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

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.

Rating of the best indoor toilets for cats

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.

Types and manufacturers

There are three types of cat toilets. They are fundamentally different from each other, although they have a common function - independent drainage of excrement without direct human participation:

1. A device similar to a human one, but filled with special granules. For example, CatGenie products. There is no need to pour the usual filler into such a toilet. It is filled with special granules, through which liquid excrement flows into the drain. Solids are collected with a special rotating scoop. The owner can set a convenient cleaning time: the tank will wash itself, the granules will be cleaned and dried. This type of self-cleaning cat litter requires a connection to sewerage and electricity. You can do this yourself or call a plumber. Suitable for almost all cat breeds. Equipped with a sensor.

   The CatGenie automatic toilet requires minimal human intervention during the cleaning process

2. A device similar to a human one, without granules. No different from the ones people use, except that you need to add your preferred filler. It’s possible without it at all, but many cats refuse to go into a tank that they can’t dig into. This also includes sensory toilets that do not require filler. They work like this: the cat comes in, does its business, and leaves. The sensor reads presence. When the cat leaves the tank, smart technology counts down the set time and then drains. The most famous manufacturer is Kopfgescheit.
3. Tray with self-cleaning function. Operating principle: looks like a regular tray, but somewhat more complicated. When the animal goes into it, a special device will collect and send excrement to the lower tank, and the worker will become clean again. For such toilets, it is necessary to purchase special bags for excrement. Once a week you will have to remove them, every day you will have to clean the tray by pulling a special lever. One of the famous brands that produce similar products is Hagen smart sift. The manufacturer has one more “highlight”: the car toilet is produced in the form of a cozy house that is suitable for absolutely all breeds. It has a significant disadvantage: you can’t get rid of the smell until you change the waste bag.

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.

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.

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.

How to Put Litter in a Mesh Litter Box for Cats

Inexperienced owners do not know how much to use toilet detergent. Fill the container with sand almost halfway, and press the grate on top. It is not right.

Any selected filler is poured into the tray so that it does not clog the grate placed on top. For small granules and particles, the reference point is the height of the legs of the removable mesh.

Larger ones won’t fit into the grate hole, but you shouldn’t pour too much. The cat will simply be uncomfortable on an unstable surface when the granules swell.

Some manufacturers, in order to additionally protect the room from stench, add a fragrance (the aroma of tea tree, fresh pine needles). If suddenly the cat goes to “relieve itself” in another place, the reason may be the lingering smell of feces.

Cat litter fresheners are also sold separately. Filler is poured into the tray and odorant granules are added to it (approximately 20 g per standard tray).

A separate area of ​​additives for bulk cat litter is bioseptic. The cat may not like the smell of the air freshener and may cause allergies. In the same product, after opening the package, the slight smell quickly disappears. Bacteria, harmless to humans and animals, convert the enzyme urease into water and carbon dioxide. This guarantees the absence of the unpleasant “amber” of cat urine.

A cat is a clean animal. It won't fit in a dirty tray. If you don’t wash the grate in time, it will mark itself somewhere else.

When the owner is away for a long time, a little filler (not wood or paper) can be poured onto the mesh. The pet will dig up a “heap”, and the formed lumps, thanks to the sorbent, will prevent the smell from spreading.

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 toilets for cats: operating principle and purpose

Toilets for cats were invented primarily to help professional breeders; they are installed in nurseries.
The equipment is also interesting for ordinary pet lovers who are so passionate about their pets that they try to purchase the best and most modern things for them. Externally, the automatic cat toilet looks elegant and is quite reminiscent of a human one. The main difference from other types of cat potties is cleaning without human assistance. Depending on the model, the tray can be cleared of feces on its own or after pressing a button; there are programmable options, with built-in motion sensors, etc. The most advanced cat toilets, like washing machines, need to be connected to water, light and sewerage.

Initially, the cat toilet was based on the usual principle: the animal did its business, the owner came, pressed the pedal, and the water coming from the pipe washed everything away. Such types still exist. However, progress has gone further, automating the process as much as possible.

Thanks to the built-in touch sensor, smart technology knows when the cat is in the tray. After a certain time after the pet has left it, the flush is triggered. A time period (usually 20 seconds) is needed so as not to frighten the cat by unexpectedly appearing water and noise.

Table: pros and cons of automatic toilets

Manufacturing materials

Most often, products are made from porcelain, or the familiar sanitary ware. They are priced accordingly. But all costs are offset by the fact that a self-cleaning toilet is also hygienically clean. It was made using a material that is ideal for this type of device.

Porcelain is the main material for the production of toilets for cats

A more budget option is plastic. It also cleans well. The material resembles that from which outdoor dry toilets are made.

Models can be produced in different colors, which will help you choose a toilet that matches your interior.

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.

Kitten litter

A good litter for kittens reliably retains unpleasant odors and a sufficient amount of liquid, does not settle on the animal’s fur and does not stick to the paws, plus it has a good price/quality ratio.

Recently, consumers have begun to pay special attention to product safety.

• For people and animals: if you have an allergy, then dust, even a small one, is undesirable.
• For the environment - the filler must be environmentally friendly and easily recyclable.

Based on the type of liquid absorption, all fillers are divided into two large groups - absorbent and clumping.

Absorbents, also known as sorbents, absorb moisture evenly, the substrate does not stick together, and the whole thing is changed every few days. Based on the composition of raw materials, they are divided into natural mineral and organic, and more recently also synthetic sorbents.

Mineral (clay) fillers are inexpensive. But clay is dusty and cannot be washed down the drain. A composite filler with activated carbon will be noticeably more expensive, but it copes better with odor and has to be changed much less often.

