What's the best cat litter tray for small flats?

A small flat puts the litter tray in your life. You see it when you walk into the bathroom, hear the scratching from the kitchen and notice a missed scoop sooner than you would in a bigger house. The temptation is to buy the neatest covered box you can hide behind a door.

Quick answer

For most cats, choose a generously sized open tray and make room for it deliberately. The Ferplast NIP 30 is a good size benchmark at 64.5 × 49.5 cm. If your cat already accepts a hood, compare the Catit Airsift Jumbo. Odour control comes from daily scooping, suitable litter and a sensible location, not from a charcoal filter.

Top picks at a glance

Best for	Option to compare	Why it makes the shortlist	Check before buying
Most cats	Ferplast NIP 30	Extra-large open tray with room to turn and dig	Needs real floor space
A cat that accepts a hood	Catit Airsift Jumbo	Wide entrance, overlapping shell and a filter insert	Some cats dislike hoods; filters add running costs
A cat with stiff joints	Low-entry open tray	Ease of entry matters more than tidy sides	More litter may scatter

• Ferplast NIP 30 Check price on Amazon
• Catit Airsift Jumbo Check price on Amazon

Why we’d start with an open tray

The cat doesn’t care whether the tray matches the bathroom. It cares whether it can get in safely, turn round, dig and leave without being startled.

Battersea advises a tray at least one and a half times the cat’s nose-to-tail-base length, with room to stand, turn and dig. That measurement is more useful than a product’s “large” label. An open tray also makes it easier to see what needs cleaning and avoids trapping smells in a confined box.

Best for most cats: Ferplast NIP 30. Ferplast lists it at 64.5 cm long, 49.5 cm wide and 14.5 cm high. It’s an extra-large open tray, so not a space-saving miracle, but it shows the choice clearly: giving the cat an adequate toilet area may mean reclaiming floor space elsewhere.

A very high-sided tray can reduce scattered litter, but check whether an older cat or kitten can get in comfortably. If access is difficult, choose a low-front or low-entry design rather than expecting the cat to jump a tall wall repeatedly.

When a hooded tray may be worth it

Best enclosed option: Catit Airsift Jumbo. It has a wide front entry, an overlapping shell and an odour-filter insert. Catit lists the Jumbo at about 56.9 cm long, 46.5 cm high and 50 cm wide. Measure the spot including room to lift the lid for cleaning; “fits beside the loo” isn’t enough if you can’t open it.

The main reasons to consider it are litter scatter or a cat that already accepts covered toilets. The reason to hesitate is the cat. Some dislike confined entrances, concentrated smells or being unable to see people or other animals approaching. A hood also makes it easier for owners to overlook a dirty tray. If your cat avoids the new box, remove the hood if the design allows, or go back to the previous arrangement.

Filter pads may reduce odour in the surrounding air, but they don’t remove urine and faeces, and they add running costs. Don’t pay more for a filter while neglecting tray size or access.

Finding a place in a one-bedroom flat

The best location is quiet and easy to reach. Avoid putting a tray right beside the washing machine, next to the food bowl or in a passage where the cat might be disturbed. A bathroom corner can work, but not if the door is routinely shut. A hallway recess may work if it doesn’t turn the cat’s toilet into an obstacle course for people.

Think about the practical side too. Can you scoop without moving furniture? Is there a lidded bin nearby? Does the floor tolerate cleaning? A washable mat outside the entrance helps catch tracked litter, but it won’t make a too-small tray acceptable.

If you have more than one cat, a small flat doesn’t remove the need for separate resources. Cats Protection advises one litter tray per cat plus one extra, in different locations, rather than a row of boxes in one spot. If that isn’t feasible, accept the compromise and look for ways to improve each cat’s access, not simply a bigger shared box.

The odour problem is usually a maintenance problem

Scoop at least daily, more often when needed, and change litter according to its type and instructions. Use a litter depth your cat finds comfortable, clean the tray with a cat-safe method and avoid strong perfumes or sudden litter changes. A tray that has absorbed smells over years of use may need replacing. Some owners keep waste in a covered bin until disposal; check your local waste guidance rather than flushing litter.

A sudden change in toilet habits, repeated straining, blood in urine or signs of discomfort need prompt veterinary advice, not a different tray. Straining with little or no urine, especially in a male cat, can be an emergency.

The verdict

For most small flats, choose a large, easy-to-clean open tray and make room for it deliberately. The Ferplast NIP 30 is a useful product to compare for size; the Catit Airsift Jumbo is an option if your cat already tolerates a hood. The winning purchase is the tray your cat will use reliably, not the one you can hide most successfully.