Last updated Jan 23, 2024
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Whether you have two, three, or fifteen cats in your home, litter boxes fill up fast and the trope of a smelly house full of cats can become your reality. Choosing the right litter box is part of keeping your feline tribe happy and your home smelling fresh.
In this guide, we’ll discuss what qualities make a litter box suitable for a multi-cat household and offer our top picks for the best options on the market.
At a Glance: Best Litter Box for Multiple Cats in 2024
iPrimio Non-Stick Plated Stainless Steel XL Litter Pan
- Robust stainless steel construction
- Resists stain and odor accumulation
- Easy to clean
Litter-Robot 4
- Automatically cycles after use
- Covered waste drawer helps contain odor
- Control and monitor via app
Frisco High-Sided Litter Box
- One of the largest litter boxes on the market
- Features an antimicrobial coating for odor control
- High sides help to keep litter contained
Petphabet Covered Litter Box
- Features a translucent cover
- Easy to clean
- Larger than many other covered litter boxes
Frisco Open Top Cat Litter Box With Rim
- Has a large litter capacity
- Has a spacious interior for multiple cats
- Quick, easy, and efficient
Omega Paw Roll'N Clean Cat Litter Box
- Has a large litter capacity
- Has a spacious interior for multiple cats
- Quick, easy, and efficient
Why Trust Cats.com
From open-style litter pans to high-tech automatic models, I’ve tested dozens of different litter boxes over the past several years. Through a combination of my own experience and consultations with cat behavior experts—and help from my two cats, Wessie and Forest, of course—I’ve come to understand what sets a great litter box apart in a multi-cat household.
After hours of market research, I selected litter boxes to test myself. I purchased them at full retail price and tested them in my home for several weeks. Throughout the testing process, I noted these litter boxes’ durability and cat-friendliness. I also observed how well they contained litter scatter, urine spray, and odor.
To complement my personal experience, I also read hundreds of customer reviews and consulted with veterinarians to get their take on which litter boxes work best in a home with multiple cats.
Our Veterinary Advisors
Top 6 Litter Boxes for Multiple Cats
In a multi-cat household, your cats share more than just your home—they share toilet space as well. A large, sturdy litter box that’s easy to clean works best for me and my two cats. The iPrimio stainless steel litter box is my personal top pick, but it might not be the ideal choice for every household.
Each cat has a unique personality and the dynamics of every multi-cat household are different. The best litter box combination will depend on your specific cats as well as their preferences and behavior. We’ve assembled a short list of litter boxes in different styles to help you find the one that best suits your needs.
#1 Overall Best: iPrimio Non-Stick Plated Stainless Steel XL Litter Pan
- Brand: iPrimio
- Made In: China
- Dimensions: 23.5”x15.5”x7.5”
- Features: Durable, stainless-steel material, non-slip feet
- Price:$59.99
If you’re tired of plastic pans that get dirty fast and don’t last long, you might like this stainless steel box from iPrimio. It’s been rated as our favorite traditional-style litter box for several years, and its large size, longevity, and crowd-pleasing design make it a good choice for multi-cat homes.
It measures a generous 23.5 inches long by 15.5 inches wide, so your cats can turn around and spread out, but the 6-inch sides are low enough to enable the whole feline family to enter easily.
This litter box outlasts the competition with non-stick, stain-resistant stainless steel construction. This makes it a great choice for high-use households. Additionally, it’s large and spacious, giving your cats plenty of space to turn around in. If multiple cats use the same litter box, the waste will be distributed across a wide litter bed, reducing the amount of accumulation over the course of the day.
The biggest downside? It’s expensive. Now priced at over $82 on Amazon, you’ll be spending about 5-8x the amount you’d pay for a regular litter box. If hygiene and longevity are your priorities, though, it could be worth the money.
