Covered Litter Box – A Vet’s Advice on a Covered Litter Boxes

Covered Litter Box – A Vet’s Advice on Covered Litter Boxes

A covered litter box is any type of litter box with a top shell as well as a bottom one. These are typically “hoods” or “lids” which clip onto the lower pan.

Many owners choose a covered litter box to reduce odors or prevent their cat from kicking out litter. They also hide waste from sight and can contain air fresheners or other stylish details that make them more appealing than traditional litter boxes.

But are these covered boxes better than traditional ones? The answer is no.

In nature cats will take great care to ensure they are safe while eliminating. This is a time when they can be vulnerable to predators so they don’t want to take any chances. They do this by making sure they can see in all directions. In a covered box cats can’t see around them. As a result, they can feel vulnerable and trapped.

In addition, the fact that covered litter boxes trap odors is not a good thing for the cat. Overwhelming odors in the box can encourage a cat to eliminate outside their box.

Finally, one problem we commonly see with covered litter boxes is that they tend to be cleaned far less often. The owners don’t often see how dirty they are and go much longer between scoopings.

The ideal litter box should be in an area where cats can see around them. A clear box with an easy exit and clean litter is ideal.

I hope this gives you more information about covered litter boxes and whether they are a good idea.