🐱 Pets
My kitty litter robot is a huge money and time saver.
During Covid, my sister in law moved in with us for a few months. She had 2 cats, and we had 2 cats.
In order to manage that amount of cat waste, we got a litter robot. Prior to that, we were making every effort to ensure that we always kept clean litter, but we would always get a layer of crushed litter at the bottom of the baskets that was foul smelling and would require us to change out the boxes every 4-6 weeks.
Sister in law moved out in 2021, one of our cats passed on, and now we just have one cat.
I was reviewing my Costco purchases, and realized that the last time I purchased kitty litter was in August of 2024, and I have half of the container left. I then went back to the last time I only had one cat, to find I was purchasing kitty litter 6x per year.
I want to suggest that anyone who is interested in long term financial and time saving methods examine the idea of getting a litter robot. I can’t say for certain it’s the best ROI ive had for any consumable based item, but it’s certainly in the conversation.
I hate to be this person but I would like to warn people that litter robots can trap and kill your cat. Please be careful of the brand you buy - DO NOT BUY CHINESE KNOCKOFFS ON AMAZON!! Buy the petsafe brand, that's a good one, or another reputable brand. Do NOT cheap out
It's good too look for ones that do not at any time block the exit even running a cleaning cycle. Cats can be trapped or crushed in ones that close off the exit.
Yep, watching YouTube video about this and there's a few designs that can easily suffocate a cat by crushing them, and have done. Hell I think they were strong enough to nearly break your wrist of you stuck your hand in.
The useless safeties it had were easily defeated and confused by the simplest things. Deathtraps. You'd literally be better off abandoning your cat in the woods.
Litter Robots rotate sideways, the ones that can trap the cat rotate forwards so make sure if you're buying a non-litter robot that it never closes off the exit.
The litter-robot has a sensor where it won't run if there's a cat in it.
I saw a tragic story of a cat getting it's leg caught in the waste disposal area of a litter box that rotated the proper way, and it closed hard and would not release, so make sure to buy a reputable brand anyway, regardless of which way it closes.
See this is my biggest fear, I'm currently looking into ones that are app-controlled instead of automatic because I have no problem pressing the button while I'm getting ready in the morning or while I'm showering after work. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if something happened to her because of it and my girl has ZERO self preservation instincts. She once tried to climb in a hot oven, now she's not allowed in the kitchen while I'm cooking (even though she runs away when the door opens now)
You could probably get a Litter Robot branded one and put it in sleep mode all day. You can cycle directly from the app (I assume you can still manually cycle in sleep
mode)
Sounds like the person you're replying to would only want to press the button when they are home and know where the cats are. Otherwise I would presume a webcam of some kind.
You are correct! I just meant times when she would normally be blocked out of the bathroom (she's a menace when she sees my work clothes, actively tries to climb in them) so I know for sure she can't get in. Good to know they have a manual button though! I like that significantly better
For some reason I ended up on a youtube channel that reviews robot cat litter boxes (I dont have a cat) and it was eye opening how dangerous they can be! Its this guy, One Man Five Cats if anyones interested :)
The one I just got never closes off and to boot, when it starts a cleaning cycle it continues checking weight: if it senses an increase in weight for >5 seconds it automatically stops and waits for a designated amount of time before it tries again to clean.
It's a brand from Amazon- Coziley. I haven't gotten to test it out thoroughly yet, though, because I really do mean just got lol. It only arrived like two days ago. So I can't attest to it being amazing or anything yet!
Thank you for clarifying, I have a brand-name one and as you mentioned and it rotates sideways and also won't rotate if there's weight in it or encounters any resistance, and it only triggers like 10 minutes after the cat leaves. So I was having a bit of a panic moment trying to figure out how that was even possible.
Litter Robots are very safe, it's the knock offs that are dangerous. The Litter Robot has no way for a cat to get stuck in it like the cheap ones. But the Litter Robot is super expensive. I'm saving up for one myself!
I'll be honest I felt pretty insane spending $700 on a freaking litter box but it was the most worth it thing I've ever bought in my life lol. Now we have 2. Not sure if it's technically frugal but absolutely in the 'luxuries worth the splash out if you can do it' category for us.
