Looking for a flat bottom storage bin to use as a litter box.

April 2, 2016 10:34 AM

I’ve been using large 18 gallon storage bins as litter boxes. I cut a little entry way down the middle and they can step inside. They don’t seem to have any problems using them. The problem is that there are grooves inside which make it difficult and annoying to clean.

There are litter boxes that look like storage bins but i’m not interested in the top entry design. One of my kitties isn’t the best jumper. And I believe those boxes also have grooves in them. Are there any flat bottom 20 - 30 gallon bins out there? I can find plenty of bins online but I can’t see the inside. I like using the storage bins because the sides are high and they can stand all the way up instead of being hunched down. Ideally the bins would cost less than one of these pricier litter boxes. I have this Catit litter box and it’s pretty good. I remove the door and the top part but pee gets all up in the top half of the box.

posted by mokeydraws to Pets & Animals (11 answers total)

I have a giant cat who uses a storage bin, and I was never able to find a flat-bottomed one. What I do to make this a non-issue is keep the litter level high enough that urine never finds its way to the bottom.
posted by moira at 10:51 AM on April 2, 2016 [1 favorite]

I'd look at BigLots, DollarTree, Christmas Tree, or similar for flat bottom no-name bins. The grooves in the name brand bins are supposed to help these containers stack with the lid designs, so you might have more luck with cheaper knock-offs.
posted by xyzzy at 11:00 AM on April 2, 2016 [1 favorite]

Can you turn the storage box upside down so you're using the flat lid as the base?
posted by yes I said yes I will Yes at 11:15 AM on April 2, 2016

What about one of these? Our cat seems to be able to step into it without problems.
posted by mr vino at 11:21 AM on April 2, 2016 [1 favorite]

1) we always kept a trash bag lining the litterbox for easy cleanup and switching of litter. Sometimes the bag would get torn but still easier than no liner.

2) they make moldable plastic beads for super cheap that you heat in warm water. Called thermoplastic or intamorph. A big bag of $10. You may need to put down some glue first but then you should be able to smoosh in the plastic to fill the grooves. (It's really sturdy when hardened. My dad made a temporary tooth from the stuff. No joke.)
posted by Crystalinne at 11:24 AM on April 2, 2016

Best answer: Go to a home improvement store and get a black plastic concrete mixing tub that will fit inside your preferred storage bin. I use the tub for my kitties and it's heavy duty and smooth.
posted by mightshould at 2:13 PM on April 2, 2016 [5 favorites]

Came here to say concrete mixing tub also but got beat to it. It has fairly low sides and a nice flat bottom but it's ginormous - like 2' x 3'.
posted by bluesky78987 at 2:36 PM on April 2, 2016

We use an under-bed storage tub. It has a flat bottom and low sides do that the fat cat can get in without trouble
posted by ArgentCorvid at 5:37 PM on April 2, 2016

I use a concrete mixing tub. It has worked wonderfully for a decade. Best litter box ever!
posted by irisclara at 8:39 PM on April 2, 2016

Response by poster: I actually have a concrete mixing tub that I bought for another project and never used! I love that idea and hopefully I can find a container to fit it in so that I can get the benefit of high sides.
posted by mokeydraws at 9:05 AM on April 3, 2016

There are litter boxes that look like storage bins but i’m not interested in the top entry design. One of my kitties isn’t the best jumper. And I believe those boxes also have grooves in them.

FWIW 1, if you do end up back considering top-entry: we have a Clevercat top-entry box (recommended by an AskMe!) and it doesn't have any hard-to-clean interior grooves.

FWIW 2: we have a couple of these 27-qt Sterilite bins from Target that the cats love to hop into and paw at each other through; there are definitely no grooves or ridges on the inside, except for the handles at the very top. Smaller than your 18-gallon though.
posted by We had a deal, Kyle at 4:23 PM on April 4, 2016