As a cat owner, choosing the right litter box and where to put the litter box in a small apartment matters a lot for you and your cat in a studio apartment.
The litter box needs to be easy for them to access and it should give them privacy. With these features, your furball will feel comfortable with their litter box and you won’t have to deal with any mess either with them eliminating outside the litter box. The litter box must be compact enough to fit inside the apartment yet comfortable enough for your cat to spend time in it.
This guide will assist you in finding the best cat litter box for small apartments. So read on to find everything you need to know about them!
How To Pick A Litter Box For A Small Apartment
Here are some important points that you need to keep in mind when buying a good-quality litter box for your small apartment.
Types
There are different types of litter boxes available. Some of them have a pan design with no cover if your cat prefers being out in the open, while others are covered. Covered litter boxes work well for small apartments as they enclose the smell within the box. Some of them are self-cleaning and a few are disposable. Disposable litter boxes can be really convenient because you never have to clean them, you simply just throw them away when they are no longer clean enough for your cat. Self-cleaning boxes can relieve you from a lot of scooping duties but they also can be pretty pricey. You can also get a top-entry litter box. Top entry litter boxes can save space and can also help keep cat litter within the confinements of the litter box. You need to pick the one that goes well according to the habits of your cat.
Size
Since you are buying a litter box for a small apartment, the cat litter box needs to be compact. It shouldn’t be too small where your cat isn’t comfortable when using it but it should be small enough where it can fit within your apartment.
Ease of use and maintenance
Your kitty is going to use the litter box frequently and you are going to have to clean and maintain it regularly. You need to make sure that the cleaning process of your cat’s litter box is hassle-free and doesn’t require too much effort.
Kitty privacy
If your kitty likes high walls and being covered, keep this in mind when purchasing a litter box.
Aesthetics
You are going to place the litter box inside your house and if you care about this sort of thing, it needs to look aesthetically pleasing and match the color of the interior of your home. Especially in a small apartment, you want to make sure the litter box doesn’t stand out and look bad.
Materials
Choose your materials wisely. Make sure that you go for hard plastic or stainless steel and all plastic should be free of BPA. Try to make sure the surface of the box is smooth so that it will be easy to remove litter off of the walls and the bottom of the litter box and a smooth surface will also prevent odors from lingering around.
Quick Look
Why Trust Kitty Cat Reviews
Kitty Cat Reviews has been up and running for the last few years trying to help cat owners all over the world find what they need from a knowledgeable 3rd party. This article was written by our Chief Editor, Blane Watkins. Blaine took the time to look through a large variety of litter boxes to create the list below. He studied the customer feedback, what the manufacturer had to say, and watched YouTube videos to curate the best list he could. Blaine has written over 40 articles about cats where he has amassed a lot of information on the topic.
The 7 Best Litter Boxes For Small Apartments
1. Nature's Miracle
It is by far the best cat litter box for small apartments due to its compact design.
No matter how small your apartment is, this hooded cat litter box will get the job done for you quite effectively.
This litter box is shaped as a 90-degree angle which allows you to put the box in a corner of your apartment to conserve as much room as possible.
This cat litter box is made from an antibacterial smooth material that will reduce any chances of litter getting encrusted onto the box. With this feature, cleaning is relatively easy.
You can easily place the Nature’s Miracle in tight corners of a small apartment, but the litter box is still plenty big and works well for larger cats. It is a true space saver and you won’t have to compromise on size either.
Pros
- High sides.
- Shaped to fit in corners.
- Charcoal filter.
- Litter will not stick to the side of the box.
Cons
- The clasps have gaps and urine may leak through them if your cat pees on the side of the litter box.
2. Breeze By Tidy Cats
If you are interested in buying a good-quality self-cleaning litter box, then the Breeze will be an ideal choice for you and your small apartment.
The Breeze is a special kind of litter box that is compact in design so it will work well in an apartment. It also handles odors extremely well so you won’t have to deal with nasty odors in your apartment.
This automatic litter box uses both pellets and a pad, the pellets collect cat poop while the pad sucks up cat urine. This system works well together and if you follow their instructions on cleaning and how often to switch out the pellets and pad, cat litter odor will not be a problem in your apartment.
I like this option a lot because it comes with the specific cat litter to use and then tells you exactly how to use the litter box and cat litter, so you know exactly what you have to do to maintain a clean and odor-free litter set up.
This litter box is one of the best choices when it comes to self-cleaning models and is ideally suitable for small cats.
Pros
- Easy use.
- Comes with cat litter.
- Handles odor really well.
Cons
- Better suited for small breeds.
Here’s an open design cat litter box for small spaces to not take up too much room in your apartment but still gives your cat a decent space to use the bathroom.
