The option with a grid involves a little trick: you can pour just a little heavy filler (mineral, silica gel or clumping) onto the grid, and a well-absorbing filler under the grid. This way the cat will have something to scratch, but the smell will remain in the lower part of the tray and will not spread throughout the house.

Recommendations for use

A tray with high sides may be uncomfortable for older cats, so you may need to provide a step or cutout on the side.

If litter is used in a cat's litter box, then it should be covered with a thick layer of 5-6 cm. This amount will allow you to change the contents less often.

A house on a bench - this can also be placed in the corridor of an ordinary apartment, for example, in the hallway

If your cat doesn't bury her waste, she's trying to signal that the litter box is full or doesn't have enough litter.

You need to wash the tray at least once a month, ideally every time you completely change the filler. Products are best used with a neutral odor and wash off easily. You can sprinkle baking soda under the litter; many cat owners claim that this really neutralizes the unpleasant odor.

Important! A cat walking outside can be a carrier of toxoplasmosis or helminthiasis, so children and pregnant women should not come into contact with the litter tray, as infection is most dangerous for them.

High-sided toilet

Such modifications are suitable for older kittens and adult animals. They usually consist of two parts - a pallet and a removable frame.

Advantages:

• high walls and a frame around the edges protect the room from contamination: granules do not fly out, even if the cat paddles with all his might;
• easy to clean: the frame is removed and the container is washed under running water;
• it is possible to increase the volume of filler to reduce the unpleasant aroma;
• the design allows you to insert a bag or film inside and fix it with its sides; this greatly simplifies the process of replacing the filler: it is simply removed along with the bag and thrown away.

Flaws:

• not compact: takes up quite a lot of space, may not fit in a small bathroom;
• for small kittens it is very high - they cannot climb into it, so it is more suitable for teenagers and adult animals.

Hint: a tray with sides can be installed outside of the bathroom - if there is not enough space there. For example, some owners place the cat litter box on a closed loggia or in the hallway.

Rating of the best litter boxes (trays) for cats for 2021

Open models

This is the most common type. It is easier to clean, wash and disinfect a tray of this type. In addition, they are much cheaper.

Triol P666

This sample is shaped like a triangle. Thanks to this parameter, the toilet can be placed in any corner of the house, and it will not be so conspicuous.

The model has sides, they are high and rounded. This is another advantage, since the filling will not spill out over the edges.

As for the material, the manufacturer uses plastic, and what I would like to note is that it is of high quality. It is easy to care for and treating with disinfectants is also not difficult. The set includes a special scoop for cleaning.

The cost of all this pleasure is 1130 rubles.

Triol P666

Advantages:

• The tray does not turn over under the weight of the animal;
• The dimensions and shape are optimal for any room;
• Nice color scheme.

Flaws:

• Not detected.

SAVIC Aseo

The sample price is slightly less. In appearance it resembles a trough. The design is quite simple, but the design is, let's say, ergonomic.

This option is suitable for those furry ones who love to dig deeper into the filler. There is a deep space here, filled with a lot of filler. When digging, the contents do not fly out.

The plastic used in production does not absorb odor and does not release it into the environment. You can increase the space of the tray with a simple movement, just by removing the profile.

Despite the fact that the sides are high, it will not be difficult for a small kitten to get in thanks to the lower height of the edge.

SAVIC Aseo

Advantages:

• Reasonable price – 814 rubles;
• In terms of size, the capacity increases and is suitable not for one, but for two cats at once;
• Easy to care for.

Flaws:

• Not shock resistant, material may crack.

Modern Lift to Sift Large

An interesting model in its design, which has a one-piece body. There is a grille and, just like in previous models, sides, they are high here too, but only on three sides, the fourth does not have them and is open. The animal gets inside through this side.

The grille does not deform from the weight of even a heavy cat, since the material is very dense plastic.

Modern Lift to Sift Large

Advantages:

• Attractive appearance;
• The space around will not be polluted;
• The drive may not be used here.

Flaws:

• The smell is absorbed into the material;
• In this case, product maintenance is carried out more often.

