Cleaning out the litter box is likely not one of your favorite chores, and you certainly don’t want your dog helping! If you have a dog that seems drawn to the litter box, you need to find one that can effectively keep them out.
These reviews are of the 10 best litter boxes that should prevent your dog from getting in but are easy enough for your cat to use and for you to clean. The buyer’s guide will give you extra pointers to help with your shopping experience.
In this article
A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites
| Image | Product | Details | ||
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Best Overall
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Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan |
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Best Value
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IRIS Large Round Top Entry Cat Litter Box & Scoop |
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CHECK PRICE |
Premium Choice
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Whisker Litter-Robot 4 Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box |
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CHECK PRICE |
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Clevercat Top-Entry Litter Box |
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Kitangle Slope Style Cat Litter Box |
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The 10 Best Dog-Proof Litter Boxes
1. Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan — Best Overall
| Size: | 22.4 x 18.3 x 19.7 inches |
| Type: | Covered |
| Color: | Gray or white tiger |
The best overall dog-proof litter box is the Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan. This litter box is hooded and contains a door to give your cat privacy and create more of a challenge for dogs to get into. It’s also roomy, so it can work quite well for large cats, and it includes carbon filters to reduce odors. It has anchors that will hold a litter liner in place if you use one, and the door is transparent and removable.
The flaw with this litter box is the latches. They can be tricky to open and close when you remove the lid.
- Hooded and with a door for privacy
- Roomy for large cats
- Includes carbon filters for odor
- Has anchors to hold liner bags in place
- Door is transparent and removable
- Latches can be tricky
2. IRIS Large Round Top Entry Cat Litter Box & Scoop — Best Value
| Size: | 20.5 x 14.75 x 14.38 inches |
| Type: | Top entry |
| Color: | White and green |
The best dog-proof litter box for the money is the IRIS Large Round Top Entry Cat Litter Box & Scoop. It’s affordable and comes with a scoop, and it’s a top-entry litter box, which is a style that can prevent the dog from getting in. The lid has tiny holes that help remove any litter from your cat’s paws, which will drop back into the pan. It’s made in the U.S. with BPA-free materials.
But it is fairly small, which means medium to large cats might find it challenging to get in and out of. Also, the rounded shape makes scooping tricky.
- Affordable
- Comes with a scoop
- Top entry makes it difficult for dogs to get into
- Lid has holes designed to remove litter from cat paws
- Made in the U.S.A. with BPA-free materials
- Small
- Rounded shape, making it challenging to scoop
3. Whisker Litter-Robot 4 Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box — Premium Choice
| Size: | 27 x 22 x 29.5 inches |
| Type: | Self-cleaning |
| Colors: | Black or white |
The Whisker Litter-Robot 4 Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box is an obvious premium choice, but this litter box can make your life much easier! For one thing, it does all the work for you—it cleans itself! While dogs can still access it, your cat leaving the litter box will trigger it to clean, so there’s nothing for your dog to munch on.
It also analyzes your cat’s litter usage and provides health insights through a free app, and it neutralizes bad odors. For such a big contraption, it can be surprisingly quiet, and your only job is to occasionally empty the drawer. But beyond the enormous price tag, it isn’t always reliable, like any technology.
- Self-cleaning
- Monitors litter box usage through an app
- Neutralizes odor
- Quiet
- Expensive
- Technology can be unreliable
4. Clevercat Top-Entry Litter Box
| Size: | 20 x 15 x 30 |
| Type: | Top entry |
| Color: | White |
The Clevercat Top-Entry Litter Box is an effective top-entry litter box that works well at keeping the litter in and the dog out! The design can also help keep odors to a minimum, so if your cat tends to be an enthusiastic kicker and high sprayer, this litter box might be a great fit. Additionally, the lid has a tread-like pattern, which should help trap the litter from your cat’s paws.
However, it’s too small for medium-sized to large cats. While effective at trapping litter, the treads on the lid can also trap other nasty things and is challenging to clean.
- Top entry keeps litter in and the dog out
- Reduces bad odors
- Great option for cats that kick litter or are high sprayers
- Lid has tread to trap litter from cat’s paws
- Too small for average to large cats
- Lid can be challenging to clean
5. Kitangle Slope Style Cat Litter Box
| Size: | 22.75 x 22 x 17 inches |
| Type: | Covered |
| Colors: | Black, gray, light gray, white, or teal |
The slope style cat litter box is quite unique looking and is available in five colors: black, gray, light gray, teal, or white. It’s a sturdy, covered litter box designed to keep your dog out and litter and odor in.
