Last updated Apr 20, 2023
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Bringing a new kitten home is a major adjustment for everyone involved. You can help your kitten settle in by having all the essentials on-hand.
The best litter box for a kitten is appropriately sized and easy to access. Our top pick is the Lucky Champ Cat Litter Pan, which also happens to be a great choice for senior cats. Below we’ll go into the details about this and our other favorites for kitten litter boxes.
At a Glance: 7 Best Cat Litter Boxes for Kittens
In the comparison table below, we’ve highlighted some of the most important features of each product. You’ll find more detailed information about each product later in the article.
Lucky Champ Cat Litter Pan
- Rigid plastic construction provides stability and durability
- Rubberized grips for easy lift and carry
- High back walls with a dropped entry point for easy access
Hartz Cat Litter Tray
- Multiple options for exit and entry
- Affordably priced around $13
- Good for use in crates and catios
Van Ness Large High-Sided Litter Box with Frame
- Affordably priced under $10
- Frame raises the sides of the box up to 8 inches
- Low entry sits 4.25 inches off the ground
ModKat XL Litter Box
- Versatile and adaptable with front- and top-entry options
- Included liner makes it easy to empty and clean
- Enclosed design does a good job containing litter scatter
Kitty Sift Large Disposable Sifting Litter Box
- Multi-tray sifting design for easy scooping
- Made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials
- Optional frame to help contain litter scatter
Frisco High-Sided Litter Box
- High 10-inch sides help contain litter box mess
- Generously sized for kittens who like to dig
- Affordably priced around $20
Maohegou Large Litter Box for Kittens to Senior Cats
- Adjustable height between 2.65 and 7 inches
- Sturdy construction with a solid base and top
- Fairly large, measuring 21.5-by-17.5 inches
Why Should You Trust Us?
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Over the last three years, we’ve spent a lot of time figuring out what it takes to make a great litter box.
We’ve researched the types of litter boxes available, read hundreds of customer reviews, and performed real-world tests on over a dozen top boxes. We spent over 40 hours testing these litter boxes’ sturdiness, cat-friendliness, and ability to prevent sticking and litter scatter.
In addition to research and testing, we consulted with several veterinarians to get their take on which litter boxes work best and are the most effective for cats.
Based on this extensive research and hands-on testing, we’ve selected the 7 products described below as the best boxes you can buy for kittens.
Our Veterinary Advisors
How We Picked
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Over the past month, I’ve been testing more than a dozen different litter boxes with my three cats Bagel, Biscuit, and Munchkin. While none of my cats are kittens, they are all on the smaller side (under 9 pounds). Munchkin is particularly small, weighing in around 6 pounds, about what you’d expect a 6-month-old kitten to weigh.
For this round-up, I focused on litter boxes that were appropriately sized for kittens and small cats. Because kittens can be messy, I looked for litter boxes with high sides to help contain litter scatter and urine spray. Accessibility was also a major factor, so I prioritized litter boxes that had lower entries.
The Best Litter Boxes for Kittens: Our Top 7 Picks
#1 Overall Best: Lucky Champ Cat Litter Pan
- Brand: Lucky Champ
- Made In: Vietnam
- Dimensions: 25”x16.75”x9”
- Features: Low entry, very sturdy design, rubberized grips
- Price:
Thoughtfully designed with a low entry and high back wall, the Lucky Champ Cat Litter Pan is an excellent choice for kittens. It is generously sized without being overwhelmingly large and the rigid plastic construction offers strong durability.
This litter pan measures 25 inches long and over 16 inches wide, making it appropriate for older kittens as well as adult cats. The back wall is 9 inches high and slopes downward toward the front of the box which features a dropped entry that sits 3.5 inches off the ground. To further improve accessibility, there is a lip on the front of the box that can be used as a step if needed.
I appreciated the Lucky Champ litter pan’s sturdy construction. The wide base provides stability and the rubberized grips on either side make it easy to lift and move. Based on product pictures, I was a little concerned that the litter box was two pieces, allowing the potential of urine spray seeping over the side and into the seam between the parts, but it is actually one solid piece.
There are no major downsides to this litter box that I noticed. The only potential concern would be that a litter box this big requires a lot of litter.
