Van Ness Extra-giant Enclosed Cat Pan

August 29, 2010 11:08 pm | By Zootoo Editor Kelly B.

A covered litter pan is a blessing to all of us with cats who like to “accidentally” aim out of the box and all over our hardwood floors. Tired of pushing his bottom down as he peed (an invasion he actually tolerated well) the Van Ness Extra Giant Enclosed Cat Pan keeps his act of civil disobedience contained! Although he pees on the lid’s wall, it has yet to leak through the seam. Also, after replacing my standard lidless pan with this one, I immediately noticed a decrease in the amount of litter being tracked all over the house.

The large size makes the pan ideal for a multi-cat house, although I had to remove the door because (inevitably) in a multi-cat house, one of them is too timid (or dumb) to figure out how to get in and out. This pretty much spoils the “odor control” function, but with the door and the Zeolite air filter (which they recommend changing once a month), the odor is impressively subdued.

The lid’s latches make the pan easy to transport to my pet sitter’s house for “sleepovers,” although the latches have a habit of popping off… it doesn’t happen often, but when it does, they are difficult to reattach. Otherwise the box and top are incredibly sturdy, and I have no fear of tossing it into the back seat of a car for light travel.

Though the box claims to be an “all new sleek modern design,” it’s just as ugly as any other litter box; but the rounded corner help keep the litter from getting clumped into nooks. The pan also preaches that it gives "your kitty a little privacy,” which I thought sounded silly… but you know what, I actually think they enjoy the confidentiality of their business! Before, they preferred not using the box if I was near by, but now I can be standing right next to it and they pay me no mind while going in to do their thing.

Pros: Durable, easy to move and clean, offers cats privacy

Cons: Door falls off or may confuse cat