(This article was originally published on March 12, 2019. It has been updated on 11/4/2020, 9/24/2021 and 5/10/2022.)
5/10/2022 Update: Read our latest review of the all-new Litter-Robot 4!
During the holiday season last year, I kept seeing people sharing links to a giveaway for a Litter-Robot, which is an automatic, self-cleaning litter box. I had never heard of the hi-tech contraption before, but as a cat mom to five poop-producing felines, my interest was piqued and I wanted to learn more.
Note that I purchased the Litter-Robots myself and simply want to share our experience with a product I feel many cat moms and dads would be interested in learning more about.
For those who don’t know what the Litter-Robot is, I’ll give a quick overview of its features and claims. Then I’ll discuss assembly, and most importantly, what the cats think of it. Note that I purchased the Litter-Robot 3 Connect model, which is what I’ll be discussing.
Litter-Robot 3 Connect
The Litter-Robot features include:
- Self-cleaning after each use.
- Uses a patented sifting system to deposit waste into a convenient drawer.
- Can be used with multiple cats.
- WiFi-enabled to connect to your smartphone (iOS and Android).
- Note: The Litter-Robot is for cats 5 pounds and over (the weight of the cat triggers the cleaning cycle).
The Litter-Robot claims to:
- Reduce odors.
- Use less litter.
- Reduce spills and tracking.
- Only needs emptying once a week per each cat. (1 cat, once a week; 2 cats, twice a week, etc.)
More on these claims later.
Litter-Robot Assembly
Assembly was pretty much as easy as taking it out of the box. For the most part, the unit arrives ready to go. All you have to do is plug it in, fill it with litter (any regular clumping litter will do), connect to your house’s WiFi and then connect to your phone.
The Litter-Robot comes with instructions on how to get your cats to use the unit. Again, more on that later.
A Hi-Tech Litter Box
What I love about the Litter-Robot (the “Connect” model specifically) is that it links up to your smartphone. Like many cat moms, I like to know everything – I mean everything – that my cats do.
Every time the Litter-Robot cycles (cleans), I’m notified. You’ll see in the screenshot below that the bottom notification says Cat Sensor Fault. What does that mean? Well, that means the unit was cycling to dump the waste, but some cat (Sophie!) climbed in while it was working. As a safety precaution, the unit stops cycling. Once it senses the cat has left, it begins the cleaning cycle again.
Another great feature is that the app on my phone shows me when the waste drawer needs emptying. I can also manage all of the Litter-Robot settings from my phone. But if there are WiFi issues or if I don’t have my phone handy, I can still manage all of the settings directly on the unit itself.
Because I have five cats and a two-story house, I purchased two Litter-Robots – and the app allows you to connect to multiple units and manage them independently.
Here are some of the settings you can control:
- Sleep Mode – If you have the unit near your bedroom, you can put it in sleep mode, which means it won’t cycle for an 8-hour period.
- Wait Time – Depending on the litter you use (again, any regular clumping litter should work), you can set how long the unit waits to clean. Options are 3, 7 and 15 minutes. LR recommends 7 minutes, and that’s what I have ours set to.
- Night Light – In low light areas or in the evening hours, the Litter-Robot can automatically turn on a night light inside the unit. I tried this setting for a while, but I didn’t end up using it.
- Power – If for some reason you want to turn off the LR, you can do so from the app.
All of the above can be controlled from either your phone or the unit itself. But available only on the phone, you can see a history of cleaning cycles or sensor faults. The app also shows insights to the unit’s use (how many cycles in a week, average cycles per day, etc.).
What Do the Cats Think?
Okay, all that technology is great and grand for me, the human. But what do the five cats of the household think?
Here’s the rundown…Sophie loves the Litter-Robot! I mean she loves it. Anytime she hears the cleaning cycle start, she runs over to it and watches it as if it’s an entertaining TV show. (Or, she’s wondering where her poop is disappearing to.) And yes, several times, Sophie has climbed in while it’s cycling to get a better view, triggering the Cat Sensor Fault mentioned above.
I won’t say that Olive loves it as much as Sophie, but she uses it regularly and with no problems. I’ve just never seen her hang around for a cleaning cycle. She’s not as easily entertained as Sophie.
Woodrow also uses the Litter-Robot with no issues. At 14 pounds, he’s our largest cat and is just fine with it.
Dexter…so, I’ve never actually seen Dexter use it. However, I have seen him climb in and give it a thorough sniff check. I think that if we didn’t have any other litter boxes in the house (more on that in a moment) then Dexter would use it.
Harley – the holdout! And he is why we still have regular litter boxes in the house…
Harley vs. the Litter-Robot
So, here’s how it went down with Harley. As the manual says, we didn’t plug it in after the initial setup (hooking up to WiFi, linking to my phone, etc.). The company says not to let the cats see the cleaning cycle until after the cats are using it consistently. They also give tips on getting your cat to use the new contraption (place Litter-Robot next to current box, let current box get dirty, place treats up to the LR opening, etc.).
As I mentioned earlier, I purchased two Litter-Robots – one for upstairs and one for downstairs. As instructed, I left the regular litter boxes in place for a couple of days and put the new units next to those boxes. The LR was used within the first day. But since we have 5 cats, I didn’t know which cats were using it yet (except Olive, I saw her use it almost immediately).
After a couple of days, I closed the door to one of the normal litter boxes, but I still had some in place. Things seemed okay. After a week, I finally took away the normal litter boxes. That’s when I realized Harley wasn’t using the LR. He peed on Ross’ shoes by the front door! I started the process over, but it was clear after a few weeks (and another pee incident) that Harley wouldn’t be using the Litter-Robot. Bummer!
How Many Litter Boxes?
Now, I know they say to have the same number of litter boxes as you have cats, plus one. So, with only two Litter-Robots in the house, was that the problem? I don’t think so.
I’ll be honest. I had half the number of suggested litter boxes prior to the LRs – I only had 3 regular litter boxes. I’d had more before, but the cats didn’t use them all, so I reduced it to three and it was never a problem for over a year. (Note that I work from home and can clean the litter boxes whenever I hear one being used.)
I think Harley’s issue was that he didn’t like using what some would consider a covered litter box. While the opening to the globe is pretty large, that’s the only thing I can think of. I had also purchased ramps to use with the Litter-Robots, but he didn’t use them either. Oh, Harley!
The Verdict?
So, as the title says: We bought a Litter-Robot. Was it worth it? Yes and no. Read on to learn why.
First off, remember the claims I mentioned earlier? Let’s look at those now.
- Reduce odors. This one is hard to say since I still have regular litter boxes in the house. But I don’t see how they couldn’t help reduce odors.
