The 6 Best Litter Boxes for Multiple Cats of 2023, Tested and Reviewed
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Maddy Newton / Brooke Kane
Cats can be finicky and territorial, which sometimes means that multiple cats in the same house will need multiple litter boxes. But if your cats are willing to share, there are litter boxes that combine easy cleaning, spacious dimensions, and thoughtful design features that can help keep the peace in a multi-cat household.
We purchased and tested 20 different litter boxes in our New York lab, looking especially for litter boxes that provide more than 400 inches of potty space. Our testers rated each litter box in multiple categories, including ease of cleaning, mess prevention, and design. We then shipped out our favorite litter boxes for long-term, at-home testing with our tester’s cats. They’ve been providing regular feedback since, updating us every few months on how the litter box is working for their cats.
After all the results were in, our favorite litter box for multiple cats is the Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Pan, which has an easily accessible opening that effectively tamps down odors, a roomy footprint, and a leak-proof design.
Best Overall: Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Pan
What We Like
Large but mess-containing opening with door
High walls
Easy to clean
Attachment point for easy waste scooping
Raised back design
What We Don’t Like
Some cats won’t use litter boxes that are too enclosed
The Catit Hooded Litter Box combines a large, 22.4 by 19.7 inch footprint—providing enough space for a multiple cat load of litter—with a thoughtful door design that allows for odor containment and easy access.
“The front door does a really good job at keeping the litter in when my cat is kicking it up so high,” our tester said.
Featuring a clear plastic “door” over the opening, cats can easily nudge it open for interior access, while the 10.4 x 9.6 opening provides a decent amount of visibility—cats love to be able to observe their surroundings. It’s also large enough for even the biggest cats to get through.
The door is double-hinged, which allows access from both the front and the top when the door is fully opened, making it easy to reach in with a litter scoop. The top portion of the door has a built-in carbon filter that traps odors drifting up from the litter (refills are available in two-packs for $5). Cleaning is made especially easy by a lipped “anchor” at the entrance, which lets you hook one side of a waste bag on, then rake solid waste from the litter directly into the bag (Catit offers their own waste bags, but any small plastic trash bag should work similarly).
While cats like to be able to observe their surroundings, and aren’t always willing to use an enclosed box, the Catit Jumbo Hooded has a roomy interior that most cats are more than willing to use, with an 18-inch ceiling.
There are two other crucial and resourceful design features for your cat’s comfort and yours: first, the raised back of the box, which means that urine flows downhill, because cats generally pee facing the open part of the litter box. Secondly, a built-in overlap mechanism between the top and bottom part of the box assures that there are no gaps for pee leakage, or anything else.
All of our testers praised the Catit’s ability to contain odors. Plus, despite its large size, carrying handles on each side make it easy to move around if necessary.
Our testers did note that the latches on the side can be a little stiff, while one tester also described a slow adjustment period, with a little trial and error necessary before their cats adapted to pushing through the door entryway.
“I had to place my cat into this box a few times at first because he did not understand the door concept,” our tester said. “Once he figured it out, he started going to the bathroom like normal.”
While we recommend the Jumbo version for multi-cat households, there’s also a smaller “Regular” sized model of the Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan.
Price at time of publish: $54
Dimensions: 22.44 x 19.7 x 18.31 inches | Material: Plastic | Scooper Included: No | Colors: Warm gray, white tiger
Maddy Newton and Brooke Kane
Best Jumbo: Petphabet Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Box
What We Like
Very roomy
High walls and lid
High lip at opening
Easy to clean
What We Don’t Like
High price tag
Loud colors
This big tub offers approximately 475 square inches of litter box space, which will allow multiple cats to use the box without feeling like they’re on top of each other. Manufacturer Petphabet even claims it’s large enough for two cats to use at the same time, in a “synchronized poop fest.”
Our tester didn’t witness any synchronized pooping in their time with the Petphabet Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Box, but their large cat loved its roominess.
