Cat litter trays are one of those buys nobody wants to think about until the current one starts ruling the room. In a UK flat, the problem is rarely just the cat. It is the 170 cm bathroom width, the cloakroom door that opens the wrong way, the washing basket already fighting for floor space, and the fact guests can see the tray from the hall.
The right box will not replace daily scooping, but it can make the mess easier to contain and the room easier to live with. These six are all real in-stock picks, chosen for small homes rather than showroom bathrooms.
If you only read this: the Enclosed Cat Litter Box With Stainless Steel Base Tray is the safest all-rounder for odour-prone corners. For the neatest small-flat trick, the Top-Entry Enclosed Cat Litter Box keeps more scatter inside.
The picks
Best budget enclosed tray - Enclosed Cat Litter Tray with Drawer - £35.02
This light-green enclosed tray is the sensible first upgrade from an open plastic pan. The front entry keeps access simple, the top exit helps catch some loose litter, and the pull-out drawer makes daily scooping less of a faff in a narrow bathroom. The catch is size: it suits average cats better than very large breeds. View product.
- Pros: pull-out drawer, front entry plus top exit, lowest enclosed price here
- Cons: not the roomiest pick; the colour will not disappear in every scheme
- Best for: renters upgrading from a basic open tray without spending much
Best for litter scatter - Top-Entry Enclosed Cat Litter Box - £36.16
Top-entry boxes are not for every cat, but they are brilliant for homes where litter gets kicked halfway across the tiles. This one has a front flap as well as the top route, a pull-out cleaning drawer and deodorisation bags included, so it is more flexible than a pure top-entry cube. It still needs a reasonably agile cat. View product.
- Pros: strong scatter control, front and top access, pull-out drawer
- Cons: less suitable for elderly or mobility-limited cats
- Best for: tiled bathrooms, hallway corners and cats that dig enthusiastically
Best easy-clean open option - Stainless Steel Cat Litter Tray - £36.16
An open tray still makes sense if your cat hates lids or you need the quickest possible clean. This stainless steel model has high sides and a detachable rim, so it is less flimsy than a cheap shallow tray and easier to scrub than plastic that has absorbed smells over time. The trade-off is obvious: there is no hood to hide the view. View product.
- Pros: stainless steel base, high sides, simple access for older cats
- Cons: visible litter; weaker odour containment than enclosed boxes
- Best for: cats that refuse covered trays, older cats and easy-clean utility corners
Best all-rounder - Enclosed Stainless Steel Base Litter Box - £46.32
This is the pick I would try first in a flat where the tray lives in the bathroom. The stainless steel base is the useful bit: it resists staining and lingering smells better than all-plastic trays, while the hood, flip-lid access and front filter step make the box easier to live with day to day. It is still a proper object, so measure the corner before buying. View product.
- Pros: stainless steel tray, enclosed hood, front filter step and scoop included
- Cons: bulkier than an open tray; lid areas still need regular wiping
- Best for: small bathrooms where smell, scatter and cleaning all matter
Best for bigger cats - Panda Style XL Enclosed Cat Litter Box - £52.18
The panda styling will split the room. The practical reason to look at it is the XL size and flip-top lid, which make it easier to clean than a box with a tiny inspection hatch. At 60 x 40 x 45 cm, it gives larger cats more room to turn than the smallest enclosed options. The playful look is not subtle, so it suits utility spaces more than grown-up sitting rooms. View product.
- Pros: XL footprint, flip-top cleaning access, stainless steel base
- Cons: panda design is noticeable; needs more floor space
- Best for: larger cats, multi-cat homes and bathrooms with a spare corner
Splurge: Best hidden furniture pick - 2-in-1 Hidden Cat Litter Box & Cat Tree - £105.66
This is the one for homes where the tray has to live in plain sight. It combines an enclosed litter-box area with a cat tree, ladder and scratching posts, so the footprint does more than one job. That matters in a one-bed flat where cat furniture, storage and litter all compete for the same wall. The downside is commitment: it is furniture, not a tray you slide under a sink. View product.
- Pros: hides the tray, adds climbing and scratching space, useful oak-effect finish
- Cons: highest price here; too large for tiny cloakrooms
- Best for: open-plan flats, cat owners short on wall space and visible living-room corners
The verdict
The Enclosed Cat Litter Box With Stainless Steel Base Tray is the best first choice for most UK flats because it balances cleaning, odour control and scatter without becoming furniture. Choose the Top-Entry Enclosed Cat Litter Box if tracked litter is the daily problem. If the tray has to sit in a living-room corner, the 2-in-1 Hidden Cat Litter Box & Cat Tree is expensive, but it earns its footprint.
