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Do you have a cat that seems to kick more litter out of their litter box than keep it in? Then it’s time to explore some of the best litter boxes for cats that kick litter. There are plenty of options to choose from whether you’re looking for a top-entry litter box, a fully enclosed box, or one that simply meets your budget.
Let’s dive into the top litter box options for messy cats to help keep your home clean.
Best Litter Box for Cats that Kick Litter Overview
- Best Litter Box for Cats that Kick Litter: Petphabet Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Box
- Best Premium Litter Box: Modkat Flip Litter Box Kit
- Best Top Entry Litter Box: IRIS Top Entry Cat Litter Box
- Best Uncovered Litter Box: Petco Brand So Phresh Teal Scatter Shield High Back Litter Box
- Amazon Basics No-Mess Hooded Cat Litter Box
- Clevercat Top Entry Litter Box
- Petmate Booda Dome Clean Step Cat Litter Box
Best Litter Box for Cats that Kick Litter Reviews
Petphabet Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Box
Best Litter Box for Cats that Kick Litter
Dimensions: 25 x 19 x 17 inches
Litter Box Type: Covered
Key Feature: Litter box size allows cats plenty of room to move around to do their business while the high sides and lid keep the litter contained.
The Petphabet Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Box is a high-sided pan litter box fitted with a covered hood to minimize kitty litter scatter. Its size makes it a great option for homes with multiple cats or larger cats. The extra litter box space will give your cats room to do their business without feeling like they need to clean their box by kicking litter out.
The spacious hood gives your cat plenty of room to go to the bathroom. Its ability to be detached helps cat owners keep it clean. All in all, the Petphabet litter box is a great option if you’re looking to minimize litter mess in your home.
Modkat Flip Litter Box Kit
Best Premium Litter Box for Messy Cats
Dimensions: 20.5 x 15.8 x 16.7 inches
Litter Box Type: Pan, Covered
Key Feature: The flipping lid offers 3 different privacy positions to accommodate your cat’s preferences (closed, half-open, or fully open).
The Modkat Flip Litter Box is a good option if you want to deter your cat from scattering cat litter. It’s covered completely from 3 sides and the top minimizing the area your cat has to spread litter. The lid comes with 3 different positions including closed, half-open, or fully open so you can adjust it based on your cat’s preference.
The lid’s adjustability also makes it easier to open up and clean which will keep your cat happy. The Modkat Litter Box also comes with a reusable liner and litter scoop.
IRIS Top Entry Cat Litter Box
Best Top Entry Litter Box for Cats that Kick Litter
Dimensions: 20.8 x 16.1 x 14.6 inches
Litter Box Type: Top Entry, Covered
Key Feature: The top entry design helps prevent litter scatter and mess.
Top entry litter boxes are one of the best litter boxes for cats that kick litter, because of the sole top access point. When cats kick litter they kick it outwards, which will just hit the sides of the top-entry litter box making it a prime pick. The IRIS litter box is also designed with a grooved lid to help remove litter from your cat’s paws.
Petco Brand So Phresh Teal Scatter Shield High Back Litter Box
Best Uncovered Litter Box for Messy Cats
Dimensions: 24 x 18 x 10 inches
Litter Box Type: Pan
Key Feature: High side and back design help contain litter scatter and spray.
If you have a cat that is not a fan of enclosed litter boxes, then check out the Petco So Phresh High Back Litter Box. This simple litter box is designed with high sides and a high back to help prevent litter particles from being kicked outside of the litter box.
While enclosed litter boxes may provide better overall mess reduction, this high-sided litter box is a good option litter pan option if your cat refuses a covered box. The low price point and high ratings make it a great option to try out.
Amazon Basics No-Mess Hooded Cat Litter Box
Dimensions: 23.6 x 17.3 x 16.9 inches
Litter Box Type: Covered
Key Feature: Litter box features a swinging door providing easy access for your cat but helping to contain litter inside the box.
Amazon Basics No-Mess Hooded Litter Box is a great litter box option for minimizing litter mess. It’s a completely enclosed litter box including a front flap for entry and exit. The hood can be removed easily if your cat is not a fan.
Clevercat Top Entry Litter Box
Dimensions: 20.3 x 15.3 x 15 inches
Litter Box Type: Top Entry, Covered
Key Feature: Features a unique top-entry litter box design that helps eliminate litter tracking and prevents cats from being able to kick litter over the side.
The Clevercat Litter Box is a top-entry cat litter box that helps eliminate litter tracking and prevents over-the-edge spills. Another benefit of top-entry litter boxes is that they help to keep other pets like dogs out making them perfect for multi-pet households.
Petmate Booda Dome Clean Step Cat Litter Box
Dimensions: 22.5 x 22.5 x 19 inches
Litter Box Type: Covered
Key Feature: The litter box is 50% larger than the average box which combined with the sleek design and ramp helps contain litter scatter and minimize mess.
The Booda Dome Clean Litter Box is an almost fully enclosed cat litter box designed to minimize tracking and overflow. It’s 50% larger than the average litter box giving your cat plenty of room to take care of business. The hooded top not only keeps litter in but also helps cut down on odors.
Buying Guide
There are a few key things to consider when looking for the best litter box for cats that kick litter. You’ll want to pay attention to the type of litter box, size, seal, ability to clean, and cost.
