Tray for cats - varieties and how to choose the right one with high sides, self-cleaning or on the toilet

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.

Why is there a mesh in the cat tray?

Among the wide range you can choose rectangular, oval and corner models. With a door, a carrying handle, even a carbon filter. It is advisable that the chosen “nook” for the cat be equipped with a special mesh.

The main purpose of the grill is to protect the animal from dirt. Liquid excrement seeps through the mesh. Hard ones will remain on top: just pull out the removable part and rinse under running hot water.

Many owners choose containers without a mesh, justifying the purchase based on the cat’s physiology:

• It’s inconvenient to drive your claws across plastic;
• feces remain on the mesh - which means the cat will still get its paws dirty, trying to bury the waste.

Then they are forced to buy a removable side that prevents the animal from scattering sand or granules, and a small rug on which the pet wipes its paws. Another reason to choose a litter box with mesh is that the mesh will prevent your cat from eating the kibble.

How to choose the right cat litter?

When buying a litter box for a cat, you need to think through all the details, because it should suit your pet and at the same time its cleaning should be convenient.

Pay attention to:

• Material from which the tray is made
• Presence/absence of a cover
• Size, shape and depth
• Simplicity and ease of cleaning
• Attractiveness to a cat
• Price
• Overall appearance
• Automation

1. The material from which the cat tray is made should be light and strong enough. This is usually plastic. Products that are too light easily turn over along with the pet during active raking, which can become very frightening and permanently discourage the desire to use it.

Read how to train a kitten to use the litter box.

2. Run your hand over the entire surface of the toilet - it should be smooth, without any defects that could injure your cat.

Whether or not the tray for your cat will be closed on top with a voluminous lid. It all depends on whether your pet likes such privacy and whether he will even step over the side of such a tray. Models with a lid resemble a house in appearance and provide the animal with complete privacy when going to the toilet. There are also models with a cartridge built into the lid that absorbs unpleasant odors.

3. The size, shape and depth of the cat tray are of no small importance. It should be of such a size that the cat can fit in it and turn around freely. For those who like to have a good soak, you should choose a toilet with high sides so that the sand does not spill out.

What is the convenience of a toilet with a grate?

The advantages of a tray with a mesh are obvious:

• It's easy to keep the toilet clean: the grill can be easily washed with running water, dried with a hairdryer or wiped dry.
• Filling a tray with a grate with filler takes a couple of minutes, every few days.
• There is no need to fill the container every time your cat goes to the toilet.
• The cat does not get its paws dirty and does not litter.

Accessories for cat litter

Choosing a litter box for your cat is half the battle. To use it, you will need various accessories, a wide selection of which are offered by pet product manufacturers.

Accessories you can't do without if you want your cat to go to the toilet exactly where it needs to be:

• Tray filler. It neutralizes the smell of cat feces and urine and performs an absorbent function.
• Scoops. One should be deep and large to pour the filler into the tray, the second should be in the form of a sieve with a handle to collect dirty filler, sifting clean filler through the holes. This saves expense;
• Attractive/repellent sprays. Facilitate the process of toilet training for cats and wean the cat from shitting in inappropriate places;
• Replacement bags. Will be needed to service some models of open and closed trays - we talked about them a little higher;
• Replaceable carbon filters. Necessary for neutralizing unpleasant odors in dry toilets for cats;
• Means for eliminating odor. Designed to neutralize odor in the cat's litter box. Can be used as an alternative to fillers;
• Disinfecting cleaners. Designed for washing and disinfecting cat litter boxes, eliminating traces and odors of cat marks;
• Mat under the tray. Helps keep the area where your cat goes to the toilet clean.

Video

How to use a cat litter box correctly

Cats choose intimate places for the toilet, but who likes the smell and “heap” in an unexpected and hard-to-reach place. In order for the cat to get used to the designated “location” for the toilet and begin to use the tray for its intended purpose, you will have to teach your pet:

• place the toilet where the cat regularly goes;
• Move the tray a short distance day by day until you reach the desired location.

It is better if the cat litter box is secluded from prying eyes (for example, in the corner behind the washing machine) and is not located in the walkway.

The new tray is washed with laundry soap, rinsed several times in warm water, and allowed to dry. The same goes for the grate. Pour filler and a little freshener (optional) into the bottom. A mesh is placed on top.

Recommendations on how to use a cat litter box with a grid:

1. Remove “lumps” in a timely manner by adding granules.
2. If wood filler is used, the product is changed completely.
3. Clean the grill regularly.
4. Mandatory disinfection with detergent once every two weeks.