“It’s great for larger cats who need some space to enter the litter box, turn around, or who like to kick the litter around,” the tester said. “The dome lid gives enough clearance for larger sized cats and more space/coverage to keep the litter inside.”
With its generous 24.8 x 10 x 16.5 dimensions, the Petphabet Jumbo has a high ceiling and lots of room to move around. Its high back and lid all but guarantees spillover won’t happen in the body of the box. While the box has no door or gate, there is a high lip at its opening, which splits the difference between easy access and mess prevention. The door accommodates easy entry for different sizes of kitty at 8.2 x 7.8 inches.
With its removable top cover and non-stick plastic design, there’s no doubt that this box is also very owner-friendly when it comes to cleaning. Our testers were able to easily clean the Petphabet box with soap and water.
The Petphabet Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Box is also available in seven different colors.
Price at the time of publish: $53
Dimensions: 25 x 19 x 17 inches | Material: Plastic | Scooper Included: No | Colors: Grey, purple, teal
Alicia Long
Best Automatic: Whisker Litter-Robot 4
What We Like
Fully-featured, with an intuitive interface
Large, inviting opening
Useful app
Nightlight
App-based monitoring of cats’ overall health
Can handle up to four cats
What We Don’t Like
Takes up a lot of space
Expensive, even among automatic litter boxes
Enter the space age of cat care products with a self-cleaning, app-controlled, and odor-zapping automatic litter box—the Litter-Robot 4 is our very favorite, and we’ve tested a lot of models.
You can interface with the Litter-Robot 4 entirely through the four colorful buttons on the top of the device (using some advanced functions can get a little complicated, but the Litter-Robot 4 is incredibly intuitive and quick to learn), or via the Whisker app, which syncs easily with your Litter-Robot using a QR code on the back of the device.
The unit itself has a large, friendly entrance, which leads into a pouch that holds your cat’s favorite litter. “My three cats took to it very quickly,” one tester said. “They were very curious.”
After your cat is done, the barrel of the Litter-Robot rotates, dumping the litter through a metal sifter that separates solid waste and dumps it into an enclosed reservoir at the bottom of the device. When that reservoir is full, you simply pull up the tray, lift up the edges of the waste bag, tie it off, and throw it out.
Sensors inside the Litter-Robot track your cat’s activities, and can differentiate between four different cats. And it’s easy to clean up after them too—despite its high-tech sheen, the Litter-Robot 4 can be disassembled and sprayed down with a hose if necessary. Every design element is thoughtful, and maximizes how easy it is to use, even with a house full of cats.
One of our testers wrote about how much the unit improved her everyday life. “I have one cat that is super picky and will pee on the floor if I don't maintain the litter box, so I usually have to clean it about four times a day,” she said. “But this one takes the stress out! I can away all day and come back, knowing it will still be a clean box.”
Price at time of publish: $699
Dimensions: 15.75 x 29.5 x 22 inches | Scooper Included: Not needed | Colors: Black, White
Best for Seniors and Kittens: KittyGoHere Senior Cat Litter Box
What We Like
Low entry point to accommodate young, older, and disabled cats
Reduces arthritis pain
Easy to clean
What We Don’t Like
Less safeguarding against waste and litter spreading
Might be a little too open for healthy adult cats
For kittens or less limber cats, a litter box with a low entry point can help with potty training, or relieve an elderly cat of arthritis pain. The KittyGoHere Senior Cat Litter Box works well for both the young and the old, with an entrance that’s only 3 inches off the floor. The box is also aligned differently than a standard litter box—wider than it is deep.
While the low walls and even lower entrance should help with kittens or cats with mobility issues, the KittyGoHere is not a great pick for healthy adult cats. For one, the low walls allow them to kick litter outside of the box very easily. Cats also like feeling protected when they use the bathroom (similar to how they love watching people from over the rim of a cardboard box), and the low walls made one of our tester cats feel too vulnerable to use the KittyGoHere.