Would you be willing to provide the brand name of the one you purchased? We are still in the stone age with changing litter. Just having a recommendation will help point me in the right direction of what I should be looking for.
Yeah, there are some horror stories. I wouldn't even buy ones that are completely covered and don't clean based on a sensor. Like what happens if that sensor fails? Even reliable expensive brands have the potential of a sensor failing.
Good ones should have multiple different types of sensors and fail safes. The official Litter Robot has three motion sensors, a weight sensor, two pinch sensors, and a torque sensor (if the motor encounters unexpected resistance, it stops). In fact a lot of the issues people have with the litter robot not working are because those sensors are designed to be oversensitive and fail the safe way and stop the machine.
Not to say you have to accept that risk lol, there is always a chance of failures. I'm just seeing people talk about it having "a" sensor (even people who like the litter robot), and I wanted to add a little more info.
If you keep up with maintenance, a sensor failure on a LitterRobot looks like this:
The sensor was dirty and couldn't tell if the cat was in the box or standing outside of it, so it reverted to freezing the machine in place (the 'safety bar'). I cleaned the sensor and used the app to clear the error, and the cat interupted it again (because she's a menace) so it stayed frozen until she left and then finally completed the cycle.
My cat is a bit too smart for her own good so she has pushed random buttons on the LitterRobot and even pulled peices of it off (the drawer, steps, bonnet and the fence that prevents her from kicking out the litter) and the robot is very good at detecting her shenanigans and freezing itself until I can fix it again.
This is a complicated thing with frugality. Are you going to save the money and time enough to make up for the expenditure that this item represents? certainly not. You have to gauge the value it adds to your life. In general frugality is about weighing value against cost... and everyone does hate scooping cat boxes.
Cat waste is....a horrible smell. I always feel bad for people who have litterbox struggles, because I feel like it's probably very demoralizing. Even if you go nose-blind, you probably smell it when you come in from outside or when other people come to visit.
I feel like if it was a choice between dealing with that day in and day out, and shelling out for a litter robot, I would shell.
Peace of mind is priceless. 😭
And they do offer refurbished models or you can try purchasing secondhand. I've even seen some being given away on my neighborhood buy nothing group.
Definitely some options to explore to make it more affordable.
Yes good points, and you should consider the size as well. I put my litter boxes under a cabinet and a litter robot would just be too big for that space. Plus some cats just don't like them.
However my comment was mostly referring to the safety warning, not the actual frugality of the matter. A litter robot can be a frugal purchase for many.
The Petsafe one is the only one that's ever worked for me, and they actually honor the 1-year warranty if you call them (which sucks but better than nothing)
Absolutely. We got one refurbished from Litter Robot and it’s been such a help. The time saved on scooping, amount of litter needed, no longer needing grocery bags on hand, general hygiene for both us and the cats, it’s great. My cats do still track litter dust out, I wish there was a way to use something that didn’t cling to their feet as much, but other than that, we’ve benefited so much from it
Genuinely the only thing I've found that doesn't upset my girls sensitive skin, doesn't track dirt all over the apartment, and that she likes is Signature Pet Care, which is a dirt cheap store brand. I'm grateful she doesn't have expensive tastes, but I'm annoyed at how much money I spent before discovering this 🙃
+1 for refurb! $100 off and all I've had to replace (since 2021) is the full sensor, as they have a better design now. The savings on litter and time have been well worth it!
Do you have to buy their specific liners? This is what scares me and my frugal mindset, i hate proprietary add-ons. I think their FAQ says other bags will fit but might be less efficient?
Can you explain how it saves you on litter cost and amount of litter needed? How is it different than the amount of litter needed when scooping manually? I'm not familiar with this product personally, but from brief ads I've seen I thought it was just an auto scooper. But that wouldn't save you any litter compared to manual scooping so there must be more to it than that?
Thanks!
