We don’t recommend buying an automatic litter box because, generally, they’re expensive, they’re loud, their scoops can get gunky or clogged, some models take 30 minutes to 1 hour to scoop, the litter beds are tiny, and the sensors don’t work for cats that weigh less than 5 pounds.
The Litter-Robot 3 is the best automatic litter box out there, but we still don’t recommend it. It’s the size of a small armchair—30 by 25 by 27 inches and weighs 34 pounds—so it’s hard to find a place for it in your home, and that large size also makes it difficult to clean. The 14-by-14-inch litter bin is smaller than the size experts recommend, which should be at least 22 inches long. At $450, this machine jammed or malfunctioned more than we expected from a pricey piece of equipment.
We prefer a large standard litter box, like the Frisco High Sided Cat Litter Box because it never malfunctions and requires no gadgetry maintenance. Plus, it’s important to regularly scoop the litter box yourself to track the health of your pet. You may miss blood in your cat’s pee or worms in its stool if you only check the waste when it’s time to empty the litter trapper on your automatic litter box every week or so.
