Cat Won't Use Covered Litter Box? What to Switch To

A cat refusing a covered box is one of the most common litter problems we hear about — and honestly, the hood is almost always the culprit. Most cats dislike feeling enclosed when they're in a vulnerable position, and covered boxes also trap odour inside, which is far worse for them than it is for us. Most litter boxes are also too small to begin with — cats need a tray at least 1.5 times their body length to dig and turn around comfortably. To point you toward the right open tray, it'd help to know: how many cats do you have, how big are they, and what's your cat actually doing — avoiding the box entirely, or using it sometimes?

Going right next to the box is a really clear signal — she knows that's the spot, she's just not willing to go inside. With a 45cm cat, you need a tray at least 67–70cm long for her to be comfortable. Most standard boxes, covered or not, don't come close to that. Can I ask — where is the box kept, and is it in a fairly quiet spot or somewhere with a bit of foot traffic or noise?

Good — the location sounds fine, so this really does come down to the box itself. For a cat her size, I'd recommend the Savic Senator Open Cat Litter Tray, specifically the large size which is 56cm long. It's not quite at the 1.5x ideal for a 45cm cat, but it's significantly bigger than most covered boxes and open on all sides so she won't feel trapped. It has a deep base which contains litter well without the hood, and it's straightforward to clean. The vast majority of cats who are going beside the box switch to using an open tray like this consistently within a week or two. Keep it in the same bathroom spot so the location feels familiar.

Keep both for the first week if you have the space. Put the new open tray in the same position and move the covered one nearby but slightly off to the side. You'll almost certainly find she gravitates to the open one quickly — once she's using it reliably for 7–10 days, you can remove the covered box. No need to make it a dramatic switch.

Great — I think you'll see a difference fast. If she's still going beside the new tray after two weeks, come back and we can look at litter type or depth, but my bet is the open box sorts it.