The lid is a unique feature because it has a sloped design and is removable, so you can clean up easily. The interior is seamless, so you don’t have to worry about litter or urine getting stuck in nooks and crannies. The entrance is also low enough for cats with mobility issues to get in and out of.
The issues are that it’s expensive and can be challenging to empty. It’s too large and awkwardly shaped to dump into a garbage bag.
- Unique appearance and sturdy
- Choose between five colors
- Removable lid for easy cleaning
- Interior is seamless
- Low entrance suitable for cats with mobility issues
- Expensive
- Difficult to empty
6. Frisco Top Entry Cat Litter Box
| Size: | 23.2 x 15.4 x 15 inches |
| Type: | Top entry |
| Colors: | Black or gray |
The Frisco Top Entry Cat Litter Box is slightly bigger than other, similar products, and the top entry should help keep your dog out. Since it is completely enclosed, it prevents litter and urine from escaping. The lid is textured to help trap litter when your cat is finished, and it’s made of BPA-free, recyclable plastic.
However, the lid is flimsy and might not feel sturdy enough for heavy cats. Also, the entire litter box is fairly lightweight, and the whole thing might tip over.
- Slightly bigger than other, similar products
- Prevents urine and litter from escaping
- Textured lid traps spilled litter
- Made with BPA-free, recyclable plastic
- Lid might be flimsy for heavier cats
- Litter box is lightweight and might tip
7. Petmate Top Entry Litter Pan
| Size: | 20.29 x 15.07 x 15.2 inches |
| Type: | Top entry |
| Color: | Gray and white |
Due to the top entrance, the Petmate Top Entry Litter Pan should keep your dog out. It also effectively keeps urine and litter from being sprayed and kicked out, and the lid contains small holes that will drop any litter from your cat’s paws back inside. The box has built-in handles and hook for a scoop, and it’s made in the U.S. from 95% recycled materials.
But it is a bit small for large cats, and the lid doesn’t seem to stay attached that well, particularly when the cat walks on it.
- Top entry keeps urine and litter inside
- Small holes on the lid help trap litter
- Has built-in handles and hook for a scoop
- Made in the U.S. from 95% recycled materials
- Small
- Lid doesn’t always stay on
8. Frisco Multi-Function Covered Cat Litter Box
| Size: | 29.73 x 17.5 x 17.64 inches |
| Type: | Covered |
| Color: | Off-white |
The Frisco Multi-Function Covered Cat Litter Box gives you a few options. First, it’s quite large and should work for most cats. It’s a covered litter box with a front entrance and should keep most litter inside, and the dog will have difficulty getting in. You can choose the container on its own or one that also comes with a litter pan for a small additional cost.
Either way, the container has a scoop and scoop holder attached to the box. If you choose the option without the litter pan, you can try to put your own litter box inside or use the entire container as its own litter box. The lid can be opened for cleanup, and it’s made with BPA-free, recyclable plastic.
Do note that if you opt for the container with the inner tray, you might find that it’s too small for your cat. The whole thing is also fairly expensive and large, which might not work for people living in small condos.
- Large enough for most cats
- Choose the container alone or one that comes with a litter pan
- Container itself can be the litter box
- Lid opens for cleanup
- Made with BPA-free, recyclable plastic
- Inner tray is small
- Expensive
- Might be too big for people in condos
9. Good Pet Stuff Hidden Cat Litter Planter
| Size: | 36 x 19 x 19 |
| Type: | Covered |
| Color: | Brown with fake green plant |
The Good Pet Stuff Hidden Cat Litter Planter is designed to look like a large planter for a house plant, which makes it an attractive-looking litter box. It’s comprised of a two-piece base, which is the litter box and a realistic fake plant with decorative moss and an odor/dust filter.
This is a covered litter box, making it more of a challenge for dogs to get inside, but there are several issues. Some cats might decide that attacking the fake plant is fun, and it might be too small for large cats. Also, when you take off the top for cleaning, it can be tricky to get back on.