What We Liked:
- Rigid plastic construction provides stability and durability
- Rubberized grips for easy lift and carry
- High back walls with a dropped entry point for easy access
What We Didn’t Like:
- Large litter boxes require a lot of litter
#2 Runner Up: Hartz Cat Litter Tray
- Brand: Hartz
- Made In: United States
- Dimensions: 20.25”x4”x13.75”
- Features: Affordable, low sides for easy entry
- Price: Out of stock
Compared to the previous pick, the Hartz Cat Litter Tray is incredibly simple. It’s a standard rectangular litter tray made from lighter-weight plastic, but it may be a more manageable size for smaller kittens.
This litter pan measures a litter over 20 inches long and almost 14 inches wide. The walls are 4 inches tall all the way around the box, enabling your kitten to enter from any side. Though this litter box gives your kitten multiple options for entry and exit, enthusiastic diggers are more likely to kick litter out of the box. Urine spray is also more likely to end up on the edge of the box or on the floor beside it.
Another benefit this Hartz litter tray has to offer is affordability. Because it’s inexpensive, it’s not a major loss if you end up switching to a larger litter box sooner than anticipated. It’s also a good option for use in catios or crates.
What We Liked:
- Multiple options for exit and entry
- Affordably priced around $13
- Good for use in crates and catios
What We Didn’t Like:
- Low walls allow for litter scatter and urine spray
- Less structured than the previous pick
#3 Best Budget: Van Ness Large High-Sided Litter Box With Frame
- Brand: Van Ness
- Made In: United States
- Dimensions: 19”x15.38”x8”
- Features: Frame adds height, made from 20% recycled material
- Price:
This Van Ness litter box aims to solve the primary problem with the previous pick. It consists of a standard rectangular litter tray with 4-inch walls but comes with a high-sided frame you put over top to raise the walls up to 8 inches in height. The frame not only helps keep litter box mess where it belongs (to some degree) but it also keeps litter pan liners in place if you choose to use them.
While this litter box set is good in theory, it has some limitations when it comes to reality. The plastic materials from which the litter tray is made are pretty thin and, unless the frame fits perfectly, tend to bow a little bit which keeps the pan from sitting flat unless weighed down by a decent amount of litter. The more litter you add, however, the more likely you are to end up with litter scatter, especially considering that the dropped entry extends all the way across the front of the box.
One thing this litter pan offers that many don’t is that it’s made from 20% recycled content. It’s also affordably priced under $10 which is what makes it our budget-friendly pick.
What We Liked:
- Affordably priced under $10
- Frame raises the sides of the box up to 8 inches
- Low entry sits 4.25 inches off the ground
What We Didn’t Like:
- Thin materials may bow on the bottom
- Wide front entry allows for litter scatter
#4 Premium Pick: Modkat XL Litter Box
- Brand: Modkat
- Made In: United States
- Dimensions: 21.26”x17.32”x10.25”
- Features: Dual-entry configurable, reusable liner, custom scoop
- Price:
The previous pick may be cheap, but it leaves something to be desired in several key areas. Where the Van Ness litter pan falls short, the ModKat XL excels. This is a generously sized enclosed litter box that offers both top- and front-entry access for your kitten.
The ModKat XL’s enclosed design does a great job of containing litter scatter and urine spray. More importantly, it comes with a reusable liner you hang from the lid that makes the work of emptying and cleaning the litter box incredibly easy. The lid itself is perforated to function as a litter mat to mitigate litter scatter for the top-entry option and it has a hinged lid to ensure easy access for scooping.
One of the factors that makes the ModKat XL our premium pick is its versatility. Your cat will always need a litter box and if you want to save yourself the cost and hassle of swapping litter boxes as your kitten grows, you might consider starting with one that adapts with your growing kitten.
The ModKat XL is an upgraded version of the original ModKat which is a standard top-entry litter box. This newer version offers a front-entry option that can be used in conjunction with the top entry or closed off entirely. Smaller kittens may have trouble with top-entry boxes at first which makes the front-entry option valuable. Even as your kitten grows, you might keep the front open, so your cat has two options for entering and exiting the litter box.
The main downside to this option is the price. Because the litter box is durably constructed, however, it’s my opinion that it’s well worth the price. It comes with everything you need to use the litter box however you like and even has an included litter scoop.
