NVR Miss: the perfect litter box
When I adopted Ruby in April, I didn’t realize that I would be embarking on the search for the perfect litter box. Ruby is a vertical pee-er. I had never had one of those. My regular litter box wasn’t going to work.
She doesn’t spray. Spraying is usually done by male cats. When a cat sprays, he stands up, typically makes a treading motion with his back feet, quivers his tail and sprays urine onto a vertical surface such as a wall. Spraying is a marking behavior.
Ruby starts out squatting and peeing horizontally, but slowly and gradually raises her rear end throughout the duration of her peeing. A normal size litter box wasn’t high enough to contain the urine. And so the search for the perfect litter box began.
I don’t like covered boxes. Most cats don’t like them either. They don’t like not being able to see while they’re doing their business. If covered boxes aren’t scooped immediately after the cat deposits something in them, the stench becomes concentrated inside the box (think of a covered litter box as the feline equivalent to a Port-a-Potty). I also like to be able to see what my cats are doing when they’re using the box. Some health problems first manifest through unusual behavior in the litter box, such as straining.
Several friends suggested that I get a large Rubbermaid storage container with high sides and cut an opening on one side that’s low enough so the cats can get in. This can work well, but it also looks pretty ugly. While my litter boxes aren’t the center of my decor, they are in pretty visible spots (I don’t believe in hiding them in a dark corner), so I wanted something that was at least somewhat pleasing to the eye.
There are a few larger, uncovered boxes with high sides on the market. I found two high-sided open pans that worked 75% of the time: the PetMate Jumbo High Back Litter Pan, and the SmartCat Ultimate Litterbox. But the other 25% of the time, I dealt with cleaning up urine that had spilled over the edges of the box. Both of my litter boxes sit on carpet, so this was not fun. Thankfully, the Anti-Icky Poo enzyme based cleaner I’ve been using for years completely eliminates urine stains and odors, even on (white!) carpet. For extra insurance, I put a Drymate Litter Mat underneath the boxes. Now all I had to do when we had spillage was throw the mat in the washer, but I was still nervous about some urine leaking through the mat onto the carpet.
I was resigned to using this set up. Then I saw the NVR Miss™ at the National Capital Cat Show this past weekend. The company kindly gave me a box to test.
This box is everything a litter box should be. It’s roomy. It has a strategically positioned cat-friendly entrance that makes it easy even for senior cats to get in and out of the box. The clever design (a slight protrusion across from the entrance) provides a cue for cats to align themselves lengthwise, so you won’t have to worry about urine going outside the box at the low entrance. The sides are high enough even for Miss Ruby and her vertical peeing gyrations.
While I was more concerned about urine spillage, another nice benefit of the high sides is that it also keeps litter contained inside the box. Ruby and Allegra are litter kickers and they both get pretty energetic when it comes to covering what they produce. This box has kept that issue to a minimum. Another plus is that the smooth finish allows litter clumps to easily release from the box’s walls – something that has not been the case with all the other boxes, where parts of the clumps would stick to the box’s sides and then break into small pieces.
The NVR Miss™ was developed when the company owners noticed that Cougar, their senior male cat, started going into the litter box, forgetting to squat and peeing over the rim. You can read the full story of how the box came to be on the NVR Miss™ website.
Both Ruby and Allegra took to the box immediately. We have two boxes in the house, and since the NVR Miss™ has been one of the choices, they’ve used it almost exclusively.
I only have one complaint about the box, and it’s a minor one: I’d like to see it in a couple of different color choices. The neutral, taupe color will blend in with most decors, but it’s just not a color I am drawn to. I’d prefer a light blue, or even just an off-white ”no color” color. But living with taupe is a small price to pay for not having to clean up urine spills any longer!
For more information about the NVR Miss™, and to order, please visit the NVR Miss™ website.
Thanks, Ingrid! We just ordered 2 of them!
I hope they work for you, Kent!
This is GREAT to know about – thanks!! (Musetta is a vigorous kicker.)
I hope she likes her new box, Clea.
What great information Ingrid! Our cat Billy was having similar problems–always spraying over the edge of the box. The Pet Mate Jumbo works for him–but I like the look of this box. Although I have a feeling Billy would aim for the opening in the front. Thanks for the info on cleaning products!
Deborah Julian
http://www.DeborahJulian.etsy.com
Let me know how this works for you, Debbie.
