Originally posted February 23, 2016 – updated often
I am only aware of a few litter boxes that are on the market that can work for high spraying cats.
My mom’s cats, 15-year old Ragdoll cats, Caymus and Murphy, pee almost standing up, or as they pee, they lift their bottoms, whereas my 10-year old Ragdoll cats, Charlie and Trigg stay in a squatting position the entire time they are peeing.
My mom had to get high sided litterboxes because of that problem.
When I discovered high sided litter boxes also helped to keep the litter inside the box, it made me want some as well. We have previously reviewed the NVR Miss litterbox – which I love.
However, NVR Miss litterboxes are not high enough for my parents’ cats. My parents ended up buying a plastic storage container like a Rubbermaid one. This video shows the boxes my mom went with – but it’s a video of Caymus rolling around in his litterbox.
Your Main Options for Litterboxes for High-Spraying Cats
If you have a high-spraying cat, then you need a different type of litterbox to accommodate your cat. Rest assured that there are plenty of options you can choose from, so you will not be restricted.
And I have recently come across the Nature’s Miracle High-Sided Litter Box and the
IRIS Open Top Litter Box with Shield and Scoop as well. There are also quite a few high sided litterboxes on Amazon.
Do you know of any others? Because my mom’s cats are so tall, my mom had to get a storage bin (like from Wal-mart) and use those for litterboxes instead.
Find out all the best litter boxes for high spraying cats below as we go through some of your choices on the market.
1. Use a Storage Bin
My mom found a very good solution to the high-spraying problem – she uses a storage bin as a litterbox. It is easy to find and it meets all the requirements for her cat.
Here’s an idea of the type of box she has and uses for her cats:
If you go with a storage bin – just try to find one that has flat sides on the inside, so that you don’t have clumps of pee that are stuck in various nooks and crannies, which makes them impossible to remove (for example, look at the design of the storage boxes in the photo above. If cats pee in the corner – it’s rounded and curved and impossible to get a clump of pee out of with a litter scoop – so get square everything with no dips or dents).
There are a lot to choose from on Amazon, my mom ended up going with clear ones after having the black ones.
Things to keep in mind when choosing a large plastic storage bin for your litterbox:
- flat sides (as mentioned above)
- height – be aware of the height of the box – and keep in mind that your kitty will be jumping in and standing on 2-3 inches of litter – so then subtract that 2-3 inches from the height, as that is the height your kitty will have to pee standing up. You need to make sure the box is higher for your standing pee-er, so that the pee goes in the box
- length – be aware of the length of the box – is it long enough for your cat to move around in (do circles in) to do his or her business?
- transparency – if possible, go for a transparent storage box because it will make a less-threatening litterbox for your cat – cats like to be in control of their whereabouts at all times, so they may be hesitant of getting into a box that they can barely see out of.
- edges – always make sure that the box you get does not have any sharp edges whatsoever because it might hurt your cat. Run your hands all over the storage bin to make sure that it is smooth all around.
The Kattails Kat Kave Litter Box measures 29″L x 19″W x 20″H and has 4.5 out of 5 stars on Amazon from 49 reviews.
It is tall enough to accommodate even the tallest cats, it has easy access, and it has an enclosed space where the cat can pee, which means that it can spray as high as it wants and it will not get on your floor.
The top lid is easy to remove for you, but not for your cat. It will stay fixed while the cat is inside, but you will easily be able to lift it to clean the litter box.
If you take a good look at the Kattalis Kat Kave Litter box, you will notice that it looks a lot like the storage bin that my mom is using.
The main differences are that it also has a top and that it has an opening. This is important, especially if your cat is fussy around the litterbox because it makes it more accommodating.
As for top lid, this helps with containing the odor from the litterbox inside. It will also contain the litter scatter and keep your floors cleaner in the process.
You can buy the Kattails Kat Kave Litter Box on Amazon for $159.99.
