Petmate Litter Box Liners vs Top Entry Liners: Which to Buy?
By Petmate | Published: 2026-11-01
Category: Comparisons
Compare Petmate Litter Box Liners and Top Entry Litter Box Liners on fit, cleanup, and litter depth so you can pick the right liner for your pan.
Quick answer
Choose Petmate Top Entry Litter Box Liners if your pan is a top-entry box measuring up to 20 inches and you want a liner sized for that shape. Choose Petmate Litter Box Liners for standard open pans where you need a larger liner to lift out a full load of litter.
Fit is the deciding factor, not price
The two liners are close in catalog price, so the real question is which one matches your box. The Top Entry liner is designed for top-entry boxes measuring up to 20 inches; the standard liner is a general disposable plastic liner for open pans. Neither listing states a universal size, so measure your pan's opening and rim before ordering.
A liner that is too small will pull off the rim when your cat digs. A liner that is much too large can bunch at the corners and let litter slip underneath. Match the liner to the box type first, then use the overhang to secure it.
Cleanup and litter depth trade-offs
Both liners are tear-resistant and designed to keep waste from caking on the box walls. The standard liner is described as allowing you to carry out large loads of litter, which suits deep litter beds and weekly full changes. The Top Entry liner is built for the narrower opening of a top-entry box, where lifting a heavy bag straight up can be awkward.
If you scoop daily and change litter less often, either liner reduces scrubbing. If you do full changes with a deep pan, the standard liner's larger format is the more practical choice.
What the listings do not tell you
Neither product page specifies liner dimensions beyond the Top Entry fit note of up to 20 inches, and neither mentions drawstring or elastic closures. The keyword drawstring vs elastic litter liners does not apply here: these are over-the-rim liners secured by overhang, not by a gathered edge. If a secure elastic or drawstring hold is essential to you, these two options are not the right match.
Trade-offs to weigh before you buy
- Top Entry liner: shape-specific fit: It is made for top-entry boxes up to 20 inches, so it follows that pan's opening instead of a standard open rim. The trade-off is that it is not a universal liner for every box in the house. Measure the top-entry opening before ordering.
- Standard liner: larger load capacity: The standard liner is described for carrying out large loads of litter, which helps with deep pans and full changes. The trade-off is that it is not sized for a top-entry opening, so it can bunch on that box type. Use it on open pans, not top-entry boxes.
- Closure style: overhang only: Both liners rely on spreading the liner over the rim so it overhangs on all sides. There is no drawstring or elastic closure listed, so the hold depends on correct sizing and a clean rim. If you need a gathered closure, neither liner provides one.
Product facts at a glance
- Petmate Top Entry Litter Box Liners: Designed to fit top-entry litter boxes measuring up to 20 inches. Measure your top-entry opening first; a larger box needs a different liner.
Petmate Top Entry Litter Box Liners - Petmate Litter Box Liners: Tear-resistant disposable liner that lets you carry out large loads of litter. A good match for deep litter beds and full-pan changes in standard open boxes.
Petmate Litter Box Liners
Which liner fits your setup
Best for
- Homes with a top-entry box measuring up to 20 inches
- Cat parents who want a liner shaped for a specific pan
- Standard open pans where you change the full litter load
Not for
- Top-entry boxes larger than 20 inches
- Anyone who requires a drawstring or elastic closure
- Pans where the liner size has not been measured first