What We Liked
- Robust stainless steel construction
- Resists stain and odor accumulation
- Easy to clean
- Spacious enough for cats to feel comfortable in
- Relatively low sides suit a variety of cats
What We Didn’t Like
- Heavy; not easy to move around
- One of the most expensive traditional boxes on the market
#2 Best Automatic: Litter-Robot 4
- Brand: Whisker
- Made In: United States
- Dimensions: 27”x22”x29.5”
- Features: Self-cleaning, health monitoring, strong odor control
- Price: $699.00
If cleaning up after multiple cats has become a hassle, consider upgrading to an automatic-self-cleaning litter box like the Litter-Robot 4.
While no automatic litter box is perfect for every household, the Litter-Robot 4 consistently receives positive ratings and our own testers have been impressed with its performance. It’s an updated version of the Litter-Robot 3, redesigned with a larger entryway and an improved app interface. It also features additional sensors and runs more quietly.
What makes the Litter-Robot 4 an appropriate choice for multi-cat households is that it cycles automatically after your cat uses the litter box. No matter how many cats you have, they’ll enjoy a clean litter box each and every time.
The downside of the Litter-Robot is the nearly $700 price tag. Though it’s a significant investment, users report reliable performance and strong customer service. Plus, with replacement parts and DIY installation guides available on the Litter-Robot website, you can keep your litter box running for years even after the warranty expires.
What We Liked
- Automatically cycles after use
- Covered waste drawer helps contain odor
- Control and monitor via app
- Replacement parts are easy to get
What We Didn’t Like
- Costs nearly $700
- Takes up a significant amount of space
#3 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: $18.47
Some cats squat to urinate while others remain standing and cats fling litter all over the place as they dig around. This large, high-sided litter box is a great pick for multi-cat households because it’s designed to contain mess no matter what your cat’s litter box habits may look like.
This litter box isn’t quite as hefty as our top pick but it’s a few inches larger than the average litter box and it’s 10 inches deep. With its high sides, it’s perfect for enthusiastic diggers and cats who tend to spray urine over the edge of the box.
Though the sides of this litter box are high to contain mess, the entryway is low enough that most cats can access it comfortably. The base is nice and sturdy, designed without a middle seam to weaken it, and the rim is reinforced to make carrying the litter box easier.
What We Liked
- Affordably priced around $20
- High 10-inch sides help contain litter box mess
- Sturdy base and reinforced rim for durability
- Dropped entry for comfortable access by most cats
What We Didn’t Like
- Lowered entry may allow some litter to escape
- Takes up a significant amount of floor space
#4 Best Covered: Petphabet Covered Litter Box
- Brand: Petphabet
- Made In: China
- Dimensions: 25”x19”x17”
- Features: Covered, clear top, large opening
- Price:$54.99
If you and your cats like covered litter boxes, you might try this extra-large hooded pan.
This litter box measures 24.8” x 20″ x 16.5” around the “waist” where the cover and bottom meet. Because the litter box has a flared design, it’s slightly smaller at the bottom, with a door opening size 8.2 X 7.8 inches.
It’s available in two colors: navy blue and beige. Both colors come with a translucent hood, allowing your cat to see the outside world while they use their bathroom.
The hood snaps on with high-density polyethylene locks. Customer reviews suggest that these locks are fragile and tend to break easily. Durability concerns are repeatedly mentioned in reviews – one said “you definitely cannot pick it up when full. It would explode!”.
The litter box has non-stick surfaces for easier cleaning.
What We Liked
- Features a translucent cover
- Easy to clean
- Larger than many other covered litter boxes
What We Didn’t Like
- Reviewers say that the side latches are unreliable
#5 Best Budget: Frisco Open Top Cat Litter Box With Rim
- Brand: Frisco
- Made In: United States
- Dimensions: 19.75”x15.13”x9.5”
- Features: Removable rim, recycled plastic materials, affordable
- Price: $10.53
Basic litter pans are inexpensive, but they also tend to be cheaply made. This Frisco litter box is affordably priced around $10 but offers a little more than the average budget-friendly litter pan.