Let’s dive into what you should be looking for with each of these.
Type of Litter Box
When looking for a good litter box for a messy cat, the type of litter box you buy is critical. There are many different types of cat litter boxes including top entry, pan, covered, and high-sided. As you can imagine, some types are better than others depending on how messy the cat is.
Top Entry Litter Box – Top entry litter boxes are great for cats that kick litter over the edge of their litter box. Since the top of the litter box is open, it’s easy for litter to be kicked or thrown out of the box. Top entry litter boxes help prevent this mess by only giving an entry point at the top of the litter box.
Pan Litter Box – A pan litter box is the most popular type of litter box. It is a shallow box that doesn’t have raised sides and is not covered. This type of box can work for many cats; however, it’s not ideal if you have a messy cat that kicks litter.
Covered Litter Box – Covered cat litter boxes give more privacy to your cat and help prevent litter from being kicked out by covering 3 sides of the box. Some covered litter boxes come with entry flaps which help cover the front as well.
High-Sided Litter Box – High-sided or high-back litter boxes are great for messy cats that kick litter over the edge of their pan. These litter boxes offer high back and side walls to help contain the mess.
Size
Another important factor to consider when looking for a litter box for cats that kick litter is size. While it may seem counter-intuitive to give your cat more room in their litter box if they’re messy, one of the reasons they may be kicking litter is because they’re trying to make room. Cats don’t like messy boxes and if you have a small litter box they may feel like they need to clean it out themselves before using.
Tight Seal
Sealing is another key factor to consider when looking for a good litter box for messy cats. There are many different ways that litter boxes are sealed including rubber seals, magnetic seals, or hinges at the entry point. When purchasing a litter box make sure the top and bottom sections have a good seal to keep the mess in.
Ability to Clean
Cats don’t like dirty litter boxes and in turn, will try to clean them themselves by kicking the mess outside of the box. So, it’s important to look for a litter box that is easy to clean.
Cost
To finish things off, the last thing you want to consider is price. Litter boxes can be inexpensive or expensive depending on what type of litter box and features you go with. You may find that a covered high-sided pan litter box works great for your cat without breaking the bank. Or you may need to splurge a little to get the right box to minimize litter scatter.
Other Things to Consider for Cats that Kick Litter
You may want to also consider purchasing a litter mat if you have a messy cat. Litter mats are typically placed on the floor outside of the litter box to catch any excess litter off your cat’s paws. This helps keep your floors clean and reduces the amount of litter tracked throughout the house.
Where should I put my litter box if my cat is messy?
If you have a cat that kicks litter, the best place for your litter box is in a low-traffic area of your home. Cats like privacy when they use their litter box and typically don’t like to do their business where people walk by. So, it’s important to find an out-of-the-way spot away from heavy foot traffic that makes sense for both you and your cat. Make sure you leave room for a litter mat to help reduce litter tracking.
Laundry rooms, bathrooms, and closets can be good options for your cat’s litter box to keep them out of high-traffic areas. Check out litter boxes that are best for small spaces if you don’t have a lot of room to work with.
Why does my cat kick all the litter out of the box?
If your cat is kicking litter out of their litter box there are a few common reasons why.
Dirty Litter Box
Are you keeping your litter box clean enough? If your cat is kicking mess out of their litter box it could be a sign they don’t like how dirty it is. Try scooping out the waste more often (daily or every other day).
Wrong Amount of Litter Used
Do you have the right amount of litter in your cat’s box? If you aren’t using enough cat litter, your cat may not be able to bury their waste deep enough. Burying their waste is instinctual, so try adding more litter to your litter box if you have a messy cat.
Litter Type
If your cat is kicking litter, it may be a sign they aren’t happy with the type of litter you’re using. Cats like fine, clumping cat litter and may not like the feel of certain types. Try out new cat litter brands to see if that helps with excess litter scatter. If you need help choosing a new type of litter, check out these top 5 most absorbent cat litters including one for sensitive paws.
How do I stop my cat from kicking litter everywhere?
If you can’t get your cat to naturally stop kicking cat litter by keeping their litter box cleaner, providing more litter, or changing the litter type, then it may be time to invest in an enclosed litter box to minimize the mess.
Do cats prefer open or closed litter boxes?
Most cats won’t necessarily have a strong preference on if their litter box is enclosed or not. However, if you have an older cat that has only used closed litter boxes (or open) they may be accustomed to that type of litter box and hesitant to change.
Younger cats are typically more adaptable to change, but if you have a messy cat it may be worth changing litter boxes to reduce the mess.
What is the best cat litter for messy cats?
To minimize litter mess, focus on buying cat litter that is low dust, absorbent, and clumping. These features will help prevent litter from sticking to your cat’s paws.
What is the Best Litter Box for Cats that Kick Litter?
There are plenty of great options when you’re looking for a litter box for messy cats. Whether it’s a high-sided pan, top-entry, or completely covered litter box, there are options to minimize litter mess between your cleanings.
Keep in mind, some cats will be more comfortable with a top entry litter box and others may prefer a pan-style or enclosed litter box. Experiment with different styles of litter boxes until you find one that reduces the amount of excess litter kicked out by your messy cat.
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