10 Best Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Boxes To Buy In 2023
Calling all cat parents who would much rather not be face-to-face with excrement – we’d like to introduce you to the best odour-reducing and self-cleaning litter boxes that will have you ditching the dirty work in no time.
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If you’re here, you’ve clearly had enough of juggling plastic liners, dirty scoops and litter spillage, and are in dire need of a solution. Whether you prioritise a litter tray that will create distance between you and your cat’s waste or a litter box that will trap odours and keep your home smelling fresh (or at least not smelling of excrement), behold our round up of the best self-cleaning and odour-reducing cat litter boxes recommended by pet owners.
WHAT ARE SELF-CLEANING LITTER BOXES?
Self-cleaning litter boxes are designed to remove the need for scooping your cat’s waste from the tray yourself. Instead, these automatic litter boxes will move waste to a separate receptacle which can easily be removed when it’s time to replace the litter. Certain models may also have odour-minimising features.
BEST SELF-CLEANING LITTER BOXES
Litter Robot III Self Cleaning Automatic Litter Box, $895 at Lucky Pet
If you’re down to spend a little more for your furry friend, this self-cleaning litter box by Litter Robot is an excellent choice. It uses special sensors and allows you to automate cleaning after each use. Designed to remove waste, it is compatible with clumping litter and it automatically separates/disposes of clumps after your cat exits the box, the waste then rolls into the carbon-filtered drawer for easy removal.
It leaves a clean bed of litter after each use to help reduce bad odour and ensure clean paws. Not to mention, it is suitable for multiple cats and territorial cats. The waste drawer has an indicator to remind you to empty it, an adjustable time cycle with three time delay options – three, seven or 15 minutes, eight hour sleep mode to pause automatic cycling and an automatic night light for night time use.
With over 6,000 five star reviews on the Litter Robot website, one five star rater wrote: “I can’t say enough good things about this product. I bought one for my daughter who has two cats and one for myself with my one cat. We both love it. No smell, No scooping, and attractive if in a visible area. I highly recommend the litter robot.”
“This thing is a Godsend... it took a little while for my cats to get use to it but now I don’t know how I lived without it. It’s simply just wonderful,” another wrote.
Petree Self Cleaning Cat Litter Box, $599.95 at Amazon Australia
A cat litter box never looked so cute. Compatible with all kinds of clumping litter, this self cleaning litter box offers your cat a safe potty experience thanks to it’s gravity sensors which detect when your cat is inside and a sifting system that removes waste when your cat leaves. Not to mention, it is Wi-Fi enabled, whisper quiet and keeps the room odour free.
It has a 4.1 out of five-star rating with one five-star rater writing: “I was reluctant to spend the money on a cat litter tray, but the reviews convinced me and I’m so glad that I did. Within seconds of filling the litter tray, my cat jumped in and did a poo and I didn’t have to do a thing. It’s slow to turn, but that means it doesn’t make a mess. I haven’t bothered with the app. The litter fill line is hard to see, but I just used a permanent marker to go over it as soon as I put it together so it’s fine. I would recommend this to anyone with indoor cats.”
Catlink Scooper Self Clean Smart Cat Litter Box, $539 at Pet Circle
This smart self-cleaning litter box by Catlink features a protection system with four gravity sensors – no cleaning will occur while the cat is inside, cleaning stops if the cat approaches and self-cleaning will only begin when the cat leaves the machine. It has four modes: auto mode, manual mode, timer mode and empty mode, and a panel lock allowing you to securely lock it in place – making it safe for kids at home.
One five star rater wrote, “It’s been a game changer in providing a clean bed of litter for my cats EACH time they use the box. Love it!”
PetSafe Scoopfree Litter Box, $217.35 (down from $247.25) at Amazon Australia
Featuring a streamlined design that will suit every household, this automatic litter box enables you to leave it alone to its devices for 20 to 30 days(!). Whenever your cat uses the litter box, a mechanism rakes the waste five, 10 or 20 minutes later (you decide) into a disposable litter tray that can’t be seen or smelled by you. If there is only one cat in your home, you won’t have to think of replacing the tray for weeks at a time, making this a winner in our book.
It’s racked up well over 70 five-star reviews on Amazon with one five-star rater commenting on how it’s “easy to set up and works like a dream … No odour and no mess to see each time you walk past.”
Petsafe Simply Clean Automatic Litter Box, $273 at PETstock
This one has to get top prize for most innovative way of self-cleaning. Containing a replaceable carbon filter to minimise odour for up to a month, this automatic cat cleaner sifts out soiled litter and waste in a circular motion, every 30 minutes. Whisper-quiet and fitted with an LED light to alert owners to its operation, it's a great product for households looking for a continually self-cleaning model.
WHAT ARE ODOUR-NEUTRALISING LITTER BOXES?
Odour-neutralising cat litter boxes are designed to prevent the smells from waste permeating your home. Often fitted with lids, carbon filters or both, they are especially useful purchases for pet owners in enclosed spaces with little ventilation.
BEST ODOUR-NEUTRALISING LITTER BOXES
Catit Deluxe Hooded Cat Litter Box, $61.34 (down from $81.79) at PetCulture
This litter box by CatIt is sure to keep the litter and odour at bay thanks to it’s detachable hooded design. It features a built-in bag anchor for easy cleaning and hands free scooping, carbon cartridges (goodbye bad odours!) and a top handle for convenient transporting.
