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men playing with a cat next to Litter-Robot 3, a self-cleaning litter box
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Are Automatic Litter Boxes Worth It? 14 Reasons Why

Est. read time: 12 min.

Updated September 19, 2024

We all have different views on what can change your life—and while Litter-Robot does not come with a million-dollar prize at the end, it does come with an end to scooping cat litter. For most feline parents, that is more than enough to change your daily life. After all, scooping your cat's litter box is less than appealing. Most would offload the task if they could—and with Litter-Robot, you can do just that.

But Litter-Robot is much more than just an automatic litter box. It can help change your life in more ways than one. 

Is an automatic litter box worth it? 

An automatic litter box means you’ll no longer be digging out your cat's poop, with your face down in the troubling odor. And don't even get us started on the litter dust while scooping! 

Compare it to a dishwasher. First of all: who likes washing dishes? On average, people spend around 30 minutes to an hour per day washing dishes. This can add up to 3 to 7 hours a week! A dishwasher enables you to save that much time, plus dishwashers actually help you save water compared to washing the dishes by hand. 

The same thing is true of self-cleaning litter boxes. On average, cleaning a litter box may take around 5 to 10 minutes per day. This can add up to approximately 30 minutes to an hour per week. In addition, the entire litter box needs to be cleaned every few weeks, which adds another grueling half hour. Finally, you also have to replace a plastic litter box every so often. Many traditional litter boxes have smells that seep into the plastic, requiring you to replace them more frequently. All that time and money spent on cat waste... No, thank you. 

Imagine all the time you could get back by switching to a self-cleaning litter box. Plus, thanks to its litter-sifting technology, Litter-Robot uses up to 50% less litter than standard litter boxes.

Overall, an automatic litter box is worth it for your scooping sanity and your pocketbook. Still not convinced? Read on to discover the top reasons why you need Litter-Robot—the highest-rated automatic, self-cleaning litter box.

14 reasons why you need a self-cleaning litter box

cat exiting Litter-Robot 4, a self-cleaning litter box

Your cats need a clean litter box day in and day out. And life sometimes gets in the way of that. But with Litter-Robot, all of the hard work is done for you. You can enjoy the following features when you purchase this automatic litter box: 

No more scooping litter

Cats like to be clean, and this includes their litter box. In fact, they may choose to pee outside their litter box completely when it is too dirty. But scooping every day can become a hassle—and a smelly one at that.

An automatic litter box does the work for you! It goes to work after your cat exits and separates the clean litter from the soiled litter. With Litter-Robot, all clumps are deposited in a waste drawer below—leaving no mess for you to clean up. When Litter-Robot indicates the waste drawer is full, all you have to do is open the drawer, take out the disposable bag, and replace a new one. It's as easy as taking out the kitchen trash.

Scooping will become a thing of the past and cleaning your litter box will be as easy as taking out the garbage. Add on a LitterHopper accessory for automatic litter refills, and you'll truly have a hands-free litter box system!

Save time

Since you no longer scoop, you spend less time cleaning and more time for yourself.  When your self-cleaning litter box sifts, clumps, cleans, and more, all without your assistance, you can avoid the trouble of this otherwise unpleasant portion of your day.

With Litter-Robot, you only have to empty the waste drawer every 7-10 days for a single-cat household and about twice per week for a multiple-cat household, which means you can depart on a short business or personal trip and not worry about your cat’s litter box situation.

Fewer (or no) accidents outside the box

When cats have a clean litter box, they are more apt to utilize it—and not the rest of your house. An automatic litter box helps reduce incidents of cats eliminating outside the box by keeping it tidy for every use. Plus, a fence is included with every Litter-Robot 4 to help prevent urine from going where it's not meant to.

Stress-free getaways

Having to worry about who will come to clean up after your cats while you're on vacation will no longer be a concern. With an automatic litter box, your cat’s litter box will stay clean while you’re away for a short time—and your family and friends will be thankful they don’t have to clean up poop! 