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.

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.

Rating of toilets for cats

1. CatGenie 120 – automatic;
2. Dry toilet Ferplast Bella – closed tray-house;
3. Open tray Vaka – with mesh;
4. Open tray Imac DUO – with high sides;
5. Curver Petlife Litter Box for Cats – closed;
6. Marchioro toilet GOA 3C – with sides;
7. MPS toilet tray NETTA Open – large with frame;
8. Savic toilet with grate;
9. Litter Kwitter, a toilet training system for cats;
10. Trixie toilet “Berto” – large.

Cat Genie 120

An automatic, self-cleaning litter box for cats with high sides is the crowning achievement of the cat pet industry. Liquid waste passes through the filler granules and is discharged through the sewer. Motion sensors detect the cat's use of the toilet to begin the cleaning cycle 10 minutes after the cat leaves the litter box. Buttons on the control panel program modes and report errors.

Special washable granules are used as filler, which do not absorb odors and do not require replacement. The shovel collects solid waste and dumps it into a special funnel. The granules are washed and dried.

• Plus: the toilet cleaning process is fully automated.
• Minus: the desire to buy a toilet will disappear as soon as you find out how much this miracle technology costs.

Price: 29,900 rub. Buy

Dry toilet Ferplast Bella

Closed coal dry toilet made of rubberized elastic plastic. Consists of two parts, which are connected to each other by side clamps. The lower part is a removable tray. The upper part is a box-house. The closed design is equipped with a convenient door that allows cats to enter a “corner of privacy.”

The design of the tray does not allow the filler to fall on the floor. The carbon filter and closed door reduce the intensity of unpleasant odors. The handle on the top of the house allows you to carry the structure. Toilet dimensions: 43.5x56x37 cm.

• Pro: Durable construction.
• Minus: does not completely eliminate odors.

Price: 2220 rub. Buy

Open tray Vaka

The deep open tray with removable plastic mesh has a simple rectangular design and standard dimensions. Can be used with all types of fillers: clumping, absorbent, mineral, silica gel, wood.

The mesh is easily removable - this is convenient when cleaning the tray. The tray is deep enough to hold the litter as cats bury it.

• Pro: cheap.
• Minus: does not retain odors.

Price: 197 rub. Buy

Open tray Imac DUO

Large cat litter box with a high removable side and a scoop made of high quality plastic. The tray comes with a container for the scoop and scoop. The side has a removable design and prevents the scattering of the filler. The product is easy to clean. Dimensions of the product when assembled: 59x40x18 cm.

• Plus: suitable for large breeds.
• Minus: does not retain odors.

Price: 1259 rub. Buy

Curver Petlife Litter Box for Cats

This convenient indoor cat toilet with a retractable tray has an original rattan design. The tray slides out easily, allowing you to quickly change the litter and clean it of cat excrement.

The toilet comes with a scoop, for which there is a special compartment in the design of the product. The tray is attached to the top using secure latches. Carbon filters neutralize unpleasant odors. Product dimensions: 51×38.5×40 cm.

• Plus: hygienic.
• Cons: high price.

Price: 4671 rub. Buy

Marchioro toilet GOA 3C

The tray from an Italian manufacturer is made of high-quality plastic. There are special rubberized feet at the bottom of the product - the toilet does not slip on a smooth floor surface. The high sides have a removable design and are easily attached to the tray using latches.

The presence of high sides helps to minimize litter scattering by cats. Choose any filler that your pet tolerates best. Dimensions: 50x37x17 cm.

• Plus: easy to clean.
• Minus: does not neutralize odors.

Price: 798 rub. Buy

MPS toilet tray NETTA Open

Large tray with a frame made of modern high quality plastic. The material from which the tray is made does not absorb unpleasant odors. The toilet is easy to clean and dries quickly.

The tray has wide, specially shaped sides that your pet can stand on while using the toilet. This design helps cats keep their paws dry and clean. Product dimensions: 54x39x29 cm.

• Plus: suitable for large breeds.
• Disadvantage: the filler needs to be changed frequently.

Price: 1027 rub. Buy

Savic toilet with removable grate

The most common litter boxes for cats are double trays with a removable grid. The product is made of high-quality non-toxic plastic. Holes in the grid allow liquid to flow to the bottom of the tray and hold it there. The model can work with all types of toilet fillers. Product dimensions are standard (37×25.5×6 cm.)

• Pro: cheap.
• Cons: Not suitable for large cats.

