Effective Litter Boxes for Cats That Spray High: Solutions & Tips

I am only aware of a few litter boxes that are on the market that can work for high spraying cats, but there are, of course, other ways to make a litter box that works.

IMPORTANT – Please know in this article, we are referring to cats who aim high when peeing in their litter boxes, not actual spraying due to hormones.

My mom’s Ragdoll cats, Caymus and Murphy, peed almost standing up, or as they peed, they’d lift their bottoms, whereas my 12-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 she had with Caymus and Murphy.  Here’s a cat on Instagram that has a similar 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.

Does Your Cat Need A Tall Litter Box for High-Spraying

There are a few questions you may want to ask yourself when considering a high sided litter box for your cat. You probably don’t watch your cat urinate often, but you can consider the following to determine whether or not your cat is high spraying and if you would have a clean cat litter box area by using one of the litterboxes below!

• Did your cat only high spray 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 some cat behavior going on.
• Is the cat’s litter pan clean? Sometimes cats protest when their litterboxes have buildup and 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 felines 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 or cat’s paws 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.

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.

Jump to:

• Does Your Cat Need A Tall Litter Box for High-Spraying
• Best High Sided Litterboxes for large cats
• How to Make a High Sided Litter Box – DIY High Sided Litter Box
• Other Products for High Spraying Cats
• High Spraying Cats FAQ

Best High Sided Litterboxes for large 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.

Below is a deeper dive into all the best litter boxes for high spraying cats that are currently on the market. If you know of any others that you’ve had success with, let us know!

1. Use a Storage Bin as a Litterbox

My mom found a very good solution to the high-spraying problem – she uses a storage bin as a litterbox. We have found it is one of the best litter boxes for messy cats. It is easy to find and it meets all the requirements for her tall 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 caking clumps of pee that are stuck in various nooks and crannies, which makes them impossible to remove and bacteria prevalent (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 for her multi-cat household after having the above black ones.

Things to keep in mind when choosing a large plastic storage bin for your litterbox:

• Choose one with flat sides (as mentioned above)
• Pay attention to the height – 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.
• Note the length – is it long enough for your cat to move around in (do circles in) to do his or her business?
• Transparent material is best – a transparent storage box 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.
• Watch the 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.
• Durability – Litter boxes get a lot of use, be sure to get something durable that wont crack in any instance.

Here are two I found on Amazon that might work great as litterboxes:

• Homz Plastic Storage, Modular Stackable Storage Bins with Blue Latching Handles, 66 Quart, Clear, 2-Pack
  
• Rubbermaid Cleverstore Clear 71 QT Pack of 4 Stackable Large Storage Containers

2. The Frisco Jumbo Covered Cat Litter Box

Another solution for a high-walled, covered litter box is this Jumbo Frisco product. It measures 29.7” long by 17.5” wide and is 17.6” tall, with a hinged lid.

It has a side door, rather than an option at the end, and it comes with an inner cat litter tray and a scoop holder with a scoop that sits in one of the handle gaps at the side.

Some of the main features of the Frisco high sided cat litter box are:

• The high-sided walls contain any spraying or litter scattering
• The door has a low entrance just six inches from the ground, and is big enough for most cats to comfortably get through
• The hinged lid can be left closed for privacy and to help control odors, opened for cleaning, or completely removed if your cats prefer the extra light
• It’s made from a lightweight, BPA-free plastic that is easy to wipe down

However, some reviewers haven’t had the best experience with it. Many have said that the inner tray just isn’t deep enough, and so if you only put litter into that then the cat will spray urine over the sides and while it’ll be contained in the larger box, it pools under the tray and is harder to clean.

Other reviews have said that the material is a little flimsy, and that the hinged cover isn’t very secure. It is designed to be easily removable, so that you can take the lid off completely if you prefer, but it doesn’t click into place and so could easily be accidentally taken off completely when you only meant to open it.

And because it has side handle holes, some customers have reported cat urine spraying through the gaps.

