7 Best Litter Box for Small Apartments Reviews

⚡ Quick Verdict

• The 7 best litter boxes for small apartments at a glance
• How much floor space each box takes (and what size your cat needs)
• Detailed reviews
• What to look for before buying
• Small apartment litter box solutions: placement, odor and tracking
• Choosing cat litter for a small apartment
• Frequently asked questions

📋 How We Evaluated

Every box gets a score out of 10 on five things: floor space (from the listed dimensions), odor control (the material and any filter), litter scatter (wall height and entry design), how easy it is to clean, and whether a cat has room to turn around. Specs come from the manufacturer listings on Amazon, and the scores are our own judgment.

What We Found

The Idymere is a stainless steel pan that measures 16.93 x 12.99 inches and stands 5.12 inches tall. That works out to about 220 square inches of floor space, a little less than the OneBug and about a quarter less than the Arm & Hammer Rimmed. Stainless steel is non-porous, so urine doesn’t soak in the way it can with scratched plastic. A wipe-down and a rinse gets it clean.

The 5.12-inch walls stop most litter that gets scratched backward. Cats that dig sideways can fling grains over that height, and a cat that sprays will clear it easily. If yours does either, step up to the OneBug (7.87 inches) or the Arm & Hammer Rimmed (10.6 inches). Rounded edges are easy on paws, and on your hands when you lift the pan to wash it.

The trade is the open top. There’s no lid to hide it and no filter to help, so odor control comes from the material and your scooping habit. Miss a few days and steel won’t save you.

Who It’s For

One small or medium cat in a studio or one-bedroom, with a bathroom corner or closet floor to spare. It also suits anyone whose plastic pan still smells after a wash.

What We Found

The Lifewit looks like a large planter and works as a covered litter box. An activated carbon filter handles odor, and the enclosure keeps the box out of sight in a living room or bedroom, which is the whole reason to buy it.

A low threshold and a small platform make it easy for kittens and older cats to get in. The platform also wipes some litter off paws before the cat steps out, so less ends up on your floor. A removable basin keeps cleanup simple.

It’s the largest item on this list (the listing gives 19 x 47 inches), and the filter needs replacing. Some cats won’t use a covered box at all, so watch for accidents outside it during the first week.

Who It’s For

Apartment owners whose only spare spot is out in the open. It assumes your cat accepts a covered box and that you have room for a piece of furniture.

What We Found

The OneBug is a stainless steel pan at 17.32 x 13.39 inches and 7.87 inches tall, with an angled front step and a scoop in the box. That’s about 232 square inches of floor, only a bit more than the Idymere.

The walls run nearly 3 inches taller than the Idymere’s, and the step gives paws a chance to knock loose litter off before the cat walks onto your floor. Together they make this the best scatter control among the stainless boxes here.

The sloped entry also helps kittens and older cats who don’t jump well. Steel is loud when you scoop, though, and the step adds bulk to one side of the box.

Who It’s For

Owners who want steel’s easy cleaning plus better scatter control, and cats that need a gentle way in.

What We Found

This is the tallest open pan on the list at 10.6 inches, and the biggest at 18.7 x 15.5 inches, roughly 290 square inches of floor. It’s recycled plastic with Microban, an antimicrobial treatment built into the plastic that slows bacterial growth on the pan itself. It doesn’t replace scooping.

The rim holds a liner in place, which speeds up dumping and refilling. The tall walls keep most litter inside, and they’re the best fit here for cats that spray or dig hard. It works with most litter types.

The cost is floor space. It takes up about a third more than the Idymere, and plastic can hold onto smells over time whatever is built into it. Liners also add to your trash.

Who It’s For

Owners with a cat that digs, kicks or sprays, who use liners and like that the box is made from recycled plastic. You’ll need about 290 square inches of floor.

What We Found

This one swaps the scoop for a sifting pan. You lift the upper tray, let clean litter fall through to the base, and throw out the clumps left behind. Like the other Arm & Hammer, it’s recycled plastic with Microban on the surface.

The listing calls it Large without giving measurements, so check the size against your floor space before you order. Sifting only works if your litter falls through the slots and forms clumps hard enough to stay on top, so test it with the litter you already use. It’s listed as working with clumping, pine and pellet litters.

You still check the box every day. You just do it without a scoop.

Who It’s For

Busy owners using clumping or pellet litter who would rather lift and shake than scoop.