- Use less litter. Definitely! I don’t have to re-fill the litter in the LRs as often as I do the regular boxes.
- Reduce spills and tracking. I think so. Spills – not really sure what they mean. I’ve never spilled a regular litter box (have you?). Tracking – I notice less litter outside the LR than a regular box.
- Only needs emptying about once a week per each cat. Again, hard to tell since I still have regular boxes. I empty the waste drawers on each LR about once every 5 days. Note that you can use any regular 13-gallon trash bag as a waste drawer liner.
Next, let’s recap what the cats thought:
Ratings by Cat
Sophie – YAY!!!
Olive – All paws up!
Woodrow – Approves!
Dexter – Eh…
Harley – Yeah, that’s a hard no.
Total: 3.5 paws out of 5
In my opinion, the Litter-Robot is awesome. It would be even more awesome and completely worth it if Harley would use it.
So, knowing that one of our cats will never use the Litter-Robot, will I return them? Nope! I am keeping them both. Overall, having the Litter-Robots has reduced my need to scoop, which was the main goal. And since I have the LR near the regular boxes, I actually put the waste from the regular boxes in the LR and then push Cycle on the unit. So, it also makes cleaning the regular boxes quicker, too.
One more thing to note. The unit is not super loud, but it’s not quiet either. I do use the Sleep Mode on the upstairs unit, which is in the room next to our bedroom. In the beginning, the noise did startle the cats, but they’re used to it now.
Thinking of Ordering a Litter-Robot?
The Litter-Robot company recommends 1 robot for every 3-4 cats. If you’re thinking about buying a Litter-Robot, they have a 90-day, full refund return policy. You just have to pay shipping back (note that the initial shipping to you is free). It also comes with an 18-month warranty. You have the option to purchase an extended warranty for an additional 18 months (totaling a 3-year warranty), which I purchased.
The Litter-Robot is not cheap and is currently $499.00 USD (increasing to $549.00 on September 27, 2021!). So before ordering, I fully researched it and recommend you do the same. I read a gazillion reviews and watched as many testimonial videos as I could find. The Litter-Robot currently has 4.5 out of 5 stars on their website (693 reviews). If you’re interested in ordering one, you can check out their how it works page as a starting place.
$25 Off Litter-Robot
(Added affiliate link 11/4/2020)
The review itself remains unchanged from its original posting on March 12, 2019.
FTC Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link. If you make a purchase using the affiliate link, Three Chatty Cats will earn a small commission. Three Chatty Cats is a humor blog dedicated to entertaining our readers, but we do post the occasional product review that we feel would be relevant to our readers. The Litter-Robot product review was written honestly and without Litter-Robot’s prior knowledge or review. Due to the popularity of the product review, Litter-Robot proactively sent us an affiliate link.
Due to the popularity of this review, Litter-Robot allowed me to provide $25.00 off for readers who use our affiliate link to purchase their Litter-Robot. (Thanks, Litter-Robot!) This is only good on new models, not reconditioned units. Here is the $25.00 off link: Shop the Litter-Robot 3 Connect at Litter-Robot.com!
If you’re looking to purchase the Litter-Robot 3 model, you can do so from the Whisker site or on Amazon. Many of the accessories are also available on Amazon.
Check out Litter-Robot 3 on Amazon. (The $25 off does not apply to Amazon orders.)
Any questions? Ask away and I’ll answer them in the comments!
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P.S. Additional Photos!
Litter-Robot Control Buttons
With Ramp Accessory
Waste Drawer Location
Waste Drawer with Empty Liner
How Liner Attaches to Drawer
Carbon Filter in Front of Waste Drawer
Harley we are with you… robots are scary… and therefore we still have common count vaccula and not the robot version (we hunted that beast nearly to deathLOL)
Haha! Harley used to be afraid of the terrible vacoom monster, but he’s gotten better about that. Perhaps there’s still hope for the litter eating robot!!
I really love the look of these and really want to order one but I had an automatic litter tray that came free with Your Cat magazine subscription and both cats were terrified of it, so I’m not sure if they will use it or not and I don’t want to buy one for it to just be abandoned in the shed like the current one!
We tried another automatic litter tray before and didn’t keep it. But this one’s a keeper (for us anyway). I doubt shipping is free to the UK, so it would definitely be a bigger decision for you.
When I first saw it I thought no cat would venture in there. I should have guessed Sophie would be the first to check it out. It seems the ideal solution for indoor cats.
Even though I had 4 ordinary litter boxes for Eric and Flynn they always preferred to use the greenhouse which I ended up scooping daily.
Haha, yes, Sophie loves to explore everything! As you can see from the photos at the end, she was even checking out the drawer and ramp. We’ve had them set up for 2+ months and those photos were from yesterday. Any action in her area and she has to be there!
That was quite interesting, we’ve been quite tempted to give it a try but we’re not sure we’d all use it either.
Well if you’re tempted enough, they do have that 90-day full refund option. Honestly, that’s why I gave it a go, knowing that I could return it. I’d just be out the shipping back. I’m technically still in the 90-day mark, but I’m definitely keeping them.
Wow. That is one impressive machine. (Sohpie’s reaction made me laugh out loud!) Aside from the price (add at least 20% here in Canada :-( ) I don’t think we’d have space for it — assuming the resident cats would even use it. And fosters probably wouldn’t get a chance to get used to it. Sadly, no matter how much we’d like to scoop less, it’s probably not for us.
I feel that if you ONLY had the Litter-Robot, then space wouldn’t be an issue. But if you had to keep other boxes out, then yes, that would be an issue. Our downstairs one is inside a small closet.
The concept is intriguing. I don’t know if my cats would adapt especially the old one.
Yeah, I was actually surprised that Harley was the holdout (he’s our oldest at 10). He usually adapts to everything so easily. But I guess he doesn’t like his litter messed with!
The first of my 4 cats to try it was the oldest! (11 or 12). She has used it consistently since I got it. Ditto the youngest!,, The two middle ones, 6 and 16 months, just look…
Thank YOU for sharing–good to know. It’s probably something I’ll get anytime soon for various reasons, but still, that was a very thorough an interesting (and entertaining) review!
Thank you! If you ever get one, let me know how you like it (or rather, how your cats like it!).
My husband and I purchased the original Litter Robot back in 2006. It didn’t take long for 3 of our 4 cats to take to it. (The last one had been having litter box issues since litter-mate brother passed a few months prior.) We still have it and love it. We’ve sent it in twice to have maintenance done on the main unit (they don’t do this anymore, but used to). We bought a Litter Robot 2 about 8 years ago to add to our original. The original one died about 3 years ago, but the second one is still running well. You use so much less litter. a 40 pound bag of litter lasts us a month with 3 cats.