Price: 505 rub. Buy

Litter Kwitter, a toilet training system for cats

Litter Kwitter is a world-famous toilet training system for cats. The set consists of four toilet seat nozzles. Accustoming occurs gradually.

First, the cat is accustomed to a red nozzle with a solid insert. At the second stage of training, the red nozzle is replaced with a yellow one with a small hole. Then they move on to the green nozzle on the toilet with a large hole, and then leave only the white nozzle. Using this system simplifies and reduces the cost of keeping cats in city apartments.

• Plus: no need to spend money on buying litter for the tray.
• Disadvantage: Requires gradual training over several weeks.

Price: 3378 rub. Buy

Trixie toilet "Berto"

A large tray for large breed cats from a well-known German manufacturer. The high-quality plastic design consists of two trays and a sieve tray - this simplifies the process of cleaning the toilet.

The side is attached to the tray using clamps. Animals can stand on the comfortable sides of the tray, their paws will remain clean and dry.

• Plus: design features reduce filler consumption.
• Disadvantage: does not neutralize odors.

Price: 1875 rub. Buy

Interesting solutions for placing a toilet

Picture 10 Cabinet house: takes up a lot of space, but it's worth it

Oh, this ubiquitous cat litter... It seems like the sides are high and the rug is laid out - no, the cat still manages to carry grains of sand to the master bedroom. Owners of spacious apartments and private houses are lucky in this regard - they will be helped out by special furniture, inside of which you can hide a toilet for cats.

The biggest advantage of this design is a separate “room” with a regular rug on which the filling remains.

Even those cats that are taken to the country for several months a year prefer to relieve themselves in a convenient and clean litter box rather than on the street. Today, there are many different models of cat litter available in stores. When choosing one option or another, you need to make sure that it is first and foremost comfortable for the cat.

Veterinarians' opinion

Doctors suggest creating comfortable conditions for your beloved pets. Most cats experience discomfort in the presence of people when they need to relieve themselves, which creates additional stress and delays the process, which later affects incontinence or constipation.

Plastic closed with translucent door

There are also animals that often suffer from genitourinary diseases or intestinal diseases, for whom it is not so easy to go to the toilet in an open tray the first time. An enclosed composting toilet helps pets lead a better quality of life and use the litter box when necessary.

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.

Cat litter box device

What is this design?

• First of all, it is a convenient and stable device made of plastic. The cat litter box cannot be made of wood or iron, because iron, due to exposure to urine, will oxidize and release fumes that are hazardous to health. Wood is also not used for these purposes, since it absorbs moisture very well, and it will breed harmful microorganisms that can cause harm not only to animals, but also to people. Plastic does its job very well. This device is quite lightweight and can be easily moved to anywhere in the apartment.
• The grate, which is placed on top of the tray, is quite comfortable for the cat's paws, allowing the cat to do his business without difficulty.

It is better to take a tray “for growth”, focusing on adult cats, this is necessary so that then a situation does not arise where an adult cat has to be taught to use the tray again.

Closed toilets (tray houses)

Closed toilets (tray houses) are suitable for zealous diggers and those who like to be alone. The choice of a model of such a tray must be taken very seriously. The kitten may even be scared of some of the options, or you may find them difficult to clean. Such toilets are produced in different sizes; the model can be selected for both a very small kitten and a healthy cat.

Advantages:

• Ability to inhibit the spread of unpleasant odors;
• Aesthetic appearance;
• The filler does not spill out;
• The toilet house is very popular with kittens that are shy or have recently settled with new owners.

Additional advantages of popular models:

• Models with a transparent door have one advantage - it allows you to determine the time of changing the filler visually;
• Some popular designs, called dry closets, have a carbon filter for air purification - the odor is completely concentrated inside and eliminated with the help of adsorbent wipes that absorb all emissions;
• The original snail-shaped litter box has an easily removable top for easy cleaning and is equipped with rough steps that “clean” the cat’s paws from stuck granules and crumbs;
• Corner models equipped with the necessary accessories are perfect for placement in small spaces;
• An interesting version among cat litter boxes are trays built into bedside tables in a special way, which can be matched to the color and tone of the overall interior, and also store kitten care items on the top shelves.

Flaws:

• “Decent” cost (not everyone can afford a replacement with a new model, so you need to approach the choice responsibly);
• Kittens may be afraid of closed litter boxes for a long time or perceive them as a resting place;
• In simpler models of such trays that are not equipped with a filter, the smell is concentrated inside and intensifies when the long-drying filler is rarely changed (the small pet will inhale fumes of stale air every time he visits the toilet, or will look for another latrine).

You can now view current prices and buy a tray for your pet here: