Maine Coon cats are just bigger than other cats.
This is not a bad thing by any means, but it can mean you have a harder time finding products that fit them appropriately.
I want to simplify the difficulty you are experiencing by giving you a list of what we believe are the best for Maine coons.
I also write a little bit about how I went about picking these cat litter boxes. I hope you enjoy reading, let’s hop right in.
Size
The main difference you have to consider about a Maine Coon and other cats when buying a litter box is the difference in their size.
Maine Coons are the largest domestic cat breed.
Maine Coons are much larger, so we must get a much larger litter pan.
I recommend that when purchasing a litter box for your large cat the dimensions of the litter pan should be at least 18 inches long, 14 inches wide, and 5 inches tall.
This is a general guide and even though it will most likely work for your Maine Coon it is best to be precise. There is a section in the FAQ that covers how big a litter box should be for your cat.
Litter Box Type
If you are the owner of a cat that likes their own secluded potty space, you should get a covered litter pan.
Another type of cat litter boxes that you should look at are sifting boxes. They are a lot more convenient than traditional ones. To separate the used litter from the new litter, all you have to do is lift the sifter, and the clumped used litter will be removed.
Automatic litter boxes are even easier to use than sifting ones. If you are curious about these, you can learn more about them with this good post.
Material
The material of the litter box matters for a few reasons. The first is how easy is it to clean. Some materials make cleaning a lot easier like stainless steel. The litter doesn’t stick. Different plastic litter boxes are easier to clean than others depending on the kind of plastic it is made from so make sure to read about the product and the customer feedback to make sure the litter doesn’t stick too much.
Another factor is how much smell will the material carry. Again, a material like stainless steel doesn’t hold on to smell as much as a material like plastic, which means you can keep a stainless steel litter box for longer. Another factor to consider is how safe is the material the litter box is made of for your cat to be around. Obviously, you don’t want a litter box made from materials that can possibly be carcinogenic or toxic.
High-Sided
In order to prevent litter from ending up all over the ground near the litter box, it is necessary to get a litter box that has some height to it.
Three sides of the litter box needs to be at least 8 inches tall whereas there should be a side that is shorter to allow effortless entry for your cat. If your cat is elderly and has issues being mobile, then it is even more important to focus on getting a litter box with one short side, so they can get in with no struggle.
In the FAQ at the bottom, we have a question that answers what is the best litter box for an elderly Maine Coon.
Design
One reason design matters is for how the litter box will look inside your home. Buying something that is ugly and is an eyesore should definitely be avoided.
Another reason design is important is for ease of cleaning. A litter box with crevices that are hard to reach inside will be harder to clean. A litter box should be pretty open to not allow litter to get stuck in any place and to allow you to be able to easily clean it out.
Quick Look
6 Best Litter Boxes For Maine Coon Cats
1. PetFusion
The PetFusion is also a really good choice, and might be considered the best litter box for large cats.
This litter box is 22 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 8 inches tall. This is big enough for a large cat. The PetFusion litter box is built with ABS plastic which is one of the toughest plastics. It is also odor resistant.
The sides of the litter box has some height which stops spillage, and is open to make it easy for your cat to pee.
If you are the owner of an older Maine Coon, then this litter box is more friendly towards them as the entry to the litter box is not tall.
2. Nature’s Miracle
I picked the Nature’s Miracle litter box as one of the best cat litter box for Maine Coons.
The reasons why I consider it good are written below.
First things first, the box is plenty big for your Maine Coon. This cat litter box measures to be 23 by 18 by 11 inches. That might even be considered jumbo.
The high sides on this litter box prevent your cat from spilling litter everywhere. This is a nice precautionary feature.
The surface of this litter box keeps litter from sticking to help you with the cleaning process. Cleaning this cat litter box is rather simple, all you have to do is wipe it down.
This cat litter box is way cheaper than other options, while still being a valuable product.
3. Catit
The Catit is a different style litter box.