Moderna Arist – O – Tray Small

The most budget option in this line. Its cost is only 170 rubles. Unlike all previous samples, this one has low sides. This product is aimed at consumers who have small kittens at home who are already trained to go to the toilet in a litter box. The color scheme looks quite impressive.

The design itself is very simple, but at the same time it ensures the kitten can easily get inside. The dimensions of this model are neither large nor small, but the most optimal for easy and simple handling and emptying of contents.

It wouldn’t be a shame to replace such a tray more than once in a few months if its integrity is damaged.

Moderna Arist – O – Tray Small

Advantages:

• Budget cost;
• Cleaning this plastic is very easy;
• The shape ensures unobstructed care even in the deepest corners.

Flaws:

• The presence of low sides does not protect against spilling of contents;
• The plastic, which is soft in texture, is not shock-resistant;
• It can absorb unpleasant odors and spread them around the room.

Imac Fred

The tray model is interesting in its design. The presence of high sides and rounded edges are all ideal parameters for adult cats. On top of all this is high-quality and very durable plastic. Long-term operation is a positive aspect when choosing for the consumer himself.

Due to the thoughtful design, the floor around is not dirty. The filler will remain inside, even with the most intense movement of the cat.

The angular shape allows you to place the tray in any secluded place in the room, to hide it, so to speak, from prying eyes. It will be easier for your pet to climb inside thanks to the recesses on those same sides.

If the owner feels that there is an unpleasant odor in the apartment, just add a little filler, and not

Imac Fred

Advantages:

• Thoughtful form;
• Long term use;
• Prevents contamination around the tray.

Flaws:

• The model is aimed exclusively at adult breeds; small ones will have difficulty getting inside;
• It is not cheap - about 1300 rubles.

Closed models

Such samples represent a kind of image of a house, and according to experts, animals feel more comfortable in them than, say, in open trays. With these species, it is common to remove the top cover to change the contents.

Let's look at representatives of this type.

Modern Trendy Cat Cats In Love

Will ideally fit into the interior of any room. The material is very durable, its quality is capable of preventing the spread of odors that are unpleasant to humans. In addition, the material is very resistant to damage. There will be no scratches, chips, or broken parts.

Let's take a look at the building. It consists of two parts - upper and lower. They are detachable. By removing the upper part, the lower part can be used to train small kittens to the tray, and when the pet grows up, he will feel comfortable in a closed tray. The existing handle on the lid is used to carry the entire structure.

Manufacturers included a dustpan and a carbon filter in the set. They greatly simplify the cleaning process.

Modern Trendy Cat Cats In Love

Advantages:

• Attractive design;
• Large dimensions;
• Durable and high quality material;
• The existing filter absorbs odor.

Flaws:

• A somewhat high price - a little more than 2 thousand rubles;
• To wash the tray, you must first disassemble it and then reassemble it.

Curver Pet Life

Perhaps the most versatile model in terms of the size of the furry household. If the tray will be used for a small kitten, then to make it easier for him to get inside, the manufacturer has provided a small step.

Environmentally friendly and very durable material, combined with a convenient design, justify the not-so-low price, namely 4,700 rubles.

An improvised house - the toilet consists of two parts. In addition, there is a small space where a scoop is placed - a spatula and a handle, which is attached to the lid before carrying.

Curver Pet Life

Advantages:

• Convenient to carry;
• Attractive design;
• Versatile in use.

Flaws:

• It costs expensive.

Ferplast Maxi Bella

Here we are dealing with a manufacturer from Italy. Designed for use as a litter box for large cats. Or suitable for such an option as several cats. Two collapsible parts allow for simplified maintenance. The lid itself contains a filter to reduce unpleasant odors.

The cat can get inside without any hindrance. When digging through the filler, you shouldn’t be afraid that it will end up on the floor. The case is reliably protected from opening.

Those who have already become the proud owner of this model note that urine does not flow into the corners and does not remain there when washing.

Ferplast Maxi Bella

Advantages:

• Can be purchased for both cats and small breed dogs;
• High-quality execution;
• Great looks.

