If you’re a cat lover, then you most likely consider your cat(s) to be a member of your family. Right on par with your spouse, children, parents, or siblings. As much as we love them, however, we don’t enjoy cleaning up the solid waste they leave behind.
Of course, your cat can be litter box trained so that they aren’t leaving you little surprises throughout your home, but that doesn’t mean you enjoy cleaning the litter box. Scooping chunks and globs of cat poop out and disposing of it is a chore no cat owner really likes.
The good news is that there is now such a thing as an automated litter box. In this article, we’ve created a list of the best ones on the market today. We’ll also talk about the benefits of automated litter boxes, and discuss how to select on that makes sense for you and your pet.
Hopefully, this list of the best automatic cat litter box for 2019 helps you find the right litter box for your cat and keeps you from having to clean up after it for the foreseeable future.
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Why Should You Get an Automated Cat Litter Box?
The actual process of cleaning out a litter box isn’t exactly difficult, but it’s also not the idea of fun either. I’m sure if given the time, you could create an inexhaustible list of things you would rather do than clean up your pet’s poop. In that regard, automated cat litter boxes are indispensable.
Not only do automatic litter boxes save on time, but they are also considered to be significantly more hygienic than cleaning by hand. For instance, if you’re cleaning a manual litter box by hand, then the feces stays in the litter box until someone comes and cleans the box out and changes the litter.
Of course, that doesn’t sound so bad on the surface, but remember that fecal matter is very unhygienic and consists of a great deal of bacteria. If the feces isn’t disposed of quickly, then you run the risk of your cat walking through it and tracking it throughout your house. Now you have fecal bacteria spreading throughout your home and living area.
It’s a good idea to get an automated cat litter box, for both you and your cat. It’ll save you time and the hassle of regularly cleaning, as well as help your home stay fresh and clean. Additionally, an automated cat litter box can increase your cat’s quality of life due to how hygienic it is.
Benefits of an Automated Litter Box
You want to consider purchasing a quality automated litter box, but why go with a self-cleaning one when you can purchase a cheap manual option? Here are a few reasons you might want to choose an automated cat litter box:
- Saves time and energy.
- Eliminates the hassle of cleaning the box regularly.
- Reduce the smell of an unclean litter box.
- Personal comfort and private area for your cat.
- Hygienic in nature.
- Works as a nice way to pamper your cat.
Things to Consider When Purchasing an Automated Litter Box
When you are ready to purchase an automated cat litter box, you’ll want to take a few things into consideration. First, you’ll want to make sure it’s the right thing to do for your cat. All cats and pets for that matter are different, so you want an automated litter box that fits the needs for yours.
Second, you’ll want to consider monetary restraints. What does your budget allow for? Can you afford the most expensive automated litter box available, or do you need to look for a cheaper alternative? These and other questions are ones you need to consider before you make a decision.
The last thing you want to consider is the location of the litter box. If you already have a cat, this may already be determined. But if you’re getting a new cat, then you’ll want to make sure the location is easy to access for your cat, and that it is a spot the cat can visit as frequently as needed.
Now that we’ve covered some of the reasons you might want to get an automated cat litter box let’s go ahead and take a look at the best automatic cat litter box for 2019.
Litter Robot III Open Air
The Litter Robot Open Air is a great automated litter box for your cat with all the bells and whistles. Its name is a bit misleading, as the device is tightly closed, limiting the chance that you’ll find litter on the floor around the box. The interior of the box is roomy, with no processing sounds inside. When you look at the Litter Robot III, you can tell it is a good, quality automated litter box.
In addition to the spacious interior, the Litter Robot III also offers cats an enlarged receptacle. An adjustable timer lets you set the cycle to clean when you want it to, and the box includes additional features like a night light, locking, and sleep mode.
Additionally, there is a light indicator which alerts you to a full waste container. Due to its size, the Litter Robot III is ideal for cats or nearly any size. The litter box checks in at 23.2 pounds, and measures 26.8 x 24.4 x 29.1 inches.
