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The Best Hooded Litter Box is the Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Box
Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, I stand before you this day to defend the honor of the covered cat litter box.
I’m here to ask you to review the painstakingly thorough evidence that I have compiled.
It will prove not only are these products the best litter boxes with covers but also that they deserve your attention and dollars.
It’s a common question that is asked over and over again – “Which is the best-covered litter box?”
Covered cat litter boxes are excellent for kitties. Why? Because they allow you to control odor and keep your house clean and smelling fresh.
They are also a great solution for some cat parents who don’t want their kitty business out in the open.
Have you ever thought about getting a covered litter box for your kitty? They’re a fast-growing trend and there are several reasons why they might be right for you.
If you’ve ever wondered which covered cat litter box is the best one? You are not alone.
There are hundreds of cat litter boxes on the market today and it can be challenging to choose the right one.
Let’s take a look at what they offer and discuss the best-covered litter box options out there.
The Best Covered Litter Box Top Picks
If you are pressed for time, here are the top 5 picks for the best-enclosed cat litter boxes that I recommend for your feline friends:
- Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Box
- Nature’s Miracle Advanced Hooded Corner Cat Litter Box
- Petmate Booda Dome Clean Step Cat Litter Box
- Van Ness Enclosed Cat Litter Boxes
- Van Ness Enclosed Sifting Cat Litter Pan
What are hooded litter boxes?
Hooded litter boxes, also known as closed or covered litter pans, are boxes with a covering or hood.
This converts the box into a small-looking house, where your cat enters to relieve himself in seclusion and privacy.
They vary in size, shape, and color.
Recently, with advancements in tech, some have odor-absorbing filters in the hood vent. This keeps the air fresh and reduces odors.
The air filters ensure that the air circulating in the house is odor-free and smells fresh. However, they do not reduce the odor inside the box and this can be detrimental to your cat’s health.
More onto this later on how to solve this common problem.
What are the best-covered litter boxes?
After careful research and product review, I finally unveil the best-covered cats’ litter boxes in the market.
1. Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Box
Description:
The Catit Jumbo hooded cat pan with high sides is an excellent choice for both you the cat owner, and your lovely cat. Why you may ask?
Just like you, your cat loves to have some privacy when relieving herself. You, on the other hand, deserve an odor-free house, and the Catit Jumbo hooded cat pan delivers both of these, seamlessly and effortlessly. This makes it one of the best cat litter box options available.
Follow me as you and I dig deeper into the unique benefits that the Catit Jumbo hooded cat pan gives you and your cat.
Key Benefits:
- Available in a variety of colors to suit not only your taste but also the theme color in your house.
- It is a large litter box, big enough, with high sides and suitable for multi-cat households and big cats. You are getting two at the price of one!
- It’s fitted with a hooded lift to give you easy access to the litter box when cleaning and scooping. The bag anchor secures the litter and frees up both of your hands to work comfortably inside the litter box. This makes it easy to clean the litter box for cats.
- Additionally, the box has an easily removable clear door that gives you a view of the inside. This allows you to watch the box condition effortlessly from the outside and gives you easy access when need be.
- It has a built-in bag anchor that ensures the cat litter remains in place and doesn’t spill over. This is such a saver since you don’t get back home to find litter on your floor and carpet.
- The carbon filter available filters the nasty litter box odors. As a result, your house smells fresh and odor-free. Once the disposable carbon filter has worn out, you can easily replace it.
- This product is firm and sturdy, with a built-in handle ideal for carrying the litter box. It comes in handy when cleaning the box.
- The litter pan has high sides, suitable for your large cat and those that spray or dig the litter aggressively.
You can see why this qualifies as one of the best litter box options available for your cat.
Cons of the Catit Covered Litter Box:
- Handle the locking mechanism of the lid carefully to avoid weakening it.
- The door flap gets jammed and you may need to apply some pressure to move it. This may keep your cat from using the litter box.
- Some aggressive large cats may destroy the biodegradable filter.
2. Nature’s Miracle Advanced Hooded Corner Cat Litter Box
Description:
Nature’s Miracle Advanced Hooded Corner Cat Litter Box is uniquely designed with a non-stick antimicrobial surface that minimizes litter from caking.
Additionally, it reduces the buildup of litter cakes. This makes it simple and fast for you when cleaning the pan.
The antimicrobial surface inhibits the growth of odor-causing bacteria on the plastic surface.
Key Benefits:
- The litter box cover ensures that the litter and odor remain inside the box. This leaves your house smelling fresh, with zero litter spillage. Remember to only use the best litter for your cat.
- The corner triangular shape design is extremely convenient, as it saves you room space. It keeps the box hidden from your view and out of your way. You don’t have to worry about your guests seeing cat litter as they sip a drink.
- It comes equipped with a replaceable charcoal filter. This has odor-blocking technology that keeps odors away in your house for three months. If this doesn’t impress you, I don’t know what will.
- The box is wide and big enough such that your cat won’t feel caged in. She has adequate room to dig around and be comfortable as she handles her business in privacy.
