Greetings all you curious cats! Skye Blake here, back to answer some head-scratchers about self cleaning litter boxes.
But can a box really be self-cleaning? What does that mean anyway?
Will your cat use it?
Let’s find out…
- What Is “Self Cleaning”?
- Types of Self Cleaning Litter Boxes
- Catching Medical Problems Early
- Evaluate These Factors for Self-Cleaning Boxes
- Roll & Clean (Manual)
- Robot (Automatic)
- Robot/Automatic Litter Box Reviews
- Manual Rotating/Litter Spinner Litter Box List
- Types of Litter Boxes & Accessories
- Related Pages of Interest
- Sources
- List of Sources
What Is “Self Cleaning”?
There are many different types of “self cleaning” litter boxes on the market, but what does “self cleaning” actually mean?
At first it seems obvious… you don’t have to touch or do anything with the litter.
But that isn’t completely true. Self cleaning isn’t maintenance free.
You can’t completely ignore any box, or your cat will let you know about it (and so will your nose)!
When it comes to litter boxes in general, most cat behaviorists recommend keeping it simple.
What self cleaning boxes do is rotate or rake and sift so pee clumps and poo lumps are separated from the clean litter, which then is ready for your cat to use again.
What they don’t do is wash, rinse themselves, throw out the lumps, and re-supply with fresh litter.
You still have to do that as necessary.
Self cleaning boxes require clumping litter, usually clay or silica. You may not be able to substitute with biodegradable litters.
Check the manufacturer recommendations to see what works.
For some reason, people often use whatever litter they want, it clogs and causes problems, and they think there’s something wrong with the box.
Self-cleaning litter boxes are usually expensive, so be sure you carefully check manufacturer websites, as well as any reviews you can find, before making the investment.
The more complex the box, the more risk of it malfunctioning, and the less likely your cat will use it.
Most importantly, know your cat… if she’s anxious or shy, she probably won’t use it and you have a very expensive doorstop!
Types of Self Cleaning Litter Boxes
Self cleaning boxes come in a few different styles.
Here we’re exploring the automatic tumbling/robot and manual roll/sift boxes.
You should understand the benefits and problems with each type to see if they’re right for you… and your cat.
Follow the links to these pages for sifting and self-flushing setups…
- Robot/Automatic (often with an app/wifi setup) (see also “Litter Robot™…Is It Worth the $$$$?“)
- Sifting (see “The Sifting Litter Box” & “Breeze Litter Box“)
- Self Flushing (see “Cat Genie ®…Does It Really Flush?“)
Videos
These videos are worth watching…
Are Self Cleaning Litter Boxes Worth It?, One Man Five Cats, April 4, 2020
5 Best Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Boxes (We Tested Them All), All About Cats, December 10, 2020
Catching Medical Problems Early
It’s a wonderful idea, freedom from the dirty, smelly job of cleaning litter boxes.
But if you don’t scoop and change the litter, you’ll miss the opportunity to monitor your cat’s health, which can possibly save his life.
Don’t forget, we felines are experts at hiding pain and illness!
Some types of boxes have sensors or litter that changes color when changes in urine occur.
This is helpful, especially for older cats and those with diabetes, kidney, liver, or urinary problems.
It’s also a good idea to watch for changes in your cat’s poop since runny or hard feces can expose intestinal problems like worms or constipation.
Evaluate These Factors for Self-Cleaning Boxes
- Ease of use for both you and your cat… cat’s needs are more important
- How chill or nervous your cat is in general. (Will he accept this alien being?)
- How quiet is the unit? (Some cats won’t go near it if it makes noise even if they’re not near the box when it happens.)
- In multi-cat households, can you afford more than one box?
- Can you afford the ongoing expense of any special trays, litter, and replacement parts?
- Is the area your cat will be using inside the box big enough to do his business? Can he turn around in it with lots of room?
- Is the size of the box too bulky for the area where it will sit?
- The amount of maintenance and cleaning involved (remember, they’re not maintenance free). Are they easy to take apart to clean?
- Reliability of the mechanism over time… what’s its track record?
- Is the manufacturer reliable with good customer service? Do they engineer the boxes themselves?
Roll & Clean (Manual)
These manual rotating boxes (also known as “litter spinners”) are similar to automatic ones but aren’t electric powered.
They don’t have phone app controls and aren’t wifi enabled.
They’re a nice idea, but some people find them difficult to clean, with soiled litter sticking to the sides.
Lesser quality ones can have trouble with internal parts not working right or falling apart too quickly.
Robot (Automatic)
Robot boxes have become well known and sound great… just be sure you know if they’ll work in your situation, since they’re very expensive.
They’re very fancy and made for the convenience of people, not necessarily for the best interest of cats.
Ask Yourself…
- Is the inside big enough for him to turn around easily?
If your cat doesn’t like his whiskers touching the box or hates a covered box, he won’t go in.
Small or average size cats will probably do best with these.
- Is it easy for him to get in and out?
If he has arthritis or other difficulties, be sure there’s a ramp or the entrance is low enough for comfortable use.
