The Best Self Cleaning Litter Boxes of 2024

Your adorable feline deserves the absolute best cat toys, beds, and collars money can buy, and providing a litter box that automatically cleans itself up after they use it doesn’t just ensure that your kitty has a pristine cat box every time they need to take care of business, it helps to cut down on your daily chore list too. Imagine how nice it would be to come home to an odorless home, with the health benefits of your cat’s always-clean box, and the simplicity of emptying a tidy waste collection bin once a week, and you’ll understand why a self-cleaning litter box is worth looking into.

As helpful and hygienic as these robotic litter boxes are, they are far more expensive than the plastic tray you and your cat are likely used to, and it would be a bummer to be stuck with an underwhelming model for the price of admission. That’s why we personally tested the best-reviewed self-cleaning litter boxes alongside our own furry little test subjects, while rating them across multiple categories including odor control, noise level, convenience, and of course, how our feline friends felt about each model. We put everything from advanced web-connected models to relatively simple, yet reliable clump-rakers through their paces to find the top robotic cat boxes on the market.

The top self-cleaning litter boxes

There are a great number of self-cleaning litter boxes on the market, but we narrowed down the list to our top picks so you can find the best fit for your household.

What to consider when buying a self-cleaning litter box

There are a few key essentials when it comes to choosing the best self-cleaning litter box. Keep the following in mind as you’re making your selection.

Size and capacity

Larger cats will need a bigger self-cleaning litter box to comfortably accommodate them, and it may be best for tiny kittens and senior cats to use a lower-lying traditional model for easier entry and exiting.

Since multi-level and multi-cat homes will likely need several cat boxes to make potty time as stress-free for your felines, self-cleaning models can get expensive quickly.

Smart features

Some key technological features to look for to make cleanup a snap include smartphone-connectivity, so you receive alerts when the litter is low or the waste storage bin needs to be emptied. You can also look for some type of companion app that collects and displays data on your cat ranging from their weight to how often they go, and an extra-quiet cleaning cycle so you aren’t disturbed when it activates at 3 a.m.

Litter compatibility

Most self-cleaning litter boxes are designed to be used with clumping and odor-absorbing clay-based litters. These advanced cat boxes are rarely compatible with wood-based and non-clumping litter types, and some specifically require specialized kitty litter, so keep that in mind when comparing models.

Money-back guarantees

The best self-cleaning litter boxes offer gracious trial periods with a money-back guarantee to ensure that you and your cat are happy with it. This becomes even more important when you consider these robotic helpers can easily cost between $200 and upwards of $600 for a premium edition.

How we tested and selected the best self cleaning litter boxes

To find the best self-cleaning litter boxes on the market, we spent a long time researching big and small pet brands, their offerings, and user reviews online, while testing the most promising robotic cat boxes for usability, convenience, and general satisfaction. In addition to considering each product’s overall value, we knew it was essential to take into account how our feline co-testers seemed to like or dislike each self-cleaning litter box.

How do self-cleaning litter boxes work?

Although the exact process differs slightly from model to model, most self-cleaning litter boxes are lined with fine clay-based litter and are equipped with a motion sensor that detects when a cat enters, as well as a timer that activates after a set time when the cat exits.

This process turns on the cleaning mechanism, which separates waste and litter clumps into a contained bin. The cleaning mechanism and its sound level varies been self-cleaning litter boxes, however a robot arm that rakes across the litter box to collect waste and a rolling “cement mixer” design that effectively sifts poop away from the clean litter are the most common options.

Where does the waste go in a self-cleaning litter box?

The vast majority of self-cleaning litter boxes feature a chamber that stores clumps of litter and waste. Many cat owners prefer to line this waste bin with a bag to easily pull out and throw away the entire compartment’s contents all at once while keeping the bin clean.

Some internet-connected models will send a notification to your smart device when this waste receptacle needs to be emptied, however cat owners will less advanced models will have to learn how often to clean out this container by paying attention to their cat’s bathroom habits.

Is it worth buying a self cleaning litter box?

No one enjoys leaning over a smelly cat box to sift out waste by hand, so a quality self-cleaning litter box is well-worth the investment for keeping a hygienic home and reducing one of your smelliest daily chores. The only caveat is that we highly recommend buying a high-end self-cleaning litter box, because especially inexpensive models tend not to last nearly as long, and they don’t include handy features found in pricier cat boxes such as smart phone functionality or premium odor control.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Do you need special litter for the Litter-Robot?

No. Any clumping clay litter will work with the Litter-Robot, but premium litter works even better when filtered through its screen.

However, the Litter-Robot will not work with wood pellet, non-clumping, or paper-based litter varieties.

Is it OK to scoop a litter box once a week?

No. It’s recommended that you should scoop your cat’s litter box once or twice a day, for your cat’s health and to prevent ammonia and feces odors from accumulating in your home.

The good news is that self-cleaning litter boxes do the dirty work for you and although their waste-collection containers will need to be emptied on a weekly basis to keep the machine working at peak efficiency, they are much easier to maintain than a traditional cat box.

Can two cats share one self-cleaning litter box?

As long as the manufacturer notes that it was designed for multiple cats.

It is best to keep at least one traditional litter box in your home per cat just in case both need to go at the same time and don’t plan on sharing, however premium self-cleaning litter boxes like the Litter Robot 4 and Litter Robot 3 were designed for up to four cats per unit. If you need additional litter boxes, spread them evenly around your home and across multiple levels to prevent accidents and discourage bad behavior like seeking other places like a closet or under a bed to do their business.

Do automatic litter boxes smell?

Although many automatic litter boxes excel at trapping cat waste odors in sealed containers and there are many odor-reducing clumping litter brands available that will help to minimize the aroma, there isn’t a model on the market that is capable of completely eliminating cat box smells.