You can even add Feeder-Robot to automate your cat's feeding schedule while you're gone. Enjoy your getaway knowing that your felines are comfortable, clean, and well-fed at home. 

No more litter box access for dogs & children

dog friendly automatic litter box

Do you have small children whom you worry about getting into a dirty litter box? Or maybe other pets? With Litter-Robot, you'll never have to worry about your kids or dogs being exposed to cat waste again.

Litter-Robot is the perfect solution to keep your dog out of the litter box. The self-cleaning feature tucks your cat's deposits in a waste drawer quickly after use. Your dog will no longer have access to this less-than-desirable snack. 

All you need to know about your litter box can be learned through our full litter box guide.

Odor control

Poop stinks, and cat poop is no exception.

  1. Covered litter box design. Litter-Robot's litter bed is semi-enclosed in the globe, which is the first line in defending the spread of litter box odors throughout your home.
  2. Fast and frequent cleaning. The second and most important line of defense is the prompt cleaning cycle. Just a few minutes after your cat uses Litter-Robot, waste clumps are deposited in a sealed drawer below the globe preventing odors from escaping.
  3. Sealed waste drawer. Finally, Litter-Robot 4 quickly goes to work removing your cat's waste and placing it in a sealed waste drawer (or a fully enclosed drawer, in the case of Litter-Robot 3). The odors will be significantly reduced, so your home will remain fresh and free from pungent smells. 

Many of our long-time customers have praised the odor-depleting Litter-Robot and claimed that, due to such a lack of offensive odor, they’ve occasionally forgotten that there’s actually a litter box in their homes. You can even further neutralize odors with OdorTrap® or carbon filters, placed directly in Litter-Robot. 

Great for multiple cats

multiple cats using Litter-Robot the self cleaning litter box

If you have multiple cats, you know how different their personalities can be. And sometimes those personalities are so strong that they refuse to use the same litter box as their other companions in the home. Litter-Robot is a great multi-cat litter box solution: It can handle up to 4 cats, and since it is constantly clean, territorial issues are a thing of the past! 

You can even set up a profile for each of your cats in the Whisker app and the automatic litter box will track their weight, litter box usage, and more!

Cleaner litter for your cat

Cats tend to act out when they are stuck with a soiled litter box but Litter-Robot is clean each and every time your cat uses it. That means your cat has one less reason to demonstrate disobedient behavior. Less stress for your cat will make life better for your cat and for you.

Cat litter savings

With Litter-Robot’s patented litter-sifting technology, only the clumps are removed and you don't have to throw out the clean litter with the used litter. This ensures that your litter box is clean, but it also saves money on cat litter. You aren’t throwing away mounds of clean litter.

The problem is that during the day, especially with multiple cats, the clumps will get broken up by subsequent uses of the litter box. When it comes time to scoop, there remains a good deal of smaller soiled chunks that don't get sifted out. When this happens, the answer for most people is to dump the whole tray of litter and start over fresh. What a waste!

By using a self-cleaning litter box instead, you can break that pattern and save on litter. Pet parents have reported over 60% in litter savings on their litter consumption annually with Litter-Robot. Read the study here.

Easy to clean

cleaning Litter-Robot 4

Litter-Robot and most self-cleaning litter boxes are very easy to clean. With Litter-Robot, the four-part system only consists of a base, globe, drawer, and bonnet. You can easily disassemble Litter-Robot to deep clean with a cleaner spray or wipes, or you can simply replace the waste drawer liner as needed. Not only that, our cleaning tips guide will provide the best cleaning solutions for any litter box.

No special accessories required

Careful consideration was given to the patented sifting process and the size of the waste drawer. The result? No special consumables necessary. Use any clumping litter and any 13-gallon trash bag in your Litter-Robot.