With the Litter Robot III, you’ll notice a reduction in odor emanating from the litter box, since it cleans itself after each use. No extra materials or supplies are needed to use it, and it’s small enough it can fit almost anywhere in your home and be out of the way.
Pros
- No manual scooping
- Good quality
- Spacious interior
- Tightly enclosed to reduce litter mess
- Noiseless
Cons
- Cost is higher than typical automated litter boxes
- Waste container fills up quickly
Litter Robot LRII
The predecessor to the Litter Robot III, the LR II is a self-cleaning litter box that reduces the smell of cat waste in your home. This box is great if you have more than one cat, and doesn’t require additional supplies or materials to get started. It’s interior is spacious, allowing your cat to relax and move around with ease.
Cleaning with the LRII only needs to be done a few times a week, which saves on time you would spend cleaning with a manual litter box. The automated litter box is easy to set up and use, and when it’s working correctly, waste is gathered in the drawer lined with a disposable bag.
This particular automated cat litter box weight 24.2 pounds, and measures 24 x 22 x 29 inches. One item to keep an eye on is that the system has been reported as getting stuck during its cleaning cycle. Otherwise, the LRII is an excellent solution for your pet litter box needs.
Pros
- Easy to maintain
- Durable and well-built
- Easy to setup
Cons
- System may get stuck during cleaning cycle
- Changing waste bag can be a challenge
Scoop Free
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The Scoop Free automated litter box is great for those that don’t like messing with changing the waste bags. This system does not require any type of maintenance for weeks at a time. ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box uses a litter that is in the form of crystals, which absorbs your cat’s waste and dehydrates it to eliminate odors.
Hygiene with the Scoop Free litter box is maintained with a leak-proof tray, and thanks to the covered trap on the litter box, you’ll never have to touch or see your cat’s waste.
One significant drawback of the Scoop Free is that the refill tray needs to be replaced at least every two weeks. While this is an easy way to dispose of your pet’s waste, it requires buying a new refill tray every time it’s time to clean. It’s easy to see how expensive this can be in over the long run.
Scoop Free measures 27.4 x 19 x 7 inches and boasts that it is five times more efficient than other automated cat litter boxes available on the market. It’s dust-free and self-cleaning, so if you don’t mind replacing the litter tray every few weeks, and spending the money to do so, the Scoop Free might be a good fit for you and your pet.
Pros
- Disposable litter tray
- Self-cleaning and dust-free
- Doesn’t require daily cleaning
Cons
- Higher cost compared to other automated litter boxes
- Continued expense of replacing litter trays
SmartScoop
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SmartScoop is a pretty well-known brand among cat enthusiasts and offers a great automatic unit that cleans up after your cat. The primary feature for the SmartScoop litter box is its trigger sensor, which helps with the cleaning process.
This version of SmartScoop includes a few upgrades in the deflector and rake area, which make the litter bost more efficient and effective. SmartScoop’s automated litter box does a great job of handling odor and keeping litter contained.
SmartScoop has a motion activation feature which begins cleaning roughly 15 minutes after your pet leaves the litter box area. Motion activation is a great feature to have. You don’t have to worry about when the waste will be cleaned since you know the timer starts after your cat leaves the litter box.
The SmartScoop automated cat litter box checks in at 13 pounds, and measures 26.5 x 16.9 x 7.6 inches. After waste is cleaned up and collected, it is shifted to a waste tray area. Once that process completes, then the waste system returns to its original position.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Improved features and design
- Quiet operation
- Spacious interior
Cons
- Issues have been reported with raking and scooping process
LitterMaid LM580
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One of the more durable and sturdy options on the list, the LitterMaid LM580 offers an automated litter box with a strong drive mechanism. High side walls on the litter box helps to keep litter contained.
You’ll get a removable rake with the LM580, which serves to help keep the litter box clean. There is a safety bar on the litter box, which helps to stop the rake, which prevents any issue occurring with blockage. The LM850 is designed with single cat households in mind.
The LM580 does a great job of eliminating odors and keep your home smelling clean and fresh. Included with the device are a removable rake, four sealed waste trays, four carbon filters, and a removable litter tray.
