10 Best Cat Litter Boxes for Small Apartments in 2023 – Reviews & Top Picks

When you live in a smaller apartment, there are countless concerns when it comes to litter boxes. Not only do you need to find somewhere to put it, but you also need to worry about odor control. With so many concerns, it can be challenging to find the right litter box.

That’s why we took the time to track down and create reviews of 10 of the best cat litter boxes for small apartments out there. We also made a buyer’s guide to walk you through everything that you need to know to help you get the right one the first time.

 

 

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites of 2023

The 10 Best Cat Litter Boxes for Small Apartments

1. Frisco Multi-Function Covered Cat Litter Box — Best Overall

If you’re looking for the best cat litter box for small apartments, look no further than the Frisco Multi-Function Covered Cat Litter Box. It’s a little large, but it makes up for that by doubling as a storage container.

We all know that space is at a premium in a small apartment, so having a litter box that can also store things saves you a ton of space and makes life easier. It also has a sleek and modern design to help it fit into your décor, and it’s easy to clean.

The entire box is enclosed, which means that you don’t have to worry about your cat spraying or digging and making a mess all over the place.

While this might be our top choice, that doesn’t mean it’s perfect. It still is large, which means you’ll need to find somewhere to put it. Second, it’s a little expensive. It makes sense because you’re purchasing both a litter box and a storage container, but it costs more than a traditional litter box.

But considering its multifunction design, it’s not hard to see why it topped the list.

2. Frisco Flip Top Hooded Corner Cat Litter Box — Best Value

If you don’t have a ton of cash, that doesn’t mean you can’t get a top-notch litter box for your small apartment. The Frisco Flip Top Hooded Corner Cat Litter Box is an extremely affordable litter box that does everything that you could want and more.

It’s a smaller corner litter box, which means you can tuck it into just about any room. However, the placement does need to be in a corner for it to look right. Still, it comes with a charcoal disposable filter that helps control the smell, which is another big thing to look for if you’re in a small apartment.

The entire litter box is fully enclosed to prevent messes from spraying and digging, and that’s another huge perk. When you pair all this with the lower price, it’s not hard to see how it earned our nod as the best cat litter box for small apartments for the money.

3. Whisker Litter-Robot — Premium Choice

If you want the best of the best and don’t care how much it costs, you’re not going to beat what the Whisker Litter-Robot has to offer. Before we dive into the specs, though, let’s get this out of the way: It’s expensive.

But it is a self-cleaning litter box, which means no more scooping! It cleans the area after every use and puts the waste in a separate enclosed and carbon-filtered waste drawer. Once it’s time to empty the drawer, all you need to do is pull it out, take out the bag, and put a new bag in!

Even better, you don’t even need to check the drawer to see when it’s full. Simply install the supplementary app, and this Wi-Fi-enabled litter box will send an alert straight to your phone when it’s time to replace the bag.

Each litter box supports up to four cats, and its self-cleaning design actually reduces litter usage. It’s the most convenient litter box in the world, and it’s not even close.

4. Nature’s Miracle Hooded Corner Cat Litter Box — Best for Kittens

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If you’re looking for a litterbox for your kitten, you want something that has a lower entry for them, and it can’t be self-cleaning (until they’re at least 6 months old). Nature’s Miracle Advanced Hooded Corner Cat Litter Box checks both marks.

It’s extremely easy for kittens to enter, and its small size is perfect. Better for you is the fact that the surfaces are both non-stick and anti-microbial. This makes the box easier to clean and reduces the chances of you or your kitten getting sick.

The built-in charcoal filter that helps contain the smell is another notable perk. However, it’s not perfect. For starters, heavy sprayers and diggers can easily make a mess out of the opening.

Second, it only looks right in the corner of a room. While this takes up less space, if no corners are available, then it can be a problem. Still, if you’re going to upgrade to a bigger box when your kitten turns into a cat, the low price of this litter box is nice.

5. ScoopFree Ultra Top-Entry Auto Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box

ScoopFree’s Ultra Top-Entry Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Box is an outstanding self-cleaning litter box that you can put in your small apartment. It’s not nearly as expensive as some other models, but it doesn’t come with cool features either. It’s still a pricey choice, but that makes sense considering how much it makes your life easier. It’s easy to use but does require special litter crystals. These crystals help contain the odor, though, and they last longer than clay litters. As a final feature, it tracks the number of times that your cat comes to visit.

While you might not notice if those numbers are abnormal, it’s great to have concrete data to give your cat’s vet to get a proper diagnosis for a possible health condition.

6. Good Pet Stuff Hidden Cat Litter Planter

The Good Pet Stuff Hidden Cat Litter Planter has a unique design that will blend in with your home décor. Depending on how you position it, your guests might not even be able to tell that it’s a litter box at all!

It’s a great way to hide the litter box in plain sight, which is a big deal if you live in a smaller apartment where space is tight. Even better for your cat, it’s a large litter box that has plenty of space inside. You don’t have to deal with a large and clunky litter box in plain sight, and your cat has room to do their business!