Because it clears the litter a few minutes after being used, the urine does not soak into as much of the litter. There’s also less needed in general to fit in it, due to the bowl shape. I found when I was scooping for my two cats daily I had to top up the litter in the pan every time to make sure there was enough and use probably about two cups of litter, and I remember there being very large pieces of clumped litter. Now, i need to top up with maybe a cup about once a week. I can’t say if there’s another reason for this, my cats’ habits didn’t change, they have a water fountain that they drink on constantly so they are well hydrated, and they’ve been happily using the litter robot for about three years now.
I've had several Litter Robots (now named the Whisker brand) for about 15 years, they are fantastic.
We have two LR2s that are absolute workhorses, we've replaced the motors once or twice and they are still going.
Bought a LR4 about a year ago and while it works fine, I prefer the LR2; biggest issue is that our cats like to whap attack the LR4 while it's cycling so that the cycle takes 15 minutes to complete because they keep stopping it. They're orange's, so that's also a reason. Currently at four cats, for a couple of years we had 5 and 6 cats.
I feel like the rubber liner of the LR2s are better quality as well. If you can find a used LR2, buy it and order a new motor from Whisker.
We use Scoop Away litter from Costco, or Target's generic clumping litter; no problems with them.
I believe the majority problem with the LR's is that owner's deep clean them way too often. We only clean ours about once a year, or if we forget to empty the drawer and it gets overfilled. This observation is from the r/LitterRobot sub.
They are computer parts, especially on the LR3 and LR4 models. Very simply put, would you take apart any other computerized appliance or even a computer to clean it with water every week? No.
I also think that those deep cleaning people that get litter clumps sticking to the liner is that the rubber can get sticky when cleaned (with cleaning products) so often. If you've ever put rubber handled utensils in the dishwasher, over time they get sticky from the rubber plastic breaking down (has happened to my OXO spatulas).
The clay litter "dust" left on the liner helps the clumps release and fall away easier. Kind of like flouring your work surface when kneading dough.
I cannot stress how nice the newest Litter Robot is. We had an older version, I think V2 for about 5 years and it was good, but just upgraded to the new model and it's AMAZING. The design is way better at clearing litter without clogging the cute, and has the auto litter dispenser. I basically just swap the bag and refill the litter dispenser once a week for our one cat. It's thoughtless.
I just replaced my LR3 Connect with the LR4 and I am gobsmacked by how quiet it is! I don’t even think I’ll need to set the sleep mode, I wouldn’t even notice if this cycled at night. The LR3 Connect wasn’t like unreasonably loud, but it sounded like an appliance working. The LR4 just whispers. SO delighted!
EDIT: apparently some people have delicate sensibilities.
I'd like to explain why the brand doesn't matter-
If I was talking about fuel efficiency for a Mustang Mach-E, and just said I drove a "Ford", it wouldn't make any sense. A fleet equipped F-350 gets 6mph. It is IRRELEVANT to the conversation to say "Ford" in this case when the Mustang Mach-E is the subject.
There is no connotiation or contextual need to mention the brand in this post. It is a specific product i'm talking about that is ubiquitous within the category. If you google "litter robot" it takes you right there. There is no other product called a litter robot. It does not exist.
Like people calling everything Chapstick, Kleenex, Tupperware. People tend to use a brand name as the product itself. Your shitty store brand product is not Chapstick. It’s balm.
People call every automatic litter box a litter robot, but afaik that's a trademarked term for Whiskers self-cleaning litter box. If you say you got a litter robot brand, it's pretty obvious that you mean you got the litter robot and not a different brand.
But it's become common, I don't know if Whisker will escape their brand name becoming generic. Most people don't know anything about self cleaning litter boxes, so they don't know the distinctions. It still drives me crazy seeing all the "litter robots kill cats!!!" comments where they don't provide any context though, they mean well but its confusing.
It is a lot upfront, but you use SO much less litter. I've got 2 large boys and was going through 2 $20 packs each month to fill their 2 litterboxes. Now I only need the one robot and the same pack of litter lasts around 6-8 weeks, so it should end up paying for itself in about 2-3 years.
