Best Litter Box Enclosure: 3 Picks and How to Choose

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A litter box enclosure is a cabinet, bench or end table that hides your cat’s litter box. It can make the box look tidier and catch some stray litter, but cats did not ask for it: most prefer an open box. This guide covers when an enclosure makes sense, how to size one, the three enclosures in our catalog, others reviewers tried, and how to help your cat accept it.

How we wrote this: hands-on notes come from Cats.com, where writer Katelynn Sobus built six enclosures herself and tested them with her own senior cats (article updated July 2025), and from an Apartment Therapy writer who used several with her cat across a few apartment moves. Litter box advice comes from International Cat Care, the Cornell Feline Health Center, VCA Animal Hospitals and the ASPCA. Product facts come from the makers’ own pages, checked on 1 November 2026. We did not test these enclosures ourselves, and we do not show prices or ratings.

Does your cat want an enclosure?

Be honest about who the enclosure is for. Cornell says: “Most cats prefer an uncovered box that lets odors escape and allows a 360-degree view of their surroundings.” It adds that covered boxes appeal to people for odor and stray litter, but from the cat’s side they hold odors in.

• Smell builds up inside. Cats.com found that even with ventilation holes, enclosures “still retain dust and smells more than an open litter box”, and says plainly that they are not meant to reduce odors.
• One way in and out. International Cat Care says some cats “feel vulnerable when confined in a small space with only one available exit point, particularly if they share their home with other cats.” VCA warns that a covered pan may let another cat ambush a cat as they exit.
• Size and mobility. VCA says an overweight cat may no longer fit comfortably in a covered pan, and Cornell says kittens and elderly cats need boxes with low sides.

An enclosure can still work well for a confident cat in a one cat home, for keeping a dog out of the box, or for a box that has to sit in a living room. Cats.com suggests keeping at least one litter box outside the enclosure, which also helps you meet the usual rule of one box per cat plus one.

What to look for

• Room for a big enough box. International Cat Care says: “The ideal length of the tray is one and a half times the length of your cat from their nose to the base of their tail.” Measure your cat, choose the box, then check the enclosure’s internal size, not its outside size.
• Entry position. Side entries are most common; some can be switched left or right. Front entries are easier to reach. Top entries keep dogs out and cut tracking, but they mean a jump.
• Ventilation. Look for vent holes or slots, and plan to scoop more often, since the cabinet holds smells in.
• Easy cleaning. A wide door, a lift off top or a drop down front makes daily scooping easier. A wipeable liner or moisture resistant material helps with spills.
• Sturdiness. A wobbly cabinet can scare a cat. Cats.com found some enclosures did not hold together well when moved, and door magnets on one were too weak.

The litter box enclosures we list

The Refined Feline Deluxe: best for large cats

The Refined Feline Deluxe is a plywood cabinet with a real oak veneer. The large size has 25 x 20 x 18 inches of internal space, and the maker says it fits most large and jumbo plastic litter trays. The entry wall panel is reversible, so the door can go on the left or right, and there are rear ventilation slots (The Refined Feline).

Cats.com named it the best overall pick. Her cats of almost 20 pounds used it easily, since the doorway is fairly big and it fit their jumbo litter box. She liked the liner and the shallow drawer. It is large for small spaces, and the screwdriver that came with it started to strip during assembly.

Best for: big cats and jumbo boxes. Skip if: you are short on floor space.

New Age Pet ECOFLEX Litter Loo: best for small spaces

The New Age Pet ECOFLEX Litter Loo is an end table style cover made from ECOFLEX, which the maker says is non toxic and impervious to moisture and odor. The interior is about 15.7 inches wide, 21.2 inches long and 18.3 inches high, with a door about 7.88 inches square (New Age Pet).

Cats.com called it the smallest pick on its list and noted a jumbo size for big cats. Katelynn Sobus found it easy to put together without tools and liked the drop down door for cleaning. Some of the finish came off when she wiped it with a damp paper towel, and she found the door magnets should be stronger.