Since it utilizes a filtered vent system, the odor is well-controlled, which is another big deal if you’re putting the litter box in a common area.

Still, this litter box only works if you like the pot design and it fits in with the rest of your décor. If it doesn’t, you’re stuck with a massive litter box that you don’t have anywhere to put. Take a look and decide for yourself if it’s right for you.

7. ScoopFree Original Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box

The ScoopFree Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box is one of the most affordable self-cleaning litter boxes available — and for good reason.

It’s a completely open-top design, which means if your cat sprays or digs, you’ll have a mess. Since it only cleans 20 minutes after your cat leaves, you’re stuck with unsightly cat droppings for that long.

There are two color options for you to choose from, though, and it is extremely easy to use. But you’ll want to locate it somewhere completely out of sight, and that’s not always possible in a small apartment.

8. Booda Dome Cleanstep Litter Box

The Booda Dome Cleanstep Litter Box is likely the litterbox that your cat would choose if you left it up to them. It’s a completely enclosed litter box that gives them a little extra privacy to relieve themselves. It also contains any spraying or digging.

The Cleanstep design actively cleans their paws off before they exit the litter box. Another feature that you’ll love is the carbon filter. Paired with the domed design, it does a great job at containing the odor.

But while it might be a litterbox that your cat will love, you may not be as enamored. First, it takes up a great deal of space. In a small apartment where space is a premium, that’s a big deal. Second, it’s not nearly as easy to clean as some other litter boxes.

It pulls apart but even that takes extra work. Once you do get it apart, there are many nooks and crannies that you need to clean out. It’s not a huge deal, but it’s enough to be an inconvenience.

9. Petmate Top Entry Litter Pan

The Petmate Top Entry Litter Pan is an outstanding choice if you live in a multi-pet household. Dogs are notorious for getting into the litter box, and this top-entry litter box ends that problem for good.

It comes with a textured lid to clean off your cat’s paws when they’re exiting the litterbox. Furthermore, the flip-top design makes it easy to clean, and the handles on the side make it easy to move from room to room.

The problem with this litter box and small apartments is two-fold, though. First, it’s extremely large. Since space is a premium, the size is a significant drawback. Second, there’s no odor control. You’ll need to stay on top of cleaning to keep the smell of cat droppings from overtaking your apartment.

10. Kitangle Corner Kitty Cat Litter Box

The Kitangle Corner Kitty Cat Litter Box comes in four color options, which helps you match it to the room. Second, it uses a corner design that enables you to tuck it away in an otherwise unused space.

Your cat’s favorite part will be that it has an extremely spacious opening. But for all these perks, it has a few drawbacks. First, it doesn’t have any odor control. Second, it’s large, making it hard to fit a small apartment. and you have to put it in a corner.

But we could overlook these flaws if it wasn’t for the price. It’s priced like a self-cleaning litter box, but it doesn’t have anything near those levels of features. It simply costs too much for what you’re getting. If you’re willing to spend this much, you can get a much better option.

Buyer’s Guide: Selecting The Best Cat Litter Box for Small Apartments

There are tons of factors that you need to consider shopping for a litterbox for your small apartment. Here, we decided to highlight three of the potential concerns that you need to look into when picking a litterbox for your home.

Finding the Space

It doesn’t matter if you found the perfect litter box if you don’t have the space for it. Take a step back from your computer or your phone and take a look around your apartment. Where exactly are you planning on putting the litter box? Measure the space and see how much room you actually have.

Then, skim through the size dimensions for each product to see which ones will fit your space. If it doesn’t fit, don’t waste your time looking at all its features. Those won’t matter if you don’t have somewhere to put the box.

Counting on Cleanup

It’s a fact of life that you’ll need to clean up the litter box. In fact, in a small apartment, you should probably clean out the litter every day to keep the smell from taking over your home. Self-cleaning litter boxes can help with this, but so can litter boxes that have odor control.

If you opt for a litter box without odor control, you might find yourself cleaning the litter box out multiple times a day

Containing the Litter

You likely want a litter box with high sides or a fully enclosed setup. Almost every product on this list has that setup for a reason. If your cat digs or sprays, you want the litter box to be able to contain it. Cleaning up the side of the litter box is one thing. Cleaning up everything around the litter box is something else entirely.

Finally, litter boxes that have a ridged entrance or top that can help clean off your cat’s paws are a pretty big deal. Otherwise, your cat is likely to track litter out of the box, which means more sweeping and cleaning for you.

Conclusion

If you’re still confused about what litterbox is right for you after reading these reviews, don’t overthink it. There’s a reason that two of our top three choices are Frisco products. The Frisco Multi-Function Covered Cat Litter Box doubles as a convenient storage space and makes your life easier.

Meanwhile, the Frisco Flip Top Hooded Corner Cat Litter Box is an extremely affordable option that does everything you need. You really can’t go wrong with either choice.