There’s no two ways about it — the best self-cleaning cat litter boxes make looking after your kitty hassle-free. Many of the top options on today’s cyber shelves can do it all. They can trap bad odors, automatically sweep the litter after your fur kid has visited and can do all that so quietly, that you’d never even know they were there.
Many of the best self-cleaning cat litter boxes are also smartphone app-controlled, so you can have all your kitty cat’s toilet habit insights (like how many times they visit and when) at your fingertips. Most of these smartphone-linked gadgets can even send you handy alerts letting you know it’s time to switch up their litter.
So essentially, the top self-cleaning cat litter boxes mean you can enjoy all the fun parts that come with being a pet parent and less of the mess. Simply fill these handy pieces of kitty paraphernalia with the best cat litter and let them get to work, cleaning up after your furry friend.
Of course, just like the best cat beds, no one size fits all. This is why we asked five pet parents to put a handful of the top-rated self-cleaning cat litter boxes through their paces, examining everything from how simple they are to set up, how easy their cat found it to use and what they liked and disliked about it.
So if you dread cleaning up after your furry friend, travel often or just want a little help with the unpleasant chore of scooping up, keep scrolling. We’ve compiled an all-you-need-to-know guide on the best self-cleaning cat litter boxes in a range of styles with prices to suit all budgets.
A self-cleaning litter tray that disposes the waste in a drawer underneath and notifies you when it needs changing. It features a charcoal and bamboo filter to fight against bad odors, and you can track your cat’s health via an app on your phone.
A self-cleaning litter box that automatically rakes your cat’s clumping litter. Not only does this help with odor control, but it also means that you only need to empty it once a week.
Aesthetically pleasing, virtually silent and coming with an auto-sealing waste drawer that only needs to be emptied every 14 days, this self-cleaning litter box does it all. You’ll get handy alerts, via an app on your smartphone, when your cat visits and how long they stay.
Coming with a massive 10L of waste capacity, this litter box only needs to be changed every 15 days if you’ve got one cat. Meaning? It’s ideal for anyone who spends days away from home or who doesn’t have time to change the litter drawer regularly.
If you’ve always wanted a self-cleaning cat litter tray but have been put off by their large presence, this smaller-in-size option could be your perfect match. It’s app-controlled, packed with health monitoring features, quiet and has 13L of waste capacity.
A self-cleaning litter tray that’s sleek, modern, and easy to install. It also tells you how much your cat weighs, how much litter is remaining, and when to change the waste bag – super handy!
The best self cleaning cat litter box overall
✅ You want to reduce odors: This is the latest addition to the Casa Leo range and comes with a clever UV sterilization light to help protect against bad odors.
❌ You want something quick to set up: Our tester says that the setup process was pretty lengthy. However, after watching the instruction video on the brand’s website, she was able to work it out.
🔎 Leo’s Loo Too by Casa Leo: Featuring an ultra-modern design and helpful sanitary features, this self-cleaning litter box is a great option. We found that the litter stayed dry and it controlled odor pretty well. ★★★★★
This self-cleaning litter box is perfect for tech-savvy pet parents who love a gadget. Not only can you track your feline’s health via the Smart Home app, but you can also programme a EPA-certified UV light to reduce unpleasant odors. The modern design comes in four colors (grey, blue, pink or green) and doesn’t make a loud noise when sifting. You can even pause the cycle while you sleep if you’re worried.
While she says the box controls bad smells pretty well, she had to empty the bottom tray once or twice to get rid of stool odor.
She says: “For me, the most valuable things about this product are the time savings and sanitary features. It’s nice not having to scoop the box all the time – I have two senior cats who drink more water, so traditional litterboxes tend to become wet pretty quickly. My female cat sometimes gets urinary tract infections, and I think this box will help with that, as the litter stays much drier.”
So, what did Julie’s cats think of it? Before she’d even set it up, Max jumped straight in to test it out. She says that both of her cats have been getting on fine with it and seem comfortable using it. However, if you’ve got a senior cat on your hands, it might be worth buying a step to help them get into it.
In terms of set-up, Julie said it took a bit of time to set-up but after watching a video on Casa Leo’s website, it came together easily. She’s finding it easy to use now, but said that sometimes the bottom tray doesn’t slide in all of the way on the first time and she has to play with it a bit to get it back in. She also notes that there have been a few times when the unit didn’t seem to be rotating automatically after the cat used it so she had to do it manually.
You might think a self-cleaning litter box would be rather noisy, but Julie notes that this isn’t disruptive and doesn’t scare her cats at all. During the night, she has the cycle on pause which she describes as a “nice feature” to have.
