Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Pan: Unbiased Covered Box Review!

If you're a cat owner, one of the big things you're going to have to deal with is investing some time in a quality litter box. Yes, there are some super cheap category options out there that cost almost nothing, but those generally are made with pretty flimsy material or are a pain to convince your cat to deal with. 

On the flip side, there are almost prohibitively expensive litter boxes out there that seem to be just shy of excessive.

The ideal situation is a quality litter box that is both high enough quality to properly do its job, affordable enough that you can get it without breaking the bank, and approachable enough that your kitty decides to use it.

Is The Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan Any Good?

Enter the Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Litter Pan! Not only is this great for offering your furry friends some needed privacy, but it also has some even more needed odor control, making it a best litter box pick for cat and cat owners alike.

Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan: Features

Setup Assembly Process

Starting with the assembly process, the Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan is a pretty simple litter box to put together. It comes in two main pieces alongside a few additional parts. 

While there are multiple pieces, they're all largely connected to each other without any work on your end. The only thing you're going to have to do is disconnect the hood from the pan so that you can fill it up with litter before re-connecting it.

The main parts of the pan include the pan itself as well as the hood. The hood is held to the pan via four sliding lock tabs and an ergonomic handle that sits at the top. 

The door opening for the hood is a translucent mud flap door for easy in and out access while working as a bit of extra protection against any odors. 

It can be removed easily enough if your cat isn't used to cat doors. Still, my cat knew enough to go in and out without any issues despite never once using a cat door, so I think you'll be ok for the most part.

When it comes to the try, its walls are pretty high, giving your kitty a good amount of space. Since it can be used either with or without the hood, the fact that the walls are as high as it is makes it a great find for most pet owners.

Design

From a design perspective, it's clear that Catit was going for something that emphasized a more subtle and reserved look than anything particularly flamboyant. It came in a relatively standard grey-looking color that you'd find with most litter boxes. 

I didn't mind and, or so I'd imagine, neither did my cats.

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Size

The Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan has a fairly impressive size profile. While not the largest out there, the pan dimension offers enough room for large cats with the lid still on. Its walls are pretty high up, meaning that spraying and heavy digging is going to be pretty much a non-issue with this, provided you keep the hood on. So ideal dimensions for large cat breeds.

Build

Looking at the pan's physical build, it's clear that they were serious about giving it a lot of focus and attention. It's made from BPA-free materials and can handle most hard scratches from your cat without cutting it apart.

The only part that seemed a bit "iffy" was the cat door itself. While Milly and Marley didn't have any issues going in, it has a large opening with wide access, the problem seemed to really come after they'd open the door. What I mean by that is, when going in, they'd push the swinging door upward and sometimes it would flap back down. 

I'm not sure if this was just me and my experience or what, but a couple of times I noticed it doing this and getting stuck. It didn't get bad enough for me to remove it, but I wouldn't be surprised if some were willing to risk the smell for a less annoying door, especially since the smell would be coming out anyway.

Odor Control

Probably the biggest selling point for Catit's Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan is its ability to keep the smell from escaping. They go out of their way to set this up, complete with a carbon air filter that sits on the box's doorway. As mentioned, this is kind of why we refrained from removing the door, and trust me it was a clear difference.

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When the door was stuck open, while it wouldn't be quite the same as what you'd get with an open litter box or something that didn't have an adequate lid, you could definitely stumble in and know when the box had been used. 

This was not the case when it came to closing the pan's door. In these instances, you pretty much could barely tell, if at all, that the cat was just running out. Again, this alone makes the box worth seriously considering.

Litter Tracking & Cleanup

The litter box's ability to keep in or reduce litter tracking largely depended on certain factors, namely if the lid was on as well as if the door was working properly. Interestingly enough, it was kind of a trade-off. When the door wasn't working, the cats seemed less likely to spill a bunch of kitty litter out. 

On the other hand, if the door was working perfectly, that was when you'd see a ton of litter everywhere. Ultimately, while I'm not a huge fan of litter tracking, I'd personally take that over some rough smells.

When it comes to keeping up with the litter box itself, it's just as easy as any other litter box. You detach the roof lid and do what you need to do.

Price 

Price-wise, the Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan is a great purchase, going for just around $30. While I'd be lying if I said there were no other litter boxes at that price point worth checking out if you want something that greatly knocks out the smell, the $30 you spend is going to be more than ideal.

Catit Jumbo Hooded Cat Pan: The Verdict 

While I can't say these Catit litter boxes are the absolute best-hooded litter box I've ever tested, I can say that it's an incredible option for anyone that wants to keep a place that doesn't smell so bad. With included odor control filters, large walls, and a handle for transportation, this is a litter box you should definitely make a point of picking up, even if only for a few months.