3. Nature’s Miracle High-Sided Litter Box
This one measures 22.8″ (L) x 17.8″ (W) x 11″ (H) and has a 4.4 star out of 5 on Amazon from 1500+ reviews.
It also comes with antimicrobial protection, which is important for a litterbox. As you can see, it has the high sides that protect from litter scatter and ensure that your cat does not pee outside the box. It also has an easy-clean spout, which is also the entryway into the litterbox.
This is useful to your cat because it can get into the litterbox easily, and it is also useful for you when you want to clean the litterbox. It will be much easier to empty the litter using the spout.
However, with my mom’s cats, it wouldn’t work because they just pee and don’t turn around – so they would pee right over that spout entrance. So you really need to be aware of your cat’s peeing patterns to know what litterbox is best to buy.
Nature’s Miracle High-Sided Litter Box also has built-in handles on the sidewalls and the back wall. This makes it easy to carry from either side.
The type of plastic used to make the litter box has a non-stick surface, which makes it easy to clean.
This type of litterbox does not have a top lid, which I am a fan of because hooded litterboxes can cause peeing outside of the box on purpose. You can pair with a mat to make sure that your bathroom floor is litter-free.
You can buy the Nature’s Miracle High-Sided Litter Box on Amazon for $13.99.
4. NVR Miss
I referenced the NVR Miss when I started this article. As the name might suggest, the NVR Miss litterbox was specially made for high-spraying cats that need special conditions. It has a simple model with high walls and an entry cut out so that the cat can get in easily.
It has rounded edges altogether, but the inner part remains easy to clean because there are no places where urine can gather. The margins are also rounded on the entire surface of the litterbox, which makes it easy for you to lift it when you have to clean it.
As for the other lid-less litterbox on the list, it is a good choice for cats that are extra picky with their litterboxes because it is far less threatening than closed-in options, so you will never have to worry that your cat will reject it.
The NVR Miss can be purchased directly from NVR Miss on their website.
5. IRIS Open Top Litter Box with Shield and Scoop
The IRIS Open Top Litter Box with Shield and Scoop is sold on Amazon for $15.82.
This is the middle ground between the litterboxes with and without a lid. It is shaped like a regular litterbox, but it has an attachment that enlarges the walls but keeps a frontal spout for easy access.
It also has rounded edges on the top side of the walls, but, unlike other products, these are rounded towards the inside, which provides better protection against litter scatter. So it’s nice that it’s high without a lid.
This one is 19.00″L x 15.00″W x 11.75″H, which makes it suited for tall cats as well. It even comes with a matching litter scoop and kitty litter, so you have the whole package when you order. It is very easy to clean and it has a high-polish finish that will make the litter slip right out.
You can buy the IRIS Open Top Litter Box with Shield and Scoop on Amazon for $15.82.
6. Modkat Litter Tray
We reviewed the Modkat litter tray in 2018. They are great litterboxes for keeping pee inside and litter scatter too.
However, as you can see the front is open, so if you’re high spraying cat, steps in and doesn’t turn around, then you will still have pee going over the side. That’s why it’s important to have a water-resistant cat litter mat under it.
The Modkat Litter Tray comes with a reusable liner and a litter scoop. The Modkat litter box measures 20 x 14 x 15 inches.
The Modkat Litter Tray sells on Amazon for $49.95
How to Make a High Sided Litter Box – DIY High Sided Litter Box
If you want a DIY approach on litterboxes for high-spraying cats, then it’s quite easy to make a litterbox of your own that has all the features of the products mentioned above. All you need is a plastic container that is large enough, a permanent marker, a magazine, and a wood burning tool (if you are up to using one)
Check out this article on the site about how a reader makes her own high-sided litterbox:
Here’s a recent discussion we had on this topic on Facebook:
If your cat is a high-sprayer, don’t worry, you are not alone! Read through the comments to find out what solutions other pet owners have found for their cat’s high-spraying habits.
