Best Cat Litter Boxes for Small Apartments
Quick answer. Disclosure: bestcatgear.com participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and may earn a commission from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you. Check the current price on Amazon. For a small apartment, the IRIS USA Cat Litter Box Small, High Sided, Scatter Shield is the top pick in this list. It is an open-top box with tall walls, it weighs 1.5 pounds according to its listing, and its listed size of 17.38 x 13.44 x 10.56 inches is confirmed on the manufacturer’s own page. It suits owners who want a plain open-top box with tall walls that is easy to reach into and clean, and who do not need a lid. If you want a lid or an enclosed box, look at the Bsemax or BIKOZI options below, and check their height first.
How we chose
We looked at six listings whose specifications were stated on the Amazon product page on 2026-10-17. The criteria were:
- Footprint (length and width), because floor space is the main limit in a small apartment.
- Height and entry style, because a tall box needs more room above it and a high entry can be hard for some cats.
- Enclosure: open top, or lid and enclosed design.
- Weight of the box itself, which matters when you move it to clean under it.
- Material and what is included (scoop, mat).
The listings do not state a cat weight limit for most of these boxes, a claimed odor-control rating, or how much litter each one holds beyond the Bsemax capacity of 18 liters. Where a listing gives two different sizes, both are shown below.
Comparison table (as stated on each listing, checked 2026-10-17)
| Product | Footprint (L x W, in) | Height (in) | Weight (lb) | Enclosed or open | Material |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRIS USA Small, High Sided, Scatter Shield | 17.38 x 13.44 | 10.56 | 1.5 | Open top | Plastic |
| Bsemax Stainless Steel with Lid | 17.4 x 13.5 | 8.5 | 3.5 | Lid (top cover) | Stainless steel |
| BIKOZI Stainless Steel Enclosed, Small, Dual Entry | 17.3 x 13.7 (details table) or 17.5 x 13.5 (bullet) | 14.9 (details table) or 14.7 (bullet) | 5.69 | Enclosed, front and top entry | PVC and stainless steel |
| TENTIZON Stainless Steel, Kittens and Medium Cats | 17.3 x 13.4 | 7.8 | 3.7 | Open top with high-side lid | Stainless steel (overview also lists plastic lid and scoop) |
| OneBug Stainless Steel, Small | 15.55 x 11.61 | 3.94 | 1.3 | Open top | Stainless steel |
| Amibud Low Entry Stainless Steel, Small | 15.75 x 11.81 | 2.76 | 0.9 (14.46 oz) | Open pan, no lid | Metal (stainless steel per bullets) |
The listing does not state a cat weight limit for any of these six boxes, except the TENTIZON listing, which describes its box for cats between 3 and 14 pounds.
Worked example: does it fit your floor?
Suppose a corner of your bathroom has 18 inches of clear width and 14 inches of clear depth. The IRIS box (17.38 x 13.44 inches) leaves 0.62 inch of width and 0.56 inch of depth, which is very tight for reaching in. The OneBug box (15.55 x 11.61 inches) leaves 2.45 inches of width and 2.39 inches of depth. Before you buy, measure your floor, subtract the listed footprint, and check that you can still reach the scoop and the floor around the box. The listings do not state a reach or clearance figure, so this is a plain subtraction, not a listing claim.
Products
1. IRIS USA Cat Litter Box Small, High Sided, Scatter Shield (top pick)
Best for: owners who want an open top and tall walls in a small footprint. The manufacturer’s product page (checked 2026-10-17) confirms the listed dimensions of 17.38 x 13.44 x 10.56 inches for SKU 500588.
Skip if: you need an enclosed box for privacy or for containing odor, because this one is open on top.
Listing specs (checked 2026-10-17): dimensions 17.38 x 13.44 x 10.56 inches; weight 1.5 pounds; plastic; black; model 500588. The listing says “Made in USA with global materials.” It does not state a weight limit, a litter capacity, or a warranty.
2. Bsemax Stainless Steel Litter Box with Lid
Best for: owners who want a lid and a stainless steel pan that is easy to rinse.
Skip if: you need a low box, because the listing gives an 8.5 inch height with the lid and the bullets describe an enclosed high-wall design.
Listing specs (checked 2026-10-17): dimensions 17.4 x 13.5 x 8.5 inches; weight 3.5 pounds; capacity 18 liters (bullet); stainless steel with ABS enclosure (bullet); includes scoop, non-slip mat and manual. The listing does not state a cat weight limit.
3. BIKOZI Stainless Steel Enclosed Litter Box, Small, Dual Entry
Best for: owners who want an enclosed box with a front and a top entry and a pull-out tray.
Skip if: you have very little height above the box, because the listing gives two different heights (see the conflict below) and the highest is 14.9 inches.