- Is there a deodorizer inside that your cat doesn’t like?
Be sure you have the option to remove it.
- Does it beep while your cat’s around or inside it?
Your cat could get frightened and avoid the box completely.
- Does this make sense for a multi-cat household?
Since you should have one box for each cat + one more, these expensive boxes might not be an option for you, unless you want to have one + other types (if your cats will accept this).
Some (like Litter Robot®) claim their box eliminates the need for multiple boxes because the litter is “always fresh”, accommodating up to 4 cats.
Theoretically, this may be true, but only if all your cats will use the same box, you don’t have any that prefer separate boxes for pee and poop, and you have no bully cats that attack others as they exit the box.
All these scenarios can quickly make your cats find other places to do their business.
These considerations are important because you’re not likely to convince any cat to use a box just because you love the fancy features!
Controls & Sensors
Automatic boxes usually have manual, remote, and/or wifi (app on phone) controls, often giving you the choice between them.
They also have sensors that can read movement and weight, so when your cat goes in the box, it’ll stay still and not rotate.
If it moves while your cat’s in it, bye-bye cat! It’ll freak out your cat who will never go near it again… an expensive mistake.
Some have both sensors and radar that reads when a cat is near the box but not yet touching it.
The Leo’s Loo Too even has the ability to work with Alexa and Google Assistant.
Customer Support
Good customer and technical support, along with a strong warranty, is especially important with automatic litter boxes.
Even the well-made, quality boxes can have problems…
When the box leaks, a part stops working, or the app doesn’t function right, does the company have a good track record of responsive and professional help for you?
If you decide in the warranty period that you want to return the box, do they make it easy?
Robot/Automatic Litter Box Reviews
I make a small commission on some of the links below… and I get to share profits with qualified cat rescues!
Check descriptions and reviews carefully for any products you wish to buy… quality, sizes, colors, etc., can’t be guaranteed by anyone but the manufacturer.
Be sure you read the latest reviews for any box you’re considering buying.
They reveal the problems people are encountering as well as those with positive experiences.
Frankly, if you’re going to spend that much money, be skeptical and consider all the information, not just claims of greatness, convenience and fancy apps.
Add Fakespot Analyzer to your browser for free and it’ll help you weed out fake reviews so you can find good ones.
Important Video Review of Automatic Litter Boxes
Be sure you watch this helpful video before buying…
I can’t emphasize enough… read the latest reviews, not just “Top Reviews”… and not just the number of stars!
You’ll see patterns, both positive and negative, which will help you decide.
Litter Boxes of Decent Quality
There are a couple robot litter boxes that seem to be better quality than the rest.
Of course, your choices depend on your needs, your cat’s needs and if she’ll accept the box.
One person’s recommendation isn’t enough to make a decision on something so expensive, so read everything here and do further research if you need it.
Leo’s Loo Too
Leo’s Loo Too by Smarty Pear has some good features as you’ll see in this review, but there are some drawbacks like not having handles placed well.
When picked up it becomes unbalanced, falls over and comes apart. That can be an issue when you have to move it for deep cleaning.
Smarty Pear is a California based company with “a team of innovators” that engineer their products.
Leo’s Loo Too Video Reviews
Here is a video review. Note that it’s being compared to Litter Robot 3, not Litter Robot 4.
NEW Leo’s Loo Too vs Litter Robot 3, by Midnight Reviews, March 8, 2022
Read the comments for questions about larger cats being able to use it.
Another review is the funniest one I’ve seen yet on any topic… worth a look for the sheer entertainment value if nothing else.
Note that this review is for Leo’s Loo, not Leo’s Loo Too…
Leo’s Loo Cat Review – I don’t want to scoop cat poo.., Byte My Bits, May 18, 2021
Litter Robot® 3 & 4
The Litter Robot® series of automatic litter boxes are the original and probably most well-known of the technology-driven boxes.
They’ve been made for over 20 years by Whiskers, a U.S. company that engineers, manufacturers, and supports its products in Wisconsin.
Discover more about them at “Litter Robot®…Is It Worth the $$$$?“
Questionable Litter Boxes
It’s important to understand when looking at boxes on Amazon, which ones are reputable, and which are cheap knockoffs.
Here are a few examples of questionable boxes with links to Amazon if you want to investigate further.
(Yes, I make some money if you buy them, but I’d rather you get something worthwhile than a piece of junk.)
ABRCT
ABRCT is a China-based company with no easily accessible website. This is a big red flag.
They claim to have a 1-year warranty and customer service availability but there’s no evidence they either engineer the boxes themselves or have reliable customer service in the U.S.
Els Pet
Els Pet is a Chinese “pet product factory” with a website claiming to sell “cheap hot products”.
They claim to have a 1-year warranty and customer service availability but there’s no evidence they either engineer the boxes themselves or have reliable customer service in the U.S.
You’ll be dealing with someone from China… language problems, anyone?
Petree
Petree is made in China and has a reputation for spotty customer service.