Pro tip: Once you get this hooded box, add cat litter up to the 3-inch mark.
Cons of the Nature’s Miracle Advanced Hooded Corner Cat Litter Box:
- It may be too huge for some people and their room space.
- The box may prove leaky through the hinges for cats that pee higher up against the wall.
3. Petmate Booda Dome Clean Step Cat Litter Box
Description:
The Petmate Booda Dome Clean Step Cat Litter Box is a beauty to behold, with a sleek step design.
The hooded top provides excellent privacy for your cat as she relieves herself.
Key Benefits:
- The in-built ramp is ideal for older cats, injured cats, or those with mobility issues since they can’t jump in and out easily.
- The box comes equipped with a large filter to trap smells from escaping the box. This ensures that you are enjoying the freshness in your living space.
- The box is huge, specifically 50% larger than your average litter box. It is large enough to accommodate your larger cats.
- The sleek ramp step design traps litter from your cat’s paws. This keeps tracking at bay and your house clean.
- Made in the USA, this box has a built-in firm handle that makes storing and moving the litter pan easy.
- The lid snaps back into place keeping dogs out from accessing the litter. It’s a dog-proof box that ensures that your dog doesn’t feed on cat poop. How about that for a litter box!
- The dome lid is removable to access the inside during cleaning. This makes it easy to clean.
Cons of the Petmate Booda Dome Clean Step Cat Litter Box:
- It requires a different scoop from the normal due to the unique sleek shape of the litter box.
- The inside space may be a little bit too fitting for a huge cat. The ramp occupies a big part of the litter box.
- Some cats get at and chew the filter, destroying it in the process. It is not in protected housing hence exposed to damage.
4. Van Ness Enclosed Cat Litter Boxes:
Description:
The Van Ness is a highly polished and hooded cat litter pan. It has a removable flap door at the entrance.
Key Benefits:
- The box offers excellent odor control, due to the replaceable Zeolite air filters that absorb bad odors. It ensures that your room remains fresh.
- It prevents the scattering of litter due to the enclosed nature of the pan.
- Made in the USA, this box has a polished finish that is stain-resistant and easy to clean.
- The box comes equipped with 4 latches that lock the top to bottom pan and secure the litter liners in position.
- Comes in a large size and an extra-large size for large cats or multi-cat households.
Cons of the Van Ness Enclosed Cat Litter Boxes:
- The plastic quality may not be top-notch since the plastic is relatively thin.
- The entrance flap tends to fall off when your cat pushes against it.
5. Van Ness Enclosed Sifting Cat Litter Pan
Description:
The Van Ness Enclosed Sifting Litter Box for a cat is uniquely designed to offer scoop-free litter maintenance. This is due to the sifting litter boxes design.
Key Benefits:
- It has excellent odor control qualities. This is due to the integrated, replaceable Zeolite air filters that absorb smelly odors. You should replace them every 60-90 days based on your cat’s bathroom habits. This keeps your living space odor-free, and freshly smelling.
- The enclosed pan has a flap door entryway and the enclosure ensures that the cat litter isn’t scattered. It prevents splashing too.
- The sifting pan design enables the sifting part to separate waste from the litter.
- It’s equipped with one sifting pan and two bottom pans. The loose litter falls back to the pan below and the litter clumps are lifted for disposal. The best cat litter to use is the clumping cat litter for it makes cleaning the box extremely easy.
- Made in the USA, this box has a high polished finish that is stain and odor-resistant. Cleaning it is very easy.
- It’s available in different size ranges to suit various sizes of cats. Ensure you select the right size fit for your cat to avoid getting frustrated.
Cons of the Van Ness Enclosed Sifting Boxes
- Unsuitable for use with some types of cat litter such as the wood pellet litter.
- The box quality is low and the latches are hard to unlatch.
- The sifter may need unclogging from time to time.
- The handle isn’t built to carry the box full of cat litter and your feline friend inside.
Benefits of covered cat litter boxes
- They provide privacy for your cat.
- They contain smelly odors
- They ensure that urine sprays don’t spill over
- They prevent a cat from scattering litter outside the hooded litter box.
- They ensure that your children and other pets such as dogs do not come into contact with the litter and poop.
Before swiping your card, here are key things that you should ensure are present:
- The box should be large enough to give your cat enough headroom, once she enters the box.
- The hood should be firm enough, such that your cat can’t push it off or cause it to snap into two.
Are hooded litter boxes better, and do cats prefer covered cat litter boxes?
I will be brutally honest with you. You’ve probably heard people say that the covered cat’s litter boxes are designed for humans while the open litter boxes are designed for cats.
It’s important to substantiate facts from myths. This is why I am dedicated to offering you amazingly simple factual truths that will help you stand out in your cat care experience.
A study was published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, titled Litter box preference in domestic cats: covered versus uncovered by Emma K Grigg, Lindsay Pick, and Belle Nibblett. It stated, “We postulate that, if boxes are kept sufficiently clean (ie, once-daily minimum cleaning), most cats will not show a preference for either box type.