The high-sided Frisco litter box prevents litter from getting kicked out. Whereas, the low height of the front wall allows your cat to get in and out out of the litter box effortlessly. It comes in an extra big size to suit cats of all breeds.
The plastic used in the construction of this cat litter box is free of any nasty chemicals and is environmentally friendly.
The simplistic design makes cat litter management very easy.
Pros
- High sides to keep cat litter and pee inside the box.
- Easy to clean and maintain.
- Best choice for environmentally-friendly homes.
Cons
- No lid or cover.
4. IRIS
The IRIS open-top litter box is an affordable litter box that comes with both a scooper and wall attachment.
This litter box comes with a lot of the stuff you need for a good litter box set up. You won’t have to go out of your way to get a scoop.
The wall attachment will help keep cat litter within the litter box. The openness of the box provides cats easy use of the box and cat owners easy ability to wash out the litter box.
Features such as high sides, easy entrance, simple construction, and easy cleaning make this kitty litter box an excellent choice for cat owners in a studio apartment.
Pros
- Wall attachment.
- Compact construction for small spaces.
- Accessible for both humans and cats.
Cons
- Getting to the waste in the divots of the box can be challenging.
5. Catit
Want to buy a kitty litter box that can effectively contain smell? There is nothing better for that than the Catit Hooded Box.
If your cat likes to have their own little personal space to use the bathroom, consider getting a hooded litter box. The Catit jumbo hooded litter box is great because even though it is covered, there is still enough area in the litter box for your cat to do their thing. The litter box gives enough space for a cat of any breed.
Hooded litter boxes can be nice for apartments as they keep the smell within the box.
It also keeps things simple for you when it comes to waste management. There is a mount for attaching trash bags to the Catit, so when the time comes to throw away the used litter, it is a walk in the park.
If you have a large cat at your apartment and have a hard time dealing with kitty litter smell then you need to go with this litter box.
Pros
- Gives cat litter haven as a litter box.
- Can attach trash bag to litter box to make disposing of litter easier.
- Suited for large cats.
Cons
- The litter box liners are not very easy to fit in.
6. Van Ness
Van Ness litter pan is handy for those who are looking for an open pan or a litter box with a lid.
This litter box has a dual design and is useful for all types of cats. You can cover the litter pan with the hood for smaller cats, and for bigger cats, you can take the cover off and allow them to use it as an open litter pan. It is pretty narrow so if you need to, it can fit into a pretty small space in your apartment.
It is very easy to clean and you won’t have to deal with litter outside the litter box.
It would be a good choice for you to consider if you happen to own multiple cats as this cat litter pan has a very versatile design.
Pros
- Contains the smell inside the cat litter box.
- Versatile construction that allows you to use it as a litter pan and a hooded box.
Cons
- Might be too narrow.
7. IRIS (Top Entry)
Want to buy a high-end top-entry cat litter box for your kitty? The IRIS litter box is a great option and will continue to perform for years on end.
If you have been looking for a highly durable litter box that continues to perform for a long time, this is an option you should for sure consider. The box is made of high-quality hard plastic that looks and feels amazing.
Besides this, it has a top-entry design that keeps all the litter inside the box and you won’t have to deal with any mess or spills. It is equally effective for cleaning.
This top-entry litter box is one of the most resilient boxes that you will find on the market and if your cat can get the hang of having to climb into the top entrance, this cat litter pan will continue to work for years.
Pros
- A scope comes with purchase.
- Cleaning is easy
- Non-slip
Cons
- Not for every cat especially nonmobile cats.
- A bit too big.
How To Clean A Litter Box In A Small Apartment
Cleaning the litter box in an apartment is no easy task but there are some things you can do to make it a bit easier.
My first couple of tips are all actually about trying to avoid cleaning in the apartment but instead just making it easy to dispose of your cat’s used litter. There are a couple of ways to do this. First, we have litter box liners. These work well for apartments as you will never have to deep clean the litter box. It works by putting a plastic liner between the litter box and the litter, and you scoop the litter box how you normally would once or twice a day until the litter and box is dirty enough where you would typically have to clean your cat’s litter box. Then, you proceed to take the liner out with the litter and dispose of it in the garbage. Here is a great article on using liners. The other method is using disposable litter boxes, and it works similarly to the method above, you just throw both the litter box and the litter inside of the box out about once a week or so.
Now we are moving on to tips that apply to if you are going to actually clean the litter box. If you need a place to clean the litter box, you can use the bathtub. To clean the litter box, first, you will want to get rid of all the litter in the litter box. Scoop all of the litter out of the litter box into a garbage bag. Next, fill the litter box with water, add in some soap, and let that mixture soak for ten minutes. Once some time has passed, scrub the inside of the litter box until it looks clean, and then give it some time to air out and dry before you put the litter back in.
