How to Choose a Litter Tray for your Cat

May 19, 2026

All indoor cats and cats with limited outdoor time need a litter tray. Even if your cat goes outside regularly, we strongly recommend keeping one indoors. This gives them a safe, always-available place to go to the bathroom, day or night.

Cats without proper indoor toileting options are far more likely to have accidents around the house or develop stress-related illnesses like feline idiopathic cystitis.

What is the best litter tray for my cat?

Litter trays come in various shapes and sizes, so how do you choose the right one for your cat?

Let’s start with the two basic styles:

Open trays with a rim of varying depth, but no cover

Covered (or closed) trays with a removable lid and, in some models, a cat-flap entrance

Both open and covered litter boxes come in all different sizes, from tiny ones perfect for tiny kittens to extra-large options for big kitties. A lot of cat parents love covered trays because they give our cats some much-needed privacy when they're doing their business, and they also help keep those not-so-nice smells contained. But here's the catch: what keeps the smell in for us also means it's harder to notice when the tray needs cleaning. And trust me, a stinky, dirty litter box is the number one reason cats start going to the bathroom elsewhere.

Now, some cats are totally fine with covered trays, but others hate feeling trapped in that little box with only one way out. This is extra true if you have multiple cats—they don't want to feel like they could be ambushed while they're vulnerable. Big breeds like Maine Coons also often struggle with standard-sized covered trays because they just don't have enough room to turn around or dig properly. And that little plastic flap? Most cats hate it. If you do get a covered tray, take the flap off immediately. If your cat still won't use it, no problem—just try an open one instead. Every cat is different!

Open litter tray

Self-cleaning litter boxes are all the rage right now, and I totally get the appeal—who wouldn't want to never scoop cat poop again? But before you drop a ton of money on one, there are some big downsides to consider for your cat. Those automatic rakes make weird, sudden noises and movements that can seriously startle a cat mid-business. And honestly? Most of them are way too small for anything bigger than a kitten.

Then there are all the "convenience" products: plastic liners, litter deodorizers, and scented litters. They sound great in theory—easy cleanup and no more stinky litter box smells. But here's the thing: cats have noses that are 14 times more sensitive than ours. What smells like a fresh breeze to us smells like a chemical factory to them. And those plastic liners? They constantly catch on cats' claws when they're trying to dig. It's no wonder so many cats decide to just go somewhere else instead.

How Should I choose the best litter for my cat?

Litter is available in various materials including paper, wood, silica, corn, clay and other novel materials that are considered sustainable. Many of these are lightweight, biodegradable and have excellent odour-neutralising properties.

Providing their litter is clean and changed regularly, your cat will be happy, particularly if you stick to the same material that they became used to as a kitten, as litter preferences develop early in kittenhood.

Did you know your house cat's ancestors lived in the desert? That's why most cats instinctively love fine, sand-like litter—it's exactly what their wild relatives used to dig their toilets in thousands of years ago. And on top of that, almost all cats prefer clumping litter too. It makes it super easy for us to scoop out the mess right away, which means the litter box stays nice and clean, and your cat will actually want to use it.

Litter tray tips:

Research shows that cats prefer a depth of approximately 3cm of litter in their tray

Cats prefer a litter tray that gives them enough space to move around. The ideal length of the tray is one and a half times the length of your cat from their nose to the base of their tail. Bear this in mind when purchasing a litter tray, as many of the standard-sized trays are too small

Rectangular litter trays are recommended as they provide more room than corner/triangle or oval-shaped litter trays

The position of the litter tray is important. It should be placed somewhere quiet, away from food and water and busy areas of the home

Cats are often reluctant to use trays near cat flaps or full-length glass windows due to the perceived threat from outside

Keeping the litter box clean is the single most important thing you can do to make sure your cat actually uses it. You should scoop out any waste at least twice a day—yes, twice! And don't forget the deep cleans: if you use clumping litter, you can get away with a full wash and litter change every 2–4 weeks. But if you use non-clumping litter, you'll need to do it every single week. If your cat is sick or stressed and going more often, you'll have to step up the cleaning even more.

And a super important safety tip: never use Dettol or similar disinfectants to clean the litter box. They're really toxic to cats! Stick to hot water and a mild, unscented dish soap instead. Always rinse really well and let it dry completely before putting fresh litter in.

Multi-Cat Households

Inadequate litter tray provision and poor placement are the leading causes of house soiling and inter-cat conflict in multi-cat homes. The proven solution is simple: provide one litter tray per cat, plus at least one extra. This same principle applies to all essential resources to eliminate competition.

Never place all litter trays in a single location. This creates a single point of failure where a dominant cat can easily block access to all toileting facilities. Instead, distribute trays throughout different rooms and levels of the home, and always keep them separate from food and water areas. For a complete step-by-step guide to setting up a harmonious multi-cat home, see our dedicated multi-cat households webpage.