Best Kitty Litter Pans: One Open Plastic Pan, Read From Its Listing

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Details

Kitty litter pans are open trays that hold litter without a lid, and the right one depends on the size of the cat and how the cat likes to enter. This post looks at one pan: the Petmate Basic Open Plastic Cat Litter Pan in gray, small size, measuring 14 by 10.5 by 3.5 inches. The listing says it is recommended for kittens and small cats, has a rim on all sides, and is open at the top with room on all sides. It gives no weight rating, no rim height, and no wall thickness. The sections below set out the listing’s figures, the floor-area arithmetic, and the cases where a larger pan is the better choice.

Quick answer

• Choose an open pan when the cat is a kitten or a small cat and uses open access. The title names kittens and small cats as the intended users.
• Compare the pan’s 14 inch length with the spot it will sit in, and with your cat’s length. The listing gives no cat length range, so that check is yours to make.
• Plan the litter depth yourself. The listing gives no depth for this pan, so the depth figures below are our planning estimates.
• Expect a small floor. At 147 square inches it is small next to the larger pans in the research file, which is the point of the size.

What the listing says about this pan

We opened the Amazon product page once, on 22 October 2026, and read the title, bullets, product details, size options, and the manufacturer and product description sections. The table lists each stated figure. Where the listing is silent, the table says not stated.

Field	What the listing says
Brand	Petmate (manufacturer shown as Doskocil)
Model	22181
Size on this listing	Small
Product dimensions	14 x 10.5 x 3.5 inches
Item weight	7.04 ounces
Material	Plastic; the description calls it durable, pre-consumer plastic
Intended users	Kittens and small cats (title)
Open or covered	Open top, with room on all sides (bullet)
Rim	Rim on all sides, for lifting and moving the pan (bullet)
Base	Wide base to keep litter inside the pan (bullet)
Structure	“Design-break pattern” for structural stability (manufacturer section)
Size labels	Small, Medium, Giant, Large, X Large, Small (Pack of 12)
Number of sizes	“Available in 4 sizes” (manufacturer section and description)
Weight rating	not stated
Rim height	not stated; only the 3.5 inch overall height is given
Litter capacity	not stated
Date first available	August 14, 2013

The listing does not agree with itself on the number of sizes. The manufacturer section and the product description both say four sizes. The size labels on the page show six options, one of which is a pack of twelve. The page gives dimensions for the small pan only, so the other options cannot be checked against this listing.

The floor-area arithmetic

Floor area is length times width. The listed length and width give the floor of this pan, and the planning figures below show how much litter the floor would take at two depths.

Figure	Formula	Result
Floor area of this pan	14 x 10.5 = 147	147 square inches
Litter at 2 inches (planning estimate)	14 x 10.5 x 2 = 294	294 cubic inches
Litter at 3 inches (planning estimate)	14 x 10.5 x 3 = 441	441 cubic inches

The 2 and 3 inch depths are our planning estimates, not figures from the listing. The listing gives no depth for this pan, and it gives no litter capacity. The item weight of 7.04 ounces converts to 7.04 x 28.35 = 199.6 grams, which is the figure to use if you weigh the pan on your own scale.

The arithmetic shows how small the floor is. Each extra inch of depth adds 147 cubic inches, so a 3 inch fill takes 441 cubic inches, and the pan does not hold a fixed bag count. For a bag count, measure the litter you use in your own pan and compare it with the figures above.

Rim, base and stability

The bullets say the pan has a rim on all sides for lifting and moving, and a wide base that keeps litter inside. The manufacturer section adds low, rimmed sides and a design-break pattern that the maker says improves structural stability. The description says the rim is designed to add stability and strength when the pan is filled with heavy litter.

Those are the maker’s words, and the listing gives no figure to back them. The phrase “heavy litter” is not defined, and the listing does not say how much litter the pan is built to hold. A buyer who wants to fill the pan to a set depth should check the depth against the pan’s own rim, which the listing does not measure in inches.

Litter that a cat kicks out of an open pan lands on the floor. The listing says the wide base keeps litter inside the pan, but it gives no containment figure. How much litter ends up outside will depend on the cat, the depth and the floor, and the listing does not say. For the cleaning side of that, see Best Way to Clean Litter Box.