What We Liked:
- Versatile and adaptable with front- and top-entry options
- Included liner makes it easy to empty and clean
- Enclosed design does a good job containing litter scatter
- Perforated lid doubles as a litter mat to trap litter
What We Didn’t Like:
- Pretty expensive, around $180
- 6-inch entry may still be too high for very young kittens
#5 Best Sifting: Kitty Sift Large Disposable Sifting Litter Box
- Brand: Kitty Sift
- Made In: Mexico
- Dimensions: 17.8”x20.25”x5.5”
- Features: Eco-friendly recycled materials, sift to remove waste, disposable
- Price:
Kittens grow very quickly which means they’re constantly eating. Unfortunately, that also means frequent trips to the litter box which you end up having to deal with. If you’re looking for a simple way to speed up the process of scooping the litter box, a sifting litter pan might be a good idea. The Kitty Sift takes it one step further by also being a disposable litter box.
Kitty Sift offers their sifting litter box set in multiple sizes but the large should be perfectly fine for young kittens. It measures about 14 inches wide and 18 inches long with 4-inch sides. If you’re worried about litter scatter, you can purchase a frame hat adds a few inches to the height of the walls.
This litter box system is thoughtfully designed for ease of use. It consists of one solid litter pan and five sifting liners. You simply stack the liners inside the solid pan and lift the top liner to sift the litter, collecting clumps for easy disposal.
The Kitty Sift system is made from 100% post-consumer recycled cardboard. It’s compostable as well, making it an eco-friendlier alternative to plastic litter trays. The cardboard materials are more susceptible to humidity, but they hold up pretty well.
What We Liked:
- Multi-tray sifting design for easy scooping
- Made from 100% post-consumer recycled materials
- Optional frame to help contain litter scatter
What We Didn’t Like:
- High humidity can weaken the cardboard
#6 Best High-Sided: Frisco High-Sided Litter Box
- Brand: Frisco
- Made In: United States
- Dimensions: 24”x18”x10”
- Features: High sides, sturdy base, reinforced rim
- Price:
If your kitten tends to kick litter all over the place, a high-sided litter box like this model from Frisco might be just what you need. It’s affordably priced around $20 and its rigid construction and generous size mean that it should last through the transition from kittenhood to adulthood.
This litter box measures about 24 inches long and 18 inches wide with walls that stand 10 inches off the ground at the highest point. The entry in front is dropped to 5.6 inches which improves accessibility for kittens while giving a little more protection from scatter than some of the previous picks.
The lower entry will, of course, allow for some scatter but the rest of the walls are much higher than the average litter pan.
I also appreciate how durable this litter box is. It’s made from thick plastic with a rigid construction. The top edge is folded over to create a lip that adds stability and makes it easier to lift and carry. This litter box also has a solid base without a middle seam which helps keep it from bending under the weight of heavy litter.
What We Liked:
- High 10-inch sides help contain litter box mess
- Generously sized for kittens who like to dig
- Affordably priced around $20
- Sturdy base with reinforced rim for durability
What We Didn’t Like:
- Lowered entry may allow some litter to escape
- Takes up a significant amount of floor space
#7 Best Adjustable: Maohegou Large Litter Box For Kittens To Senior Cats
- Brand: Maohegou
- Made In: China
- Dimensions: 21.5”x17.5”x7”
- Features: Adjustable height, built-in handles
- Price:
Few litter boxes that work for very young kittens are appropriate for older kittens – the sides have to be so low that they won’t contain litter as your kitten grows. While not perfect, the Maohegou litter box is an inventive option that offers cat owners flexibility for kittens of various ages.
This litter box is collapsible. When fully collapsed it looks like a rectangular tray with sides about 2.65 inches off the ground. It has a solid plastic bottom and top with a flexible accordion-like middle that enables you to extend the height of the box up to 7 inches off the ground.
For kittens who are just learning to use the litter box and don’t need more than a shallow bed of litter, this litter box could be a decent option when fully collapsed. It won’t keep litter from spilling outside of the box (or into the space that forms between the collapsed portion and the solid rim), but the low entry makes it accessible for even very young kittens.
When fully expanded, this litter box is similar to a storage tote with cutout handles. It stands 7 inches high which improves its ability to contain litter but there is no dropped entry so it might still be too high for young kittens. Customer reviews confirm that this product works fairly well as intended, though it can be tricky to change the height and, in its collapsed form, can be difficult to clean.
What We Liked:
- Adjustable height between 2.65 and 7 inches
- Sturdy construction with a solid base and top
- Fairly large, measuring 21.5-by-17.5 inches
What We Didn’t Like:
- May be tricky to adjust the height
- Difficult to clean in its collapsed form
The Top Four Things To Look For in a Litter Box for Kittens
Newborn kittens are entirely dependent on their mothers. Not only do they need her milk to stay nourished and her body heat to stay warm, but kittens are unable to eliminate without their mother’s help for the first three to four weeks. Once they can, it’s time to start litter box training.