What We Found

The Petmate Open is a plain plastic pan at 16 x 12 inches, which is 192 square inches and noticeably smaller than either Arm & Hammer box. Rimmed sides catch some scatter, and the wide base gives a cat room to stand.

There’s no filter, no antimicrobial coating and no high walls. Plastic holds odor over time, so wash it often and plan to replace it once scratches build up. At this size it slides into a closet corner without fuss.

Who It’s For

Owners who want a simple, dependable open pan for a closet or corner, and cats that dislike feeling enclosed.

What We Found

At 14 x 10.5 inches and 3.5 inches tall, this is the smallest pan here and the Budget Pick. That’s 147 square inches, small enough for nearly any corner. By the 1.5x rule covered above, a box this long suits a cat up to about 9 inches, which means a kitten or a very small cat.

There’s no odor tech. The 3.5-inch walls are low enough for a kitten to step over, and low enough for litter to fly out. The rimmed edge gives you a grip when you dump it.

Buy it for a kitten or as a temporary second box. Most adult cats will outgrow it.

Who It’s For

Kitten owners, students and first-time cat owners who need something simple and cheap, or anyone with a spot too tight for a bigger pan.

What to Look For Before Buying

I find that picking a box for an apartment comes down to balancing cat comfort against floor space. Work through these four checks in order and the shortlist gets short quickly.

Check Footprint and Placement

Tape out the box’s length and width on the floor where it would go. Leave room for the cat to walk in and out, plus a mat if you’ll use one. I look for corners and closet floors that won’t sit in a walkway.

Value Material and Odor Control

Stainless steel is my favorite for odor resistance, because urine can’t soak into it. Plastic costs less, but scratches build up and it tends to hold onto smells. Carbon filters, as in the Lifewit, help inside enclosed boxes. Microban, as in the Arm & Hammer boxes, treats the plastic surface and doesn’t replace scooping.

Rate Cleaning Efficiency

Think about how long a daily scoop takes. Sifting boxes swap the scoop for a lift and shake. Smooth surfaces keep waste from sticking to the sides. And a box you can dump and wash in a bathtub gets washed more often than one you can’t.

Verify Cat Comfort and Accessibility

The box has to be big enough for your cat to turn around, as covered in the size section above. Low entries help kittens and senior cats, and our low-entry covered litter box guide covers that in more depth. A comfortable cat is less likely to have accidents.

One caution. If a cat that used the box reliably starts going elsewhere, call your vet before you buy a new box. Urinary problems are a common cause, and no litter box fixes those.

Match the Box to Your Cat

Before You Order: A Quick Checklist

• ☐ I measured my cat, nose to base of tail.
• ☐ I taped the box’s footprint on the floor where it will go.
• ☐ The spot has airflow and isn’t next to food, water or a noisy washer.
• ☐ My cat can turn around and keep all four paws inside.
• ☐ I have a plan for daily scooping and a full wash every two weeks.

Small Apartment Litter Box Solutions: Placement, Odor and Tracking

The box matters, but where it sits and how you maintain it matters just as much in a small space. These are the fixes that come up again and again.

Where to Put a Litter Box in a Small Apartment

Pick a quiet spot away from food and water bowls. Cats don’t like to eat next to their toilet, and they don’t like a washing machine starting up while they’re squatting. Avoid dead ends where another pet or a person could block the way out.

How Many Litter Boxes Do You Need?

The usual rule is one box per cat, plus one extra. A studio makes that hard. With two cats, put the boxes at opposite ends of the room, because two boxes side by side work like one big box. If you can only fit one, scoop twice a day and watch for accidents on the floor, which are the first sign it isn’t working.

A Simple Odor-Control Routine

1. Scoop once a day. With two cats, or in a studio where you smell everything, scoop twice.
2. Keep the litter 2 to 3 inches deep. Shallower than that and urine reaches the bottom of the pan.
3. Every two weeks for one cat, dump everything and wash the box with hot water and unscented dish soap.
4. Skip ammonia cleaners and strong perfumes. Ammonia smells like urine to a cat, and heavy scents can put cats off the box.
5. Dry the box completely before refilling, so litter doesn’t cake to the bottom.
6. Bag the waste and take it out daily, or use a lidded trash can nearby.
7. Keep air moving with a window or a bathroom fan.