Other Products that Might Make Your Life Easier
If you are dealing with a high-sprayer, then you clearly need to pay extra attention to the litterbox area. So you need to have the best accessories to minimize your efforts. Here are some of the items that will certainly make your life easier:
A Good Litter Scoop
Especially when dealing high-spraying cats, you need a good scoop to get the litter off the edges of litterbox. With high-sprayers, the pee usually goes on the walls of the litterbox or on the edges. It can also cover a larger area of the litter, making it more difficult to clean than it is when dealing with cats that squat when they pee. This means you need a good scoop.
My favorite litter scoop on the planet is the Litter Lifter and it sells on Amazon for $8.34.
A Litter Mat
Even when using litterboxes for high-spraying cats, chances are you are still going to get some litter scatter on your floor. Even if it doesn’t come out of the box directly, your cat is likely to carry it on its paws. So, you might think about using a litter mat.
You might also like the Blackhole cat litter mat which is awesome at keeping the litter inside its layer and out of your feet.
The Blackhole cat litter mat sells on Amazon for $48.95.
FAQ
If my cat pees standing up, is there something wrong with it?
If your cat has always been a high-sprayer – has peed high instead of squatting – then there is nothing wrong with it. Each cat has comfortable positions to pee in and, it just means that for your cat it’s standing instead of squatting. However, if your cat usually squats, but starts peeing high all of a sudden, then you should try to find out why. Here’s what to look out for:
- Did it only happen once or it is becoming a habit?
If your cat is normally a squatter, but it peed high, then you have to see if it happens again. If it was just that one time, then it might have been an accident or maybe your cat is protesting. However, if it keeps on happening, then, there is something going on. - Is the cat’s litterbox clean?
Sometimes cats protest when their litterboxes are not cleaned as promptly as they would like to. And, as you may have guessed, one of their preferred methods is making a mess, to make it impossible for you to miss the smelly litterbox. - Is another cat using its litterbox?
If you have two cats using the same litterbox, one of them might retreat to the clean areas remaining to do its business. This might make it adopt an abnormal position and, as a result, pee high and make a mess. - Is there anything wrong with your cat’s legs?
If your cat is suddenly peeing high, then it might not be able to squat, as it normally does. Try to examine your cat’s legs to see if there is a painful area. Keep an eye out to see if it adopts a squatting position outside the litterbox. If it does, then this is certainly not the reason. - Does your cat have trouble peeing?
Sometimes, when cats experience pain when urinating, they might adopt unnatural positions. This might make them pee high even if they normally do not. Try to observe the cat to find out if it is experiencing any issues with urination.
Can I teach my cat to stop peeing high?
If your cat has always been a high-sprayer, then you should probably get a litterbox that accommodates its habits instead of trying to change its urination process. By interfering when your cat is peeing, you will surely put it through a lot of stress, which could lead to unwanted urinary issues. It’s much easier replacing a litterbox than it is treating your cat for a UTI.
As you can see, there are plenty of options to accommodate a high-spraying cat. You can buy a litterbox with high walls, use a storage bin, or even make a litterbox yourself. Is your cat a high-sprayer? Have you used any of the products we mentioned? Tell us all about it in the comments section below.
You can also just buy storage boxes. My cats don’t spray, but they like ample boxes, so I buy large storage boxes instead of standard litter boxes because they just aren’t big enough, and my cats aren’t real big!
I get ones only about 7 or 8 inches tall, but a few feet long. They come in so many sizes!
So much less expensive too.☺
yes, i used to have those, but I didn’t like watching them jump in and out of them…guess you could always cut a hole. do you cut a hole?
Since I have two large Maine Coons, standard litter boxes don’t work for us. I’ve used large storage boxes and cut an opening in the side with an exacto knife, then used the flame from a lighter to seal the plastic…otherwise the sides are pretty rough, and sharp. The kitties use the boxes without a problem.