Great info, Ingrid! I’m going to add a link to this post to my most recent Paws and Effect post, in which we answered a letter from a person whose cat is a vertical pee-er, too.
Not only that, but I’ve seen a couple of vertical pees in my own house and I finally caught the culprit … Dahlia! Think I’ll get a couple of those NVR Miss boxes for my house, too.
Thanks, JaneA! I think you’ll really like this box.
Will be ordering one of these soon as I also have a vertical pee-er
We have one with high sides and low opening, but this one looks even better, and it’s good to have a back up. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I’m amazed how many vertical pee-ers there are, Tamara. Hope this one works for you.
This looks promising. It would be perfect in a see-through plastic.
I’ll settle for a prettier color, Layla. I’m actually not sure I’d like a see-through one (although the cats might).
I’ve been using the plastic bins. Like you say, they work just fine, but aren’t very attractive. A color choice would be nice…lavender?
Also, I have a kitty client (I’m a professional companion animal caregiver), a big Tabby. He is such a love, until he poos, over the side of the box, on to the floor. His litter box is a large, but standard type. His human uses the plastic liners and non-scoopable litter. (I really don’t like that set up, and have tried to encourage her to use scoopable litter without a liner)
Do you know if the extra large plastic liners would work with this style of box?
Thanks for the intro to this product.
Ruth
Lavender would be nice!
The dimensions of the box are 21 inches long, 15 inches wide, 11 inches high (give or take a few fractions of an inch – these are my measurements). I don’t know how large the extra large plastic liners are, but this should help you figure out whether that would work for your client. I really hope you can convince her to skip the liner and change to scoopable litter!
Thank you for posting this! One of my female cats is also a vertical pee-er; she does exactly what Ruby does! We have been using a large storage bin with a doorway cut into it, but it’s hard to clean with the indentations in the bottom of the box and it’s a hassle when we do a full soap and water clean on it. My only concern is that it looks a little small when a cat is inside. Do your cats like the box? I’ll have to give the NVR Miss a try!
Terrie, I posted the dimensions of the box (as measured by me) in the comment above. It’s pretty good size. Ruby and Allegra are small cats at 8 and 9 pounds, and there’s plenty of extra space when they’re in it. They seem to prefer it to our other box (the PetMate Jumbo High Back).
Is there somewhere stateside I could buy one of these litter boxes? I just tried to order one from the company and since it’s coming from Canada the shipping alone is 21.00 (to South Carolona) and then 17.00 for the box, which makes it 38.00, too steep for me. If you know of a place in the US, please let me know.
My 2 cats that don’t always pee (and sometimes poop) inside the box are both very large (18 & 19 pounds) I would hate to spend 38.00 and then have it be too small.
I may try one of the other ones mentioned, since they are US companies.
Kathy, I would suggest contacting the company through their website to see if they are available from a US retailer.
Ingrid, you are the BEST. This is so timely-Ruby and Penelope need to just have a pee fest together. Can I tell you how tired I am of cleaning up pee. She so does the same as Ruby. I did not even know there was a name for this type of urination.
I don’t know whether “vertical pee-er” is an official term, Esme – but it’s what they do! I’m sure this box will work for you. And I’m laughing at the thought of Ruby and Penelope having a pee fest!
I bought 2 of these at the cat show, too and love them! Oh, the cats do, too. I had been using a similar open box made by Rubbermaid but they have been discontinued so I thought I would try these. And true to their advert, the litter clumps do not stick to the bottom or sides (I have one cat who likes to pee/spray), the clump just slides off the side! I recommend them wholeheartedly! Yeah, some nice colors would be great but the rubbermaid ones were gunmetal grey so for me htis is an improvement, hahameow!
Isn’t this the best litter box, Teri? I can’t even decide what I like more, the fact that I don’t have to clean up urine outside the box anymore, or the fact that the clumps slide off the sides!
These look great. I ordered two. I have two vertical pee-ers. This box is almost 2 inches higher and the same length as the four Petco jumbos that my cats have used for three years. My problem is that my 19-year-old m.e. lou goes in the litter box but she pees with her butt hanging over the lower entry area. I have each box on a plastic rabbit cage tray with a washable incontinent pad as the tray liner. Thanks for the tip, Ingrid!
Update: Within 12 hours of putting out the NVR Miss box, Lil Guy peed over the entrance and onto the washable pad. The search for the purr-fect, vertical-pee-er box continues. All four cats used it, and I think my smallest cat really likes it.
