There are many choices of self cleaning litter boxes on the market. all with differing price points. When considering an automatic litter box, you should always think of SAFETY first.
Recently there have been lots of posts published on various social media sites regarding the self-cleaning litter box that has been killing cats. This is a white label litter box from China, sold under many brands but commonly under the Amztoy brand.
I have included a link below on a short video made by onemanfivecats which shows the reason this self-cleaning litter box design is deadly and dangerous for cats.
The DEADLY self-cleaning litter boxes that have flooded the market
Despite this terrible news, it is excellent that it has increased awareness to hopefully help those other cat parents looking into self-cleaning litter boxes, on what to avoid in their purchase.
When considering what makes a great self-cleaning litter box, it is important to consider certain features in making the right decision.
Considerations when purchasing an automatic-litter box
- Space inside- If you have large breeds such as ragdolls of Main coon cats ( which we have) you want to ensure that your cat can use your new self-cleaning litter box comfortably. For this reason open-top self cleaning litter trays such as the Neakasa M1 self-cleaning tray are perfect for large cats as they are not restricted at the top.
2. Overall space- Self- cleaning litter boxes differ in their overall size. For example the new PetKit Purabot Ultra Self-cleaning litter tray has an integrated bagging system, which makes the overall footprint much larger. We also personally find that the Litter Robot 4 takes up a substantial amount of space with it's large dome shape. If space isn't an issue for you, then this does not need to be a consideration.
3. App control- What are the apps like on these self-cleaning litter trays? The Litter Robot 4 app does not notify you when a cat has used the toilet, only when it self cleans, so then you know a cat has gone. It is also not great and differentiating cats of the same weight. Personally, we have found the apps for the Neakasa M1 Self-cleaning litter box and the Petkit range of automatic litter trays to be better than that of the Litter Robot 4.
Onemanfivecats has recently compiled a new video, which is a great watch to help you make a decision on what automatic litter tray to buy.
Why You Should Buy A (GREAT) Self-Cleaning Litter Box!