Organic (wood-cellulose) sorbents made from paper, sawdust, cereal husks, corn cobs, etc. plant waste have less absorbency than mineral fillers, but are more environmentally friendly. Raw materials are abundant, the cost is low, and used filler is often disposed of in the sewer system.

Silica gel sorbents do an excellent job of removing odor and producing little dust. The best samples work so well that it is enough to change the filler once every two to three weeks, or even once a month. Freshly crushed silica gel granules (the cheapest option) emit a specific crackling sound of varying volumes, produce a large amount of dust and effectively cope with odor only for a week. Granules that have undergone two additional treatments generate virtually no dust, make minimal sounds and work for almost a month. But they also cost more, accordingly.

Clumping litters for kittens and adult cats form a lump when exposed to moisture, which can be easily removed using a special scoop. Since the liquid binds chemically, the lumps are dry and odorless. Among them are clay (from finely dispersed bentonite clays) and organic (wood, paper, corn, soy). Clay ones produce a denser lump, but are made from non-renewable raw materials and create disposal difficulties. Organic ones can be flushed down the toilet or composted, are convenient to clean up, and are quite economical in price. Recently, more expensive options have appeared on the market, produced using advanced technologies; they produce a dense lump and cope well with odor.

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.

Owner reviews

We also tried a lot of things, but we haven’t found a better tray with high sides with clumping filler BIO CAT”S. And for kittens I have a tray with small sides - they still go there. And as mentioned above, from the first steps. Now the little ones are already a month old and they saw where mommy and auntie were rummaging, they are trying to climb in there too. Yesterday I removed small poop from there, which means the sides are not a hindrance even for such little ones.

irinkin1506

https://www.thaicat.ru/forum/45–1735–1

Not every tray that is suitable from a human point of view is suitable for a cat. And the fact that you throw her poop there, collected in the corners, nothing fundamentally will change - a self-respecting cat, and this is what true British and British women are without a doubt, will not go into any tray that you offer her as a vessel for coping with natural needs. Here are the main reasons why cats shit everywhere. Only by following the following rules can you train your cat to go to the toilet without any problems: The cat should like the place where the toilet is located. It should be easily accessible ALWAYS and not in the aisle, so that the cat can calmly do its business. The cat should like what was offered as a toilet. A well-mannered, neat and clean cat can disdain a small tray with a bare mesh, as well as torn newspapers and sand from a neighboring sandbox. The tray should be large and comfortable, so that there is room to fit it, with clean filler. It must be spacious, especially for the cat (!), otherwise, at best, the cat will sit in the tray with his butt outside, and in the worst case, he will refuse to use this “spit can” altogether.

Natasha

https://britishcat.net/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=128

My British girl, when she was little, went to the litter box, then, when she grew up big and big, she began to “miss” next to the litter box.

Alex Raduga

https://mauforum.ru/viewtopic.php?f=134&t=5855&start=20

My cat goes to the toilet with high sides, and it’s fine, I buy heavy clumping litter, nothing spills out, he also digs in hard..

furgy

https://forum.ngs.ru/board/pets/flat/1963045588/?fpart=1&per-page=50

Since you are using filler, you need to choose a deep tray. Those. The depth should be sufficient so that the cat can dig around to its fullest without scattering the litter. As a rule, such trays have a fastened side at the top that is bent inward, this also prevents the filler from scattering.

CatsMom

Read also:  How to train a cat to use a litter box quickly and easily and not suffer from the smell in the house

https://prokotov.com/index.php/forum/ukhod-za-koshkami/448-kakoj-lotok-luchshe-vybrat-dlya-koshki

My cat has a standard litter box: rectangular, with a mesh on top. The net was removed; somehow it wasn’t very convenient to use it. When our cat was a kitten, we bought litter, but I have large pots of flowers on the floor at home, and she sometimes “did things” there. We stopped using the filler and the problem was solved. So it remains, it “goes” into the empty tray, I don’t even tear up the newspaper - it’s very convenient, the main thing is to change it after each time, it doesn’t go into the wet anymore.

Olga128

https://prokotov.com/index.php/forum/ukhod-za-koshkami/448-kakoj-lotok-luchshe-vybrat-dlya-koshki

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.

Recommendations for use

When using each cat litter box model, there are some nuances associated with the design. Much depends on whether filler will be used (if so, which one).

Experienced cat breeders advise first purchasing a tray design that is familiar to the animal, and then making adjustments. It is recommended to use the same litter that the cat used previously.

It is extremely important to choose the right location for your cat's litter box. It should be quiet and fairly secluded. You need to make sure that the animal is comfortable and comfortable. Otherwise, it may start to crap in places not intended for this.

Particular attention is paid to regular thorough cleaning and washing of plastic parts. Excessive contamination should not be allowed. If the smell is very strong, the cat will not go to his potty. Ideally, you should try to clean up after your pet after each bowel movement. From time to time, the pot needs to be treated with disinfectants that are safe for animals and do not have a pungent odor.

If several pets live in the house, then it is necessary to have an individual toilet for each.

If there are several cats in the house, then each one needs a personal potty.

There should always be a certain supply of filler and film in the house if a tray with removable sides is used.

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.

Analogue of a regular toilet of a smaller size

As a rule, they are equipped with motion sensors to avoid problems with flushing. Requires connection to sewerage, water supply and electricity to operate.

The motion sensors are configured in such a way that when a cat is in the toilet for 5-10 seconds, it drains within 4 seconds, which is enough to neutralize liquid waste. If the cat stays in the toilet for more than 10 seconds, it will most likely be necessary to flush the solid waste, which will take 6 seconds. Flushing does not occur immediately after this time ends. The process starts 15 seconds after the animal moves away from the sensors. This is set up so as not to cause fear in the pet.

This toilet does not require special filler or detergents, which means that its operation will be somewhat cheaper.