This Self-Cleaning Litter Box Makes My Cats Feel Like Royalty
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If there is one drawback to being a cat person, it is inarguably having a litter box. Cat owners must cope with the constant low-level anxiety of your entire home potentially smelling like a feline porta-potty (because, well, that's what it is). So when I adopted two eight-week-old kittens deep into 2020, the first order of business was to find an answer to the litter box problem. A friend who was decamping across the country offered a quick solution: Litter-Robot. We inherited her old model and quickly became free advertisers for the self-cleaning box that neatly deposits used litter (and other nasties) into a plastic bag-lined drawer that only needed to be taken out once a week or so. But after a couple of years, we were in need of an upgrade and it was time to try out the Litter-Robot 4. If I was a fan of the Litter-Robot before, I am downright fanatical about it now.
Not only does it scoop litter automatically, but it comes with an app that tells you when it is time to empty the drawer, if more litter is needed, and even how often your cat is using it. The design is sleek and easy to tuck into a corner where it won't draw attention—I've had house guests ask where the litter box is after staying with us for several days and they are shocked to find out they've been five feet away from it the whole time. The only downside? The Litter-Robot 4 costs a cool $649, which means your cat will most likely have a more expensive toilet than you do. Once you've made the investment, however, I promise you won't mind that bit.
Order and Delivery
The Litter-Robot website does a great job of breaking down the features of the Litter-Robot 4 and is upfront that shipping is currently running around 7 to 9 weeks. If you are on the fence, it comes with a 90-day free trial and one-year warranty (but trust me, after three months of no litter duty, you won't go back).
How to Assemble the Litter-Robot 4
The litter box arrives ready to go, simply snap on the step, plug it in, and follow the directions to connect the box to the Whisker app. And don't forget to add the litter! Just pour in until the litter is level with the line around the bottom of the base and you are good to go. Some cats may need an adjustment period, which is outlined on the Litter-Robot website. Mine hopped in and got to business immediately. They know luxury when they see it.
How Does it Work?
The Litter-Robot 4 has a circular bonnet that sits on top of a drawer—about the same footprint as your standard litter box. A weight sensor knows when your cat has been inside and that bonnet will rotate, sifting the litter through a grate and emptying all the clumps inside the drawer, which is lined with a plastic bag (bag replacements are ordered through the Litter-Robot site). It then goes back to its ready position as a clean litter box. Those same weight sensors ensure that it won't start rotating with your cat inside; even if the cat tries to jump in mid-cycle, it will automatically stop so kitty doesn't end up riding the tilt-a-whirl.
My Takeaway
Honestly, if never scooping a litter box and having a pristine-smelling home doesn't appeal to you, then I don't know what to say. My cats do still track litter throughout the house, but at least I know it is clean litter versus, uh, used. It is an investment to be sure, but considering cats don't really need much else in the way of splurge items (a cheapie scratch post, a throw blanket that was once yours but is now definitely theirs, and a cardboard box ought to cover it), it is one well-worth making.
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