Cat litter boxes may not seem too difficult to choose, but if we take a closer look, we can see it’s not that easy, as the litter tray has to be approved by your cat in the first place, otherwise it’s useless. As diversification is one of today’s society features, several types of litter boxes have been invented, from the simple trays you have to scoop in once a day, to the automatic litter boxes that clean themselves immediately after they’ve been used. Cats come in many sizes and shapes. Similarly, an extra large cat litter box won't be the same as a box for kittens. Decorative or not, electric or not, enclosed or open, a cat litter box is a must-have, unless you think to toilet train your cat.

Tips for choosing the best litter box for your cat

These tips are mostly useful for those of you who aren’t owned by a cat yet, but will soon be. You have to be prepared by the time your new cat arrives home, so this is what you need to consider when buying the litter box:

• Size matters: if you’re going to bring home a small kitten, buy a small tray to start with, so the cat can easily jump in and out. As the kitten grows, you’ll have to replace the tray with a bigger one, if you don’t want your home to become a sandy beach. This is why there’s no point in spending too much money initially. Just go and buy the cheapest tray available, since it’s going to become useless in a matter of months.
• Shall it be a tray or a box? If the cat has already been used with trays, getting her to poo inside a box may prove complicated if not impossible. If you’re curious to do some research, you’ll see lots of claims that litter boxes are better than trays because they feature filters that absorb unpleasant odors. Actually, those filters are inefficient: when the cat does her needs inside an enclosed space, it’s going to stink for much longer time than in case of open trays. Moreover, the cat may not be comfortable with the box height and find it difficult to set herself in the desired position. My Russian Blue cat had this issue when I though it was a cool idea to buy her a litter box instead of the common trays she’s been using until that point: because the box lid was too low, she never defecated completely. By watching the cat closely over a few days, you can see whether she’s comfortable with the box or not. This is the best test: once a day, remove the lid from the box and wait to see what the cat does. If she immediately goes in and makes more than usual, it’s a sign that she’s not comfortable with the lid, therefore you should permanently remove it.
• Automatic cat litter boxes can ease your life. These devices are really cool: they look very much like human flushing toilets, but they are smaller and they come with motion sensors that detect the cat’s presence inside, so they don’t start flushing to scary the hell out of a cat in need. They can be programmed to start the cleaning cycle at a certain number of seconds or minutes after the cat has left the place. They need to be plugged to the power source and to water supply and evacuation systems, then all you have to do is change a filter every month or so. As automatic cat litter boxes work unattended, you can leave your cat at home, let’s say for a week, without needing anybody to come and check on her. Personally, I wouldn’t do that, because I’m afraid of short-circuits or malfunctions that may occur, which could result in disasters. I don’t care too much about the house, as I’ve got insurance for it, but I’d have a hard time living with the thought that I’ve killed my cat with a toilet.
• Last but also important is the budget you have available. Automatic boxes are like $600-$700, plus you may have to pay a plumber to plug it to the water circuit, if you don’t know how to do it yourself. Regular litter boxes are much cheaper – you can get a big one for as little as $30. For a little extra money, you can get a scoop free box, which has a covered waste trap that locks in the residues, thus preventing the odor from spreading inside the room. The dirt goes into a disposable tray which needs to be changed every few weeks. It’s going to cost you a bit more than the usual litter packs, but overall, it will ease your task of caring after your cats.

Whatever you decide, always keep in mind that the cat might reject everything that's new and not as she's got used to know it from before. Cats are sensitive to changes and a well-behaving cat won't get your floors dirty, even with the risk of suffering from intestinal occlusion, so keep an eye on her for a few days after implementing any change in her toilet habits and litter-related stuff.