When it comes to cleaning it out, she says: “I’ve just changed it a couple of times on an as-needed basis, or when the alerts tell me the tray is getting full. The balls of regular clumping litter drop into the tray at the bottom, and when it gets full, you pull out the provided plastic bag and throw it away. Pretty simple.”
The best basic self-cleaning cat litter box
✅ You want a basic self-cleaning litter box: It's easy to set up and even easier to use. Plus, our tester found that thanks to its low profile, it can be tucked away behind things. So ideal if you want to keep this litter box out of sight and mind.
❌ You want a quiet self-cleaning litter box: This product makes a loud, mechanical humming noise when cleaning which our tester noted was audible from another room.
🔎 PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Cat Litterbox If you’re looking for a basic self-cleaning litter box and don’t mind a slight noise, then this is a great option for you. It’s easy to set up and conveniently rakes the litter after it’s been used. ★★★★½
The PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box has been designed to help make cleaning up after your kitty that much easier. With the bold claim that you’ll never have to scoop litter again, we were excited to take this little beauty for a spin and see if it really would make our lives a whole lot easier.
Our pet parent tester, Alisa, put this litter box through its paces and while she personally couldn’t justify spending more than $200 on this sort of product, she did feel that it would be worth the money for anyone who hates having to scoop litter on a daily basis.
“It traps odors reasonably well — I didn’t notice a smell most of the time — and it does work as promised for the most part,” she said. “Sometimes it misses a clump or one gets stuck to the rake and stays on it, but it was relatively easy for my cat to use.”
PetSafe states that the litter box is easy to set up and clean, and on the whole, Alisa found this to be the case — although her little feline friend wasn’t quite so keen on the noise.
“Setup was pretty easy. The one thing I didn’t like was having to run an extension cord from another room because the area where I keep the litter box has no outlets. I waited a day or two before turning it on because I have a skittish cat. It makes a noisy, mechanical humming noise when cleaning — audible from another room — and she’s scared of it. Luckily the fear doesn’t stop her from using it, but she is visibly concerned while it’s raking,” she explained.
While the litter box isn’t the most attractive model on the market, Alisa found that its low profile means it can be tucked away behind things, which is great if you’re wanting to keep it out of view. It also sweeps the box clean 10 minutes after a cat has used it, a feature Alisa described as being very convenient.
Perhaps the best part about this litter box is just how long you can go without having to empty it (around five days) — ideal if you’re a busy cat owner who would rather spend the free time you have playing with your feline friend as opposed to cleaning up after them! “We were able to go almost a week without emptying the waste bin,” Alisa told us.
However, while PetSafe claims that you can line the tray and waste bin with bags, it doesn’t lend itself well to that. “Bags can get in the way of the rake, and when we tried lining the inside of the waste bin the bag just got pushed out of the way by the incoming waste. Luckily, the waste bin is easy to pull out and empty,” Alisa explained.
Although the PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box certainly has some drawbacks, if you have a confident kitty who’s not scared of the mechanical hum that many electrical products can make and you’re looking for a low-mess, no-fuss way of cleaning up after your fur friend, this litter box is well worth considering.
The best high-end self-cleaning cat litter box
✅ You want a quiet self-cleaning litter box: Despite this being large in size, the machine makes minimal sound when cleaning. In fact, our tester said you can ‘barely hear it’ when it’s in motion.
✅ You want an aesthetically pleasing option: Available in two neutral colorways, the bin is sleek and blends in well to the surrounding areas. Our tester wasn’t embarrassed to have this litter box out in the open.
❌ You want an accurate weight-reading: Quite handily, this litter box can measure how much your cat weighs. However, our tester found that the weight readings on the app weren’t always accurate so it’s not a replacement for scales.
❌ You’re on a budget: With an RRP of $699, the PetSnowy Self-Cleaning Litter Box doesn’t come cheap. For a more affordable option, look to Casa Leo’s Loo Too.
🔎 PetSnowy Self-Cleaning Litter Box Looking after your cat has never been easier. You only have to empty it every 14 days, it’s beautiful to look at and you can get handy updates about your pet’s toilet habits. Plus, it’s so quiet, you won’t even notice it’s there. The only hang-up is its price. ★★★★½
The PetSnowy Self-Cleaning Litter Box makes life as a cat owner easy, as it takes all the hassle out of cleaning up after your furry feline friend. So if you hate the act of getting the pooper scooper out this tech-heavy device will save the day.
