Covered boxes hide the view, cut tracking, and contain odor, but they also trap smells inside and darken the space, which some cats refuse to enter.
Preference studies often find cats indifferent between styles; usage rates hinge more on box size, litter depth, and cleaning frequency.
Aim for a box about one and a half times the cat's body length so it can turn and dig; large breeds often do better with modified storage totes than retail pans.
If out-of-box elimination starts after switching to covered, test by reverting to open; covered boxes need daily scooping and regular full washes or odor drives cats away.
