The Georplast Big Cat Litter Tray with Rim is an open cat litter tray with a detachable clip-on rim that catches the litter a digging cat kicks over the side - one of the larger open trays in the range, sized for a full-grown cat that wants room to turn.

Key Features

• External dimensions 50x40x14.5cm
• Detachable rim that clips round the top edge
• Suits adult cats up to roughly 33cm nose to tail base
• Low 14.5cm sides, so easy for kittens and older cats to step into
• Four colours: Blue, Lime Green, Navy Blue and Red
• Injection-moulded in Italy by Georplast
• All four colours are currently out of stock

How The Rim Works

• The rim clips on around the top edge and angles inwards, so litter kicked up by a digging cat drops back into the tray instead of onto the floor
• It also holds a liner in place if you use one - the liner goes over the tray and the rim traps the edges
• To empty, unclip the rim and tip the whole tray into the bin. That is the practical advantage over a one-piece tray
• Take the rim off when you wash, and dry both parts properly. Water sits in the clip channel otherwise

Getting The Size Right

• A tray should be about one and a half times the length of your cat, nose to the base of the tail. Most trays sold are too small, and a cat that cannot turn around comfortably starts going over the edge
• Width matters more than depth. A cat needs room to turn, dig and cover - not just to stand
• One tray per cat plus one spare. Cats will share, but they would rather not, and a shared tray is the commonest cause of a cat going elsewhere
• Put trays somewhere quiet with an escape route, away from food and water bowls and away from the washing machine

Which Georplast Tray Is Which

• Junior 38x28cm and the Kitten Welcome Kit tray 37x27cm - kitten and small-cat sizes, low sides for easy access
• Max 43.5x34cm and Shuttle 45cm - the standard adult sizes
• Big 50x40cm, Shuttle 57cm and Jumbo 54x40cm - for large cats and multi-cat homes
• Shuttle Corner 49cm and 58cm - triangular, for fitting into a corner
• Sonic Medium and Large, and Colosseo - high-sided, for cats that spray or dig hard
• Galaxy Jumbo and Roto-Toilet - fully covered, with a door and a filter

Keeping It Clean

• Scoop at least once a day. No tray design substitutes for that
• Wash with hot water and an unscented detergent. Never use anything containing ammonia near a litter tray - it smells like urine to a cat and invites them to go there again
• Empty, wash and dry the whole tray every one to four weeks depending on litter type and how many cats use it
• Dry it completely before refilling. Litter poured onto a damp tray sticks to the base and sets like concrete

Who Makes It

• Georplast s.r.l. is an Italian manufacturer founded in 1970, based at Mezzago just outside Milan
• They injection-mould their own plastic rather than buying it in, and the whole pet range is made in Italy
• Design is done with an Italian studio, which is why the trays and carriers look less utilitarian than most of the category

Good To Know

• Plastic wears out. Once a tray or bowl is visibly scratched, those scratches hold bacteria and odour that washing will not shift - replace it rather than scrubbing harder
• A cat straining, going more often, passing blood or suddenly avoiding the tray needs a vet rather than a new tray. Urinary blockage in male cats is an emergency
• Cat faeces can carry toxoplasmosis. Anyone pregnant or immunosuppressed should avoid handling the tray where possible, and everyone should wash their hands properly afterwards
• Colours vary by batch and the photograph is a guide. Pick on size first - the colour is the part that matters least to the cat