I find clear plastic storage boxes work best for our “Buddy.” I’ve tried the boxes for high spraying cats, but Buddy has inadvertently positioned his working end out the open entry. Yes, he has to jump into and out of the large sided storage box, but that’s good exercise for him!
Those are both good for height but I recommend the NVR Miss. Btw, you’re video shows two stacked. If you want one with higher sides, the only other option is a DIY project with Rubbermaid type of storage containers.
Hey Layla,
Yes, the thumbnail image of the video does show two stacked together, but the video, does not. I took that still photo of Caymus when I brought the boxes into the house, he immediately got in it and wanted to go the bathroom before I could get them separated (it already had litter in it). Yes, the Rubbermaid ones are great, and actually the NVR Miss sometimes isn’t high enough and you have to stack another one – Harold has a photo of how to do it, but I am not sure if it is on his site or if I’ve just seen it through email.
Thanks for sharing!
Jenny
I have the NVR Miss that my 17 year old Ragdoll uses. He has a habit of standing up while peeing. Sometimes, with the NVR Miss, he will stand up with his behind facing the opening, and ends up peeing on the mat underneath. Any suggestions?
Gloria, I am sorry to hear that – I forwarded your comment onto NVR Miss. I know they have stacked them to make them go up higher – maybe you need one that has no opening?
Jenny, In addition to the NVR Miss, I have 2 covered boxes from Petco. They are large. Sometimes my boy will even pee outside the box when he positions himself with his back end towards the opening. I’m thinking storage boxes might be next.
This guy sounds like he wants open space behind his tail. So, if this hypothesis is correct, how do you accommodate that? Turn the NVR Miss around and put disposable material on the wall/floor? If he doesn’t like plastic, I’m not sure how the storage boxes would help.
I have the NVR Miss and, unfortunately, my boys will still elevator butt over the top of it. I think the size is too small too. They prefer something roomier and I’m debating getting storage boxes instead. So, preferably, a MUCH larger box with more room would be ideal.
If you happen to have cats who do have elevator butt when peeing, I wouldn’t recommend NVR Miss. If yours don’t really do it, then go for it.
Finding a decent litter box is a bit of a crap shoot (haha) and one can end up spending a lot just to find the perfect solution.
Bummer, sorry to hear that.
What do you use?
I’m still using the NVR Miss and wipe it down and the surrounding area when they do go over. It’s a pain, but it has to do for now. I do have a covered box as well, but my boys and I seem to prefer not having a lid. I’m looking for a replacement for the NVR Miss that has a lot of room to move. I’ll most likely have to alter a plastic storage box instead.
That’s what I ended up doing, too…altering a storage box. Even that took two tries, because the first time, I cut a fairly deep hole in the side of the box, figuring 8″ up from the bottom should be sufficient to contain the pee. Our boy pees standing up, quite typically with his rear towards the opening (of course). What I found is that I had to get the biggest, tallest storage container Target had and then cut an opening from the top that only came down 4″. It means that the cats do have to jump into their litter boxes, but neither of them seems to mind that and I’m not cleaning pee off the floor anymore. Hallelujah to that! 🙂
Like Suzanne, I use the big plastic storage totes. Brand name (Rubbermaid) are the best quality, more durable, but the cheap ones last a long time also. They’re too high for a small kitten to get in and out of easily so I’ve had to use regular litter boxes when there was a new baby in the house. Also we ran into problems with our old kitty when he was weak and sick. Otherwise the storage totes work great!
I use The Breeze Litter System and that top covers the back half of the box and is easily removalable and washable. Here is a suggestion we use with our clients who don’t want to change boxes. Get some Peel and Stick (or Peel and Press). It’s like Saran Wrap. If the box is against a wall or the tub, pull out enough to press 12+” on the side of the wall/tub and let it hang into the litter box. Press it at the back side of the box and push litter against it. The pee will run down the wrap and into the box. Our client’s think we are so smart!
