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For easy, sealed disposal of used cat litter, I recommend the Litter Champ Premium Disposal System based on extensive testing with my cat.
- Easy scoop, step and drop action
- Convenient foot pedal
- Triple-seal protection odor and 4-gallon capacity
- Carrying handle for portability
- Value
After years of struggling with scooping litter, dealing with leaky waste bags, and unsanitary flushing, I knew there must be a better litter disposal method.
Through comprehensive research and testing, the Litter Champ system is the top pick for its sealed, odor-containing disposal of cat waste. However, your needs may differ, so I’ve reviewed other excellent disposal systems too.
There is also a buyer’s guide to help select the right product. The Litter Champ makes litter disposal far simpler and more sanitary.
These are the products we review in this article (not all shown):
PetFusion Portable Cat Litter Disposal
- 14 Days' Worth capacity
- Bag Refill Included
- Plastic Construction
- Overall Best Cat Litter Disposal System
- Runner Up Kitty Litter Trash Can
- Premium Cat Litter Disposal Container
- Best Small Cat Litter Waste Receptacle
- Also Great Cat Litter Trash Can
- Cat Litter Disposal System Refills
- What Is a Kitty Litter Disposal System?
- Benefits of a Cat Litter Trash Can
- Buying Guide for Cat Litter Disposal Containers
- Cat Litter Disposal Ideas
- DIY Litter Disposal System
- Frequently Asked Questions About Cat Litter Disposal Systems
Overall Best Cat Litter Disposal System
- Easy scoop, step and drop action
- Convenient foot pedal
- Triple-seal protection odor and 4-gallon capacity
- Carrying handle for portability
- Value
With a 4-gallon capacity, this product is the top cat litter disposal system because it offers neat, no-fuss way to keep a tidier home. This product is also a true Litter Genie alternative.
Praise is due for how easy the foot lever is to use for hands-free waste disposal. I’m also a big fan of the sleek ABS resin design on this one. It’s attractive enough to leave in the living room without creating an eyesore.
Of course, what you really want to know about is the odor control on this model. This unit has a triple-seal design that locks odors in beautifully, making it my pick for the best cat litter disposal system.
You can truly fill this pail to the top without any odor concerns. That’s save you both time and money because you’re getting the full “life” out of every bag.
The dimensions on this unit are 10 x 9 x 19.25 (inches).
Rating Breakdown:
- Capacity: 7/10
- Performance: 10/10
- Durability: 10/10
- Price: 9/10
- Overall Score: 9.0
What We Liked:
- Foot pedal is amazing
- Easy scoop, step and drop action
- Carrying handle to accommodate different litter boxes
- Triple-seal protection odor
- 4-gallon capacity
- Value
What We Didn’t Like:
- Litter sometimes finds a way to get into the inner door
- The lid can spring back open if not pushed correctly
Runner Up Cat Litter Disposal System
- 21 Days' Worth capacity
- Bag Refill Included
- Plastic Construction
With its low price and large capacity, this convenient litter trash can is pretty hard to turn down even if you’re just curious about what life would be like with a litter receptacle.
The selling point on this disposal system is that it can hold litter up to 21 days. That’s three weeks of litter management without tying little bags, flushing litter down the toilet, or hauling a trash bag outside!
Just keep in mind that the estimate only applies for a single-cat household.
The method with this pail is simple enough for anyone. The three steps are scooping the waste, opening the lid to dump clumps in and closing the lid by pulling the locking handle. When it’s full, simply cut the bag, tie, and finally throw it away.
Owners say this is one of the best litter disposal systems and loved the huge capacity and odor reducing properties, and of course not needing to keep cat waste in human trash cans.
The dimensions on this cat disposal unit are 8.5 x 9.5 x 22.5 (inches).
Rating Breakdown:
- Capacity: 10/10
- Performance: 8/10
- Durability: 8/10
- Price: 9/10
- Overall Score: 8.75
What We Liked:
- Affordable
- Huge capacity
- Attractive and compact enough to keep in any room
- Great odor control
- Comes with a sturdy scoop
- Handy suspended scoop holder on the side
What We Didn’t Like:
- Pulling the hatch open can be tricky
- The top merely flips up without fully coming off can make cleaning a little tricky
Premium Cat Litter Container
- 14 Days' Worth capacity
- Bag Refill Included
- Plastic Construction
This is one of the best cat litter disposal systems packed with user-friendly features.
It has its own silicone gasket, charcoal deodorizer with six-month shelf life and ultra-comfortable carrying handle. It’s actually really easy to carry this unit out to the garage if you prefer to empty it there.
The handle also makes it easy to move this cat litter container between litter boxes if you have more than one stationed around your home.
This system is meant to give you two weeks of waste storage from each bag. It’s designed to work with a wide variety of bags to give you some freedom when it comes to how much you want to spend on refills.