This litter pan is hooded, which is perfect for the cat that likes to go in their private place. There is a door for your cat to get in and out.
This kind of litter box is best for keeping the litter inside the litter box, and not letting it get out. A hooded option will prevent litter from being kicked out of the box easily especially light litter such as grass seed.
When you need to clean this litter box, you can get better access by lifting the top part off.
If you are also looking for a litter box better at removing gross smells, this litter box has a carbon filter to do just that.
The dimensions of the base of the litter box can easily fit your extra-large cat.
This option is also a lower price than most other similar products.
If you are concerned about having dangerous materials, know that this litter box is free of BPA.
4. iPrimio Extra Large
The iPrimio is next as our second-best litter box.
This litter box is made from stainless steel. Very few are made from stainless steel. There are some pros and cons to this material. All around, it is a much better material. The only negative with stainless steel is that is does cost more.
Stainless steel is a lot more durable than plastic. The sellers of this litter box say that you will never have to replace this litter box. Stainless steel does not stain and does not absorb bad smells. Plastic can do both of the previous things mentioned.
This litter box is jumbo-sized. Measuring at 23 and a half inches by 15 and a half inches by 6 inches, it will for sure be able to work with your Maine Coon.
Another nice thing about the stainless steel is that cleaning the litter box is not a painstaking task, as stuff does not stick to stainless steel.
The rim on this cat litter box is rounded which is safer than being square and sharp edges.
The bottom of this litter box has grips to keep it in place.
5. Arm & Hammer
I suggest getting this litter box if you hate scooping your cat’s litter. Instead all you have to do is lift the sifter to get to the fresh litter.
Sifting cat litter boxes are a lot more convenient than their traditional counterpart where you have to scoop. You might think that with the sifting feature, the Pet Mate might be more pricey. But, that is not the case.
It is one of the cheapest that we reviewed.
It is a good idea to get an easy to clean litter pan like this one.
This litter pan is a little smaller being only 19 inches long, 15 inches wide, and 8 inches tall, but should still get the job done.
Are you looking for a convenient but large litter box? This is a pretty good option.
6. Petmate
It is pretty cheap for a litter pan of this size.
This is a huge litter box! It is over 10 inches deep which is by far the deepest litter box.
It is also pretty easy to clean.
It can carry as much as 30 pounds of litter at a time which is a lot. If you do not want to have to replace the litter in your box a lot, this one holds a lot of litter, so you have to replace the litter rarely.
Another benefit of being so tall is that it is great for cats that love to dig.
Also, the high sides will block any litter from falling out.
This product is highly liked by its customers as it is pretty highly reviewed.
7. Litter-Robot 3
Some cool features of this litter box are that it scoops itself, reduces smell by cleaning itself, and even connects to the WIFI. The WIFI connecting part can tell you if the litter box has been cleaned recently, if your cat has gone to the bathroom recently, and you can even tell the litter box to clean itself with the app.
The exit of the litter box has a few measures in place to catch litter, so your cat won’t track too much like a litter mat and stairs with grooves.
8. KittyGoHere
KittyGoHere is constructed for easy coming and going for cats that struggle with mobility. This litter box is a great option for cats that are elderly. The entry side of this litter box is only 3 inches high. The walls on the other sides are 5 inches tall.
This means that this litter box is more prone to litter getting kicked out. But, this litter box is plenty big. Stretching 2 feet in length it is one of the longest litter boxes on this list. Without any nooks or crannies, this litter box is very easy to clean.
Litter Box Tips For Maine Coons
Where to put the litter box?
There is a few things to consider when placing the litter box. The first is how busy is the area where the litter box is going to be placed. Your cat should be able to use the litter box in peace. Another factor that ties into how peaceful the area is the noise level of the area. The litter box should not be near any noisy appliances or any other parts of the home that might be noisy as this can make your cat not want to use the litter box. The litter box should also not be in the same area s their food and water. The location where the litter box is should always be available for your cat to go to and from and the litter box should be easy to get into.