With that in mind, here are some tips on how to use the Frisco Jumbo litter box to get the most out of it:

• Don’t use the inner litter tray – too many people complain about it being too shallow and the mess it causes. Instead, use the entire jumbo box as the litter tray. Fill the whole of the bottom with litter and you’ve instead got one large, enclosed litter tray, and any spray will either trickle down into the litter to clump or can just be wiped down from the sides.
• If you do that, make sure to add a mat just outside the doorway to prevent litter tracking. Or if you do keep using the inner tray, consider using the extra space for a small mat inside the box.
• Tape up the handles on the sides where there are gaps, if you don’t intend to move it around a lot. This can prevent urine from being sprayed out unintentionally.
• Ditch the scoop that comes with the litter box. It’s a standard scoop with flat tines, which means you have to spend a lot longer sifting the litter or throwing out litter that could be reused. The scoop holder is fine, but consider a Litter Lifter as a replacement scoop because its our favorite litter scoop.

3. Horizon Poly Products Kat Kave Litter Box

The Horizon Poly Products Kat Kave Litter Box measures 29″L x 19″W x 20″H. It is tall enough to accommodate even the tallest cats, or if your cat doesn’t squat to pee, 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 Horizon Products Kat Kave Litter Box on their website,

4. Nature’s Miracle High-Sided Litter Box

This litterbox is a reader favorite. It 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. A standout feature is that it also comes with antimicrobial coating, 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.

5. NVR Miss

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.

6. IRIS Open Top Litter Box with Shield and Scoop

The IRIS Open Top Litter Box with Shield and Scoop is sold on Amazon. 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.

7. 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.

8. Frisco Top Entry Litter Box

In general, I am not a fan of top-entry litter boxes.  They are considered a hooded litter box, and if they are not kept clean, then they can really smell terribly.  And if a cat’s litter box smells terribly, they’re less likely to want to use it.  Even if it is a problem for the human nose, it’s a bigger problem for a cat’s.

If you order a top-entry design litter box to try, then you want to be sure to measure your cat in comparison to the measurements of the box.

This Frisco Top Entry Cat Litter Box on Chewy is the largest I have seen.

Another reason I am not a crazy fan of top entry boxes is because as a cat ages, it makes it harder for them to get in and out of the box.

9. Extra Large Affordable Cat Litter Box from Korea

This wholesale extra large open design litterbox was recommended to us by a reader who has very tall cats. Its extremely affordable and comes in many different colors.

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)

Here’s a recent discussion we had on this topic on Facebook:

DIY Litter Box – without a door

Check out these pictures and directions from a few Floppycats reader on how they made their own high-sided litterboxes:

DIY Litter Box – with a door

I cannot remember how it came about – but Floppycats’ reader Aims Windler in a comment on a Facebook post, posted a photo of her DIY litter box.  So I replied to that comment on Facebook and asked, if she could please email me to tell me in detail how they made their homemade litter box. Turns out it’s really simple to make but quite effective at giving your cat privacy and helping to keep odors sealed inside a box.

DIY Litter Box With A Door

Total Time: 1 hour

Choose Your Container Size

They started with a clear plastic storage box from eBay. There are various sizes of storage boxes available, so you should measure for your biggest cat and find the one that will comfortably fit them. Aims chose the 29.0589 gallons (110 liter) box for their biggest cat.

Purchase & Install Cat Door

They then bought a regular cat door that you’d install on your home, cut a hole for it in the side of the box, and added it. Despite the walls of the box being thin, you can attach the cat door as long as it has a tunnel joining the two sides of it. The cat door that Aims chose was this one on Amazon (similar to this one in the USA).

Once the flap is installed, the litter box is ready to use. It’s a good sized box that gives your cat plenty of space to feel comfortable, but because it’s an enclosed box there’s some sense of privacy (even with a transparent box) and smells won’t be as strong.

Of course, if your cat is not used to cat doors or cat flaps, there might be a small amount of training involved – like perhaps leaving the flap off the door at first, until they are using the litterbox.

Fill it with Litter!

You could use any kind of litter with this DIY litter box. I asked Aims what they used, and they said they used Catsan, which is a non-clumping litter of tiny stones that work like crystals. Clumping litter would work fine though.

Estimated Cost: 50 USD

Supply:

• A clear plastic storage box from eBay
• A cat door

Tools:

• Box Cutter

Materials: Your preferred Cat Litter of course!

What do you think of this simple DIY litter box build? Have you designed your own litter box too?  We’re always happy to share readers’ designs and help others to find a litter box that works for them and their cat.

Other Products for High Spraying Cats

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.

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. The Blackhole cat litter mat sells on Amazon.

High Spraying Cats 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.

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.