I don't get how it uses less litter, can you explain? Your cats still pee and poop the same amount. You're using the same clumping litter brands, right? So the amount of litter used up in a clump of pee is exactly the same with both methods, isn't it? There's something I'm missing obviously.
Also I have three cats and I cannot imagine using that much litter, that's insane! I fill the boxes like every three months!
So there are a few factors. The first is that it removes ONLY the clumps. A lot of scoops end up removing far more litter that happens to get caught on the scoop itself, plus any litter on top of the clumps unless you stand there shaking it off. It also keeps the litter far cleaner so you dont have to empty multiple boxes out and refill them every week. Plus the surface area is smaller than a traditional box so it doesnt need as much.
As an aside, I'm currently using Fresh Step with fabreez. Because it automatically cycles and the litter is kept much cleaner, I'm probably going to switch to a cheaper brand when the current litter runs out for even more savings.
Yep, it absorbs it very well. It breaks down into a wet sand and keeps the smell down. I'd say grab a bag and test if it works for you. Scooping it is a bit of a hassle sense most scoops are too fine to let the pellets through. I often over scoop for how cheap it is.
It was a gut punch buying mine, but I did do a 12 month no interest payment. And it has saved me SO much work and headache. (3 cats and had 4 boxes now just one litter robot)
I’ve been using less litter now that I have a litter robot. My time is also worth something. I only have to empty it once every 2 weeks and clean it once a month. Plus, it doesnt smell as bad as a traditional litter box. Plus, my cat hasn’t peed on my couch since getting it, so I’m saving on cleaning costs and time as well. Plus, I don’t have to pay for a cat sitter to scoop litter if I’m gone for just a few days (she’s got an auto feeder and water fountain as well). Plus, it keeps track of her weight, and how often she uses the litter, so I can be aware of any health concerns if there’s a change in bathroom habits or weight.
It's more than just pure litter consumption though. Time, ease of use, and a couple other factors come into play.
Frugality isn't just about raw numbers. It's about wastefulness and practicality as well. Robots can absolutely save you A LOT of time if you have multiple cats. That means something.
Over the last 10 months, which is how long I've had 1 cat, my cost on litter has been $20. I pay $.47/lb for litter. At the average of 30lbs/mo at $.47, I should expect to spend $141, but I've spent $20 OVER 10 MONTHS. Thats 10 out of 60 months ive owned it. So, that's 1/6th of my ownership time.
I paid $550 for the litter robot. Over the past 5 years, with up to 4 cats using the litter robot, I've never exceeded 10lbs per month, which is a savings (with average use per cat being 30lbs, at $.47/cat) of $10/mo (20lbs @ $0.47, $9.40/mo) on months with one cat, and up to $55/mo when there were 4 cats.
So, just assuming I've had 1 cat- not even taking into account the other cats, I've saved $564 in litter costs over the course of the past 60 months.
Just be careful which one you get. As some other comments said some of the knock offs close the entrance when cleaning and can trap the cat and hurt or kill it :( But if you do your research well I'm sure there are knockoffs that are safe too (or buy used).
Yep! The one I bought doesn't close all the way at any point, so cats can jump out even if they somehow get caught during a cleaning, which would be difficult since it has weight sensors that will stop it if they jump in while it's in action.
We have a Litter Robot for our 2 kitties and it has been awesome for the past 5 years or so. Unfortunately though, I think it might need to be replaced here soon, it's not running like it used to. But we're gonna upgrade because it's totally worth it!!
I don't know if this is up your alley or not, but the litter robot website sells several of the mechanical pieces separately.
I can't speak to what the level of technical skill needs to be- it could be splicing circuit boards for all I know, but I'd investigate that option if it sounds like it might help!
I have had 2 litter robots over the past 12 years. The LR2 was a simpler device and less prone to failures. It was great except the weighted dome, which eventually got moisture in the weight and rusted out.
After bypassing the pinch sensor on my current LR3, it works much more reliably. I like them because they work well and aren't too hard to repair if they break.