We no longer have any of those original kitties (old age), but currently have 3 cats. Our oldest has used the Litter Robot from the very beginning. The younger 2 prefer the open topped boxes, but will use the Litter Robot when they’re full. I have been wanting to get the Open Air Litter Robot 3 for a few years now, and am hoping to purchase one or two this Spring. In my opinion, they’re very worth it. Just in litter savings alone, the unit pays for itself in about 2 years.
Yeah, I was surprised at how much less litter I use with them. It’s great!!
What is a Litter Robot “Open Air”? There is no mention of such a thing on the Litter Robot site. I am intrigued…
I think the Open Air is just an older model. It’s not available anymore.
Open Air is the old name for the Litter-Robot 3 (it still says “Litter-Robot Open Air” on the LR3 shipping box). “Open Air” referred to the then-new large oval entry, as compared to the LR2’s small, round porthole-like entry.
Ah, good to know. Thank you, Chas!
Do you recommend purchasing the extended warranty
I bought the extended warranty and personally would recommend it for something so mechanical. Although, I will note that I haven’t had to use the standard (or extended) warranty) yet. If I remember correctly, they had a deal going on at the time and I was able to purchase the extended warranty at a discount. You could ask them if they have any current deals.
Once I saw the price, I was a definite NOPE! However, should we ever get the house remodeled, and have nice furniture, and actually invite people over to sit a spell, I’d consider one or two or three! My friend Pam at The Way of Cats blog just loves the LR; her cats have been using them for years.
Yes, it’s a bit of sticker shock for sure! That’s why I did so much research and read as many reviews as I could. One guy said he’d had the LR for 5 years and hadn’t scooped once in that time. His review sold it for me. Course Harley had something to say about that. That’s great that your friend Pam is a fan of them!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful post. I always thought about getting one for my house. After reading this I like everything about it. I wished all your kitties loved it. I hope mine do too. Have a great day.
I hope your cats end up liking it!
Wow this is a wonderful review. I have seen this and read about the Litter Robot but this has me thinking…. Anything that requires less scooping duty piques my interest! I actually think most of my cats would use it as they don’t mind covered litter boxes. In fact, I have a hidden “planter” litter box in the far end of the kitchen and this one gets used a lot! But I think it’s mostly due to the fact it’s so easily accessible and the buggers are too lazy to go walk upstairs or downstairs to where the uncovered boxes are! MOL
I think it was a great purchase for you. I guess Harley is just not a fan of fancy technology :) he likes things just the way they are
If the Chirpies don’t mind covered boxes, then I bet they’d take to this! And yeah, that’s why we call Harley the curmudgeon! :-)
Have you considered the Open Air one for Harley?
I think the Open Air one is the same configuration for the most part. But I’d love it if Harley would use it! :-)
I would do almost anything to scoop less! And I loved the extensive review. Sadly at $499 US (aka a million dollars when converted to Canadian ;0) I may have to save up!It definitely sounds like something that would be worth trying
Haha, yeah, that currency conversion sounds about right!
Wow, thanks for all this info on the Litter Robot. But it gets a big NO from Zoey and me. We think it will eat us! ~Ernie
Ernie, it sounds like you’ve been talking to Harley!
Interesting. I’ve heard that the covered area is uncomfortable for bigger cats – but if Woodrow doesn’t mind, my cats may not. My biggest concern is the covered/small space aspect. Both my cats seem frightened by small spaces they can’t see out of easily. Still, the advantages are tempting!
Yours are around 14 pounds as well, right? Wodrow is a “tall” 14 – he’s pretty leggy, and he fits fine. It would probably work for Bear and Ellie!
What a fantastic review!!! Sophie just cracks me up. I don’t think Mudpie would mind the noise but I’m not sure this would be very practical for a single cat home.
Sophie aims to please. :-)
They should pay you for this fantastic review. That sounds amazing, but too pricey for me. I had a different self-cleaning box, but ended up selling it on craigslist because the refills were too pricey and with so many cats ( despite having other boxes available) it needed to be changed every few days. Sophie is too funny that she watches it :)
Thanks Ellen! With as many cats as you have, you’d need so many and that would definitely be pricey!
The movement and noise would probably scare and totally turn off my girls they would not appreciate the cover either). Requiring clumping littler is a big turn-off for me (haven’t voluntarily purchased any ever since Elsey Senior Forumula came on the market — far superior odor control and only poop needs to be scooped).
The noise definitely took them by surprise at first! But they’re used to it now. And the noise…it “calls” to Sophie! She must watch it every time. :-) That’s a good point about non-clumping litter. If you’re not a fan of clumping, then this wouldn’t be a good fit.
typos — Litter not littler!
If you think of it, please give an update in 3 to 6 months. I had a robot litter box (the kind with the rake) and while it seemed great in the beginning, after a couple months the rakes and the litter collection box both started getting poopies stuck on them or jamming or just being otherwise annoying. I went back to my giant cement-mixing tray litter boxes and the robo-litter box is in parts, in the garage.
Great suggestion! I’ll plan on doing a follow up. I can see how the “rake” ones could get messy. The waste doesn’t really touch anything like that in the Litter-Robot. As the globe turns, the waste just dumps into an opening to the drawer below. Even if the cat doesn’t cover their poo, as the globe turns, the litter falls to cover it.
This is a fabulous description of this machine. I’ve always been curious but we are a one-cat household and never had any luck with a “covered” (or partially covered) litter box. With just one cat and us being home all the time as retirees it’s no trouble to keep up with Teddy’s “deposits”……but for a multiple cat household in particular – this would be a GREAT purchase!! Again, your honest assessment has for sure helped anyone who was even remotely considering one of these……….
Hugs, Pam
We had a covered litter box when Dexter was the only cat in the house, but we’ve never had one since. But I guess Harley feels the LR is just too covered. There’s always one, huh? :-)
It looks like something out of Star Wars, but I’m OK with that. I would love to try this – though I have a hunch Rosie would be the hold out because she’s the hold out in just about everything. I love that it has a night light ( I don’t know the cats would care about that, but still fun).
And p.s.: I actually have spilled a litter box – while moving it, I dropped it. LOL
They say the night light is for older cats who can’t see as well anymore. So perhaps I will use it later. Oh, Rosie! You and Harley. And that is too funny that you spilled the litter box. Well, funny after the fact I’m sure. :-)
I never heard of such a thing! I may go look for one or look on Amazon. It looks great! I hope my kitties like it :)
I hope they like it too! I’m pretty sure it’s only sold at their Litter-Robot website, not on Amazon.