Flaws:

• Despite the fact that this sample costs slightly less than the previous one, it still remains expensive - 4,300 rubles.

SAVIC Duchesse

The most budget model in this product category. The cost is a little more than 800 rubles.

There are some restrictions when purchasing, for example, the product is aimed at kittens. It is worth accustoming to this tray gradually. First, unfasten the lid and leave the tray as it is so that the animal gets used to it. When the process becomes a habit, the lid can be returned. The attachment design of the lid and tray is very reliable. If you try to turn the house over, the individual parts will not separate, and the litter with excrement will not fall out.

At the “entrance” inside there is a plastic makeshift door. It opens inward.

Ease of use and maintenance results in low cost.

SAVIC Duchesse tray

Advantages:

• Affordable price;
• Transparent door that allows you to control the contents;
• Nice appearance.

Flaws:

• Not suitable for large breeds.

Home Cat

The last example in the rating. Quite a simple design, but despite its simplicity, the design is resistant to turning over.

You can buy a Home Cat when you are still a baby and keep it for a long time, when the pet becomes an adult. Dimensions are suitable for both options. The smooth material does not allow liquid to linger on the walls inside and dry out; everything flows down. As for the entrance opening, it is quite large here. And just like in the previous version, the door is transparent. Therefore, in order to see how things are inside and whether it is worth replacing the filling, you just need to look through the door inside, and not disassemble the two parts, unfastening them from each other.

Home Cat tray

Advantages:

• Tall and comfortable toilet for a pet;
• Easy to disassemble and assemble;
• Increased wear and tear due to the thick plastic used in production.

Flaws:

• Not detected.

Tray with ventilation

A relatively inexpensive modern model that replaces a dry closet. Suitable for installation not only in the bathroom, but also in most places in the house.

Pros:

• has an additional tray with holes through which air flows;
• constant air movement ensures rapid drying of the filler substrate;
• perfectly blocks unpleasant odors;
• is a budget version of a dry closet.

Minuses:

• the cat steps on the granules with its paws, they can stick and spread around the apartment;
• requires maintenance (washing), unlike automatic dry closets.

The most suitable type of filler for such a toilet is silica gel or clumping.

Automatic dry toilet

The automatic dry closet is an original self-cleaning design.

Tray houses (closed)

Such options are suitable for pets who love to dig or shy individuals. When choosing such a design, you need to take into account the comfort for the baby and ease of care (some tray houses are difficult to wash). They are available in different sizes, designed for kittens and adult cats.

Pros:

• good blocking of unpleasant odors;
• protection against spillage of filler;
• aesthetic design, due to which you can install a tray-house right in the room.

Minuses:

• bulkiness - this model is not suitable for small apartments;
• difficulty in cleaning or, another option, constant change of filter mats, and this involves additional expenses.

There are many modifications of litter boxes, the main thing when choosing is to take into account the dimensions of the pet. The cat should feel free inside. You can buy a toilet for kittens to grow up with.

Corner tray

As the name suggests, this tray can be placed in a secluded corner. This model is especially convenient to use in a small apartment when there is no space to install a rectangular tray. Therefore, if you have little space in your apartment, it is definitely better to choose a corner litter box for your kitten.

The toilet has an ergonomic shape with rounded corners. It can be the simplest, with a mesh, with a filter, or even in the form of a house. This is a combined type of closed and corner trays.

The open version of the corner model is equipped with high sides. Due to this, granules of hygienic filler do not spill out.

Popular cat litter models

Below is a selection of models from various manufacturers that are in great demand.

NETTA Open

A simple cat litter box with high sides at the back and sides, a lower side at the front and a wide, perforated step to keep litter out of the paws.

Tray toilet NETTA Open

Minimum cost*—950 rub. excluding delivery.

Imac DUO

A regular deep tray with a side and an attached scoop stand. Costs about 1500 rubles.

Snail, or Clean Paws

The “snail” tray is a closed structure resembling a shell, with steps at the entrance. Coming out of the tray, the cat walks along the ladder and thus shakes off the remaining litter from its paws. The top of the structure is equipped with a filter that absorbs unpleasant odors.