The dimensions on this unit are 9.6 x 10 x 16.7 (inches), and is another alternative to the Litter Genie.
Rating Breakdown:
- Capacity: 8/10
- Performance: 8/10
- Durability: 7/10
- Price: 7/10
- Overall Score: 7.5
What We Liked:
- The sturdy carrying handle
- Great odor control using natural charcoal that is protected by its own mesh netting system
- The wide top lid pops up easily
- Sturdy design
What We Didn’t Like:
- Pricier than other options
- Could use tighter sealing
Best Small Cat Litter Trash Can
- 14 Days' Worth capacity
- Bag Refill Included
- Plastic Construction
This is a great option for an inexpensive, compact choice. And it’s also the regular sized version of my runner up pick with the same benefits – just this one is good for 2 weeks vs 3.
With this system, you’re just using the three steps of scooping your waste, opening the lid to drop the clumps and pulling the handle away to lock!
The antimicrobial properties of the pail help to prevent bacteria responsible for bad litter odors. Each refill with this system should give you 10 weeks of usage per cat.
This kitty litter trash can promises 14 days without the need to empty the basin if you have a one-cat household. The design is small and unassuming enough to tuck into any corner in a bathroom, living room or foyer.
The product dimensions come in at 19.44 x 17.69 x 17.13 (inches).
Rating Breakdown:
- Capacity: 8/10
- Performance: 8/10
- Durability: 8/10
- Price: 9/10
- Overall Score: 8.25
What We Liked:
- Compact size of unit fits even tiny apartments
- Value
- Great sealing
- Good odor control
What We Didn’t Like:
- The opening is a little tight
Cat Litter Disposal System Refills
Litter Champ 3-Pack Refill
Designed for Little Champ disposal systems, these refills are made from 20 percent recycled materials. They are designed to be flexible while resisting tearing. The light “baby powder” scent is pleasant.
Litter Genie Refill
These official Litter Genie refills feature seven layers of protection against leakage and odors. The perk of going with Litter Genie is that you never have to worry about sizing because cartridges are universal. One cartridge can last up to two months.
Litter Locker I Refill, Original
These official Little Locker refills feature five-layer odor protection. Each refill container is made from 50 percent recycled plastic. Expect to get a full two weeks of usage per cat for each bag.
What Is a Cat Litter Container?
I’ll confess that I didn’t understand the point first time I saw one. A cat litter trash can? Didn’t everyone just deal with scooping litter and little bags multiple times a day? Not so!
How It Works
Under normal circumstances, you’re carrying a little baggie out to the regular garbage or curb every time your cat uses their litter box. Maybe you’re collecting clumps in a shopping bag to dump later all at once.
Even worse, you may be using flushing solid waste down the toilet, which can be dangerous to sewer and septic systems, as well as toxic to the water supply.
No matter your move, it’s pretty tiring. With a litter disposal system, you’re disposing of the litter in a plastic container that offers a secure, sanitary disposal area with odor control. Think of a special cat litter container.
Just scoop and easily transfer used clumps and solids into the system. Usually, there is a mechanism that locks in the mess and stink. Then toss the whole bag out once or twice a week, saving yourself countless trips.
(For moms and dads out there, you can think of a kitty litter disposal system like the cat parent’s version of the beloved Diaper Genie. You just have to think of the litter clumps as the “diapers” that you’re throwing in the pail.)
Refills
Most cat litter garbage can systems use refill bags that are similar to the bags used in diaper pails. This offers environmental benefits, cost benefits and convenience. You can get a lot of miles out of one bag. No more individual baggies!
Benefits of a Cat Litter Trash Can
Convenience
Convenience is the real benefit here of the best cat litter disposal systems. No more struggling with tying/retying bags or carefully dropping used litter into the bag’s opening. I also know it can suck trekking to and from the trash bin or toilet after scooping Fluffy’s box.
Feels More Sanitary and Fights Odors
Everything feels cleaner now, because I don’t hesitate to scoop the box after each use by my Maine Coon. In the past, sometimes things accumulated, as I didn’t want to deal with the chore immediately. Now I stash the mess right away!
And I always thought it was weird tossing used cat litter in to my regular trash (even it was bagged up). I’m glad there’s a proper place for it now.
Litter disposal systems are also amazing for neutralizing embarrassing litter odors in your house. Do you leave a clumps sitting in a bag the whole day until you emptied the house trash outside?
Okay, hands down everyone. Then you’ll know on top of being seriously gross, odors often would emerge and waft into the kitchen or living area. Not so so anymore.
Saves Your Plumbing
If you’re in the habit of dropping kitty waste into your toilet after scooping, the honest truth is that it’s only a matter of time before you end up with a big clumping problem.