If you have a combination of kittens, elderly cats, and adult cats, then check out the Lucky Champ Cat Litter Pan instead. Its entrance is slightly higher, at 3.5 inches, but our testers loved this box as well. We also recommend purchasing the larger version of the KittyGoHere. With 20 x 15 inches of litter space, the small model was a little too small to accommodate multiple kittens. The smaller box also made it more likely that a cat that’s sick with digestive issues might accidentally spray outside the borders of the box.
The KittyGoHere Senior Cat Litter Box is available in three different colors.
Price at time of publish: $40 (large)
Dimensions: 20 x 15 x 5 (small), 24 x 20 x 5 (large) | Material: Plastic | Scooper Included: No | Colors: Sand, Green, Lavender
Lesly Bernal
Best Alternative Litter: Purina Tidy Cats Breeze XL Litter System
What We Like
Excellent odor absorption
No need to scoop urine clumps
Easy to change absorbent pee pads
What We Don’t Like
Needs enough room in front of the box to pull out the drawer
Requires specialized litter pellets and cat pad refills
Most clay cat litter—the most common type—clumps when liquid touches it, forming hard lumps that you scoop out when you clean the litter box. The Tidy Cats Breeze Litter System takes a different approach, with a non-clumping litter that sticks to solid waste, but lets liquid pass through. Cat urine falls through a grate onto an absorbent pee pad. You scoop the solid waste like normal, and let the pee pad absorb liquids and urine odors for up to a week (less for multiple cats), then you slide out the tray and replace the pad.
This system makes the Tidy Cats Breeze exceptionally good at odor absorption, since it retains the smelliest part of your cat’s waste in a separate drawer beneath the main litter box. The whole system works quite well, and it even includes a scoop.
The downside is that you can’t really pick up any old litter at the grocery store. Instead, the Tidy Cats Breeze Litter System uses specialized litter pellets. It’s high quality stuff—it won’t spread dust, is large enough that it doesn’t stick to your cat’s feet, and does a good job at neutralizing solid waste smells—but using the Tidy Cat Breeze system can be a bit of a commitment. Extra cat pad refills for urine collection also add up.
While there’s an “Original” sized Breeze system, we prefer the larger XL model, especially for a multi-cat household. It has high, 13.7 inch walls to contain any splashes, plus more than enough floor space to keep a couple of cats happy.
“This system is best for the cat owner who wants their experience with a litter box to be the most positive one possible,” our tester wrote. “It’s the least smelly and messy option out there.”
Price at time of publish: $77
Dimensions: 15.7 x 20.6 x 10.2 (original), 27.5 x 18.5 x 13.7 inches (x-large) | Material: Plastic | Scooper Included: Yes | Colors: Gray and white
Kaya Abrahamson
Best Budget: Frisco High Sided Cat Litter Box
What We Like
Easy for cats to enter and exit, and suitable for cats of all ages and sizes
Made from BPA-free, recyclable plastic
High walls to prevent litter for splattering
What We Don't Like
Only available at one online retailer
The Frisco High-Sided Cat Litter Box is an affordable and reliable litter box capable of accommodating cats of all ages and sizes. It's available in two sizes, but for homes with multiple cats, we strongly recommend the X-large version.
From tiny kittens to seasoned seniors, the U-shaped entry—only 5.6 inches off the ground—allows cats to enter with ease. It also doubles as a spout to facilitate cleaning and emptying used litter into the garbage. All three walls surrounding the low-barrier walk-through point are 10 inches high for the x-large size to keep litter contained, even if you have cats that like to kick. The sturdy litter box is available in two colors, navy or gray, and is made out of BPA-free, recyclable plastic.