How many litter boxes?
It is best practice to have one more litter box than you have cats. So if you have 4 cats, you would need 5 litter boxes. As the owner of a single cat, you should have 2 litter boxes.
How big should the litter box be?
The size of the litter box needs to let your cat have a pleasant experience. A pleasant experience comes from your cat being able to have plenty space to move and turn around, to dig, and to to take care of business. The best practice is to get a litter box that us 1 and a half times longer than your cat.
Trim The Fur Near Their Paws To Stop Tracking And To Ease Discomfort
Maine Coons have long-hair. For long-haired cats, litter sticking to the hair near their paws is quite common, and can cause litter to be spread far and wide in your home, and it is not comfortable for your cat to have litter stuck to them. Trimming the fur near the paws of your Maine Coon can help stop this.
FAQ
Can a litter box be too big?
It is rare for a litter box to be too big. But, it is very common place for a litter box to be too small. When a litter box is too small for a cat, this can dissuade them from using the litter box. An additional thing that can occur when a litter box is too small is the cat can be so crammed in that they accidentally pee out of the litter box even though they are standing inside. A bigger litter box can also help solve tracking issues. Tracking usually occurs because the cat accidentally steps in the litter that was recently peed on and is still wet. When litter is moist, it is prone to sticking. A bigger litter box gives your cat the extra room to not step in spots that are wet. Maine Coons are a lot bigger than normal cats, so it’s best to get them something with lots of room for them.
Why is my Maine Coon not peeing in the litter box?
There can be several explanations for why your Maine Coon is not peeing in the litter box. A litter box that is not big enough can cause this. If the litter box crams your Maine Coon when they use it, or the Maine Coon pees over the walls of the litter box then the litter box is likely not the right size. In addition, if you are not keeping the litter box in a clean enough condition, your cat might avoid it. Some medical issues can cause your cat to not use the litter box. If your cat stops using the litter box and appears to be exhibiting signs that something isn’t quite right, it is best to take a trip to the vet to see if there is something going on. Transitioning to a new litter can be a cause for litter box issues. Transitioning to a new litter can take time and sometimes cat’s just don’t like certain kinds of litter. The level of the litter in the litter box also has to be right. Not enough litter can mean your cat can’t bury their waste which could make them stop using the litter box, and too much litter could make them feel uneasy. One more thing is if the litter box is hard to get to, they might not go to it especially if they are getting older.
Do cats prefer open or closed litter boxes?
Most cats prefer a litter box that is completely open. This is due to their instincts. They do not want to feel vulnerable by being trapped in a litter box that is closed off. They would rather be in an open litter box that allows them to run away easily. This is just generally, and some cats are going to be the opposite and prefer to use a litter box that encloses them inside. An open litter box will also provide better airflow than an enclosed litter box which means less smell and that can be make the open litter box more enticing for your cat.
What litter works best for maine coon?
Maine Coons don’t really have any thing different about them causes one litter to work better for them than another litter. The only thing is that they have a lot of fur and litter can get stuck to them easily. It is best to get a non-dusty heavy litter. Litter that are bigger particles will also not stick as easily. Some examples of good litters include wood pellet, paper pellet, and tofu litter. Here is our article of the best litters that don’t stick to paws.
Conclusion
I am happy that we were able to help you with your search.
If you are still wondering which litter box to get, I suggest the IPrimio.
I know that it can be harder to find products that work for bigger animals, so I am glad if I was of use.
If you are just trying to spoil your Maine Coon, and looking for more product recommendations, you can check out my posts about the best shampoo or best beds for Maine Coons.
If you think that maybe you just need a normal sized litter box, this comparison review post details some really good ones.
If you have any more questions about buying these litter containers, you can head to the contact page, and we can have a conversation.
References
Blaine is a pet owner and animal lover. His two passions of cats and blogging met and KittyCatReviews was formed.