Whether you have a single cat or several, these litter boxes will save you scooping time.
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Overview
Having a cat (or several) is amazing. They’re soft, cute, cuddly, goofy — in the best and weirdest way — and they’re always there for you on a bad day. Plus, there’s nothing better, or more relaxing, than falling asleep to the sound of their purring.
But there’s one thing about being a cat mum or dad that is horrible: Scooping and cleaning the cat litter box. This tedious, repetitive, gross, and smelly task takes up way more time than we want it to. And if you get lazy, even for a moment — say after a long, bad day at the office — your cat thanks you in the morning with a present in the bath.
Thankfully, over the last decade or so, there have been nifty advancements in automatic cat litter boxes to help take some of the work out of looking after kitty.
What is self-cleaning litter box?
An automatic litter box can detect when your cat has soiled the litter and then it rakes the waste into a separate compartment. You won’t have to individually scoop each clump — you just need to empty out the waste bin regularly. It works similarly to a robot vacuum with a self-emptying base: You don’t have to clean anything each time it runs, but you do have to empty the base when it’s full.
This ensures your cat has a clean litter box every time it needs to relieve itself, which can help the cat actually go in its box instead of on the floor. So, an automatic cat box is a great investment for finicky cats that need a pristine litter box every time they go. Most automatic litter boxes are meant for adult cats, not kittens.
Do self-cleaning litter boxes actually work?
Yep, they really do. Not only does an automatic litter box do the scooping for you, it also keeps odour at bay. You’ll no longer have cat poop and pee just literally sitting out in the open in your house. It gets swept into a sealed chamber to repress the smell.
Be aware though, a lot of self-cleaning litter boxes are enclosed, which not every cat will like. If your cat doesn’t regularly like a covered box, opt for one that’s open. Automatic litter boxes also make noise while they’re cleaning themselves, which could scare timid cats. There are quieter options for cats who spook easily.
What are the benefits of a self-cleaning litter box?
It’s right there in the name. It’s self-cleaning. So you don’t have to hunch over and tediously scoop kitty litter, which is objectively the worst household task. And, like we mentioned, the litter box will smell less and a clean box will encourage your cat to actually use it. Plus, it’s more hygienic for both of you because you won’t have dirty paws tracking bacteria and litter all over the house.
What is the best self-cleaning litter box?
Whether you’re looking for something that pretty much runs itself, something that will save you money on litter, or something perfect for your heavy litter-picky fur baby, we’ve got a self-cleaning cat litter box to fit your needs.
We’ve scoured the net and lined up a selection of the best self-cleaning litter boxes from top brands like PetSafe. There should be something for everyone and every budget in this list. You just need to pick a favourite for you and your cat.
These are best self-cleaning cat litter boxes in 2023.
It can be tough to find a litter box big enough to keep your cat happy. That’s why the LitterMaid Automatic Litter Box is a great choice.
This box is 64 cm long and features high sides, giving your felines plenty of room to dig and move around. This litter box also features a paw cleaning ramp to help cut down on litter tracking around the home.
Ten minutes after use, a cleaning cycle is triggered, raking clumps into a sealed, waste receptacle to eliminate odour. Unfortunately, this cleaning cycle is a little loud. This box isn’t ideal for keeping near your bedroom or even in small apartments with thin walls. Another downside is that you’ll need to purchase replaceable trays to keep it functioning properly.
Despite these drawbacks, LitterMaid is one of the more experienced brands and lots of reviewers swear by it, claiming that their boxes last for years.
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The PetSafe ScoopFree Litter Box looks just like a traditional litter box, complete with a privacy hood. But this litter box does the scooping for you. Sensors detect when your cat has left the box, at which point it rakes waste into a closed compartment. This box also has a health counter to let you know how many times your cat has used it — good for spotting health problems.
This box is designed to work with disposable litter trays of crystal cat litter, a type of litter that controls odours by absorbing and locking in moisture.
However, because crystal litter is so sensitive to moisture, it’s best not to keep your litter box in high-humidity areas of your house — such as the bathroom. And you’ll have to buy disposable tray refills. The good news is that it is possible to convert this self-cleaning litter box into one that works with all litter — you’ll just need to purchase the reusable Forever Tray.
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There’s no tip-toeing around it. The PETKIT Pura Max is expensive. By far the most expensive option on this list. But it’s expensive for a reason. It offers app control, a large capacity, and next-level odour elimination.
Using the app, you can set self-cleaning schedules or use its various cleaning modes. You’ll also be able to monitor your cat’s weight, toilet habits, and litter capacity — all of which ensures a healthy kitty — and set times for deodorisation. That means it continuously tackles that litter tray smell.
And the Pura Max is especially good if you’re the owner of multiple cats. It can detect which kitty is using the box by their weight alone, keeping you up-to-date with stats for each cat. The large capacity waste tray is also big enough to handle poop from multiple felines — or a single cat for an entire fortnight. If you can afford it, the Pura Max is quite simply paws-ome.
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The Catit Design SmartSift Cat Pan is hard to pass up due to its relatively low price point and simple design. It works by simply pulling a lever. That means it’s not technically automatic but, as a bonus, it does save on energy.
Once your cat (or cats — it’s big enough for multiple felines) does their business inside of this litter box, all you have to do is yank on the built-in handle. All the nasty bits will be sifted into the waste bin below, which you can empty after without ever touching a litter scooper.
If that ever-lingering cat odour is usually a problem, you’ll be pleased to find a carbon filter at the top of the box, which keeps the smell of fresh cat pee to a minimum. The added benefits of its silent operation and the removable swinging door are more than welcome, too.
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If you want quality, the PetSafe Simply Clean Litter Tray — from one of the best brands in the self-cleaning litter game — is hard to beat.
Unlike other self-cleaning litter boxes on this list, the PetSafe Simply Clean doesn’t use sensors to initiate cleaning. Instead, it has a quiet, slow-moving conveyor that rotates every hour, continuously cleaning the box as it goes.
The rotation of the litter tray is slow enough so as to not disturb most cats — but because of the movement and relatively small size of the litter basin, this litter box is best for cats under 15 pounds. You might also want to invest in a litter mat to help cut back on litter tracking and possible messes as, according to reviewers, some cats like to throw litter over the side.
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Want an automatic litter box that doesn’t keep you awake at night with the sounds of raking litter? Then the Pet Zone SmartScoop Litter Box is the one for you. Pet Zone likes to boast that it’s four times quieter than leading models.
The SmartScoop is also easy-to-use and works with your favourite clumping cat litter brands — there’s no need to invest in an expensive alternative.
It works via a sensor, which prompts the machine to scoop 30 minutes after your cat exits. An angled deflector with fins ensures that all the clumps stay inside the tray. Easy to handle bags (it comes with a four-month supply) mean you can empty the tray without ever touching the litter.
It does require a little bit of maintenance to keep running, but that’s a small price to pay for a happy cat and home.
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Leah Stodart is a Senior Shopping Reporter at Mashable. She covers shopping trends, gift ideas, and products that make life easier, specializing in vacuums, TVs, and sustainable swaps. She graduated from Penn State University in 2016 and is watching horror movies or “The Office” when she’s not shopping online herself. You can follow her on Twitter at @notleah.
Joseph joined Mashable as the UK Shopping Editor in 2018. He worked for a number of print publications before making the switch to the glittery world of digital media, and now writes about everything from coffee machines to VPNs.
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