Another option for cleaning is to use wipes instead of water. Cleaning with soap and water is the better option as it will make the cat litter box much cleaner and it will be easier to make it clean, but it is definitely possible to just use wipes to clean a litter box.
To make it easier to clean, get a litter box that is non-stick. Stainless steel litter boxes work well for apartments as they don’t retain smell and they are non-stick. You can also get a self-cleaning cat litter box, but these can be pretty costly.
FAQs
Where should I keep my litter box in a small apartment?
There are not many spots to place a litter box in a small apartment, but wherever you pick make sure that it is easily accessible for your cat and you, the area has good airflow and is private. Some places that fit these conditions are the laundry room, the bathroom, an utility closet, and a spare bedroom.
How can I hide a litter box in a small apartment?
There are a couple of techniques to hiding a litter box in a small apartment. The first is to just put it away in a room that is never visited. This is by far the easiest way to hide it. You can also put the litter box behind a privacy screen which basically makes it invisible to the eye but the litter box is still very accessible for your cat. Another technique is to use litter box furniture. Litter box furniture is basically just a piece of furniture that is meant to hide your cat’s litter box inside. With this, you can keep your cat’s litter box in your living space without any guests knowing. This can work well for apartments as it can save space if you can combine a cabinet or bench with your cat’s litter box. Having a hidden litter box is pretty nice as it allows the litter box to be in a convenient spot like your living room and it isn’t an eyesore. Down below is a cool DIY project that highlights turning a cabinet into litter box furniture to hide a litter box. This video is here to help show you how creative and cool this concept can be!
How do I keep my apartment from smelling like cat litter?
Keeping your apartment from smelling like cat litter and your cat’s waste is not as hard as one might think. Before doing anything else, get a solid routine of scooping the litter box twice daily and cleaning the entire thing once a week. Without having a clean litter box, you will never be able to have an apartment that doesn’t smell like cat litter.
The next thing I would try is implementing baking soda to your odor control attempts. Baking soda controls odor by sucking up the smell. There are two ways of using baking soda, you can put baking soda directly into the litter and you can also have an open box of the stuff in the same room as the litter box. I recommend using both for the best results in controlling cat litter odor in your small apartment.
The next thing you will want to consider is the kind of cat litter you use. Some cat litters work a lot better at controlling odor. Natural litters such as wood pellet, grass seed, and corn work well for odor control. Crystal litter can work well for odor control also, but this kind of litter can be tough on your cat’s paws, which is why I prefer natural litter.
The type of litter box can also affect how much smell there is. Hooded litter boxes can work well for apartments as they contain some of the smell inside of the litter box. Stainless steel litter boxes won’t smell as bad as their plastic counterparts and they also last longer. Stainless steel is also much easier to clean which is a must when it is already hard to clean a litter box in an apartment.
You can also try using other kinds of deodorizers to help reduce odor. Air purifiers can also help.
Finally, I would get a mat to prevent litter tracking in the apartment.
Here is more information on how to get rid of cat litter smell in an apartment.
How many litter boxes do you need to have in your home?
The common rule of thumb here is to have at least one more litter box than the number of cats you have in your apartment. This is especially important for people with multiple cats. For example, if you have 3 cats, you need to have 4 litter boxes in your home. Even if you are living in a small apartment, the same rule applies here as well. But usually, 2 litter boxes will be more than enough for one cat.
Are automatic litter boxes good for small spaces?
Automatic litter boxes can work in small spaces. But, typically automatic litter boxes are bulky and quite expensive. In a small apartment, one of these will stand out. They can be a good option if you have a good space for it because they help reduce odor by scooping the litter right after your cat goes to the bathroom. Another possible downside of using an automatic litter box in a small apartment is noise. Automatic litter boxes can be very noisy and in a small apartment, the noise of one of these could get very old very fast. If you have multiple cats, an automatic litter box could be a good idea.
How often should you change the kitty litter?
If you are using non-clumping litter, clean out the litter box and change the kitty litter, once a week.
If you are using clumping litter, it can be once every 2 weeks.
Is having a litter box in your room bad for you?
Conclusion
There you have it! The best cat litter box for small apartments is the Hooded Cat Litter Box by Nature’s Miracle. It is effortless to clean and maintain and won’t take much space in your apartment either. The box can contain odors very well. This litter box will go a long way.
Which one of these kitty litter boxes are you going to use for your home? Leave your comments in the space provided below!
Blaine is a pet owner and animal lover. His two passions of cats and blogging met and KittyCatReviews was formed.