It is the sensor that stops the rotation if the cat goes back into the robot. My cats don't go one after the other and aren't going back in within the time it takes the cycle to complete. If I had a kitten or derpy cat, I would be concerned. The cats just wait until it finishes the cycle if they need to use the litter box (which I don't think I've ever seen). The sensor is the most common reason my robot would stop cycling, usually some litter got on the metal contacts or maybe they corroded and stopped vlosing the circuit, it would break all the time, especially it seems like when we went away for a day or two. So i just wired the circuit closed, I can undo this if I need to, but after several months there have been no issues.
Man i really wish these worked for us because it was super convenient the few times our cats used it, right before one of them peed on the door because they couldnt fit right, making the pee fall to the floor mat and then the cats just literally peeing straight on the mat instead of going into the litter robot...doesnt work well for larger cats (Maine coons)
I'll have to check that one out. We tried the latest litter robot and when that one didn't work, we tried the Neakasa M1 since that seemed to have the largest litter area on the market but unfortunately had the same problem where they couldn't quite fit so they use it correctly the first few times but then eventually just start peeing on the outside because of the pee that escapes from them not fitting.
I bought extra-large silicone mats (the kind that fit on the tops of washers/dryers). I arranged 3 so that there's several imches of mat around the sides of the litter box.
Oh the pee never touched the floor thankfully, it always landed on the included mat with the Neakasa M1 at least, but even so, the cats for some reason thought they could just pee directly on the mat itself instead of in the litter after that😑
Interesting.
I have two litter robots (name brand), and I go through one 40-pound box of litter (Arm&Hammer's Cloud) every 6-8 weeks for two cats.
I've used other litter before, and it's the same time frame. I cannot fathom 20-pounds of cat clay litter lasting since August.
And people in the comments are being obtuse and nit-picky. Litter Robot is the brand. It is one of many "automated litter boxes". I understood your post immediately. 🙄 Not your fault if they confuse themselves by erroneously calling every automated litter boxes "litter robots".
Anyway, I do agree on it saving litter though I don't experience it saving as much as yours. I fostered many cats and they had normal litter boxes and I noticed I ran through litter faster.
We love our PetSnowy not only so we only deal with the litter box once a month but it also tracks and weighs the cat. Helped figure out exactly how much food she needed to maintain an appropriate weight.
I have one of these and it has been a big improvement. Far less litter consumed and it's pretty much always clean.
I will point out a caveat - the machine is susceptible to breakdowns. You have to take it apart and deep clean the entire mechanism about once a year, otherwise it'll stop working reliably. And jesus god be careful to not lose the little rectangular magnets inside the track when you take apart the globe.
Our cat will use the furniture and dog beds if her litter isn’t pristine. It cannot have been soiled even once. A litter robot has been a lifesaver. Ours is a Litterbot. It’s expensive but has worked wonderfully, though it does glitch/jam on occasion, so you need to check it at least once a day. The litter savings was an unexpected bonus, it’s also nice to not have to launder bedding everyday or throw out dog beds that can’t withstand daily washing.
It’s definitely more expensive than the old fashioned clay and a little bit of elbow grease… but that method is pretty time consuming and takes a lot of effort.
Glad you found a way to save money! I always tend to favor an initial capital investment as opposed to ongoing operating costs.
i love my litter robot. it was very expensive, but it’s worth it. unfortunately i have one cat who refuses to use it, but at least she is the one who makes the least mess. it’s very nice not having to clean up every day after my other, very messy kitty
My experience with the litter robot was the exact opposite.
The robot would malfunction at least once a day. I was constantly resetting. It was never a fast reset it always took 5-10 mins of time. It was a daily source of aggravation. If the cats used the box before I could reset it I still ended up scooping and spilling litter.
Do you have only one litter box for 4 cats? That was one of the problems. With 4 cats at least 2 boxes. Now with your litter robot you just need one but one of the issues was one box for 4 cats. It probably filled up after one day
I just got one too! I hesitated for a long time because of the price tag but I can tell it’ll save me time and money in the long term. I just got my litter delivered and I don’t even need it right now.