For this reason, it is important to ensure that the following areas are not neglected:
1. Box odor:
The hood traps litter odor and the charcoal filter purifies the air. Only fresh air is released into the room. The trapped odor in the litter box creates an awful experience for your cat.
To combat this problem, ensure you scoop the box at least twice daily and only use the best litter for your cat.
2. Poor air circulation:
It causes litter to remain wet for longer periods and creates a dump environment. This is especially true if your cat urinates frequently.
Picture your cat stepping into such a dump space?
Invest in clumping cat litter which has good odor absorption and enhanced clumping abilities to absorb urine.
With regular scooping of the clumping cat litter and toilet training, a covered litter box is a lifesaver.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Are hooded litter boxes bad for cats?
No, hooded litter boxes are not bad for cats.
A hooded litter box can be good for cats because they provide privacy and prevent litter from getting spread around the house. They also help keep smells contained within the box. These benefits can make it easier to live with multiple cats in apartments or small homes where there isn’t much space for them to roam freely.
Some cats, however, will refuse to use a covered litter box though because they don’t like being enclosed in such a small space or having their vision blocked by the top of the box.
Is a top entry litter box better?
Top entry litter boxes are almost as good as covered litter boxes. This is because they have a similar design with only a section of the top open.
Top entry boxes offer almost similar benefits to those of the covered cat litter boxes such as:
- They provide privacy for your cat.
- They contain smelly odors.
- Top entry boxes ensure that urine sprays don’t spill over.
- They prevent your cat from scattering litter outside the hooded litter box.
- They ensure that your children and other pets such as dogs, do not come into contact with the poop.
Most cats don’t like it when people watch them do their business. A covered litter box solves that problem. And not only do they provide privacy for your cat, but they can help keep the litter in the box where it belongs instead of scattered all around your home.
Where is the best place to put a litter box?
The best place to place your litter box is a quiet, low-traffic area that is clean and offers privacy for your cat.
This varies from house to house and you can come up with creative litter box locations.
The bathroom, spare bedroom, or a less noisy utility room can fit the bill.
Are covered litter boxes good for cats?
Covered litter boxes are generally good for cats, but only if your pet is accustomed to using one.
While some cats may find the extra privacy comforting, others prefer an uncovered litter box that allows them to observe their surroundings while they do their business.
The downside to covered boxes is that they don’t allow much air circulation, which can cause odors to linger even after the box is cleaned.
Which is better covered or uncovered litter box?
The choice of covered or uncovered litter boxes can be hotly debated among cat owners. There are pros and cons to each type, but the right one for you will depend on your cats’ preferences as well as your own.
Covered litter boxes offer privacy for your cat, which some cats prefer. They may offer better odor control than uncovered boxes and help keep litter from scattering across the room.
However, some cats do not like covered boxes and prefer to see their surroundings when using the litter box — especially if there are other pets in the household.
Uncovered litter boxes allow your cat access to them without any barriers. Most cats will readily use an uncovered box, and they generally cost less than covered ones. Some disadvantages of uncovered boxes include increased odors and more scattered litter, especially if your cat digs before urinating or defecating.
Some brands of both covered and uncovered litter boxes have filters to help control odors; others do not. When comparing prices between brands, be sure you’re looking at similar features.
Do covered litter boxes smell more?
A covered litter box can appear to smell more because the cover tends to trap odors inside the pan rather than dispersing them into the air.
Litter boxes with covers also tend to get less air inside them. This lack of air circulation can lead to more odors, even if you scoop the litter every day.
This means that the smells are trapped inside and can’t escape. When you go to scoop the litter box, you open up the top and get a face full of cat poop smell. It’s enough to make your eyes water and your gag reflex kick in full gear.
The best way to avoid an unpleasant smell is through proper maintenance of your cat’s litter box. It’s important to clean out your kitty’s litter box regularly — ideally, every day. If you have multiple cats, you may need to scoop more frequently.
Do hooded litter boxes help with smell?
Hooded litter boxes do help with the smell. They are one of the best ways to get a handle on it.
A great thing about hooded litter boxes is that they also allow for an air filter to be placed inside.
These filters work by pushing the smells through them and then releasing them into the air again in a much cleaner form.
It’s a lot harder for the smell to get out when it’s trapped inside your cat litter box than if you have an open box.
As a result, hooded litter boxes keep your house smelling clean and fresh.
In addition, they contain the kitty litter inside the box preventing it from spilling out and making a huge mess for you.
Conclusion:
Covered litter boxes can provide privacy for your cat, help contain any odors, and prevent litter from being spread outside of the box. They are a great addition to any home where a cat resides.
After careful consideration and testing, we have narrowed our favorite litter box down to two top choices. Ultimately, this choice is up to you, considering both options are dependable, popularly reviewed products. However, we hope that our review has helped you make an informed decision on which covered cat litter box is right for your needs.
You don’t want to just guess when you buy a covered litter box. Luckily, we have done the homework for you. This is why you should buy the Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Pan (my personal favorite).
This ultimate winner has a whopping 95% buyer satisfaction and is recommended by cat owners who purchased it.
Now, go grab yours!