Oh no! At least you had the washable pad underneath. At least the others are using it (and hopefully, using it properly
)!
To lyn5 ~ Having had several senior cats and taking care of many senior cats, I’ve decided they pretty much can do whatever they do. It reduces everyone’s stress levels. No, it’s not optimal, but good your other kitties are more responsible in their use. e.m.lou at 19 gets my “it’s ok”. I use a tall rubbermaid storage box with an opening i’ve cut. In e.m.’s case that wouldn’t solve her problem since she goes outside of that area. They keep us hopping don’t they. Give that little girl a pat on the head from me.
Ruth,
m.e. lou gets hugs and kisses all the time! The last ones were on you! I am totally devoted to my old girl whom I love with all my heart. We’ve been blessed with her for 17 years; we were her third and last family!
Ingrid,
I think (and hope) Lil Guy’s first use of the NVR Miss was a fluke. Since then, he hasn’t had any problems. Lil Guy is a big boy. He weighs 16 pounds and is a large (not fat) cat. He was the runt of the litter.
Have a great day!
Thanks for the update, Lyn!
and I really like that we saved on shipping by getting them at the show! I have shipped numerous items to Canada and I don’t think it’s the fact that the rate is high because of where they come from, but due to their bulky size. I posted your post to The Cat Hospital’s page and maybe if enough clients want them, we can periodically order in bulk and save on shipping that way. I did notice on their website that since the cat show there are a number of local places carrying them now!
I wish I could buy these locally in USA or at least online from USA to save shipping as I would need at least two.
Someone mentioned maybe carrying them at a Cat Hospital for purchase to USA residents. Would like to know if that is now available. Thanks so much.
That would probably be up to your cat hospital, Nan. I’d contact them, and/or the company, directly.
Love the boxes. They work great (except for my humongo-cats). Wish I’d picked up more than two!
Many thanks Ingrid, for reviewing our NVR Miss Litterbox.
It has been informative to read the comments and questions. We will try and answer them as best we can.
To Kathy2d2 – I’m sure your cats will fit. The upper limit with regards to cat size/weight is between 20 to 25 lbs. Junior, our cat is over 20 lbs in the pictures on our site. Our friends have Maine Coons, that are just under 20 lbs and they use it comfortably.
To Ruth – they are not intended to be used with liners. We don’t recommend using liners, but some people have our litterbox and use the extra large liners.
To Nan – our site has a “stores” page that lists the clinics and pet supply stores that carry our litterbox. If you are in the Washington DC area, there is a clinic in Burke VA that has them.
Shipping cost! We are implementing a more cost effective shipping method, by USPS Parcel Post. The price is about one half, but the length of time for delivery is longer.
Please contact us for further details through our site.
Color? What is important, is that the litterbox work, and during development litterboxes with no color were made. They look white. These were given away for evaluation, and we decided on a dark color, rather than a light color.
I want to send a special thanks to Teri and Renee for getting our litterboxes at the National Capital Cat Show and your support and kind words on this forum.
If there are further questions, please ask them here or use the contact page on our site.
Thank you, Ingrid
Roberta and Harold
Last night I watched my siamese-torti mix cat poo over the open side of the box. It was a homemade version of the NVR Miss, which I hope to replace with the real thing soon. Fortunately we’ve taken to putting pee pads under the opening, but I’m more than ready to try the NVR Miss to see if it can contain my furgirl’s ‘issues’!
[...] details on why I love this box so much, please read my full review of the NVR Miss™ Litter Box. I haven’t found anything that’s as good as this box (other than ugly homemade [...]
That’s great but you can make your own with even larger dims for large cats for about half the cost out of a Rubbermaid storage container. That’s what I do….I gave up on regular litter boxes years ago.
Thanks…i need this.
yikes. shipping makes it way too expensive for me. i guess i’ll have to search out the others mentioned.
ALWAYS looking for better ways to please my furry kids, and this box looks like something they would like! Between my own cats and my fosters, my litter boxes get a lot of use. I’m so happy to say that my kitties are all good (and forgiving) about using their boxes, but I don’t want to press my luck either, LOL. I’ve also thought about going the Rubbermade route. I not only need something to please the cats, but need to keep the dogs out too.
Now I understand..
verticle pee-er
makes sense…