The lengths we go to in order to ensure our pets’ comfort are often extreme. From investing in luxury cat beds and scratching posts, to buying gourmet pet food subscriptions – there’s simply nothing we won’t do to ensure our furry friends are living lavishly.
However, there are a variety of ways in which we can improve our precious pet’s lifestyle while also making our own day-to-day lives a whole lot easier. Though it requires a hefty investment, there’s nothing more luxurious for felines and pet parents alike than a self-cleaning litter box.
The Japanese toilet of the pet world, these high-tech devices offer odourless automation to do the unpleasant clean-up for you. Though expensive, the payoff is simply priceless. Not only will you no longer be alerted to a full litter box by foul smells permeating from a lidless, plastic loo, but when the time rolls around for you to empty said litter box, the fuss and mess are sorted by a brilliant semi-automatic device.
What should I look for in a self-cleaning litter box?
- Odour control: First and foremost, a self-cleaning litter box won’t feel luxurious unless it truly masks the smell of your cat’s business. Odour control is usually achieved through scented cat litter which simultaneously blocks bad smells from spreading and provides a delightful scent boost.
- User-friendliness: There’s no point in purchasing an expensive self-cleaning litter box if it’s a pain to use.
- Additional features: Some self-cleaning litter boxes are equipped with high-tech companion apps that help you to keep track of your cat’s movements – a particularly useful feature for senior and chronically ill felines.
Without further apoo, we’ve rounded up a selection of the best automatic and self-cleaning litter boxes on the market. Keep scrolling to treat your cat to the finest of lavatorial accessories.
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Litter-Robot 4 Beginner Bundle
The ultimate luxury for any cat owner, the Litter-Robot 4 is a viral sensation that is set to make both you and your kittens feel like royalty. Though rather strange looking, this automatic litter box’s motto is ‘never scoop again’, which we think makes the futuristic machine incredibly appealing.
Its patented sifting process is designed to almost noiselessly separate waste from clean litter while delivering maximum odour control thanks to a specially designed system, which neutralises foul smells thanks to its sealed waste drawer and carbon filter. This bundle also comes with OdourTrap packs to further reduce smells, as well as a brilliant litter trap mat to prevent your cat from tracking dust in and out of the Litter-Robot.
Not only is the Litter-Robot 4 suitable for cats of all shapes and sizes, but it can accommodate up to four cats – thus removing the need for multiple, clutter-making litter boxes. Perhaps our favourite additional, innovative feature is the pet monitoring system, which tracks your cat’s weight and bathroom usage – delivering alerts when things might not be running as smoothly as they should.
The Litter-Robot 4 is additionally equipped with a handy built-in step drawer which does so much more than help your kitty get into the device. The grated design ensures that any litter dust falls into the easily removable drawer to further ensure that your home remains paw print-free.
Available in black and white hues to suit your interior aesthetic, you simply can’t go wrong with this brilliant piece of pet tech.
Buy now £849.00, Amazon
Petkit Self Cleaning Cat Litter Tray
Designed for use with any traditional clumping cat litter, trade in your old lidless option for this high-tech pro without losing out on your bulk-bought litter from last Black Friday. This brilliant value option comes with a roll of litter liners, a cat litter catcher pad, a power adapter and purifying liquid – which helps to reduce any lingering odour.
This option from Petkit is also suitable for cats weighing up to 8kg, with a maximum cat litter capacity of 5 litres – enough to hold up to 15 days of waste in the enclosed, odour-trapping bin. Inside the machine, 12 inbuilt sensors prevent the auto-clean cycle from occurring before your cat has finished their business – even if you opt for the scheduled self-cleaning option.
The companion app uploads important statistics regarding your cat’s welfare in real-time, allowing you to check in on your feline’s weight, movements, duration of use and the litter capacity of the machine.
Depending on how many cats you own, you could opt for the equally as futuristic, extra-large self-cleaning litter box from Petkit for just £40 more.
Buy now £439.99, Amazon
Charmkit Self Cleaning Cat Litter Tray
A rather unique-looking option, Charmkit’s self-cleaning litter box scores highly on safety features. Self-cleaning only occurs after the door has closed, and the door remains closed during the cycle. Like the Petkit option, this machine also has handy weight sensors that will prevent any self-cleaning movement from occurring while your feline friend is inside.
Charmkit’s automatic tray additionally has a camera installed inside. Bear with us, for this isn’t as bizarre as it sounds. Video surveillance helps the companion app to track movement and regularity, while also allowing you to track your cat’s regularity while you’re away from home – a particularly useful feature if you’re concerned about an unwell kitty. What’s more, you can remotely control important features via the companion app such as cleaning, litter levelling, litter replacing and air refreshing.
Multi-cat recognition ensures that this machine can recognise up to ten different cats based on their weight. You can also edit each feline’s information including their name, gender, birthday and even input a little picture of them – making this a brilliant option for those who foster cats.
Buy now £399.99, Amazon
PetSafe ScoopFree Covered Self-Cleaning Litter Box
A slightly different silhouette to the modern self-cleaning litter box that we’ve seen thus far, the PetSafe ScoopFree works best with its compatible low-tracking crystal litter – which is 99 per cent dust-free and doesn’t stick to your cat’s paws. This device features an automatic rake action, dehydrates the waste and offers five times better odour control than a standard litter box. Ideal for smaller homes, this box measures just 20.4 x 11.7 x 28 cm and stores waste without the smell for up to 30 days.
Buy now £241.59, Amazon
PetSnowy Self Cleaning Cat Litter Tray
Perhaps the best-looking, futuristic self-cleaning litter box we’ve come across, the PetSnowy tray promises to handle the dirty work for you. Featuring an anti-tracking walkway and a patented packing design which keeps waste easy to dispose of, this stylish option certainly won’t be an eyesore in your home.
While self-cleaning litter boxes are brilliant, that doesn’t mean you don’t need to give them a good old deep clean every once in a while. This option, however, is equipped with a magnetic assembly design – making it easier than ever to deep clean and re-assemble in no time.
Buy now £699.99, Amazon
Pullnscoop Cat Litter Box
Value-for-money and suitable for big and multi-cat families, this litter box offers a ‘Pullnscoop’ function which takes the labour out of daily scooping. All that is required of cat parents is a simple pulling of the lever, and the box will do the rest of the work for you – separating waste into the odour-busting receptacles below. Your first purchase includes four disposable waste receptacles and the box works with the majority of cat litter options.
Buy now £169.00, Pullnscoop
