About Petmate
Petmate was founded in 1959 (as Doskocil Manufacturing) with a focus on safe pet transportation, and its very first product was the pet industry's first dog kennel. Headquartered in Arlington, Texas, the company has since grown into one of the pet industry's largest multi-brand houses, now encompassing roughly 21 brands including Chuckit!, JW Pet, Aspen Pet, and Gamma2, alongside a Petmate-branded lineup that spans kennels and carriers, litter pans, dog and cat beds, food storage, and gravity waterers and feeders. Platinum Equity acquired Petmate in September 2021.
Petmate's open litter pan line has been independently tested by Cats.com, which scored it 4.2/5 overall and singled out its affordability, roomy interior, and built-in Microban antimicrobial protection that helps resist bacteria, mold, and mildew. On sustainability, Petmate is a member of the Pet Sustainability Coalition and manufactures with resin made from over 95% post-industrial recycled content, which the company says keeps more than 60 million pounds of waste out of landfills each year.
Brand website: petmate.com
What Petmate makes
Petmate's range runs wider than the products we review. The lines we know best from our own testing are marked with a star:
Litter pans
open, hooded, and sifting cat litter pans, including the Basic open-pan line we feature — featured on House of Mittens
Kennels & carriers
the Vari Kennel, E-Z Load two-door kennel, and Get-A-Round cat carrier
Dog & cat beds
bedding options spanning basic to self-warming styles
Gravity waterers & feeders
gravity-fed food and water dispensers for home and travel
Chuckit! toys
fetch toys and launchers sold under Petmate's Chuckit! brand
Why we recognized Petmate
The House of Mittens Top Brand recognition isn't paid for and can't be applied for. We award it to the brands whose products consistently stand out in our vet-reviewed category guides. Petmate earned it on the strength of the products below, evaluated the same way every product on this site is: assessed against feline-health criteria, used with real cats, and judged on merit.
Petmate products we rated highly
Petmate Basic Open Cat Litter Pan (Small)
The box we hand to every new kitten owner: low, shallow sides a tiny cat can climb into from day one, while it's still learning where the bathroom is. It's lightweight and simple to dump, rinse, and refill, and small enough to tuck into a corner, bathroom, or crate as a spare or second station -- plan to size up to a large box as the kitten grows toward adult size. Backed by nearly 35,000 Amazon ratings at a 4.5-star average, it's a low-risk, easy first choice.
Read the 10 Best Cat Litter Boxes of 2026 guide →What earned Petmate the recognition
- The litter pan we recommend for kittens in our reviews: the box we suggest to owners starting litter training with a new kitten.
- One of the pet industry's longest-running names, tracing back to the first dog kennel in 1959, and now an Arlington, Texas-based house of roughly 21 pet brands.
- Independently tested by Cats.com, which scored Petmate's open litter pan line 4.2/5 overall and praised its affordability, roomy design, and Microban antimicrobial protection.
- Manufactures with resin made from over 95% post-industrial recycled content as a member of the Pet Sustainability Coalition, keeping more than 60 million pounds of waste out of landfills annually.
- Backed by nearly 35,000 Amazon ratings at a 4.5-star average on the featured pan -- review depth that makes it a low-risk starter purchase.