The LitterMaid LM580 weighs 12.7 pounds and measures 17.2 x 9.3 x 24.3 inches. This automated litter box lets you use either is automatic feature, or if you prefer, you can do the cleaning yourself. If you do opt for the automated functionality, you’ll need 8 AA batteries to run the system.
Pros
- Easy maintenance
- Fits into small spaces
- High side walls to prevent litter scattering
- Quiet operation
Cons
- Not very sturdy
- Doesn’t provide the features other automated boxes offer
PetZone Smart Scoop
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The PetZone Smart Scoop might be the strongest and most rugged automated litter box on this list. It consists of strong metal gears with a powerful motor, and a sturdy box that can take a beating and keep on trucking along.
Any clumping litter should work fine with the PetZone Smart Scoop, and when the box performs a cleaning, it keeps the unused litter in the tray. This automated litter box is quiet and provides a month’s worth of plastic bags with the unit.
PetZone’s Smart Scoop is easy to take apart and maintain, and also provides a good clean, box that keeps your house hygienic. You won’t go through a lot of litter, since this automated litter box makes good use of clean litter, and doesn’t require crystal litters like some other automated boxes do.
The Smart Scoop litter box is 26.5 x 16.9 x 7.6 inches and weighs 9.3 pounds. This automated litter box does a great job of controlling odor and provides a great experience for your cat.
Pros
- Noiseless operation
- Compatible with any clumping litter
- Easy to use and clean
- Efficient and effective design
Cons
- A little more expensive than other units
ScoopFree Ultra
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ScoopFree Ultra is another automated litter box that lets the litter crystals do the hard work. When your cat gets done using the litter box, the crystals absorb the moisture of the waste and traps the odor. Then the waste is removed by the litter box through the raking system. ScoopFree includes a leak-proof lining, so it takes little effort to clean it.
The ScoopFree Ultra is quiet while the litter box is going through its cleaning cycle, and handling the waste is easy and straightforward. You do need to replace the litter tray regularly; however it’s a simple process. This automated cleaning cat litter box is a great investment, and your cats are sure to love it.
This litter box comes with a rake, and a timer setting included. If the unit senses that your cat has hopped into the litter box, it’ll reset the timer before it cleans again. The SccopFree weighs 19.6 pounds and measures 28.5 x 20.5 x 11.5 inches. It’s not the smallest automated cat litter box available, but it gets the job done.
Pros
- Hassle-free waste disposal
- Noiseless operation
- Good price for system
Cons
- Trays need to be regularly replaced
- Replacement parts are expensive
CatGenie Self-Washing/Self-Flushing Cat Box
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For this automated cat litter box, you’ll need to hook it up to both a cold water line and a water drain system. You get everything you need with it, which helps eliminate some of the worry about setup; however you’re still messing with your water which can be messy if things don’t go the way they should.
This litter box works a little differently than other automated systems as this one doesn’t replace the litter, it just flushes it down the drain. Literally. After your cat uses the litter box, the system within washes the litter. As a result, you don’t have to clean or touch the litter box. The CatGenie washes away the old litter, cleans it out, then dries up the box, making it ready to go for the next visit.
The CatGenie is a little heavier, checking in at 26 pounds, and measures 24.5 x 19.2 x 21 inches. You’ll use litter that consists of permanent granules which are reusable, dust-free, and washable, and the internal cartridges are environmentally friendly. There’s not much else to say about this unique automated litter box, other than your cat is sure to love it.
Pros
- Quiet operation
- Reusable litter
- Environmentally friendly cartridge
- Two-year product warranty
Cons
- Expensive when compared with other litter boxes
Conclusion
So there you have a good list of the best automated cat litter boxes for 2019. As you can see they come in all shapes and sizes, and offer a variety of features. If you’re considering an automated litter box, it’s a good investment to make to avoid the mess and smell of cleaning up after your pet regularly.
Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which automated litter box you select, but hopefully, the information contained within this article has helped you make a well-informed decision. Finding the right automated cat litter box will not only benefit you but your cat, and your cat’s health, as well.
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