Hey, those robots are pretty cool! But we’re with you, Harley … we’ll be sticking with our old-fashioned litter boxes. One question: how do you think there would work for a geriatric cat? It seems like it would be hard for them to climb in and out. Just curious. :)
I think it probably depends on the cat, but that’s why I bought the ramp (for Harley of course!), but I don’t use it. I do think the ramp would make it fine for older cats to walk in and out.
Thank you for sharing photos of the waste drawer, that is something a lot of people overlook.
Wouldn’t it be cool if there was a camera on the LR so it could send you a photo of who was using the box?? :D
A camera would be very cool! Since the unit is weight sensitive (to know when to trigger the cycle), it would be great if they could tell you which cat used the litter. Of course if your cats are similar in weight, that wouldn’t work very well.
This was a superb review, just superb! But…for me, 1) it is scary looking as hell and it looks BIG 2) all of the updates would annoy me (I can see having multiple cats it would be worthwhile but for one cat? Nope 3) It seems like more work than just scooping the normal litter box. I guess because you are so much younger you love all of that technology, me? Not so much………but……..still it was a superb review!
Aww, thank you!! Agreed, one cat probably wouldn’t need this!
Thank you! I purchased one of these a couple of months ago because i hate scooping! I have 4 cats ranging in size from 5 to 20+ pounds! The big boy is also the oldest at 17 yrs old. He gets in and actually turns around in it but then gets out. I think he feels a bit large for it! I know at least 2 of the girls use it so I am keeping it because I can tell with only part of them using it, I scoop less! My question to you is about the fence guard. Does it really help? I have the steps (ramp) but mine tend to track litter on them and the surrounding floor. Thank you!
Wow, 20 pounds! That is a big boy. :-) If you have a big kicker when covering their business, I do think the fence would help with that. They do have to step over it when exiting, so it’s not as quick to just run out – so perhaps a little extra litter might fall off their paws before climbing out, if that makes sense. I’m glad you like it overall! We still like it, too. :-)
THANK YOU for not posting any affiliate links. I always took all other reviews with a grain of salt, since there was always an affiliate link. This is finally a review that I can trust as being an honest review..
I’m glad you found it helpful!
My wife and I have had cats for 30 years and currently have four. We have tried several fancy litter boxes over the decades. We’ve had the Litter Robot III for five months — and hands down, it’s the best litter box we’ve ever had.
The one cat who was resistant acclimated after a month of pooping just outside of it and now all parties use it. I love that cleaning it does not involve putting on gloves and holding my breath, its so much easier! While no product is perfect, this one is pretty darn good! If you can part with the $500 then this is worth it.
That’s great that all of your cats use it! Harley is still our holdout. I have hope for him one day, though! My friend who watches our cats for us when we’re away is about to buy one for her own cats.
I actually put a camera on my LR for the first month or so to see which one or if both were using it. Turns out they both use it without fail for poop, but are willing to use it or the tidy cats breeze for pee. I find both much easier than regular litter boxes. I empty the LR drawer and replace the TCB pads at the same time about every five days. Totally worth it to me and would be worth it for only one cat.
A camera is a great idea!
My 2 former ferals came with me, my 3 dogs and 4 birds in an RV to Texas. I had a litter maid that I wasn’t happy with. It kept the box clean, mostly but was smelly and inside an RV trust me you notice! The litter robot, after about 1.5 weeks converting them, leaves less snell, cleaner litter less mess running the clean cycle and is much quieter then the litter maid was. So glad I made the change! It was definently worth the money.
I’m glad you like the LR! I bet that was so great not having the smell in the RV anymore!
I’ve been trying to figure out which automatic litter box to buy, between the litter robot III, ikuddle, lavviebot and footloose (i know those 3 are still on kickstarter/indiegogo. My cat likes to cover her “business” and considering how little litter is used in the litter robot, how would that work for her, any ideas? i dont want her pawing through her poops and clumps.
There’s definitely enough litter in the LR to cover one’s business. And after she jumps out, the timer begins and then cycles/empties the used waste out of the unit. So she won’t be able to paw through her poops and clumps after the cycle. Does that make sense? The only way that the clumps would remain is if she never left the LR because it would never start the countdown to cycle/empty. I hope that helps!
Hey, thanks for your quick reply. Yeah I just meant when she paws at it right after her business, she usually turns and turns and paws and paws lol. So I was wondering if there’s enough space and litter for that :) have you heard anything about any of the Kickstarter/indiegogo ones I mentioned?
Oh, gotcha! Yes, I think there’s enough litter to do that. I would say it’s a couple inches deep – just like a normal litter box. I actually haven’t heard of those other ones.
I’m looking at different Auto self clean litter trays & found your review very interesting & helpful, Thanks
I’m glad you found it helpful!
Have you had any problems with it if your cats have any…digestive issues? Or if they like to dig a hole and then go there and it’s a bit too deep of a hole and then there isn’t enough litter? I find myself having to scrape off the bottom of the box sometimes because one of my cats is convinced he needs a hole that almost goes all the way to the bottom. I’d be worried about it getting stuck and not falling through the hole? Or if it’s…soft?
No issues with soft stool. I’ve never seen any marks left behind from soft stool in the grate piece or anything. As for digging deep, the litter is inside the globe unit, so it’s actually deeper in the center of the litter area. The bottom material of the globe is rubber and actually pops “inside out” with the help of gravity when the globe turns upside down…if that makes sense. So litter getting stuck to the bottom wouldn’t happen. At least it’s never happened to me. But with that said, none of my cats dig very deep.
Thanks for the article. We’ve had the Litter Robot 3 for several years now. We just converted it to a connected model mid 2019. We’ve had some growing pains along the way as well as our cat family has grown. We had 7 cats when we first got it. And it would register full before I felt like it should be full (dirty IR sensors I think) so I taped the sensors together so It never knows when it’s full. Also Changed the dump timer to 3 minutes for faster smell removal. We now have 10 cats and foster up to 10 additional kittens that all use it. I’ve had to replace the weight sensor once. I also hard-wired the bonnet and bonnet light so it wouldn’t stop mid cycle due to a loose connection. Finally I connected two exhaust hoses that pull any smells from waste drawer and main litter pile and route them through the floor to outside via a 12v computer cooling fan and some 2” pvc. Now it never shuts down due to “full” bin, or loose bonnet. We empty drawer daily and it cycles on average 1060 times per month or 30-40 times per day. It’s been a great help in our house!
