Hooded cat litter trays
A hooded litter tray adds a cover over a standard tray, usually with a flap or open front, mainly to contain litter scatter and reduce how much smell escapes into the room. They suit some cats and some households far better than others, so it's worth knowing the trade-offs before buying one.
What a hood actually changes
The cover traps odour more effectively than an open tray, which matters most in a small room or one without much ventilation, and it stops litter being kicked out across the floor in the way an open tray often does. Some hooded trays add a filter in the lid for extra odour control, and most are designed to lift off entirely for cleaning.
The trade-off is size and privacy from the cat's point of view rather than yours: a hood makes the tray feel more enclosed, and some cats — particularly larger cats or those less confident using tight spaces — prefer an open tray they can see out of while they use it.
Choosing and placing one
Size matters more with a hooded tray than an open one, since a cat needs to be able to turn around comfortably inside — a hood that's a snug fit for the tray base often ends up a tight fit for the cat. If you're introducing a hooded tray to a cat used to an open one, keep the old tray available alongside it for a while rather than swapping overnight.
Site it somewhere quiet with room to open the flap or lid fully, and away from food and water — a hooded tray concentrates smell in one place, which is exactly why position matters more, not less, once you've got one.
In this section
Everything below is in stock with us, priced with delivery worked out, and packed and posted by hand in the UK.
Moderna Litter Tray Soft Green
Open Moderna litter tray with rounded edges and easy-clean plastic
£3.49
Plastic Cat Litter Tray — Large & XL
A sturdy plastic litter tray in two generous sizes — practical, no-fuss, and easy to clean.
From£11.49
Moderna Cat Litter Tray Soft Green
Open Moderna litter tray with rounded edges and easy-clean plastic
£5.99
Moderna Hercules Tray & Rim Indy & Louise
A high-sided litter tray with a removable rim that clamps a liner bag in place
£19.29
Armitage Litter Tray
A flat-edged plastic litter tray, sized for everyday scooping and dishwasher-proof cleaning
£3.73
Moderna Aristo Tray Spicy Coral
Open Moderna litter tray with rounded edges and easy-clean plastic
£7.49
Clean N Tidy Moderna Cat Litter Tray Berry
Open Moderna litter tray with rounded edges and easy-clean plastic
From£3.99
Sharples Moderna Cat Litter Tray Warm
Open Moderna litter tray with rounded edges and easy-clean plastic
From£3.99
Plastic Cat Litter Scoop
A no-nonsense plastic litter scoop for daily tray maintenance — comes in assorted colours.
£4.99
Van Ness Litter Scoop
A litter scoop with a wide, high-impact plastic head for clumping litter
From£1.49
Enclosed Cat Litter Box with Carbon Filter
A roomy enclosed litter box with a carbon filter that helps keep household odours in check.
From£28.99
Clean 'N' Tidy Hooded Cat Loo Filter
A cut-to-fit filter pad for hooded cat litter trays, sized to suit any Clean 'N' Tidy box
£2.99
Common questions
- Do cats prefer hooded or open litter trays?
- It genuinely varies by cat — some prefer the privacy and odour containment of a hood, while others feel cornered or trapped and avoid using it at all. If you're switching an established cat over, watch how they respond and keep an open tray as a backup option in case the hood isn't for them.
- Are hooded trays harder to clean?
- Not really, though the process is slightly different — most lift apart into a base and lid so you can scoop and wash as normal, and any lid filter needs its own occasional replacement. The main extra step is remembering to check and clean the filter, which an open tray doesn't have.
- What size hooded tray does my cat need?
- As a rough guide, your cat should be able to stand and turn around fully inside without brushing the sides or roof, so measure your cat rather than going by the tray's advertised size alone. A larger cat generally needs a noticeably larger hooded tray than a standard open one of similar footprint.
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Written by Matt Garnett, who runs Giddy Pets and is a lifelong pet owner — not a vet. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and it cannot replace an examination by the vet who knows your animal. How we write these guides.