I’ve heard horror stories about those clumps doing serious damage to plumbing.
In fact, plumbers are always warning the public to stop flushing items like kitty litter. That even applies if kitty litter is labeled as “flushable.”
As one plumber recently warned in an article posted by Today.com, the truth is that these products don’t disintegrate quickly enough.
That means you’re ending up with an expensive, damaging clog to fix when all you wanted was an easy way to get rid of cat litter.
Buying Guide for Cat Litter Disposal Containers
Size
Most cat litter systems are pretty compact. The general rule is that one unit is a good fit for one cat.
While some models do feature carrying handles for going back and forth between different boxes in your home, you should consider getting more than one unit if you have more than one cat.
I’ve included product dimensions in my reviews so you can picture how to tuck each disposal unit into corners in your bathroom, living room, mud area or any other spot near a litter box.
Refills
This is probably the most important consideration to have on your mind after choosing an actual cat litter bin system that you like. Many brands use proprietary refills. This means that their litter disposal systems will only work with branded refill bags.
However, this isn’t universal. Some brands will let you use your own bags. This can help you to save money. It can also be a bonus if you like a disposal unit even though the bags that come with it are pretty junky.
I included a mix of litter disposal systems that use both “exclusive” and “open” bag options!
Odor Control
Pay attention to the features for odor control when looking at designs. The sure signs of good odor control are a tight seal and high-quality filter cartridges.
It’s important for a cat waste disposal system to actually keep odors inside because you’re not in much better shape than you would be if you just left a plastic bag of used litter out if it doesn’t.
Design
My reviews in this post mostly focus on compact, attractive litter disposal systems that you won’t be embarrassed about.
Most options on the market have upright, cylindrical designs that resemble the diaper canisters most of us have either used or seen in real life.
Tall and slim designs are best for cat litter pails because this allows for the litter to stack neatly inside the receptacle.
Cat Litter Disposal Ideas
If you already have a cat, you’re probably a pro with all kinds of tips and tricks for keeping things neat. Or you could be a new owner asking “how do I best dispose of cat litter?”
I want to share ideas I’ve accumulated based on a mix of my own experiences and smart tips from other cat owners.
- Consider putting your cat litter in a heavy-duty bag or receptacle liner instead of just tossing loose litter in the trash. This is just being a responsible pet owner. Loose litter and waste makes makes trash an actual health hazard.
- Don’t use trash bags that tear easily. This is really important if you’re physically walking the trash bag out to the curb or community trash bin. Use two bags if necessary.
- Don’t flush litter down the toilet. Many brands actually market “flushable” litter. But, plumbers almost universally say this is a bad idea. It’s very easy for clumped litter to ruin your sewer line or septic system. Litter in your drain is bad for your toilet, your pipes and the environment.
- Don’t be messy and properly dispose of cat litter responsibly. Cat waste can contain bacteria and parasites like Toxoplasma gondii. Toxoplasmosis can be fatal for humans. That’s why you never want to risk letting cat waste get into the public water supply. If you’re sloppy about leaving cat waste exposed around your house, you’re putting the health of everyone at risk.
- Consider composting the litter. While I’m not recommending that you put cat waste in your garden, I am saying that some biodegradable litter products made from things like wood, walnut shells, coconut, and non clumping paper can be used for compost after being cleaned. Just make sure you’re reading labels to avoid accidentally composting something like clay.
DIY Litter Disposal System
I’m always the first to admit that I don’t do DIY solutions when it comes to Chelle’s needs. I’m the type of person who enjoys finding the best ready-to-use products over trying to piece something together.
However, my readers are always eager to know if DIY options exist whenever I post about a must-have cat tool. It turns out that plenty of cat owners are doing DIY cat litter disposal systems.
For anyone trying to save money, I think this tutorial on how to use empty litter tubs to make your own “genie” is genius.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cat Litter Disposal Systems
Can you put cat litter in general waste?
Yes, many people do simply throw away cat litter with general waste instead of using a cat litter trash can. There’s no rule against this as long as you’re sealing the litter tightly to prevent leakage. Cat waste contains bacteria that can be toxic to humans!
Can you dump cat litter in the toilet?
It’s highly recommended that you don’t. Even cat litter that is labeled as being “drain safe” can easily clog pipes, sewer connections and septic systems. Plumbers are constantly warning people to avoid this!
Is there a Diaper Genie for cats?
Yes, there are many brands offering cat litter disposal systems that essentially function the same as the made-for-humans Diaper Genie.
I’m Gary Hu, a proud cat dad to a 15 lb Maine Coon. Have taken care of outdoor and indoor cats for over 10 years, and learned tons on behavior, habits, health, and products. I help new Maine Coon (or any other cat) parents with common questions and issues based on real, practical experience.