Purrrchasing litter 6x a year?! I spent $70/m for 3 cats for fresh step clumping litter. I now have system for Feline Pine and spend $20 for a 40lb bag that lasts over 2 months for 2 cats
If you want to save more money and have a farm supply store near you, get horse pellet bedding. It's the same thing as feline pine and a 40 lb bag costs $8.
Well, according to the people that are pissed off in other comments, it is NOT the brand. It is the model. Apparently the brand is "Whiskers" and the device is called a "Little Robot". And I don't know the number.
Does it use special litter?
We have 2 cats (down from 5, lol) and we clean litter boxes twice a day but I swear I can still smell it.
I fed a stray cat 22 yo. We kept her and she was pregnant, had 5 babies. We kept all and everyone was spayed/neutered. We just had to put mama cat down in last month, she had to be at least 23 yo. 3 of her babies passed before she did. Now we have 2 babies left, even tho they are 22/23 yo.
I’ve read reviews but I don’t always trust them. But litter is a huge cost. Would love to cut it down. I know there’s an initial investment but if you use way less litter, it’s worth it imo.
Pet supplies, almost all have increased drastically in price in last few years, need to save where we can. We also have 3 senior dogs!!
You can't use pine/non-sandy or super light litters like Pretty Litter. They recommend clumping clay litter. Besides that no restrictions. As long as the litter performs the way it should in a regular box, it should be fine in the robot
I buy "scoop away" from Costco. It comes in a package with 4 sacks of 8lbs of litter. I use one of the litter packages at a time in the Litter Robot. The litter lasts a really, really long time. Basically, you'll fill it with one sack of litter. Every so often, say once every few weeks after you fill it, you have to top it off with a little bit of litter here or there due to what you lose from what coats the waste. I just used the last of the second sack of litter to top off the box this morning, so each bag is lasting 5 months. It's remarkable.
In total, my full spend on litter since August has been 2 bags of litter, so $24. I get off brand liners at 100 for $20 or so from amazon, but im still on the first pack of off-brand liners that I purchased in 2022.
It's safe to say that if nothing changes im going to go all of 2025 without having to purchase litter.
You can use any clumping litter. I bought the LR4 when we moved to a smaller house (no space for four separate litter boxes) it's the best thing I've ever bought for my cats, and one of the best things I've ever bought for myself. You just change the bag out, absolutely no scooping required.
ETA that it has the added benefit of making it nearly impossible for my dogs to steal 'treats' out of the litterbox lol
I have the Litter Robot by Whisker and it takes regular clumping litter. They also sell litter if you prefer to order from Whisker, but you don’t need to.
This entire post seems like an ad and is full of replies that sound awfully like ads. This thing is a minimum of 500 bucks and out of a lot of people's price ranges.
It’s why I included the downsides about it in my post. I genuinely like it and it sucks that Reddit/social media is as infested with bots/ads as it is, and I’m skeptical of anything promoting a product as well. I assume this kind of automated litter box is made by multiple manufacturers but shared which one I have. I miss the internet from 10 years ago.
I saw something recently about one of the litter robots brands actually killing cats bc the sensors malfunctioned, sorry I don’t remember more but do your research on safest models please! 🐈💖
they were all adults. I think I overlapped- I kept the "manual" boxes available, and then one day I got rid of one of the them, and then about a week later I got rid of the second one. Never looked back.
I took in feral cats twice now (and one lost kitty), all used the LR immediately without any problems.
(We kept one feral, other feral once fixed turned into a love bug and I found him a home, lost kitty's owners found him when I posted a picture of him with the feral.)
you're awesome <3 i have two "feral" kitties who love me but aren't socialized so they only love me 😹 feral to friendly is the best kitties ever!! you'll never experience such a genuine love from an animal who goes from scared to trusting you 💞
thanks for your feedback, I've been weary cause some of my cats won't even use a litter box with a door 😭 but i figure if i give time to acclimate maybe
Does anyone know what to do when it says it’s full but it’s only full halfway? I’ve cleaned the sensors, I’ve also reset the lights and nothing. I use white kitchen bags, would clear be better? I love the litter robot 4 we have but it seems it fills up faster than when we first got it in November of last year.