Made of durable plastic, this litter box boasts a 4.6 out of five star rating on Google with one reviewer writing: “I wish I knew about this litter box when I first got my cat. We got this one since it would fit in the large car carrier for travel, and it’s been perfect. The doors help keep smells contained, and my Bengal has no trouble getting in and out. The bottom has higher sides than my other litter boxes, so it helps keep any pee that gets on the sides contained. I’ve had no issues with leakage, and we’ve been able to take it into hotels and family houses with no issues.”
Mlorine Cat Litter Box, $59.99 (down from $67.99) at Amazon Australia
Described as being “perfect”, “convenient” and “easy to use”, the cat litter box from Mlorine ensures your cat’s litter is kept contained and not all over your floors.
The unique design means that when your cat goes in to do its business, the litter will fall straight into the litter box. And then the front door closes on its own, so you won’t have to worry about a nasty smell wafting throughout your home. The detachable tray can also be removed with ease, so you shouldn’t have a problem with cleaning it.
Currently hailed as the number one bestseller in the ‘cat litter boxes’ category on Amazon, one five star rater wrote: “We used an open litter box before, this helps a lot with not having litter or worse around the house. The fact that the cat needs to leave through the top is a clever trick.”
Ezi-LockOdour Dual Layer Cat Litter System, $95.99 (down from $119.99) at Pet House
The beauty of this litter system is in its accompanying litter pellets. Natural mineral pellets with micropores dehydrate moisture, yet allow for liquid to seep to the absorbent pad below. Best thing about this method of odour-minimisation? You only need to change the pellets once a month and the absorbent pad weekly. Your purchase comes with a single bag of litter pellets but you can stock up on more here.
Sitting at an impressive 4.9 out of five star rating, one five star reviewer praised it for being “no smell, no fuss”.
“I took a few weeks thinking about purchasing this product as it sounded too good to be what it promised. I needn’t have worried! It’s exactly as it promises, no smell, no fuss, so much easier and economical changing the pads weekly and the litter monthly. Our little man, Chief, had no hassles going from his old litter tray to his new one which was also a plus. Absolutely highly recommend this product,” they wrote.
Mayitwill XL Castle 2-in-1 Front-Entry Litter Box, $169 at Catch
Hands down, this Mayitwill model gets the nod for most attractive of all cat litter boxes we’ve encountered. Its tower-like design provides privacy, while the removable tray easily catches waste for ease of cleaning. To top it off, a rest area has been crafted on top of the litter box, making this choice a brilliant use of the floor space you sacrifice.
Freshco Corner Hooded Cat Litter Box – L, $63.99 (down from $79.99) at Petbarn
Thoughtfully designed to prevent litter spills and control odour, this hooded litter box fits perfectly in nooks and corners. In addition to providing privacy for your furry friend, this litter box has been designed with a carbon filter to reduce odours, a handle for easy carrying and clips on the side to secure or detach the hood for easy cleaning.
WHAT KIND OF LITTER BOX SHOULD I BUY MY CAT?
Cat’s are incredibly finicky and will make it known if they don’t like something. Generally, the litter box you buy your cat should suit their size, however, some small cats may like big litter boxes, some big cats may like small litter boxes and vice versa. It truly depends on your cat and it may take some trial and error to find the perfect litterbox that your cat will like.
- If your cat is a ‘sprayer’, high or side-urinator and/or a ‘kicker’ of litter, you’ll most likely want a hooded litterbox with tall sides to prevent any leakage or spillage.
- If your cat is a bit of a scaredy-cat, an automatic self-cleaning litter box may not be a great choice as they could get spooked by the sudden movement or noise. A hooded litter box with a door may not be great either as the idea of pushing through the door may scare them – however, many hooded litter boxes do have detachable doors.
- If you’ve got a young kitten or a cat with arthritis or other mobility issues, a litter box with one super low side may be ideal for ease of access while still keeping the litter in.
TYPES OF CAT LITTER
There is a variety of litter options available based on consistency, clumping ability and scent, so it may be difficult deciding which one is perfect for your feline friend. Just like litter boxes, litter itself depends on your cat and their preference, so it may take some trial and error.
- Clumping litter absorbs moisture quickly and requires you to scoop and remove the urine clumps and faeces while the rest of the litter remains dry and clean.
- Non-clumping litter typically absorbs moisture slowly and requires you to scoop out the faeces and change the entirety of the litter when urine is absorbed.
TYPES OF CAT LITTER STYLES
- Clay Litter is a popular choice for many cat owners due to the fact that it is easy to come by. There are low dust and dust-free options as well as scented or unscented options, and the litter turns into a soft, wet cement-like texture when urine is absorbed. It is available in a clumping and non-clumping option, and is not environmentally friendly.
- Crystal Litter is a non-clumping litter option that is more expensive. It is made from clear silica gel and is absorbent, long-lasting and offers odour control. However, crystal litter can become very saturated and cause urine to pool in the litter box.
- Paper Litter is an environmentally friendly non-clumping litter option. It is made from recycled paper and is completely biodegradable, and it provides good absorbency with natural odour control.
- Natural Litter is typically grain-based and made from corn, wheat, pine and more. It is lightweight, biodegradable and super absorbent with natural odour control.
MORE PET ACCESSORIES FOR CATS
If your place is also home to a dog or two (in which case, much kudos to you), you’ll want to check out our roundup of harnesses to keep your dog comfortable and safe, and the best leather collars to express your pup’s personality.
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Originally published as 10 best self-cleaning cat litter boxes to buy in 2023
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