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Automatic Self Cleaning cat litter trays are lifesavers.
Constantly cleaning cat litter trays is an absolute nightmare! Growing up in my mother’s house we had a garden, and the cats just went off to do their thing and that was the end of that. However, now living in a flat it’s a completely different story. And let me tell you, automatic self-cleaning cat litter trays are the future!!
If you have an indoor cat or a cat that uses a litter tray you will understand my pain when it comes to finding the perfect automatic self-cleaning cat litter tray.
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Here are the Top 5 Automatic Self Cleaning Litter Trays.
- Litter-Robot III Open-Air
- Omega Paw Self-Cleaning Litter Box
- PetSafe Simply Clean Self-Cleaning Automatic Cat Litter Box
- CatGenie Self Washing Self Flushing Cat Litter Box
- PetSafe ScoopFree Ultra
You may also be interested in our article on The BEST Non- Tracking Cat Litter
Why Are Automatic Litter Trays So Good?
For me, there was nothing worse than coming home from a day at work to a full litter tray! Having an automatic litter tray eliminates that problem as the waste has been moved, either completely or out of the way so there is no odour.
They are also life-changing for people who have mobility issues and do not wish to strain multiple times a day cleaning out traditional litter trays.
#1 – Litter-Robot III Open-Air
The Litter-Robot III Open-Air is the creme de la creme of automatic self-cleaning litter trays. It sifts clumps and wastes out of the litter seven minutes after a cat uses it and drops the waste into a receptacle drawer for easy disposal.
Reasons To Love:
- Automatic Self Cleaning -The sensor will tell the litter tray when it is time to rake the waste. There is no need to manually turn on the cleaning process.
- Health Tracker – The health counter tracks how many times the Litterbox has been used. This feature is incredibly useful to help identify possible health problems with your cat.
- Reduced Cleaning Days– Lasts up to 30 days before needing to be emptied.
- Reduced Odours – The carbon filters to help remove odours from your property.
- Easy Access – It has a large ergonomic entry so the cats can get in and out with ease.
- Warranty – They come with 24 months on the machines which will give you peace of mind.
- Suitable for Large Cats – It is suitable for multi-cat households and households with large cats.
- Design – The futuristic look of the litter box doesn’t create an eyesore in the home.
Things to Consider:
- Location – The litter box can only be placed somewhere that has a plug socket.
- Costs– This litter box is expensive.
- Space – This is a large litter box and will need a large enough space to place it.
#2 – Omega Paw Self-Cleaning Litter Box
The Omega Paw Self-Cleaning Litter Box is the most affordable option in our list. This unique and innovative self-cleaning litter box is very easy to use. It requires no electricity, expensive filters or liners. The unique patented grate inside the Roll ‘n Clean scoops out the clumped waste depositing it into the pull-out tray.
Reasons To Love:
- It is super easy to use– simply roll the box over to collect the waste in a separate compartment.
- Affordable – The cost is only slightly more than a regular box.
- Low Running Costs– It does not require any electricity to run.
- Versatile – It can be placed anywhere in the property as it does not need to be near a plug socket.
- Large Space – Suitable for larger cats.
Things to Consider:
- Not Self-Cleaning -You still have to physically roll the litter tray when your cat has done its business.
#3 – PetSafe Simply Clean Self-Cleaning Automatic Cat Litter Box
The Petsale Simply Clean self-cleaning litter tray works by a slow-moving conveyor system sifts the litter and removes waste. Waste is carried off to the covered bin, keeping it out of sight while reducing odour.
Reasons To Love:
- Self Cleaning -The bowl rotates and sifts clumps from the litter
- Clumping Litter – There is no need to buy expensive specialised litter.
- Quiet -The motor is quiet, making it easy to forget about your cat’s litter box
- Reduced Odours – The tray has a carbon filter to reduce odours.
- Easy to Clean – Waste bin can be lined with recycled plastic shopping bags or nothing at all for an eco-friendly, scoop-free clean-up
Things to Consider:
- No Sensor– There is no sensor on the machine, it cleans by constant rotation.
- Location Of Litter Tray– This litter tray needs to be near a plug socket.
#4 – CatGenie Self Washing Self Flushing Cat Litter Box
The CatGenie Self Washing Litter Box is my personal favourite, however, due to the location requirements, I can not have it in my property. The litter box automatically flushes waste away and washes the unique litter clean.
Reasons To Love:
- Self Cleaning -The bowl rotates and sifts clumps from the litter
- Eco Friendly– The litter box has reusable litter.
- Reduced Odours – The litterbox completely removes waste and cleans the litter every cycle.
- Completely Self-Cleaning – There is no waste to ever remove as it is flushed away.
Things to Consider:
- Location – The litter box can only be placed somewhere that has a water waste pipe and electricity which means it might not be suitable for some homes.
- Size – The unit is fairly large.
#5 – PetSafe ScoopFree Ultra
The PetSafe ScoopFree Litter Box automatically removes waste into a discreet, concealed area without the need to be handled.
Reasons To Love:
- Self Cleaning -The sensor will tell the litter tray when it is time to rake the waste.
- Health Tracker – The health counter tracks how many times the Litterbox has been used to help identify possible health problems with your cat.
- Reduced Cleaning Days– Lasts up to 30 days (in a single cat household) before needing to be cleaned.
- Reduced Odours – The litterbox uses absorbing crystals to help remove odours.
Things to Consider:
- Location – The litter box can only be placed somewhere that has a plug socket.
- On-Going Costs– The replacement trays are quite expensive.
What Is A Automatic Self Cleaning Cat Litter Tray?
