Cats are private about this, and a hood is the simplest way to give them that — particularly in a busy household, a flat, or anywhere the tray has to live in a room people walk through. The flap door here takes it a step further, closing behind them so they are not visible mid-use and so smells stay on the inside of the box rather than drifting into the room.

The practical details are sensible for a compact tray. The inner tray lifts out whole, so emptying means carrying one piece rather than tipping the entire unit. A filter in the hood traps odour before it escapes. A plastic plate at the entrance catches litter off paws, which is the difference between hoovering weekly and hoovering daily. And the scoop clips onto the side, where it stays, instead of living behind the cistern.

• Overall 43cm long x 44cm wide x 47cm high
• Interior floor 38 x 34cm; flap door 18 x 22.5cm
• Removable inner tray for one-piece emptying
• Carbon-style odour filter in the hood
• 45.5 x 17cm litter-catching step at the entrance
• Clip-on scoop included; solid PP construction

Check the weight before you buy. PawHut rate this for kittens and small cats under 5kg, and that is a real limit rather than a cautious one — the interior is 38 x 34cm, which a large adult cat cannot comfortably turn around in. If your cat is over 5kg, or a big-framed breed, buy the XL steel version instead. A tray a cat cannot turn in is a tray they will stop using.

Who it's for: Kitten owners, small-breed cats, flats and busy rooms where a tray needs to be discreet and easy to empty.