Wow, that’s a lot of cycles! Thank you for sharing your experience and LR hacks!
I just came across this review and noticed that it’s about a year old now. So my questions are;
1. Did Harley ever come around to the litter robot?
2. Are you still as happy with the litter robot?
3. Do you still have regular litter boxes out?
4. And any tips for someone looking to get a self scoop litter box to ease a busy life(I’ve got 4 cats)
Hi Samantha! Good questions!
1. No, Harley still doesn’t use it. (I haven’t forced the issue. Since getting the LRs, he’s been diagnosed with chronic kidney disease, and I don’t want to upset or stress him out any further.)
2. Yes, I’m happy with them!
3. Yes, because of Harley I still have regular boxes out. I keep them close to the Litter-Robots. For the downstairs one, I just dump the waste from the regular box into the LR and press Cycle. Upstairs, I have a waste pail or I can dump into the LR. I find dumping into the LR is easy for our cat sitter!
4. I only have extended experience with the Litter-Robot (and would recommend it). I did purchase a different automatic litter box a couple years ago (before we had Harley and Woodrow) that had a rake and used crystal litter. I didn’t even get a chance to use it because Sophie started eating the litter! I returned it. But having seen it and set it up, I wouldn’t recommend it (that was the PetSafe ScoopFree one). I feel like it was too small. Before LR, I had looked into CatGenie, but I don’t have room for that in my bathroom (needs a water line and a drain pipe or toilet access). But it was one I was interested in as well. No experience with it though. Good luck!
This is a great, informative article for someone deciding whether or not to purchase one! I also just saw that I’m a little late to the party with this review. I have 2 questions:
1. Do you use the LR bags or do you find another type works just as well?
2. I see the benefit of the ramp, but do you feel like the guard is necessary?
Thank so much for all the great info!
I actually haven’t had to use a regular garbage bag yet. I still have LR bags from my initial order back in January of 2019! (I bought 2 accessory kits which both came with a lot of bags.) So unfortunately, I can’t answer that question. But I do feel that a 13-gallon trash bag should be just fine. As for the guard, it just depends on if your cat is an enthusiastic digger when in the litter box. None of mine are, so I can get away without the guard. Since I have them, I use them. But once I forgot to put one back on after cleaning the LR, and I didn’t notice any difference. But I do think the guard would be helpful for a cat who really likes to dig!
I have only used their bags so far, so not sure about that. But as for the guard, I tried without initially when getting her used to it. But. Once I put it up I did notice a significant difference, especially since mine likes to dig and bury. I like the ramp as well I find it also reduces some of the tracking, and when I block it on the sides then she HAS to go down it. I do with they they made another guard though for when the globe rotates…….she likes to look in and swat at her poop, and sometimes i find pieces on the ramp and floor….of there was a similar guard I thinking’s wouldn’t be comfortable for her to do that, or even one that swings into a blocking position when rotating. Hope this helps a bit :)
Aww, that’s too funny that she swats at her poop when it’s rotating. Sophie still runs to it when she hears it moving, but I have yet to catch her swatting at the deposits! :-)
Do you feel that all the loose litter falls through the slotted tray or do you see some in the waste tray? I’m concerned about paying so much for the box and then it costing me more in litter…
Hi Katety. Nope! Very little if any loose litter falls through! I’m trying to actually recall ever seeing any, and I haven’t. I use Arm & Hammer Slide litter, so that’s all I can speak to though. I think as long as you have a good clumping litter – and the unit doesn’t cycle before the clumping action, then you won’t see any loose litter. The LR, in my experience, uses much less litter than a regular litter box.
If you fill it over the line indicated then on the cycle it will remove some of the loose litter, which then will leave it with the amount of litter it requires in the tray, then the next cycle no loose litter will go into the waste anymore. I work shift work and am not home for 13+ hours some day, it’s nice to know my cat isnt using a dirty litter box and stepping into previous urine clumps etc which used to happen with regular litter box. Honestly, besides checking in it occasionally, all I have to do is change the waste bag once a week.
I just ordered a LR for our two young cats. One of them has been leaving surprises for us and I’m hoping this will entice her with perfectly clean litter. The 90-day return window helped me choose to move forward. Fingers crossed! Thank you for your review.
I hope you like it and don’t find anymore surprises! :-)
Great review – thank you. I’ve recently purchased one after owning a first generation LR for some years.
The majority of litter I use in the old model got dumped straight into the tray when used it in the Open Air version.
It must have been slightly too coarse to go through the sieve. Which litter do you find works best?
I’ve only ever used one type of litter since I bought the LRs. It’s Arm & Hammer Slide – and it works great in the LR. I’ve never had an issue with any of the unused litter going into the drawer! I hope the new model works well for you.
I’m living in a small Class A RV so litter box orders for 2 cats is VERY much an issue. I had a littermate that did nothing for order but kept the litter clean enough for the cats to use it. Tranferring to the Litter Robot was an expensive and very good idea! No more overpoweing order and cats have learned to use it with no problems. I Love it. No smells in my small 30′ space. We still get a little litter tracking but NO smell. Would totally recommend this especially for someone in my situation.
That’s wonderful that the LR works out for you in the small space! Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m sure others will find it helpful.
I’m so bummed I didn’t buy the warranty. We’ve had ours for 2 years and no issues with kitties using it but it does malfunction quite a bit. Before the 1 yr warranty was up they had to send us a new sensor… and now it’s acting up again! I have to manually push the buttons twice a day to get it to cycle, which is still better and faster than scooping. I sent in a help ticket today to try to see if they can recommend a replacement part. Also, 2 years in and there is definitely odor. We ordered a new rubber liner ($35, which if it works I’m happy with that). I hope the new rubber liner solves the smell issue. The seals seem to be fine. We clean ours every other month or so with simple green, a bit of a gross chore, but I’ll take 15-20 mins of that over daily scooping. Overall I’m still happy with it, just disappointed that $450 and it hasn’t worked like it should for all that long.
Good feedback, thank you! Although we haven’t had issues yet, I am glad I bought the warranty. I hope the new rubber liner helps!
How often do you need to add litter? I’m wondering if I could leave my two cats on their own for say, three or four days, and not worry that it will get too low.
Yes, they will be fine with 3-4 days. I usually add more litter once every other week. The LRs truly use far less litter than a regular box. It’s great!
Thank you!
So, after reading this review, I had many questions. I was finding solution in comments and bingo! Thanks for all replies.
I’m glad you found it helpful!