- Litter box looks like a house plant
- Features a realistic fake plant
- Comes with a dust/odor filter
- Difficult for dogs to access
- Some cats go after the fake plant
- Small for large cats
- Putting on the lid after cleaning can be tricky
10. Tidy Cats Breeze Hooded Cat Litter Box System
| Size: | 16.5 x 20.5 x 16.75 inches |
| Type: | Covered |
| Color: | White and green |
The Tidy Cats Breeze Hooded Cat Litter Box System is covered, making it more challenging for your dog access. The hood is hinged, which is easier to clean because you don’t have to remove the whole thing when you want to do a quick scooping.
It has a slide-out drawer where you place an absorbent pad. The litter enables any liquid to sink to the bottom, which is then absorbed by the pad. The pellets that come with this system are 99.9% dust free.
However, it’s not that effective if your cat gets diarrhea, and cleaning up will be a bit of a nightmare. Additionally, not all cats enjoy the pellet litter and might refuse to use the litter box, and it doesn’t do a great job of containing odors.
- Hooded litter box is hinged, making cleaning easier
- Slide-out drawer holds an absorbent pad
- Liquids sink to the bottom and into the pad
- Pellets are 99.9% dust free
- Not effective for diarrhea
- Not all cats like the pellets
- Not great at containing odor
Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Dog-Proof Litter Boxes
Now that you know your options, let’s go over a few points that might help you make an informed decision. After all, both you and your cat need to be happy with the litter box!
Your Cat’s Mobility
As important as it is to keep your dog out of the litter, your cat’s comfort and safety take priority. If your cat has any mobility issues, you shouldn’t consider any of the top-entry litter boxes. Instead, get a hooded pan, one that doesn’t have high entrances.
Style of Litter Box
If your cat has never used a hooded or top-entry litter box before, be aware that they might reject it entirely. You can mitigate this problem by keeping the old litter box and placing the new one next to it, so your cat can learn that they are both for the same thing.
If your cat seems particularly reluctant to use the new box, try adding some of the litter from the old box to the new one so it smells more like them. Talk to a vet for more ideas. For the most part, though, you will need to be patient and let your cat go to it at their own pace.
Size
The dimensions posted for litter boxes is always for the outside. This means the area where your cat actually uses the box is smaller. You’ll want to shave a few inches off the provided measurements to get a better idea of whether it’s big enough for your cat.
Determined Dogs
If everything has gone smoothly and your cat has taken to a new litter box, but your dog still somehow manages to get into it, you might need to consider other options. This can vary from putting the litter box in a room with a cat door installed in the door to placing the litter box high up where your cat can reach it but your dog can’t. You might also need to train your dog specifically for this issue, but speak to a vet for ideas.
Our Dog-Proof Cat Litter Boxes Selection Process
Catster’s dedicated team of writers and editors collaborate with expert veterinarians, considering a wide range of factors when selecting the best litter boxes for cats. These parameters include customer reviews, brand reputation, veterinary experience, and in some cases, hands-on testing. Of course, our cats have a say in the process, too! We strive to select and review the highest-quality products available, to help you choose the best possible product and make the most informed decision for your and your cat’s needs.
Why Trust Catster?
Catster has been a trusted online brand since 2001, so we know a thing or two about litter boxes. We’re a team of cat-loving writers, editors, and veterinarians dedicated to helping you make the most informed decision for your feline. We deeply believe in providing the best information for cat owners to help their cats live their best life possible. We look at reviews from the most trusted sources available, and this, combined with our veterinary team’s experience and expertise, helps us gather the best options on the market. Our team is invested in the welfare and health of cats around the world, and believe that expert knowledge is one of the best ways to achieve this.
Conclusion
Overall, the Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan is our favorite litter box. The hood and door should help keep your dog out, and the included carbon filters can reduce strong odors. The IRIS Large Round Top Entry Cat Litter Box is quite affordable and comes with a scoop. The top entry makes it impossible for the dog to get inside.
The Whisker Litter-Robot 4 Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box comes at a high price but does all the work for you. Also, you can monitor your cat’s litter usage and health insights through a free app.
We hope that these reviews have helped you narrow down your choices and locate the best litter box for you and your cat—one that also successfully keeps out the dog!
Featured Photo Credit: Lightspruch, Shutterstock