This cat litter box has an aesthetic appearance and is usually liked by furry pets because of the additional sense of security. Individual snail toilets are designed pieces of art.

When choosing this option, make sure that the design allows you to easily clean the pot. It may be difficult to train a kitten that is used to an open litter box. Decide which tray is best for a kitten based on its characteristics.

Self-sifting toilet

Perhaps the most hygienic option of all trays. All you need is to tilt the tray to the side, and the soiled filler will be poured through the mesh into a special tray. You then remove the tray and throw the waste into the trash. You don't have to go through such a tedious and unpleasant procedure as sifting through used cat litter with a spatula. Everything happens automatically.

It should be noted that not all animals like this design - it is not very stable. And the price is steep (from 5,000 rubles). Often you can only buy such a tray in a foreign online store.

Disposable cat litter

Many cat owners, when choosing a tray, by the question “which tray is best for a kitten” mean the question “which tray is more convenient for me?” Therefore, their choice often falls on disposable cat litter.

The main advantage of disposable cat litter is that the kitten owner gets rid of unpleasant procedures: emptying the tray of used litter, cleaning and washing the tray before the next fill of litter. Instead, the used disposable toilet is thrown away and a new one is installed in its place.

A disposable cat litter box is a box made of micro-corrugated cardboard, inside there is a plastic tray into which heat-treated granules of natural opal-cristobalite sorbent with a high ability to absorb and retain odors are poured. The service life of a disposable tray is approximately a month.

Significant disadvantages: you still have to remove solid excrement yourself with a scoop, and you need to buy a tray quite often.

Tips for choosing

There are two main categories into which we can roughly divide them all:

• open;
• closed.

And within these categories they are divided into those that have bars and those that do not, those that have sides and those that do not. There are disposable and reusable, as well as biotoilets. There are also portable ones that you can take with you when transporting an animal.

Let's talk about some aspects when choosing. Let's look at them below.

The undisputed leader in this list of criteria is the material. Often, trays are made of plastic. A product will be of high quality if the material is durable. There should be no crunching sounds at the moment when a cat enters it. Deformation should also not occur. Speaking about the material, let's talk about the smell. It should not exist, since its presence will have a negative impact. For example, the animal will refuse to go into this tray.

It is also necessary to pay attention to the design. It is selected individually for the cat. If your pet likes to stir up the contents or throw something out of it, then the choice in this case is obvious, and you need to buy the option with high sides. Well, for fairly calm “personalities”, you can purchase a classic version of an open tray.

The presence or absence of a grille. In fact, this is a very convenient thing that can even be called multifunctional. Firstly, the pet’s paws do not get dirty, and secondly, cleaning such a tray is much easier.

And a few more important criteria:

1. Price. This is not to say that cheap trays are bad and expensive ones are good. The price should be commensurate with the material, functionality and design.
2. Dimensions. This is an individual criterion. For example, for a large cat it would be impractical to buy a small tray. It simply won't fit there. This parameter must be observed especially when choosing a closed type.
3. Weight. The lung will roll over as the animal digs.
4. Care. The easier it is to clean, the better. There should be no hard-to-reach places.
5. Design. It is advisable not to have bright colors.

An interesting point is that in the opinion of the pet owner, the toilet may be the most comfortable, convenient and multifunctional, but for the cat the opposite may be true. If you notice stiffness or uncertainty, then you should change the model.

And now, let's move on to a direct review of the best models.

Toilet nozzles

The toilet cover is a simulator for accustoming a cat to the toilet and looks like a regular tray. They are installed on the rim of the toilet and are initially used as a regular toilet with filler.

As the cat gets accustomed to the tray, a hole is made in the center of the pad, which expands over time. Many models are a ready-made “pyramid”, where you don’t need to cut anything: the hole is expanded by first removing a small rim, then a larger one, then even more, and so on.

As soon as the animal begins to steadily do its business in the toilet, the nozzle is removed. Of course, training takes quite a long time. Therefore, it is recommended to choose a regular kitten tray as a backup option to avoid unpleasant surprises near the toilet or in the secluded corners of your apartment.