Hello! Wow! This the best and most informative review I’ve seen on the Litter-Robot 3 Connect! Terrific Job! I ordered a LR3C for my three (3) girls, at the beginning of June, and I’m patiently waiting for the unit to be delivered; there’s delays due to the pandemic. After so many years of wanting one, I finally decided to get it, when I realized I could pay for it in installments! I have been doing some reading on how to acclimate the cats to the LR and, I saw you’d provided some information on that subject. Can’t wait to receive it! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you! I hope your girls take to it. I still have a holdout (Harley), my curmudgeonly old-man cat. :-)
Just wondering if you are still using the litter robot? Is it still working as well as you first got it?
Yep, still using it! And it still works just as well as day one.
I loved your post. Very sweet. 4 out of 5 accepting the new motorized litter box is prety good.
I have two cats myself who took very quickly to the scary looking alien litter box. They had to watch it a few times before they figured it was ok. Archie is finicky and does not like a dirty litter box…so it is perfect for him. Maybre is ok with just about anything but was a little skittish at first. Cats are so much fun with their individual personalities. Sounds like your 5th cat might take to the new box eventually as he see’s the other cats use it. Good luck…hope you can get rid of your regular litter box for good.
I’m glad both of your cats took to it! I agree – cats are so much fun with their individual personalities. :-)
I just bought one and I am so impressed. My cats took to it right away and I can’t believe I waited this long to purchase it. It is going to save me so much time cleaning. I decided to purchase the ramp and now will have to wait but I think it will be a great addition as well.
I’m glad your cats took to it so quickly! I hope they like the ramp as well!
Do a follow up review once you had it for about 1 year. When it works, it’s great. But after a short while, they have a lot of follow up maintenance and service issues. And their support is so slow. It was slow before the pandemic. Now you’ll have to wait weeks just to get a first reply from the support email staff. (i don’t understand why email support is slower during a pandemic)
That is a good suggestion – to do a follow-up after I’ve had to contact their support!
Thanks for your review.. I have just ordered a Litter Robot 3 connect for our 2 cats. It’s currently out of stock and wont be back in until mid October. But I’m trying to find out if the app can tell which cat has used the robot. Both my cats are different weights. Although they are the same size one of them is a Bengal, so he weighs twice as much as our moggie. But I can’t find anything anywhere.
Hi Phil, no, the app does not tell which cat used it. It would be a nice-to-have feature though!
Thanks for replying. yes, that would be a great feature for multiple cats.
Thought I would give an update on our litter Robot connect. We have had it for over 2 months and wow.. why did we used to scoop litter for all those years. I am so glad I purchased this. My wife is too. We have it in our hall way where the old litter boxes used to be.. sometimes when we come home and open the door and could smell cat toilet… But not any more. We have never once smelt any odor when walking into our apartment. The cats took a few days to adjust to the robot. Mainly the noise when it cycles. It was a bit of entertainment for them to start with as whenever they heard the cycle they would run into the hall and watch it. Now, they couldn’t care less. I had reservations. Mainly about the price and would my cats adapt to it. But, it’s great. Ours seems to last nearly a week before we have to empty it. It takes longer to put a new bag in than it does to remove the old one. I would recommend this product to anyone.
That is great that your cats took to it so well! And yay for no odor! It’s definitely an investment, but it sounds like one that has paid off for you. I’m glad it worked out!
Hey everyone! This isn’t a question but more a solution to a problem I had with my litter robot and could never find an answer or help with on the internet or from the company! Hopefully if someone also has this problem they come across this and it helps too! So When I first transitioned over to the litter robot my cat kept leaving it with a back paw covered in pee and clumped litter, whats worse is she tracked it everywhere until I caught her and washed her paw. Most cats hate baths a water so this was miserable doing everyday for both me and her. I realized the pee wasn’t being absorbed in the litter quick enough and because of the rounded silicone flooring of the litter robot it caused her pee to trickle down where ever her foot was because that’s where her weight was pushing the silicone flooring down (gravity!). After I switched to a crystal litter (the silica gel ones) my problem went away immediately. PRO: no more pee and wet clay litter being tracked where ever she walked and th litter robot became the best buy ever once again. CON: crystal litter doesn’t clump, it absorbs pee SO instead of her pee getting trapped and caught in the tray below, it’s absorbed in her litter, meaning I switch it out a little more often. Hope this is found by others having the pee pee paw problem!
Awesome, thank you for the tip!!
I loved reading your review!! My cat does great with the Litter Robot – however, she tends to jump out of the LR and bring a bunch of litter flying out with her. I purchased the ramp and attached it the other day – she was not a fan and when forced to get in the LR she leapt out at the end and cleared the ramp…but was wary to approach it again so I disconnected it. Do you have any tips for getting your cats used to the ramp? I hate for it not to be used (cause it sure wasn’t cheap lol).
Maybe you can try putting treats up the stairs to lure her back into it. I hope that helps!
How often do you have to change the carbon filters?
The frequency depends on your preference. I’ve gone up to 6 months without changing them.
Would it be worth it to save some money & get the robot 3 without connect, would you miss it?
Absolutely! You’ll just have to monitor the drawer to see how full it is, which isn’t a big deal at all. And then doing some of the programming might take a bit longer (since you’ll be pushing buttons on the unit instead of using the app). But you’ll also save a bit of setup time in the beginning since you won’t have to pair the unit with your phone (which is mostly just scanning a QR code and then connecting it to wifi). So yes, I would still recommend it without the connect too.
Oh, one other thing I will add…if you don’t have connect and the bonnet stops rotating, you wouldn’t know until you walk by it. This has happened a couple times to me after I’ve washed it and didn’t put it back properly. So, user error, but still handy to know with the notification on your phone. I’d still say a minor issue overall though.
Thank you for such a great thorough review. I currently have a cat genie that is not working for us because I have found that my kitties poo is too soft. (Not unhealthy, just softer than the machine will scoop) Do you know how the litter robot would do with softer waste?
Hi Caralee, from what I can gather, the CatGenie has a scoop that rakes through the litter? With the LR, it’s a tumble action, so no scoop or rake moves through the litter and touches the waste. I have never found anything stuck to the sifter portion. Also, if the cat leaves their deposits uncovered (which mine sometimes do), the litter will cover it as the LR starts to rotate. So all of the waste that ends up in the drawer is covered in litter. Because there is no scoop or rake, I feel the LR would be okay with softer waste.
I bought a LR Connect and have had it a month. I have two 10 month old sisters and both love it; so much if fact that they watch it clean every time, Cat TV. Its in my office and I work from home so I know when they use it. I have to push cycle many times a day to get it to complete. They watch from the outside so I am not sure why it stops. I watch them so I know they are outside the box. I also hate that the litter only dumps on the left side of the drawer so I have to open it and move the litter to the other side or I am emptying it twice a day when it is only half full. The smells are really bad and so I have to put baking soda on the litter to mitigate the smell. I am using LR Litter because I thought that would help with the smell but so far it hasn’t. Not sure what to do to correct all this.