App monitoring and control

Litter-Robot app insights into cat litter box usage

Your Litter-Robot will be fully connected to your phone. When you download the Whisker app, you will be able to monitor not only when you need to empty the waste drawer, but also get insights into your cat's bathroom behaviors. The app provides you with pertinent information that can help indicate if your cat is going to the bathroom more or less frequently than usual. 

Reduced litter tracking 

Another pesky problem with litter boxes is that the litter can get strewn about your home, which is unsightly and icky—especially when find it on your countertops and pillows. 

According to an independent study, Litter-Robot 4 helps reduce litter tracking by over 60%. When your cat uses Litter-Robot, you’ll notice how much cleaner their paws are. That’s because your cat always has a fresh bed of litter. Add on a LitterTrap® Mat and you’re extra covered from having litter tracked throughout your home. 

Plus, we elaborated a special formula to create a low-tracking cat litter, made without additives or perfumes and providing superior odor management.

Hands-off cleaning during pregnancy

Last but not least, pregnant people can breathe easy (at least when it comes to cat poop) with a self-cleaning litter box. Pregnant people are told not to clean the litter box due to the low but serious risk of contracting the disease toxoplasmosis. But with Litter-Robot, you don't have to interact with litter box contents at all—just empty the waste drawer when full and add a new liner. 

Do you really want to keep scooping litter?

Litter-Robot will change your life by simplifying your litter box process. You’ll truly never have to scoop cat litter again, and you’ll have the freedom to get away while still knowing your cats will be content using a clean litter box. No more messes in the house. No more messy paws. And no more smelly odors. Sure, it isn’t a million dollars, but it’s still life-changing! 

The best self-cleaning litter box

the best self-cleaning litter box

There are several alternative litter boxes on the market nowadays that are cleaner, more efficient, and less of an eyesore for you and your cat. There’s the Omega Paw, CatGenie, ScoopFree, and, of course, Litter-Robot, brought to you by yours truly at Whisker.

We have carefully examined all of our direct competitors, and from a strictly technological and engineering perspective, we can tell you that Litter-Robot is a vastly superior product. It also happens to be the most aesthetically appealing product, but that’s just our humble opinion. When you’re looking into a litter box for your cat and your home, though, it’s got to conform to your sensibilities, your style and, not to be overlooked, your budget. Once you’ve factored all of these elements into your litter box equation, then you can decide if Litter-Robot is right for you.

How much is a Litter-Robot?

Litter-Robot price varies between $499 and $699 for the latest model with a 1-year warranty included. While you can go for cheaper models like Litter-Robot 3, it doesn't necessarily come with connectivity functionalities like Litter-Robot 3 Connect or Litter-Robot 4 so it's important to compare Litter-Robot models.

In addition, Litter-Robot regularly runs promotions on bundles or during Black Friday promotions

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Is Litter-Robot worth it?

Whether you check verified customer reviews, renowned publications, or Litter-Robot reviews on Reddit, the consensus is that, yes, Litter-Robot is well worth it

Litter-Robot is not a cheap, flimsy cat litter tray that you'll have to replace over and over again. Nor is it a mid-level automatic litter box that works optimally less than half the time (and forces you to buy custom, proprietary products for the life of the product).

Litter-Robot is built with appliance-quality materials because it IS a household appliance. Just like your dishwasher or oven and range, it's built to last years and years. It comes with a full warranty, so anything that might go wrong will be fixed. After the warranty expires, Whisker offers any part you might need to service Litter-Robot and will either fix it at our facility or teach you how to do it yourself. Just like you'd call a repairman for your dishwasher, you can call Whisker when your Litter-Robot is in need of repairs! Learn more about our Check out our WhiskerCare™ Warranty.

Where to buy Litter-Robot

Litter-Robot is now available both locally and internationally! Visit our international page to find all the countries we deliver to and our authorized resellers, or visit our official sites:

You can also find Litter-Robot near you with our local retailers including Best Buy, PetSmart, Hollywood Feed, Chewy, and Costco.

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