Price at time of publish: $20 (x-large)
Dimensions: 18 x 8.5 x 15.2 inches (medium), 24 x 10 x 18 inches (x-large) | Material: Plastic | Scooper Included: No | Colors: Gray, navy
Our favorite litter box for multiple cats is the Catit Jumbo Hooded Litter Box, which combines spaciousness, odor control, and thoughtful features that make it easy to maintain. If you’re looking for an all-in-one alternative to traditional clumping litter, consider the Purina Tidy Cats Breeze XL Litter System, which also offers superior cleanliness and smell reduction.
How We Tested Litter Boxes for Multiple Cats
Our testing process for litter boxes began with 20 bestselling, highly-rated, and popular litter boxes which we purchased for initial use in our New York lab. A testing methodology was written in advance, with input from veterinarians and other cat experts.
Using volunteer testers, we spent dozens of hours testing each box without cats, using vinegar-water to determine how well a box did at covering up odors, and melted chocolate candy to test how easy it was to clean up after solid waste. We used the same litter for each box (unless a box uses a specialized litter as part of a complete system), to keep results consistent. Our testers filled out an evaluation form without knowing the price of the product, rating each on a scale of 1-5 in multiple categories.
Our favorite models were then mailed out to separate volunteer testers, who tested each litter box at home with their cat or cats. They followed a similar, but adjusted methodology, evaluating their cat’s reaction to the box, and how easy it was for them to use. Feedback from at-home testers is provided over many months, so we can see consistent trends and judge whether or not a tester continues to enjoy using their litter box.
What to Look for
Size
For a multiple cat household, we recommend selecting a litter box that has more than 400 square inches of litter surface area. To find this number, all you need to do is multiply the interior width by the interior length. Multiple cats need lots of space, so they can bury their waste without having to deal with what other cats have left behind. Make sure to consider both the interior and exterior dimensions, especially if the box has to fit in a specific space in your home.
Wall Height
When cats are moving in and out of their boxes, litter and waste tend to spread around easily, shooting and being tracked around in all directions. If a major concern for you is containing waste and mitigating odor, you should absolutely buy a high-walled litter box, as opposed to a shallow pan, for your cat. Shallow pats work for smaller and older cats, or kitties with restricted mobility. For regular-sized, healthy cats—one, two, or more—wall height is a major consideration. (Additionally, an opening that is high enough off the ground will also prevent waste from being tracked in your home.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need multiple litter boxes for two cats?
Many experts recommend having multiple litter boxes for multiple cats, both for their comfort and for sanitariness. In some conditions, a single litter box can cause fighting between your cats. However, if your cats get along well and don’t exhibit high degrees of competitiveness or territoriality, then one litter box might be able to accommodate multiple cats. Particularly if your cats are a “bonded pair” or otherwise exhibit friendly, collaborative behavior, then one box might meet both their needs. However, if you have to feed them separately, keep them in differents rooms, or otherwise accommodate conflicts between them, then chances are you’ll need a separate box for each cat.
How do you set up a litter box for multiple cats?
When introducing a new litter box, try to change as little as possible other than the new box itself. Use the same litter they’re used to, and put the box in the same place, or set it up next to the existing box and let them explore it at their leisure for a few days. If your cats refuse to use the new litter box, you can try lifting them and placing them into the box. There are also specialized cat litters and sprays that are designed to act as attractants. This can help habituate them.
Where is the best place to put a litter box?
Do not place your litter box near where your cats eat, or near parts of the home that may make noises, such as near a heating, AC, or laundry unit. If you have a secondary litter box in the home, it should be in a separate place in the home. The ideal location for a litter box is in a low-traffic area that’s not too far from where your cats usually hang out.
Why Trust The Spruce?
This roundup of cat litter boxes combines input from experts, extensive testing, and a deep bench of previous product experience. It was written by Winston Cook-Wilson, a freelance writer with a history of in-depth research into pet topics. A writer and editor for nearly a decade, Winston has published work in The Guardian, The Ringer, Vice, Pitchfork, Spin, and more.