This litter box is made from recycled BPA-free plastic materials and features a standard open-top design. What makes it unique, however, is that it comes with a removable rim that adds several inches to the height of the box, helping to contain mess.
Customers report that the litter box is well-made for the price, though there are some comments that the rim doesn’t always lock firmly in place. If you’re looking for an affordable option to add extra litter boxes in a multi-cat household, however, this model from Frisco might be a good choice.
What We Liked
- Affordably priced around $10
- Removable rim helps contain mess
- Made from recycled plastic
What We Didn’t Like
- May be too small for large cats
- Rim may not always lock firmly in place
#6 Best Sifting: Omega Paw Roll’N Clean Cat Litter Box
- Brand: Omega Paw
- Made In: Canada
- Dimensions: 16.5”x18.5”x17”
- Features: Self-cleaning, easy to fill, two sizes
- Price: $41.58
Sifting boxes are a relatively affordable and reliable alternative to automatic litter boxes.
The Omega Paw Roll’N Clean is an innovative design that allows you to replace your daily scooping sessions with a simple rolling motion. Each time that you roll over the enclosed litter box, the contents pass through a grate. Clumped litter separates from clean litter and deposits in a waste drawer.
This design is efficient and easy to use.
The box is available in both a regular and large size, so make sure that you select the large one to accommodate your multiple cats. The large size measures about 23” x 20”.
What We Liked
- Has a large litter capacity
- Has a spacious interior for multiple cats
- Quick, easy, and efficient
What We Didn’t Like
- Litter can leak through the seams
- Cats could feel trapped under the domed cover
Must-Have Multi-Cat Litter Box Features
The factors that make a litter box suitable for one cat carry over when there are multiple cats in the household. But in a multi-cat home, things like odor, litter scatter, and territorial behavior are more likely to be an issue.
Careful litter box selection ensures that all of your cats have a clean and comfortable place to do their business—and it makes your task of keeping the litter boxes clean easier as well. Here are some tips for choosing a litter box for a multi-cat household.
Look for Large Litter Boxes
In a small litter box, your cats may be forced to step on or dig through waste and dirty litter. This may cause them to avoid their litter box completely. The litter box should be at least as wide as your cat is long, from the base of their tail to the tip of their nose. The litter box should be about 1.5 times as long as your cat’s body.
Avoid Covered Boxes
Cats play dominance games in the bathroom area. If an aggressive cat backs another cat into the litter box, the passive cat is forced to cower in their own toilet. It’s a frightening and demoralizing experience that keeps beta cats at the bottom of the feline power hierarchy.
Covered boxes make the situation worse, giving beta cats nowhere to run when an aggressive housemate backs them into the litter box. Although they don’t cure strained relationships, open litter boxes give your cats the freedom of movement they crave.
Think About Odor Control
When multiple cats do their business in the same house, odor control can become a struggle. While daily scooping is the cornerstone of odor control, some litter boxes make the job easier with features like antimicrobial or non-stick coatings. These coatings are no substitute for regular cleaning, but they can help to minimize odor buildup in a multiple-cat home.
Work Within Your Budget
When you’re buying three or more litter boxes, costs add up quickly. Litter boxes range from $5 for standard pan-style boxes to over $500 for top-of-the-line automatic litter boxes. Determine your budget before you start shopping so you can divide it among multiple boxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can multiple cats share one litter box?
Most cats don’t have a problem sharing litter boxes as long as they are kept clean. Provide extra litter boxes so your cats have multiple options to choose from. You should have one litter box per cat plus at least one extra.
How do you set up a litter box for multiple cats?
Whether you have one cat or multiple, it’s wise to stagger the location of your litter boxes. It’s ideal to have one on each floor of the home so your cats never have to go far to use one. Avoid putting the litter box in a place that might trigger territorial disputes. The litter box should be easily accessible from several directions so one cat can’t easily trap another inside.