We use these two boxes for the high peeing. They work pretty well.
Natures Miracle Advanced High Side Corner Litter Pan
and
Clevercat Top Entry Litterbox
I hope this will be useful for you!
Molly of Mythicbells Persians uses the Egg Pod bed as a litter box for her – como se dice – high pee-ers. I know you’ve reviewed the Egg Pod previously as a bed, but Molly’s had great success with it as a litter box. I have her video on my YouTube home page – just look for something bright pink – but, being technologically impaired, I don’t know how to transfer it here. The video also shows another litter box that she’s customized for high pee-ers.
wow – there’s an idea! have you heard of that story about the cat that was found dead inside of a pei pod because it flipped over and he couldn’t get out and since there were no air holes, he died of suffocation?
if you have a link to the mythicbells video, love to see it – tried to find it on your youtube but couldnt
I read somewhere that the pod be that the cat allegedly suffocated in was one made in China, which had no air holes, unlike the original. So if you are using that one, drill holes in it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBk56ASxznY#t=16
Here’s the link to Molly’s video. Kalahari, one of Molly’s sprayers, is a big galoot, weighing in at 12 lbs., twice the size of his parents. He’s very tall, so if this works for him, I’d think it would work for Ragdolls.
The suffocated cat story is discussed in the comments, but it looks like Molly’s eggs have air holes.
What prevents the cat from spraying out the front of the pod. Great if your cat sprayed towards the back and sides, but the front is low.
Gloria, I think your boy is unusual – maybe not. Being in the litter box is such a vulnerable position for a cat; cats I’ve known will squeeze around so that they see the front or wherever traffic is. They don’t want to be surprised by someone coming up to their backside.
So the good thing is it sounds like your boy feels safe. Now, how to get him to turn around??? Has he always peed like this? What’s his temperament like?
Gloria, I turned to Molly of Mythicbells for some possible solutions to Bandit’s problems. In a stream of consciousness, she suggested a whole bunch of stuff in the egg bed link above. Hope something helps.
watched it – why doesn’t she use litter?
no, hers don’t have air holes – just paw print indents….hers is not a pei pod.
Molly has so many different boxes, some with litter, some without. She is a woman on a mission =)
My meth lab cat couldn’t stand litter – his peeing habits were quite strange, as was he – and I tried the paper towel thing and it worked!! I think I got the idea from Anitra Frazier.
Dementia Boy,
My boy is the biggest moosh you will find. He’s not afraid that some other cat will attack him while in the box. And no, he hasn’t always sprayed outside the box, it’s just that he has gotten older, and I think lazier, because he also doesn’t cover his poops or pees, so I know which are his. I have a long rug runner under the boxes, so when I see it’s wet, I know it’s him. In order to protect my carpet, I have put some puddle pads under under the rug. None of my other 3 cats spray outside the box, nor have any of my 2 previous Ragdolls. Bandit is the last one of my Ragdolls. He has already lived longer than his brother and sister who passed at 15 and 16.
Lalalalaughing. Oh, Bandit couldn’t be a bigger moosh – love that word – than my William. Ask for a stereotype, a caricature, really, of a Ragdoll, and 19-lb. William would win, paws down. For 18-1/2 years, he allowed a snarky 8-lb diva to terrorize and abuse him. Jolie would run into the bathroom with William in hot pursuit, stopping just an inch or so before the tub and then spin around and run in the opposite direction. William, of course, would run full speed into the tub, nearly conking himself out. He never caught on. This made Jolie quite happy.