Fortunately, kittens learn how to use the litter box from their mothers. By mimicking their mothers’ behavior and following their natural instincts, kittens generally start using the litter box fairly quickly.
If you’re adopting a kitten from a shelter, it’s likely old enough to already have litter box usage down pat. Foster kittens may need a little extra encouragement but, for most cat guardians, the primary concern is providing kitten-safe litter and a litter box that is easy for kittens to use.
Here are the top four things to look for in a litter box appropriate for kittens:
1. It Should Be Appropriately Sized for Kittens – Not Too Large.
The general rule for litter box sizing is that it should be at least as long as your cat’s length from nose to the tip of his tail (or about 1 ½ times your cat’s body length). The width of a litter box should be equal to or greater than the length of your cat’s body as well. This measurement scale is entirely impractical for kittens, however, especially considering how quickly they grow.
When your kitten is very small, it may be wise to limit the size of the litter box to encourage your kitten to use it only for its intended purpose. By the time your kitten is three months old, however, he should be using the litter box regularly and you can size up. Bigger is generally better when it comes to litter boxes, but you want to avoid overwhelming your kitten with something too large.
The average adult cat weighs between 8 and 10 pounds with a body length around 15 to 20 inches. Size and weight vary greatly, however, depending on the cat’s breeding and the same will be true for your growing kitten. Under six months, choose a litter box that is at least 12-by-12 inches but be ready to upgrade if needed. An adult cat may require a litter box closer to 24 inches long and 18 inches wide.
2. It Should Have a Low Entry Point for Easy Access.
In addition to sizing, think about the right height for your kitten’s litter box. The average litter box entry sits between 5 and 7 inches off the ground, but this might be too high for a small kitten. Look for a litter box with a dropped entry between 3 and 5 inches off the ground.
Litter boxes designed for senior cats often make a good choice for kittens. These litter boxes are specifically designed for easy access with low entry points. Just keep in mind that the lower the front of the box, the more likely your kitten is to kick litter out of it.
3. It Should Have High Sides To Help Keep Litter and Waste Contained.
While the front of your kitten’s litter box should be low for easy access, the remaining three sides should be high to help contain the mess. Cats have a natural instinct to bury their waste, but kittens can be enthusiastic when it comes to digging. To avoid having litter flung all over the floor outside the litter box, look for something with higher sides at least 6 inches high but ideally higher.
4. It Should Be Uncovered So Your Kitten Feels More Comfortable Using It.
Cats seem to largely prefer uncovered litter boxes over covered litter boxes. Your cat is constantly aware of his surroundings and likes to keep an eye on things. A covered litter box might make him feel enclosed – cut off from the world around him with limited visibility of potential threats. Covered litter boxes also limit your cat’s options for escape since the entry and exit are often one in the same.
Your kitten has these same instincts built-in, but the bigger concern is eliminating obstacles that might make your kitten anxious or uncomfortable about using the litter box. An open box he can easily climb in and out of is more kitten-friendly and may help your kitten establish good litter box habits.
Wrapping Up
As your kitten grows and matures, you’ll need to start planning for the future. You’ll want to transition your cat onto an adult cat food recipe around 10 to 12 months of age and you may need to upgrade to a larger litter box depending on your cat’s size.
Not sure what kind of litter box to choose? Don’t worry – we’ve tested dozens and have compiled a list of our favorites all in one place. Check it out here: The 11 Best Cat Litter Boxes in 2022 – We Tried Them All
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of litter is best for kittens?
Veterinarians generally recommend non-clumping litter for kittens. Clumping litter often contains additives that cause the granules to swell upon contact with moisture – this is how they form scoopable clumps.
If your kitten accidentally ingests the litter, it could cause a life-threatening intestinal blockage. Natural plant-based litters with a softer texture are also recommended because your kitten’s paws may be particularly sensitive as he gets accustomed to using the litter box.
How do you encourage a kitten to use the litter box?
If your kitten doesn’t use the litter box consistently, you may need to help him form strong habits. You can do so using the same techniques you would to housetrain a puppy. Place your kitten in the litter box after meals and after waking up from a nap – these are the times he’s most likely to have to go.
Make sure litter boxes are easy to find and access and give your kitten praise and food rewards each time they use the box. Once your kitten gets the hang of it you’ll need to phase out the food rewards but it never hurts to keep praising your cat for desired behavior.