Hi Michelene, if you’re having to push cycle, then it sounds like the LR isn’t registering that your cat used it or the sensor thingy is not connected all the way? Sometimes when I put it back together after washing it, I have to try a couple times to get that big arch piece connected properly. Also, are your cats both over 5 pounds? Because it doesn’t sense lighter cats (or kittens). That’s all I can think of! As for the litter, I personally use Arm & Hammer Slide and I don’t notice anything. Even when we open the drawer to empty it, the smell isn’t too overwhelming (obviously it doesn’t smell good). And occasionally, we’ve had the clumps build up on one side, so I just jiggle the drawer a little and the topple over. But generally, the drawer fills up completely.
I bought one for my 3 cats and I’m not saying it’s a life saver, but it is a life saver!!! No more scooping, just change the bag every other day, my cats love it, the blue night light kinda makes it look like a spaceship so my little catstronauts look super cute while doing their thing. Plus, I save time and litter, there’s a significant odor reduction, and another great thing is that the globe (only) is waterproof so you can just hose it back to a clean state (I do it once a month), dry it well and it’s back in place for some more cycling! It’s been 3 years that I’m using it and I have zero complaints. It’s worth the price tag definitely. <3
Haha, I love your comment about the night light! I think one of the biggest benefits has been saving on litter. Yep, I either toss the globe in the bathtub (for a complete soapy scrub down) or do a quick hose off outside. I love that the globe is waterproof. Thank you for sharing your experience!
I hope you are still reading this as I’d love to know more about the deep cleaning process and how it works and whether it is as simple as it is made to sound. Please tell more information on that process. Thank you!
Hi Melissa, Good question! I actually just cleaned one this past weekend. I have two ways to clean. For a deeper clean, I soak the bonnets in the bathtub in hot soapy water. So you definitely need to make sure there isn’t any litter left in the bonnet. I put on some gloves and then scrub the inside with an old kitchen sponge. Then I rinse them off really well and set them outside to dry. I live in Southern California and they’re dry within a few hours. You can see a photo of the bonnets on my balcony on this other post (https://threechattycats.com/2020/12/12/litter-robot-giveaway/). But this past weekend, I just did a quick cleaning and hosed a bonnet off outside. I did a quick wipe down inside with the wipes I bought from their site. You can probably just use any cleaning wipe – and then rinse off the bonnet again. Overall, I’d say it’s pretty simple. But they do still require cleaning. But so does a regular litter box. I will say that the bonnets are bulky, so they can be awkward to move around in the bathtub. But hosing off outside is pretty easy if they aren’t too dirty. In both cases, though, you just have to be sure they’re completely dry before using them again. So depending on where you live, that might take longer. I hope that helps!
I have three cats and one litter robot and it works quite well. One problem I have though is that one of my cats, even though she uses the litter robot, pees now more than ever around the house. I don’t get it – does anyone have any ideas why this happens? I know it could be a number of reasons (she doesn’t get along too great with one of my other cats (male) so maybe it’s anxiety peeing, who knows. Any insight would be helpful on how I can get Jazzy to only pee in the litter robot?? Thanks!
I’m afraid I don’t know much about cats peeing outside of the litter box. But unfortunately, I have heard it’s hard to deter them unless you can really clean the area so they can’t smell it and keep going in that spot. I do know there are certain litters that attract cats to the box. I personally have never used one, so I don’t know their effectiveness. One is called “Dr. Elsey’s Cat Attract Cat Litter” — again, I have never used it so I don’t know if it’s good or not. But it might be worth looking into. Good luck with Jazzy!
We bought Dr Elsey’s Attract and our cat was sniffing the bag before it was opened so it smelled good to him. I think it it helped Patches to make his first visit into his LR3.
Has anyone ever thought of using it with dogs? I have 2 chihuahua’s 5 lb and 6 lb. Nstead of pee pads…
Hi Shari, I personally have not heard of anyone using it with small dogs. You could ask their customer service if they’ve ever heard of that.
We have had the 3 for about 5 years, which means that overall it has cost us about $10 a month. It was so worth it. We have 3 large boy cats and the old cat boxes had to be emptied every day. No matter how often we scooped there was always a smell of cat in the house. The boys also managed to throw cat litter everywhere! With this box we change a drawer every two or three days and any smell is faint and quickly gone. It makes cat life so much easier!! We got the warranty and customer service has been great. I recommend the litter robot to everyone i know.
Thank you for sharing your experience! I’m happy that they have worked out so well for you.
I would buy a Litter Robot if it were twice the price I love it so much. My rescue, Romulus, started using it the first day. I took the open litter box away the second day and it’s been perfect since. I only run it on manual. I keep it off most of the time. Romulus is a street cat from a war zone in the middle east, so noises freak him out–a bit of PTSD. However, it is so easy to just let it sit on “off” and then to push the on button when I see it’s been used. With multiple cats this might be hard, but with one cat it’s easy. Just this week I’ve invited him to watch it go round and he was pretty fascinated. I’ll give this a couple weeks and then see, while I’m home, if he’s good with it on automatic. He’s a 14lb lean mass of muscle so I’m sure the machine would stop if he decided to jump in while it was running. However, it’s so easy with the app, I’d be fine just keeping it on “semi automatic” forever. BTW, I LOVE your descriptions of your cat babies.
I’m so happy that Romulus took to the LR so quickly! Yes, the app makes it so easy to cycle the unit when you need to. And yes, the unit would definitely stop if he jumped in mid-cycle. My Sophie does this every once in a while and she’s about 10 pounds. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Update on Romulus. After I let Romulus watch the Litter Robot go around a few times under supervision, he got bored and didn’t care anymore. So I decided to stop just doing the semi automatic with the app and left it on automatic. I haven’t looked back. He uses it effortlessly and it’s effortless to me as well. I do put it on “sleep” from 11 PM to 7 AM since it is in a room outside my bedroom and that works great. At 7 AM every morning, it “wakes up” and rotates to empty any activity from the night and is ready for the day. Lastly, even though I only have one cat, I have gotten into the habit of emptying the drawer every day. It’s effortless and any issues with smells (of which there were only a few) have disappeared. Love my little robot. I’m thinking of putting on the lists of things I would grab in my house were burning, lol.
Yay, I’m glad it’s working out! Your last sentence…too funny!
