The Best High-Sided Litter Boxes

A high sided cat litter box keeps litter and urine inside the pan when a cat digs hard or pees standing up. The walls on this list run from about 5 inches to 16 inches, and the right height depends on your cat: a high pee-er needs tall back and side walls, while a senior cat still needs a low spot to step in. Check the wall height and the entry height before anything else.

This list draws on published specifications, independent reviews, and Amazon owner ratings. It mixes plastic pans, stainless steel boxes, and one covered steel box. If you mainly want a metal pan, see our stainless steel litter box picks; for every style of box, see our best litter box picks.

This guide is general product information, not veterinary advice. If your cat’s litter box habits change, such as straining, going outside the box, or producing much more or less urine than usual, contact your veterinarian.

How to Choose a High Sided Cat Litter Box

Match Wall Height to the Problem

Listed heights vary a lot. The Paulmele steel box (sold by WeLovePetsAsMuchAsYouDo) stands 16 inches with a lid, the SpaceTime 22.64-inch pan comes in a 13.98-inch version, the SpaceTime 24.8-inch pan and the TownTime box are about 13 inches, the Yangbaga steel box is 12 inches, PETALPAW lists 30 cm (11.8 inches), and the IRIS USA pan is 11.75 inches. The Arm & Hammer pan is 10.6 inches, and the Tevila XL reaches 10.2 inches with its 5.7-inch splash guard.

For a cat that pees high against the back wall, start with the tallest options. For a cat that mostly flings litter while digging, a moderately tall pan like the Tevila XL or Arm & Hammer is often enough. The Idymere pan, at 5.12 inches, is better described as raised-edge than high-sided, and suits kittens and small cats.

Keep the Entry Low for Seniors and Kittens

Tall walls do not have to mean a tall step. The Yangbaga box has a 6-inch U-shaped entry cut into 12-inch walls, and its maker says that suits kittens and older cats with arthritis. Vealind lists a 12 cm (about 4.7-inch) side threshold, and LoopTime and the SpaceTime 22.64-inch pan are both sold with a low entry. A 14-year-old cat with stiff hips should not have to climb over a 13-inch wall.

Size It to Your Cat

A common rule of thumb is a box about one and a half times your cat’s length, from nose to the base of the tail. For a 15 lb cat or a Maine Coon, look at the longest pans here: SpaceTime at 24.8 inches, TownTime at 24.6 by 16.92 inches, PETALPAW at 24.4 by 16.5 inches, Yangbaga at 24 by 16 inches, and the Tevila XL at 22.8 by 14.5 inches, which Tevila sells for big cats and Maine Coons.

Plastic or Stainless Steel

Plastic pans like the IRIS USA, TownTime, SpaceTime, LoopTime, Vealind, and Arm & Hammer are light and easy to move, but plastic can scratch and hold odor over time; Arm & Hammer suggests replacing its pan every 12 months. Steel boxes from Tevila, Yangbaga, PETALPAW, Idymere, and Paulmele are non-porous and easy to rinse, but heavier to lift for a full clean.

Open Top or Covered

Most picks here are open on top, which keeps scooping easy and lets you see your cat’s urine clumps. The Paulmele box adds a stainless steel lid with an inner lip that its maker says closes the gap where urine can leak, which helps with cats that spray over even tall walls.

Homes With More Than One Cat

A common rule of thumb is one box per cat plus one extra, in different spots. A large high-sided pan can take more traffic, but it does not replace a second box in a home with two or three cats.

Who Should Look Elsewhere

If your cat is a small kitten, has arthritis, or already avoids the box, a tall pan without a low entry can make things worse; choose a low-entry model or a plain shallow pan from our litter box coverage. If odor is the bigger problem than scatter, our odor control picks focus on filters and covered designs.

A cat that suddenly starts going outside the box, strains, or has blood in the urine may have a medical problem rather than a box problem, so call your veterinarian.

Why You Should Trust Us

IndoorCatLab reviews gear for indoor cats independently. We do not conduct our own product trials; our picks draw on published specifications, independent reviews, and Amazon owner ratings, which also set each product’s ICL Score.

The ICL Score converts each product’s average Amazon owner rating to one 0 to 10 scale. Our ranking also weighs listed wall height, entry height, and footprint, so the order of the list is not the same as sorting by score. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases, but that never affects a product’s ranking or score. Read the full method in How We Review.

Final Thoughts

Best Overall: Tevila XL Open Top Stainless Steel Litter Box with High Sides pairs a 22.8 by 14.5-inch stainless steel pan with a 5.7-inch splash guard for 10.2 inches of total height, and comes with a scoop and non-slip pads. It suits big cats and hard diggers that do not need the tallest walls.

Best for Large Cats: SpaceTime Cat Litter Box with High Sided is the longest pan on this list at 24.8 inches, with 13-inch walls, and arrives fully assembled.

Best for Cats That Pee High: Paulmele XXXL All Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box with Lid stands 16 inches with a steel lid, and its maker says an inner lip on the lid closes the seam where urine could leak.

Best for Senior Cats: Yangbaga Extra Large Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box with High Sides combines seamless 12-inch steel walls with a 6-inch U-shaped entry and rolled edges.

Best Budget Pick: Arm & Hammer Rimmed Cat Litter Box with High Sides and Microban is a simple 10.6-inch plastic pan made from recycled materials that works with pine, crystal, and clumping litter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are high sided litter boxes harder for cats to enter?

They can be. Models with a cut-down entry, like the Yangbaga’s 6-inch U-shaped opening or Vealind’s low side threshold, keep tall walls without a tall step.

How tall should a high sided cat litter box be?

It depends on the cat. Most picks here list walls of about 10 to 14 inches. Hard diggers often do fine at the lower end, while cats that pee high against the wall are better served by the tallest pans or a covered box.

Do high sides stop litter scatter completely?

No. They stop most litter thrown sideways, but cats still track litter out on their paws. A mat at the entry catches what the walls miss.

Is a stainless steel high sided litter box worth it?

For many owners, yes. Steel does not scratch and hold odor the way plastic can, but it costs more and weighs more than a plastic pan.

Can two cats share one high sided litter box?

A large pan can handle extra traffic, but plan on one box per cat plus one, and scoop more often.

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