If you’d rather skip the scooping altogether, see our guides to the best self-cleaning litter box for apartments and the best automatic litter box for odor control.

How to Cut Down on Litter Tracking

• Put a ridged or textured mat where the cat exits, and point the box so the cat steps out onto it, not onto hardwood.
• Pick a high-sided box or one with a step, like the OneBug or the Arm & Hammer Rimmed.
• Try a coarser litter. Fine clay granules stick to paws and travel.
• Keep a handheld vacuum or a small broom next to the box. Two minutes a day beats a weekly sweep.

Choosing Cat Litter for a Small Apartment

The box is half the setup. The litter you pour into it changes how the apartment smells, how much tracks across the floor, and how heavy the bag is to carry up the stairs. Here’s how the main types compare.

Choose unscented. Most cats prefer it, and perfume plus cat smell in a small room is worse than either alone. When you switch, mix the new litter into the old over about a week so your cat doesn’t reject the box.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best litter box for a small apartment?

The Idymere Stainless Steel Litter Box is the best pick for most small apartments. It takes about 220 square inches of floor, washes easily and doesn’t soak up odor. Choose the Lifewit if the box has to be hidden, or the Petmate Basic Open Pan for a kitten or a very tight corner.

How big should a litter box be in a small apartment?

Aim for a box about 1.5 times as long as your cat, measured from nose to the base of the tail. Small apartments usually force a compromise, so treat that as a target. If your cat can turn around and keep all four paws inside, the size works.

Where should I put a litter box in a studio apartment?

Pick a quiet corner away from food, water and noisy appliances like a washer. A bathroom corner, a ventilated closet or a spot behind a console table all work. Avoid dead ends where the cat could get blocked in.

How many litter boxes do I need in a small apartment?

One per cat, plus one extra. In a studio, put two boxes at opposite ends of the room, not side by side, because adjacent boxes work like one. If you only have room for one, scoop twice a day and watch for accidents outside the box.

How often should I clean a small apartment litter box?

I scoop once a day and do a full deep clean every two weeks. It keeps the space fresh. With two cats or in a studio, I’d scoop twice.

How do I keep a small apartment from smelling like cat litter?

Scoop daily, keep the litter 2 to 3 inches deep, and wash the box every two weeks with unscented soap. Stainless steel or a box with a carbon filter helps, and so does a window or bathroom fan. A sealed closet traps the smell instead of solving it.

Do enclosed boxes help with apartment odors?

They hide the litter and contain scatter, but the smell builds up inside, so you still scoop daily. A carbon filter, like the Lifewit’s, helps. Some cats refuse covered boxes, so watch for accidents in the first week and make sure the box has ventilation.

Can I use stainless steel boxes for all cats?

Most cats, yes. Steel is non-toxic and doesn’t crack, and most cats get used to the metal surface within a few days. A few dislike the cold or the scratch sound against metal, and a slightly deeper layer of litter muffles it.

How do I prevent litter tracking in a small space?

I use a mat at the entrance to catch loose grains. A high-sided box like the OneBug or the Arm & Hammer Rimmed helps too, and coarser litter tracks less than fine clay.

What is the best way to hide a litter box?

Hidden enclosure furniture, like the Lifewit, is the most effective way to hide a box. A ventilated closet or a discreet corner behind a screen also works. Whatever you pick, make sure the cat has easy, stress-free access and the box gets air.

What is the best cat litter for a small apartment?

Unscented, low-dust clumping litter is a safe default. Lighter plant-based litters make sense if you carry bags up stairs. Switch gradually over about a week by mixing old and new.

🎯 Final Verdict

For most small apartments, buy the Idymere Stainless Steel Litter Box. It gives you a steel pan that’s easy to keep clean in about 220 square inches of floor, and a clean box does more for odor than any feature on this list.

The other picks solve narrower problems:

• Lifewit Hidden Enclosure: the box has to sit in a room you live in.
• OneBug Stainless Steel: litter tracking or an older cat’s entry is your main problem.
• Arm & Hammer Rimmed: your cat digs or sprays and you can spare about 290 square inches.
• Arm & Hammer Large Sifting: you hate scooping and use a litter that sifts well.
• Petmate Basic Open Pan: you have a kitten, or a corner too tight for anything else.

Measure the floor, then measure your cat. And whatever you buy, scoop every day, because no box replaces it.