IRIS USA Cat Litter Box Large Top Entry with Lid, Enclosed Covered Hooded Design, Scoop Included, Odor Control, Gray/White Review (2026)

Top entry design and why it helps

This IRIS USA litter box uses a top entry design rather than a front-facing door, meaning a cat climbs in through an opening in the lid instead of walking in at floor level. The main benefit of that layout is litter containment: because the walls extend well above the litter line on all sides, kicked-up litter and any spray from digging or urinating stays inside the box instead of landing on the surrounding floor, which matters in an apartment where a litter box often sits in a small bathroom or hallway with no room to spare for cleanup. The lid also acts as a barrier against dogs, since most dogs cannot easily reach in through a narrow top opening the way they can through an open-top or front-entry box.

Size and interior space

Retailer and manufacturer listings put the outer dimensions of this box at roughly 20.4 to 20.5 inches long, about 14.75 to 14.9 inches wide, and around 14.3 to 14.5 inches tall, placing it in IRIS USA's large size tier aimed at bigger cats or multi-cat households that need more litter surface area than a standard pan. The enclosed height also gives a cat more room to dig and turn around than a shallow, low-walled box, which some cats prefer. Because the box is fully enclosed apart from the top opening, it holds more litter volume within the same footprint as an open pan of similar length and width, which can mean fewer refills between cleanings for households with more than one cat sharing the box.

Litter tracking and lid grooves

The lid includes small grooves or holes designed to catch litter particles stuck to a cat's paws as it exits through the top opening, functioning as a built-in mat rather than relying on a separate tracking mat placed nearby. This is a common feature across IRIS USA's top entry line and is aimed at the common complaint with open litter boxes, where cats fling litter well outside the box during digging or track it across the floor on their paws after use. In an apartment with hard flooring throughout, reducing tracked litter matters more than in a home with a dedicated laundry or mudroom, since spilled litter is more visible and harder to keep contained on tile, hardwood, or laminate.

Included scoop and setup

This listing includes a scoop, so the box is ready for daily use without needing to buy one separately, which is a small but real convenience compared with pans sold without one. Setup is straightforward: the box is a single molded unit with a separate lid rather than a multi-panel assembly, so there are few parts to lose or reassemble incorrectly. IRIS USA states the box is made in the USA using globally sourced materials. Because the box is one connected shell, cleaning involves lifting the lid off to access the litter and interior walls, rather than disassembling several pieces the way some enclosed or multi-cat litter systems require.

Who should buy it

This box suits an apartment household with an adult cat, or several cats, dealing with tracked litter, visible mess, or a dog that keeps getting into the litter box, since the top entry and tall walls address all three issues directly. It is less suited to senior cats with mobility or joint issues, or young kittens, since jumping up and into a narrow top opening takes more physical ability than walking through a low front door. Owners of cats in either of those groups should look at a front-entry or low-sided box instead, even if it means giving up some of the tracking and dog-proofing benefits this design offers.

Frequently asked questions