How to choose a litter box your cat will actually use

Pick a box about one and a half times your cat's length, give each cat their own box plus one spare, and put them somewhere quiet. Then match the style to the cat: open or enclosed, high sides for cats who aim high or dig, and a low entry for seniors.

Start with size

A cramped box makes cats more likely to perch on the edge, miss or kick litter out.

The common rule of thumb is a box about one and a half times your cat's length, measured from the nose to the base of the tail. A cat who measures 40 cm (16 in) would ideally have a box about 60 cm (24 in) long. At the very least, your cat should be able to turn around without touching the sides.

Our Stainless Steel Litter Box comes in six sizes, from 40 x 30 cm (15.7 x 11.8 in) up to 60 x 40 cm (23.6 x 15.7 in), with basins 10 to 20 cm (3.9 to 7.9 in) deep. Pick by floor space first, then by how hard your cat digs.

How many boxes you need

The usual rule is one box per cat, plus one. One cat gets two boxes, and two cats get three.

Spread them out rather than lining them up in one room, so no cat can guard them all, and put a box on each floor of a home with stairs.

Enclosed or open?

Enclosed boxes keep litter in and smells out of the room, and plenty of cats like the privacy. Others will not walk into a hood at all, especially nervous cats who like to see what is coming.

The XXL Litter Box with Steel Basin measures 44.5 x 34.5 x 37.5 cm (17.5 x 13.6 x 14.8 in), with room for a large cat such as a Maine Coon to turn around. It has a front swing door, a top hatch for scooping and a steel basin that slides out like a drawer. The Dome Litter Box takes a cat up to 13.6 kg (30 lb) and has a tinted privacy door, a charcoal filter in the lid to absorb odor, and a lid that lifts straight off.

Switching from an open tray? Go gradually:

1. Set the new box up next to the old one and keep both in use.
2. If the door or hood comes off, start without it.
3. Remove the old box once your cat uses the new one reliably.

High rims for high pee-ers and diggers

Some cats stand up to pee, and some dig like they are tunneling out. Both send litter over the edge of a shallow tray.

The High-Rim Litter Box has an inward-curving lip that catches the spray from a cat who aims high, and an open top, so a nervous cat steps in over the rim instead of into a tunnel. It is sized for a full-size adult cat and comes with a clip-on scoop.

The High-Sided Litter Tray is 37 x 26 cm (14.6 x 10.2 in) with 15 cm (5.9 in) sides and a see-through shield over the back and sides, open at the front and top. It suits kittens through to medium adults. For a committed digger, choose the 20 cm (7.9 in) basin of the Stainless Steel Litter Box.

Stainless steel or plastic?

Most litter boxes are plastic, and plastic works. Stainless steel is smooth and non-porous, though, so it does not scratch or absorb odor the way plastic does after a year, and litter wipes straight out. The XXL pairs a plastic hood with a 304 stainless steel basin.

A box for trips

The Portable Litter Box is small enough to travel with. It is fully enclosed with a lift-off lid and takes a standard trash bag as a liner, so a full change takes about ten seconds. Because it is built small, keep it for trips rather than as the everyday box for a big cat.

Where to put it

• Somewhere quiet with little foot traffic, away from noisy appliances.
• Away from food and water. Cats do not like to eat next to their bathroom.
• Easy to reach at any hour, never behind a door that might get shut.
• With a clear view of the room, so your cat does not feel cornered.

Keep it clean

Scoop at least once a day. A dirty box is one of the most common reasons cats start going elsewhere.

Every week or two, empty the box, wash it with warm water and a mild, unscented soap, dry it and refill it. Strong-smelling cleaners can put cats off.

For litter that tracks out on paws, the Honeycomb Litter Mat has two layers of soft EVA foam. Litter falls through into the lower layer, and you tip it back into the box.

The mat is waterproof and wipes, rinses or vacuums clean. Pick a size that covers the exit side with room for a couple of steps: 30 x 30 cm (11.8 x 11.8 in), 40 x 50 cm (15.7 x 19.7 in) or 45 x 60 cm (17.7 x 23.6 in).

Our boxes at a glance

Senior and arthritic cats need a low entry

Older cats and cats with stiff joints can find it hard to step over a high side or duck into a hood. If getting in hurts, they may start going beside the box instead.

To be clear about our range: none of these boxes is a low-entry design. The enclosed XXL, Dome and Portable boxes, the High-Rim Litter Box and the High-Sided Litter Tray, with its 15 cm (5.9 in) sides, are not ideal for a cat who struggles to step up. The shallowest Stainless Steel Litter Box sizes still stand 17 to 19 cm (6.7 to 7.5 in) tall, so measure that against your cat first.

For a stiff cat, look for a box with one side low enough to walk over, keep it on the floor where they spend most of their time, and talk to your vet about their joints.

When to call the vet

If a cat who has always used the box suddenly starts going elsewhere, book a vet check before you change anything else. A change in litter box habits can be a sign of a health problem, not bad behavior. A cat who strains and passes little or nothing needs a vet the same day.

Still not sure?

Send us your cat's length from nose to base of tail, their age and the space you have, and we will help you choose. Email contact@honeyandpaw.com.