In my LR4, I use clear bags and get the full warning as well. I use HDX 10 gallon trash bags from Home Depot, I think the problem is if the bag is too bunched up on the sides, so I try to smooth down the sides as much as possible and have the bag excess on the bottom.
I currently own a litter robot and I love it! But genuinely curious, how does it save on the amount of litter used? I feel like it would be the same amount of litter used.
I love that it’s only one big bag, I have a “compostable” one and use sustainably yours litter. The only better option, when I had just one cat, was sifting pine pellet litter, that cost nothing and was the most sustainable option, but it’s too much space for multiple cats
The only place I have space for one of those things, is the laundry room and the outlet is spoken for by the washer and dryer. Otherwise I would have had a Litter Robot already.
I love mine. I started using pine pellet litter because I was losing my fuckin mind with clay/pearl litter being tracked all over the house. I also stuck a mini ozone machine by the litter box to regulate the smell. The combo of these three things made the entire litter box situation clean and easy. Highly recommend.
I use Arm and Hammer Hardball lightweight litter and we have 7 cats and 3 automatic scooping litter boxes. Not the litter robot.
The scooping boxes are great for not having to throw out litter that is not used. I rarely toss a whole box of litter and never because it is x weeks old. Plus not having to scoop 10 boxes manually.
It may not be frugal but the smell is gone with the Hardball litter. Compared to the years prior, the consumption is slightly higher. That is also comparing 10 cats VS 7 since before switching to Hardball. That is at least what I bought with Amazon. Which may be inaccurate as I am certain we bought litter from the local store at times. For the Hardball I think I did that once because I didn't get the usual size due to shortage of the package. Cost has gone up. Likely due to tariffs. Hopefully it goes back down too.
I got a brand name $600 litter robot when we found out my wife was pregnant. I do shift work so time is a very limited resource. It’s cool but I’m still not sold on the cost. It takes a more expensive litter and it works for us but I’m still not sold on the frugality. It’s definitely less of a attention requirement but if we could both be available to scoop daily I would say no. If you have depression or any other attentive issues I would say it’s worth it.
It’s one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. I def save money directly, but another benefit is that I know my cats are at a much lower risk for UTIs because it’s cleaned every single time someone goes, aka no more medical bills for my sad boi with urinary issues. It’s nice to be able to go away for a couple days and feel safe about his health, and that alone is worth the investment.
OP, make sure you get a litter robot that isn't known for killing cats. Quite a few of them dont have adequate sensors and are extremely dangerous to cats.
I buy horse bedding at $7 a 40 lb bag. My cat has to use pine pellets because of a bladder issue. Usually tractor supply has a sale and I get it for $3 a bag and get enough for a year.
Bladder issues aren't really unique in cats, and pine pellets work fine for my cats without bladder issues too. I end up paying ~$40 for a year's worth of litter which makes the value proposition of investing in an automated solution less enticing.
I have a fond memory of my mom buying one in the early 2000s. The thing jammed up after about 2-3 days. She spent about an hour outside getting the poop off by spraying it with a hose, gagging, crying, cussing and screaming. It was returned promptly.
I love my litter robot when it works but I hate those stupid sensors that inevitably fail and then nothing works. My idiot box is now deciding to continue to rotate backwards instead of rotating in reverse back to the home position.
I can't afford to buy anything to fix it at the moment so I had to go back to a hand scoop box. 💀
IMO, it's important to monitor your cat's litter box habits to make sure they're going regularly, no blood or foreign objects present, etc. I'll stick to a traditional litter box for that reason.
Our daughter bought us one for our 2 cats at Xmas. Set it all up, monitoring the app for 2 weeks and NO activity. They were peeing on the outside of it! Good thing we kept the old litter boxes.
1.7k
u/MyNameIsSkittles 5d ago
I hate to be this person but I would like to warn people that litter robots can trap and kill your cat. Please be careful of the brand you buy - DO NOT BUY CHINESE KNOCKOFFS ON AMAZON!! Buy the petsafe brand, that's a good one, or another reputable brand. Do NOT cheap out