Open pan or covered box

The product description says the pan is “unlike covered cat pans,” because the pan is spacious on all sides. The manufacturer section says the pan suits cats that do not like enclosed spaces. Both lines are the maker’s view of the pan, not a comparison against covered boxes that the listing gives.

The research file also holds covered options. Those are enclosed boxes with high sides or a lid, and they are larger than this pan. A buyer who wants an enclosure should compare them directly, because the enclosure changes the shape of the litter space and the way the cat enters, and this listing does not describe either change. For a box with more floor, see Best Cat Box for Multiple Cats.

Size and cat fit

The title says “Recommended for Kittens and Small Cats.” The listing does not give a cat length range, a cat weight range, or a size guide that matches a cat to a label. The title is the only fit statement on the page, and it is a broad one. For kittens specifically, see Best Litter Box for Kittens.

Because the listing gives dimensions only for the small pan, a larger size cannot be compared with this one from the listing alone. The research file does give dimensions for other pans, and the table below uses those figures. The pans in the table were not opened for this post, so the figures come from the research file.

Pan in the research file	Listed length x width (inches)	Floor area	Ratio to this pan
This pan (Petmate, small)	14 x 10.5	14 x 10.5 = 147	1.00
Marshall ferret pan	14 x 12	14 x 12 = 168	168 / 147 = 1.14
Tessco kitten pan, 3-pack	15.1 x 12	15.1 x 12 = 181.2	181.2 / 147 = 1.23
LoopTime large plastic pan	19.6 x 15.7	19.6 x 15.7 = 307.72	307.72 / 147 = 2.09
KISENG extra large metal pan	22.8 x 14.9	22.8 x 14.9 = 339.72	339.72 / 147 = 2.31
Cictiv extra large covered box	23.54 x 15.93	23.54 x 15.93 = 374.99	374.99 / 147 = 2.55

Two products in the file have less floor than this pan. The Ysglory six-pack lists 12.3 x 8.5 = 104.55 square inches, a ratio of 104.55 / 147 = 0.71. The MUWUZOYT three-pack lists 9.6 x 7.2 = 69.12 square inches, a ratio of 69.12 / 147 = 0.47. Both are sold for small animals as well as cats, so a cat owner would need to read their titles closely.

The product we chose

This post covers one product, so one card follows. The card uses the listing’s own title and bullets.

How we chose

The research file for “kitty litter pans” was read on 22 October 2026, and its data was checked on 20 October 2026. It holds 12 products from 12 brands. The file does not rank them, and this post does not rank them either. The choice is one pan, picked for the keyword’s core question: an open pan for a cat, with stated dimensions and a stated cat fit.

We applied three checks in order. First, the title or bullets must name cats. Second, the title or bullets must give dimensions. Third, the material must be stated. The Petmate listing passes all three. Several other plastic pans pass too, including the single larger pans LoopTime and TAILRYTH and the kitten and small-animal multi-packs, so the choice rests on a judgment about fit, not on a count of passes.

The other 11 products were not chosen for these reasons:

• Marshall High Back Litter Pan: sold for ferrets and small animal cages, so the target animal is not a cat.
• Tessco kitten pan, 3-pack: a three-pack for kittens, rabbits and other small pets, not a single cat pan.
• MUWUZOYT kitten pan, 3-pack: a three-pack for hamsters, rabbits, chinchillas and similar animals.
• Ysglory six-pack: a six-pack named for rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs and hedgehogs as well as cats.
• Qiuma stainless steel pan: a metal pan with a low front entry, sized in four options for cats of different sizes.
• Amibud shallow stainless steel pan: a metal pan the listing names for rabbits, ferrets, guinea pigs and hamsters as well as kittens.
• KISENG extra large metal pan: a stainless steel pan with a lid and a scoop, in a larger size than this pan.
• WoofiGo extra large covered box: a covered stainless steel box with an enclosure, which is a different product type.
• Cictiv extra large covered box: a covered stainless steel box with a flip-top lid and a mat, sized for large cats.
• LoopTime large plastic pan: a larger plastic pan for cats, with a low entry and high sides. It suits a bigger cat than this one.
• TAILRYTH extra large corner pan: a larger plastic corner pan for cats, which the listing describes for senior and multi-cat homes.

