Okay, let’s be clear. I am a cat lover. A CRAZY cat lover. But to be honest, dealing with litter boxes is the least fun part of being owned by cats. And it’s even more challenging if you have multiple cats (four in my case) and each cat has different preferences for their personal potty habits (of course they do, why make it easy on the cat mom or dad). So what’s a crazy cat wife to do? Well, it comes down to trying lots of different types of litter boxes and litters, and figuring out what works best for you and your feline family.
By far I as a cat mom prefer the Litter Robot. The LitterRobot is an automated litter box that uses sensors and mechanical devices to separate waste from clean litter, reducing the need for manual cleaning. Yes, it comes with a hefty price, but it’s well worth it in my opinion. Although more expensive than traditional litter boxes, it can save money in the long run by reducing the need for constant litter replacement. The LitterRobot cycles itself regularly and deposits the cat waste for you in a hidden tray for easy emptying as often as you like. They use a closed-loop system to trap waste and odors inside the waste compartment, which can be emptied and cleaned regularly. With multiple cats I need to empty it every 2-3 days, but if you have only one or two cats you could probably go up to 5 days without emptying the tray and without odor (depending on the type of litter you use). I have found it helps reduce odors significantly.
Core Features of the Litter-Robot 3 (this is the system I have)
- Automatic, self-cleaning patented sifting system
- Enclosed waste drawer helps odor reduction
- Cat detection sensor for enhanced safety
- Large entry and exit
- The system also has remote activity tracking and notifications with “real-time cat detection and usage history” using an app, but I haven’t found this to be useful and it hasn’t worked consistently for me. That said, the other features identified above are big wins in my opinion.
What do I like best? It’s self cleaning, so it cycles leaving a “fresh” box for the next cat. And since the tray is “hidden” and good sized, I don’t have to empty it every day. That paired with no daily sifting by hand is a bonus! LitterRobot also works really well for odor control, although I had to try a few different litters to see what worked best. I have a relatively small home, so unfortunately the LitterRobot has to live in my family room. While not ideal, you can understand why it’s very important to manage odor as effectively as possible. I have found that using regular, unscented clumping litter works best.
LitterRobot claims it suits up to four cats, and it can I suppose, but it does not necessarily remove the need for multiple boxes. My cats tend to have different preferences in types of litter and where they want to “go”, and their preferences can change on a daily basis. With one cat so picky that I can’t trust her to consistently use the litter box at all, I have found it necessary to have multiple litter boxes. Experts (including veterinarians) have recommended a rule of thumb of one litter box per cat plus one. That’s a lot of litter boxes for us multi-cat families (insert a facepalm emoji here).
LitterRobot does require some maintenance. The waste compartment needs to be cleaned and emptied regularly, and worn parts need to be replaced periodically. It’s also important to keep an eye on the litter level and add more as needed, and to ensure that the mechanical components are functioning properly.
The LitterRobot is a great solution for cat moms and dads who want to make litter maintenance easier and more hygienic. LitterRobot is the highest-rated self-cleaning litter box by Travel + Leisure, CNN, and Good Housekeeping. Of the many types of litter boxes I’ve invested in, the Litter Robot is by far my favorite. I’ll be sharing my thoughts on other litter box options in upcoming blogs…so stay tuned!