The great reviews and the 90 day return convinced us to buy the LR3 Connect, the bundle set with steps, bags,filters, fence and extended warranty. Set up was easy. Getting 10 year old Patches to try LR3 took three days of coaxing and bribes of treats and toys. After disguising the LR3 with cardboard, Patches finally walked in and now he loves it!
LR3 is a game changer. The app controls and notifications are useful and easy to use. I enthusiastically recommend LR3!!! No stink no scoop…
Very creative to hide it with cardboard! Whatever works! :-)
I downsized from a 3 bedroom home to a one bedroom apartment & was really concerned about litter mess & tracking in a small environment but both my cats were just fine with it within 48 hours & even with moving stress. It really cuts down on mess, smell, litter usage, etc. I’m a a fan. It was a must in my small space.
I’m glad your cats took to it quickly!
We have two older cats – Onyx (17 yo) and Stockings (19 yo). Onyx has chronic stomach issues which result in periodic bouts of diarrhea and vomiting. How does the Litter Robot handle the diarrhea. Also, Onyx is about 17 pounds (not overweight – he’s just a big cat!). Would he be comfortable using the LR?
Our biggest cat is just under 14 pounds and he’s tall/leggy. He uses it, but I would hesitate to say a bigger cat would feel comfortable. But at least they offer the return period in case he’s too big for it. As for diarrhea issues, does your cat cover it? If they leave it uncovered, I could see that being a problem. I will say that in all the time we’ve had it, I haven’t seen evidence of loose stool being an issue on the grate/sifter portion. Litter-Robot probably has better info on that if you contact their customer service.
Thank you for the review! I had already bought one when I saw your review but cancelled my order, then bought it again so thank you for the savings!
I’m glad you were able to use the discount!
Love the design of the Cat litter robot.
You did a great job creating this review!
Looking forward for more brilliant posts like this :)
Cheers
I really like mine but need something like you have behind it. Would you mind sharing where you got the panels behind the litter robot?
Hi Jennifer, I got it on Amazon. I think it’s this one: https://amzn.to/2WesKvR :-)
Hello – thank you for this great review, I think I’m just about ready to take the leap. I’m hoping that you may be able to answer a question about the one thing holding me back. I have one cat who is a serial scratcher. He doesn’t scratch at the litter, but the sides of the box. Since he still has claws, I’m worried about him tearing up the screen that sorts the clean litter, or the liner. Do you feel that the screen and liner would stand up to some pretty dedicated scratching?
Thank you!
The part that sifts the litter is actually hard plastic and will stand up just fine to scratching. The rest of the inner part of the globe is durable rubber. And if a part isn’t rubber, it would also be hard plastic. So I think it should be fine for scratching. He’d have to be really mad at it to do damage. :-) I personally haven’t noticed any interior damage on ours.
Really appreciate the detailed review and all the comments! Does leaving the litter sit in the bottom not smell after a few days? I assume I would still need to empty every day. But then I have six kitties. Thanks again for the review. Hope you’re getting referral fees!
I never change the litter except when I do a full “garage hose” clean every couple months. I just add new litter up to the “litter line” every day or two. The litter stays super clean. With six kitties (wow), you would need a couple littler robots (they recommend 3 to 4 indoor cats per single Litter-Robot) and would have to empty the drawer frequently, but that’s easy–a lot easier than scooping. You get an alert when the drawer is full, so it’s crazy easy. I don’t know what I would do without the Litter Robot–and I only have one large kitty, lol.
Hi Jean, glad you liked the review! No, I don’t find that leaving the litter in the drawer stinks. But of course opening it does! With six cats, if you only have one Litter-Robot, you’d definitely have to empty the drawer more frequently. As Patricia mentioned, they do recommend two for that many cats.
I tried to use the link for the $25 discount but it doesn’t show up in the cart. Do you have a promocode?
Hi Kallie, I don’t have a promo code. It’s all based on clicking the link. The discount only works on new models. If it’s a new model in your cart, you can try reaching out to LR customer service and letting them know the discount isn’t appearing.
Here are their contact options: https://support-litter-robot.force.com/s/support-contact-options?language=en_US
I have some questions with this my cat will only use the tidy cat wood litter she does not like any other kind and I have tried them all but she is a messy litter box cat she does not like the feel of cat littler so she stands on the sides of the open litter box and uses it then she will scratch because of the smell and send this stuff all over my floor. The other issue is she does not like enclosed litter boxes so would this be a waste of time for me because its enclosed.
Yeah, I’m not sure if the Litter-Robot would be a good fit if your cat doesn’t use clay litter and also doesn’t like enclosed litter boxes. While it isn’t super enclosed (since it has a big opening), it’s definitely covered.
Thank you.
To tell you the truth. I’d rather put $500 aside to save fir ci-pays for my pet health insurance or something else to care for our 2 kitties who are getting older. We use Clever Cat Litter boxes -we have 4 of them-for our two boys. We discovered them when Sir Hubble started standing up to pee and so did his bother, years ago. They drenched the floor around the traditional boxes we used 18 years ago. Our two boys love them also anf they have an optional top for cats preferring closed boxes. But I digress. Litter Robots don’t let us see our cats’ elimination. Watching a cat with Feline Idiopathic Cystitis? I am and I want to see the size of his pee balls and I would obviously miss even the 7 minute flush cycle. I want to see their poops! Their shape, size and color. The ordinary litter box is one of the easiest ways the stay on top of their output. Sure, it’s convenient for their humans especially convenient for multi cat households. Scooping that many boxes so often during the day is a lot if work. But … how can their human monitor their elimination health? That’s my .02 opinion.
Thanks for weighing in – and valid points to be sure! If I ever get to a point where I do need to monitor, I can use what they refer to as “semi-automatic” mode, which basically means I manually cycle it myself after I’ve viewed whatever I need to. However, I will note that for anyone with traditional litter boxes and more than one cat in the household, there could still be confusion as to who did what if you’re not watching the box constantly. For someone with one cat, they could still use the automatic cycle on the LR since all output (which is in the waste drawer) would be for the one cat only. But I certainly understand your concerns and desire to stick with a traditional litter box!
Thank you so much for understanding my points. I’m lucky I guess since Edgar Allan Poe has made rather large pee balls very large in fact, no medical problems however, thankfully and Aki has always had smaller pee balls, so it is easier for me to judge who’s doing what. I do separate them from time to time, especially when Aki is in a flare, which he is in now. My vet and I agreed that we stopped treating him prematurely.He is a very nervous cat and that is explaining the FIC. Thee are times that I wish someone would clean our boxes…..however…sigh…
maybe you have too many cats?
Two are purrfect for us!!