Best for: small rooms and average size cats. Skip if: your cat is large, unless you get the jumbo size.

TRIXIE 2-Story: best top entry

The TRIXIE 2-Story Wooden Litter Box Enclosure is a tall MDF cabinet. Your cat enters through a 7.75 inch hole in the upper level, 21 inches from the floor, and drops down to a lower level with 22 x 19 x 16 inches of space (TRIXIE).

Cats.com named it the best top entry pick. Katelynn Sobus found most litter falls off a cat’s feet before it climbs out, and the design helps keep dogs out of the box. Her cats figured it out, but she says it “isn’t a good choice for senior or disabled cats”, and it did not hold together well when moved around.

Best for: young, agile cats in homes with a dog. Skip if: your cat is older, arthritic or overweight.

Other enclosures reviewers tried, named without links

• TRIXIE Wooden Cat Home and Litter Box Cover. Cats.com’s budget pick, with a front entrance and a surface that wiped clean easily, though guests may see the box through the front. The Apartment Therapy writer also used it and said it survived a move. We could not find a maker page for it.
• Good Pet Stuff Hidden Litter Planter. A round, planter style box. Cats.com’s cat dug in the shredded paper that goes in the planter, and the round shape made it hard to scoop the edges. The maker listed its sizes as sold out when we checked.
• Yaheetech Litter Box Furniture. Cats.com’s pick for large cats, with double doors that latch, though a divider blocked one vent hole. The maker’s website no longer works.
• Baxton Studio Tamra. An older favourite of the Apartment Therapy writer, now out of stock.

Where to put it

• Somewhere quiet. International Cat Care says the box “should be placed somewhere quiet, away from food and water and busy areas of the home”. VCA says a box near a furnace or washing machine may be undesirable.
• Not in a dead end. The ASPCA says cats like their litter boxes in a quiet but not cornered spot, with more than one way to leave. Turn a side entry toward the open room, not the wall.
• Away from cat flaps and big windows. International Cat Care says cats avoid trays near cat flaps or full length glass windows, where they may feel watched.

Helping your cat accept it

1. Keep the old box nearby. Put the enclosure next to the current box, with the door open or a front panel off if possible, and keep the open box in place until your cat uses the new one.
2. Use the same litter and box. Change one thing at a time. A familiar box and litter inside makes the enclosure the only new thing.
3. Scoop daily. Cornell says to remove feces and clumps daily if you use clumping litter, and International Cat Care suggests scooping at least twice a day. An enclosure holds smells in, so this matters more. See how to deep clean a litter box.
4. Watch for avoidance. If your cat goes beside the enclosure, take the panel or door off or go back to an open box.

If your cat suddenly stops using the box, strains, goes often with little coming out, or there is blood in the urine, see your vet straight away. The ASPCA says a cat with cystitis may try to urinate frequently and look as if they are straining, and says to see a veterinarian. Cornell advises a vet check for underlying medical problems whenever a cat starts soiling outside the box.

For more on boxes and litter, see our cat litter and litter box buying guide, best litter box for multiple cats and best cat litter mat.

FAQ

Are litter box enclosures good for cats?

They are mostly for people. Cornell says most cats prefer an uncovered box, and an enclosure holds smells in. Many cats do accept one, especially in a one cat home, if it is big enough, kept clean and has a box outside it too.

Do litter box enclosures stop the smell?

No. Cats.com says enclosures are not meant to reduce odors and hold dust and smells more than an open box. Daily scooping and regular full cleaning do more for smell.

What size litter box enclosure do I need?

Start with the box. International Cat Care says the tray should be one and a half times your cat’s length from nose to base of tail. Then pick an enclosure whose internal size fits that box, with a doorway your cat can pass through easily.

Are top entry enclosures OK for older cats?

Usually not. Cats.com says its top entry pick isn’t a good choice for senior or disabled cats, and Cornell says elderly cats need boxes with low sides. Choose a side or front entry with a low step instead.