Listing specs (checked 2026-10-17): weight 5.69 pounds; materials PVC and stainless steel; pink; model FXMSP; includes scoop and double-layer mat. The listing does not agree with itself on size: the bullets give 17.5 x 13.5 x 14.7 inches, and the product details table gives 17.3 x 13.7 x 14.9 inches. Measure before you buy.
4. TENTIZON Stainless Steel Litter Box, Kittens and Medium Cats
Best for: owners who want an open top with a high-side lid and a low front entry of 5 inches, as stated in the listing.
Skip if: your cat is larger than the cat weight range in the listing, which says 3 to 14 pounds.
Listing specs (checked 2026-10-17): dimensions 17.3 x 13.4 x 7.8 inches; weight 3.7 pounds; grey; model PT006-GY-00; includes a stainless steel pan, high-side lid, hanging scoop and dual-layer mat. The listing overview also names a plastic lid and plastic scoop. The listing describes a two-year care plan; this page does not check it.
5. OneBug Stainless Steel High Sides Litter Box, Small
Best for: the smallest footprint in this list, if your floor space is very tight.
Skip if: you want a tall box. The title says “High Sides,” but the listing gives a height of 3.94 inches and describes a low entry with a raised splash rim.
Listing specs (checked 2026-10-17): dimensions 15.55 x 11.61 x 3.94 inches; weight 1.3 pounds; stainless steel; one-piece molded construction; non-slip pads on the base. The listing says the pan is for kittens, small cats, senior pets and rabbits. The listing does not state a lid or a scoop.
6. Amibud Low Entry Stainless Steel Litter Box, Small
Best for: a shallow, open pan with low entry for kittens or for a cat that needs an easy step in.
Skip if: you want a lid or sides that hold litter in. The listing gives a height of 2.76 inches.
Listing specs (checked 2026-10-17): dimensions 15.75 x 11.81 x 2.76 inches; weight 14.46 ounces; metal; pan type with no lid. The title says “Small,” but the overview says “Size Medium.” The listing does not state which is correct. Check the page before you buy.
Listing conflict we did not resolve: Marchul enclosed box
We did not rank the Marchul Enclosed Stainless Steel Cat Litter Box (listed on Amazon). Its three dimension statements do not agree: the details table gives 16.54 x 5.31 x 20.47 inches, the overview gives 20 x 16.2 x 15 inches, and the bullet gives a height of 38 cm (15 inches), width 41 cm (16.1 inches) and depth 51 cm (20.1 inches). Its footprint could be too large for a small apartment, depending on which statement is right. Check the listing before you consider it.
Mistakes to avoid
- Choosing by footprint alone. Check the height too, because the BIKOZI listing gives a height of about 14 to 15 inches while the Amibud box is under 3 inches.
- Trusting a title. The OneBug title says “High Sides” and the listed height is 3.94 inches. The Amibud title says “Small” and the overview says “Medium.”
- Using a listing weight as a cat weight limit. The listings give the weight of the box, not what it can hold.
- Forgetting to leave room to reach in and to scoop. Subtract the footprint from your measured space, as in the worked example above.
Who should skip buying a litter box from this list
Skip this list if you need a box that is enclosed and has a lid and a footprint under 15 inches, because none of the six listings gives one. Skip it also if your cat has trouble getting in and out of a box. The listings describe low entries, but they do not state how a box suits a cat with a mobility or health problem. For health questions, ask your vet.
FAQ
What size litter box fits a small apartment?
Start with the floor space you have. The listed footprints in this list run from 15.55 x 11.61 inches (OneBug) to 17.5 x 13.5 inches (BIKOZI, bullet). Subtract the footprint from your measured space and leave room to reach in and scoop.
Is an open top or an enclosed box better for a small space?
The listings do not say which one controls odor better. An open-top box like the IRIS is lower in weight and easier to reach into. An enclosed box can take up more height, for example 14.9 inches on the BIKOZI details table.
Does the weight on the listing tell me what my cat can weigh?
No. The listed weights (from 1.3 pounds to 5.69 pounds) are the weight of the box itself. The only cat weight range in this list is the TENTIZON listing, which says 3 to 14 pounds.
Which boxes name kittens?
Several listings name kittens: the Bsemax, BIKOZI, TENTIZON, OneBug and Amibud. Check the entry height and the walls before you buy for a kitten.
Why does the Amibud listing say two sizes?
The title says “Small” and the overview says “Size Medium.” The listing does not say which is correct. Check the product page before you buy.
Do I need a litter mat?
Several listings include one: the Bsemax, BIKOZI and TENTIZON listings name a mat in their package contents. The IRIS and OneBug listings do not name one. Check the listing you choose.
Related reading (drafts in this batch, not live)
- Best self-cleaning cat litter boxes (draft in this batch, not live)
- Best cat trees for small apartments (draft in this batch, not live)
- Best cat scratching posts for heavy scratchers (draft in this batch, not live)
No live posts exist on bestcatgear.com yet, so the links above point to drafts in this batch by file path and are not live.