Automatic self-cleaning cat litter trays are exactly what you think, they are litter trays that require very minimal human effort to keep clean.
They differ depending on the brand and the style of the litter tray. In a nutshell, they detect when your kitty has used the litter box and remove the waste from the litter tray. This keeps the litter tray clean and fresh which is not only good for your home but your cat will also appreciate using a clean litter tray every time they have to go.
You may also be interested in our article on Why are Cat Owners Switching to Raised Cat Bowls?
Different Types Of Automatic Self Cleaning Cat Litter Trays
The majority of Automatic Self Cleaning Cat Litter Trays require clumping litter to work. From Our list, these include Omega Paw Self-Cleaning Litter Box, PetSafe Simply Clean Self-Cleaning Automatic Cat Litter Box, and Litter-Robot III Open-Air. The clumped litter is moved from the main litter tray area into a sealed compartment until it needs to be emptied.
The Litter-Robot and Omega Paw, achieve this by rotating the litter tray on its side to sieve the clean litter from the clumped litter. The used clumped litter then rolls into a sealed area.
The PetSafe ScoopFree Ultra uses a rake mechanism to remove the cat poop from the litter tray. Instead of clumping litter, it uses crystal litter. They claim the crystals are better at absorbing odours from urine.
The PetSafe Simply Clean Self-Cleaning Automatic Cat Litter Box has a constant rotating belt that drops off any clumped litter and cat poop into a sealed compartment.
The CatGenie Self Washing Self Flushing Cat Litter Box is very unique due to it using reusable litter that is washed and cleaned during each cycle. This litter tray acts more like a toilet than a litter tray. All the cats waste is removed from the litter tray to the waste pipe. It is the most automatic out of all the litter boxes because the owner NEVER has to go near cat poop again (woohoo).
What Are The Benefits of Automatic Self Cleaning Cat Litter Trays?
The benefits of automatic self-cleaning cat litter trays will depend on your individual needs.
For me, it was knowing that Owlie’s litter tray would always be clean for her to use. She is a fussy girl and will find other alternatives to a litter tray if her litter tray has been used. Coming home to a used litter tray was also really unpleasant and I was starting to get paranoid that my property was starting to always smell of cat pee.
Here are some of the main benefits of having automatic self-cleaning cat litter trays:
Constantly Clean Litter Tray:
This was the most important benefit for me. The joy of not having to manually scoop poop multiple times a day is incomparable! Also knowing that Owlie will always be happy doing her thing in the litter tray, and not on 3 piles of fresh laundry!
If you have a multi-cat household I can imagine that you spend a strong portion of the day cleaning kitty mess. Although you will have to empty the litter tray more often compared to a single cat household the overall amount you will need to clean the litter tray wouldn’t be as often.
Space Saving
The space-saving benefit element of automatic self-cleaning cat litter trays is simply, you would only need one litter tray on the property.
Typically with multi-cat households, you would need multiple litter trays for the cats to use in rotation. Cats are very clean animals and hate doing their business, or anything really, in smelly dirty areas. Hence the need for multiple litter tray options.
Only having one litter tray in a property will open up space around your property where multiple litter trays used to be.
Mobility Restrictions
Automatic self-cleaning cat litter trays are essential for cat owners who have mobility restrictions or problems. Some of the litter trays advertise that the waste only needs to be emptied once or twice a week. This is a massive contrast compared to cleaning litter trays multiple times a day. It would make a world difference to someone who struggles to get down to clean a litter tray.
Monitoring Cats Health
Some automatic self-cleaning cat litter trays come with a tracker which will monitor the amount of time your cat uses their litter tray. Having this feature could highlight underlying health problems with your cat. For example, if you noticed that your cat is urinating more frequently it could be an indication of a health problem with their urinary system.
Time Management
The time spent cleaning litter trays would be reduced. You would go from cleaning a litter tray multiple times a day to once or twice a week. Meaning you could spend your time doing some of the more enjoyable things with your kitty!
Things To Consider When Buying An Automatic Self Cleaning Cat Litter Tray
Price Of Litter Tray
A big factor in choosing the right litter tray for you is what budget you have to spend on the litter tray. Self Cleaning litter trays range from £50 all the way to £500.
On Going Costs
You will need to consider what the ongoing costs will be for the litter tray.
Most automatic litter trays will require constant power and electricity. Some will use water from the mains to flush away the waste. This could have an impact on your monthly utility bills.
For most of the litter trays, the biggest ongoing cost will be the litter used. For example, the PetSafe ScoopFree Replacement Crystals
Size
The size of the litter tray is important to consider especially if you have a large cat breed such as a Maine Coon. The inside space will need to be big enough for your cat to use safely.
Location of Litter Tray
Most of the litter trays, excluding Omega Paw, will need to be plugged into a power supply.
The Cat Genie also has to be next to a water supply and waste pipe. Most people who own the Cat Genie place it in their utility room.
Some of the litter trays such as the Litter-Robot are very large and will need a lot of space for it to fit.
How Many Cats In The Property
IF you own multiple cats you will need a litter tray that has a larger waste storage capacity to avoid emptying it so often.
Each brand of automatic self-cleaning cat litter tray will advertise the amount of time that can pass before needing to empty the machine. In my experience, the litter trays need to be emptied a lot earlier than their suggested times.
Conclusion:
Each of the litter trays offers something a little bit different and they will all massively improve your day to day life. The perfect one for your home will depend on your budget, space available, the size of your cats, and if your cat has any health problems you need to keep track of.
Best for the Budget: Omega Paw Self-Cleaning Litter Box
Best for the environment: CatGenie Self Washing Litter Box
Best for future-proofing: Litter-Robot III Open-Air