Just a suggestion, although it makes me squirmy to say this: Look up the symptoms of feline cognitive dysfunction. (There’s a reason why my ID is Dementia Boy.) I didn’t realize William had severe cognitive dysfunction until he was 22 and began attacking the other cats, a very un-William thing to do. I looked up the symptoms and realized William had all of them except for inappropriate elimination, which is usually the first symptom. I had attributed the subtle changes in behavior to his being partially blind, partially deaf and, quite honestly, not the sharpest claw on the paw. Also, he had a helper cat, sweet Isabella (“Izzy”), who would track him down when he got lost and lead him back to bed. And, admittedly, I was somewhat in a daze during the last six months of his life as the love of my life, crazy, feisty roller derby queen Zen, was dying. So I wasn’t really paying attention to William. As long as he flopped and purred and billy goat jumped on the cat trees and cat walks, I thought he was okay.
Medication worked well for two years, but when William was 24-1/3, without warning,without provocation, right in front of my eyes, two weeks after Zen’s death, he sliced open Isabella. I took her to ER first; then I went home and brought William back for euthanasia. By then, he had forgotten what he had done, despite all the blood, and was purring and flopping. I didn’t want it to end that way.
Hopefully Bandit doesn’t have cognitive dysfunction. But given the lifespan of his siblings, it’s something to check out. You can always count on me for cheery info =(
I have 3 that stand to pee. I must make my own litter boxes .
Cutting a hole, defeat s the purpose , they will pee through the hole! They are now 14. May have to put steps to boxes. I have 10 kitties. 15, 2 are 14, 4 are 13, youngest is 6. I rescued cats that came to my house. All are rescues, one way or another.
All inside kitties. I vacuum and clean a LOT! Lol
They are worth it!
Hello everyone. I see that we have a host of litterbox issues to deal with and Jenny has suggested that I address them on this forum. I will take her up on that, and share insights and ideas on what can be done to mitigate these issues.
First off though, a story and a question.
A family with three male cats, all neutered was fostering a fourth cat (Foster) that was dropped off at a shelter for “innapropriate elimination”.
They ordered two litterboxes, and shortly after delivery, I got an email explaining that Foster was clearing the top of the litterbox, by a lot.
The solution to this super high peeing issue was to make a wall extension that enabled the height of the litterbox to reach 18 inches.
The question is, why was Foster a problem? I have a theory. The first reader that determines what that theory is, will get a NVR Miss Litterbox.
Hi, Harold,
Is your theory that Foster was going out of his way to establish territory, as he was the new kid on the block? He had to be a bigger cat than the other cats (“oooh, a tiger in the house”) so the other cats would know he was a tough guy, even if he wasn’t.
P.S. Foster already had an inappropriate elimination problem. The family knew this fostering him. He should have had his own brand new litter box, perhaps apart from the others, so he wouldn’t smell cat and get stressed like he did at his old house.
I am a HUGE fan of the NVR Miss Litterbox! Prior to that I was using the same Nature’s Miracle Advanced High Sided Corner Litter Box that Cindy referenced in her comment on June 8, 2014 (above). Both were very well for our Miss Pink Sugarbelle but I prefer the NVR Miss Litterbox as they look a bit more stylish to me and their functionality works great for my baby girl!!! 🙂 <3
Big hugs!
Patti & Miss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3
Super fabulous & pawesome re-post, Jenny honey! THIS information is TERRIFIC! I know it will help lots of Floppycatters who haven’t seen this before! YAY!!! 🙂 <3
Big hugs & lots of love & purrs!
Patti & Miss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3 <3 <3
Jenny,
I know you love the Litter Lifter. And I do, too! But both myself and a cattery I love put that down, once we found this. You’ve got to try a Dura Scoop if you haven’t.
When IckyPoo sold them, they came in various colors. I’d bought two — one as a gift — in both orange and turquoise.
Thanks!
Linda
Thank you for sharing and I am glad you love the DuraScoop! Yes, I have tried it – my mom had one – hated it, unfortunately. Found it to be super heavy to lift and sift through the litter and doesn’t have the triangular tines like the Litter-Lifter, which is why it rocks so much! I am glad you are happy with it, though! That’s what matters – finding what works best for you and your cat. That’s why I do reviews, so people can see if it will work for them or not.