The larger plastic pans, LoopTime and TAILRYTH, are the better picks for a bigger cat, and the research file gives their dimensions. This post is about the small pan. It picked the Petmate listing because its title states the kitten and small-cat fit in words and gives the size on the same line, which answers the question a small-pan buyer asks first. The choice is a judgment about fit, and this post does not rank the pans against each other.

What we could not verify

• Rim height. The listing gives only the 3.5 inch overall height, and the rim height is not stated.
• Weight rating and litter capacity. Neither is stated, so this post makes no load claim and gives no bag count.
• What “pre-consumer plastic” means. The listing does not define the term or give a recycled-content figure.
• The number of sizes. The listing says four in two places and shows six size labels.
• Cat fit by length or weight. The listing gives neither a length nor a weight range.
• Litter containment. The bullets say the base keeps litter inside, and the listing gives no figure for what gets out.
• Structural stability. The design-break pattern is the maker’s claim, with no figure.
• Compatibility with a mat, a cage or a larger box. The listing does not say.
• The “manufacturer recommended age” field. It reads 1 month and up, and the listing does not explain how that field applies to a pan.
• The other pans’ figures. They come from the research file, and their product pages were not opened.

Buying checklist

1. Measure the cat’s length, and the spot where the pan will sit, and check the 14 inch length against both.
2. Confirm the size before you buy, since the page shows six size labels and gives dimensions for the small pan only.
3. Decide between open and covered. If the cat avoids enclosed spaces, the open pan matches the maker’s description.
4. Choose the litter depth you plan to use, because the listing gives no depth and the floor is only 147 square inches.
5. Plan for litter that lands outside the pan, since the listing gives no containment figure.
6. Check the colour, which the listing gives as Blue Mesa or Mouse Gray. For the odor side of a box choice, see Best Cat Litter Box for Odor Control.
7. If you need more than one pan, check whether the pack option is the right one; the page shows a pack of twelve as one size label.

Mistakes to avoid

• Assuming “large” on the page matches the other listings. The page gives no dimensions for its size labels, so a size label alone tells you nothing about the floor.
• Reading “recommended for kittens and small cats” as a rule for cat weight or length. The listing gives neither.
• Trusting “four sizes” without checking the labels, since the page lists six.
• Expecting a rim height or a weight rating from this listing. Neither is stated.
• Buying for the floor alone, without the litter depth you will use. At 3 inches, the 147 square inch floor takes 441 cubic inches of litter.

FAQ

Is this an open pan or a covered box?

It is open. The bullets describe an open top with room on all sides, and the product description contrasts the pan with covered cat pans.

Who is the pan for?

The title says it is recommended for kittens and small cats. The manufacturer section describes it as suited to cats that do not like enclosed spaces.

How big is the floor?

The listed size is 14 by 10.5 inches, which is 147 square inches of floor.

Does the listing give a weight limit?

No. It gives the item weight of 7.04 ounces, but no weight rating and no litter capacity.

How many sizes are there?

The listing does not agree with itself. The manufacturer section and the description say four sizes, while the page shows six size labels, one of which is a pack of twelve.

Can I use it for a larger cat?

The listing gives dimensions only for the small pan, so it cannot tell you how a larger option compares. The research file lists larger plastic pans, LoopTime and TAILRYTH, with their own dimensions, and those are the pans to compare for a bigger cat.

Bottom line

Choose this open plastic pan when the cat is a kitten or a small cat, the 14 by 10.5 inch floor fits the spot, and a lid is not needed. Check your cat’s length against the pan before you buy, and plan the litter depth yourself. The listing gives no rim height, weight rating or cat length range, so look for those figures elsewhere before you commit. For more on litter and box setup, see Types of Cat Litter, Litter Box Placement, Litter Box With Steps and Top Entry Litter Pan.

Sources

• https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L369CXQ