Here are some reviews of the Petree Litter Box for the regular version.
Read the comments… they can be eye-opening!
Litter-Robot 3 Vs. Petree Self-Cleaning Litter Boxes – Review, CatCrazy Channel, November 24, 2021
There’s a newer version with wi-fi app capability. It looks like the addition of wi-fi is the only change. Here are some reviews…
PETREE // Automatic Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box (2021 WIFI Model), Hong, May 6, 2021
Litter Robot Vs. Petree Litter Box, Youngest Old Cat Lady, August 18, 2021
PetKit Pura X & Pura Max
PetKit is a company in China founded in 2013.
It claims to be “a high-tech company on a mission to develop elegant, sustainable, and cost-effective products and services to provide humans and their pets with a more intelligent lifestyle.”
The website says it has a design and technology team, which suggests the engineering is done within the company.
Here are some reviews you might find helpful…
Petkit Pura X Automatic Litter Box Review (We Tested It), All About Cats, March 8, 2022
PETKIT PURA MAX Review, Sven and Robbie, November 15, 2021
CATS REACT to PURA MAX Automatic Litterbox, Teyvat Historia, January 14, 2022
Other
Other questionable automatic boxes are Hillpig, boqii, CatLink, Goldboss, and Frapow.
Manual Rotating/Litter Spinner Litter Box List
These boxes are not as self cleaning as the automatic ones, but are much more affordable.
They’re basically a rolling covered box that requires clumping litter and have a sifting area with collection tray.
You still have to roll and dump daily, with no extra odor control, and wash as needed.
This type of litter box might work for someone who wants less scooping than a regular box but is still willing to do some daily maintenance.
They also need enough room for you to roll them sideways, which may not work well in a small bathroom.
Be sure you read the latest reviews for any box you’re considering buying.
They reveal the problems people are encountering as well as those with positive experiences.
Video Reviews
Here are a few reviews that will help you understand how the manual rolling litter boxes operate, along with some pros and cons.
Read the comments, too…
Omega Paw Roll ‘n Clean Review (We Tried It), We’re All About Pets, April 17, 2021
Here are some options…
Hopefully, the information uncovered here will help you decide if a self-cleaning box is best for your fabulous feline!
If you’re not sure, there’s more to discover about different types of litter boxes. Check these pages…
Types of Litter Boxes & Accessories
Related Pages of Interest
Sources
Sources used on this website are either primary or secondary.
Primary sources are always preferable and have the most reliable information because they’re original and directly referenced.
Scientific abstracts and data are good examples of primary sources.
Secondary sources are weaker because they usually consist of opinions or articles that give no sources of their own.
However, sometimes they refer to primary sources.
When I use secondary sources, most are those with some authority, such as veterinarian or cat behaviorist books and articles.
List of Sources
Disclosure
I make a small commission on some of the sources listed below if you choose to purchase them from here.
Some products listed link to companies that sell them, whether or not I make any money.
“16 Stand-Out Cat Litter Box Furniture Options to Fit Your Style”, The Dog People
“77 Things to Know Before Getting a Cat“, by Susan M. Ewing, Fox Chapel Publishers International, Ltd., 2018
A-K
“The Best Kind of Litter Box for Longhaired Cats“, by Jet Perreault, Petful, Dec 5, 2014
“Cat Speak“, by Bash Dibra with Elizabeth Randolph, New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., New York, NY, 2003
“The Cat Whisperer“, by Mieshelle Nagelschneider, Bantam Books, The Random House Publishing Group, New York, NY, 2013, www.bantamdell.com
“Cat Wise“, Pam Johnson-Bennett, Penguin Books, an imprint of Random House LLC, New York, NY, 2016
“The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Getting & Owning a Cat“, by Sheila Webster Boneham, PhD, Penguin Group (USA) Inc., New York, NY, 2005
“Decoding Your Cat” by American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, editors: Meghan E. Herron, DVM, DACVB; Debra F. Horwitz, DVM, DACVB; Carlo Siracusa, DVM, PhD, DACVB, DECAWBM, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, New York, NY, 2020
L-Z
“Litter Box Happiness for Cats of All Ages”, Dr. Sophia Yin, CattleDog Publishing, January 25, 2017
“Litter Box Solutions for Aging Cats”, Litter Robot
“Litter Training”, Kitten Lady
“The Special Needs of the Senior Cat”, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Feline Health Center
“Total Cat Mojo” by Jackson Galaxy with Mikel Delgado, PhD, Tarcher Perigree, Penguin Random House, LLC, New York, NY, 2017
“Think Like a Cat, How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat – Not a Sour Puss“, by Pam Johnson-Bennett, Certified Animal Behavior Consultant, Penguin Books, Penguin Group (USA) Inc, New York, NY, 2000, 2011
“What’s the Best Litter Box for Senior Cats”, FitSeer.com
“What Your Cat Wants”, by Francesca Riccomini, Thunder Bay Press, Octopus Publishing Group, San Diego, CA, 2012, www.thunderbaybooks.com
Product Sources
Updated July 17, 2022