This self-cleaning litter box is packed with features. For starters, it’s fitted with a TIO2 Photocatalyst System that locks away odors. Then there’s its anti-tracking
curved walkway that will help you say goodbye to litter tracking. Next up is its auto-sealing waste feature, which means you don’t have to see, smell or touch waste for up to two weeks. While its smartphone app control means you can have insights into your four-legged friend’s health at your fingertips.
Cat owner, Amanda, tested out this product for us and said: “I’m incredibly happy with the litter box. It is pricy, but worth the money.” Amanda said the machine was ‘very easy’ to set up and because it operates at 53db (which is the sound you might expect in a quiet office), when it’s cleaning you can ‘barely hear it’.
“The bin automatically cleans five minutes after your cat visits the bin, but you can set it to a schedule,” she notes. She also praised the litter box for trapping odors immediately. “This keeps the whole area from smelling. There is an optional deodorizer you can use, but I have not found it necessary,” she said.
Another feature that stood out was the smartphone alerts. “I really like the alerts that let you know when your cat entered the bin,” she tells us.
“It tells you how much they weigh and how long they spent in there. The alerts usually have a funny description too.”
So, aside from the high price point, were there any negatives? “I found that the weight readings vary a lot,” Amanda says. “So I don’t believe they are accurate. I have also had some trouble with clumps of litter sticking to the cylinder and not getting swept up. However, I can easily break them up with a scooper to allow it to be cleaned.”
The best self-cleaning litter box for waste capacity
✅ You want ease: Coming with 10L of waste collection capacity the Redsasa Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box only needs to be emptied every 15 days. Plus, thanks to the handy It will even tell you when it’s ready to be emptied.
✅ You want lots of safety features: This self-cleaning cat litter box is kitted out with eight high sensitivity sensors, so it won't work when your furry friend is nearby or inside.
❌ You have an older large cat: Despite the brand claiming it’s suitable for cats weighing between 2.2lbs and 28lbs, our tester thought some furry friends with reduced mobility might struggle to get in and out of the small litter box opening.
🔎 Redsasa Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box Travel loads for work? Always out the house? Or just never have time to switch out your cat’s litter tray? Coming with a 10L waste capacity, this litter box makes cleaning up after your cat easy.
Let’s face it, the best self-cleaning cat litter boxes are worth their weight in gold as they give you the space to enjoy your fur friend without the chore of cleaning up after them. And the Redsasa Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box is a brilliant example of this.
According to cat owner Kelly, who tested out this machine, the setup is easy and the instructions are clear but the hardest part is setting up the app that connects to the machine via wifi.
Overall Kelly believes this self-cleaning gadget is ideal for anyone short on time or just dreads cleaning the litter box. “It is a good one-time investment and sturdy enough to last a long time if maintained well,” she says. “It does all the work for you. You just need to empty the tray and fill the litter.”
The litter box is quite large — especially for a small apartment. It comes with a 10L waste collection bin. This means you’ll only have to empty it every 15 days if you have one cat using it. And even then, when you’re ready to do so, all you have to do is open a drawer, pull the bag’s drawstring and dispose of the waste. “It is very easy to maintain,” our tester Kelly says. “The app will also tell you when the tray is full and needs to be emptied.” If you purchase this product you’ll get 40 litter tray bags thrown in.
Odor-wise, this litter box is fitted with a 5-second quick disassembly and it comes with a deodorizing design. Kelly seems to think it works very well. “It doesn’t have a spray, but it has a ventilation system built into it to make the smells go away.” Although she mentioned: “You do need to empty the tray completely to have no smell at all.”
One thing to flag is the size. Kelly doesn’t think it’s great for large cats. “Our cats are both under 10lbs and it’s fine for them but some larger cats might not like how small the inside is.”
The best self-cleaning litter box for small spaces
✅ You’re short on space: The Catlink Pro-X Luxury Version self-cleaning litter box keeps your cat’s litter tidy without taking up lots of space.
✅ You want a quiet self-cleaning litter box: Our tester thought the machine wasn’t turning because it was that quiet.
✅ You want to track your cat’s health: Thanks to the handy app, you can obtain a 24-hour record and a weekly and yearly health report.
❌ You plan to put this on the carpet: Doing so can play havoc on the litter box’s weight scale, according to our tester. To get around the issue, she placed a plank of wood underneath.
❌ You have two cats that are similar weights: According to our tester, the litter box will struggle to tell the difference between your kitties.
🔎 Catlink Pro-X Luxury Version self-cleaning litter box Live in a small apartment? This compact option won’t take up any more space than it needs to. It comes with four different cleaning modes and will give you tons of insights into your cat’s health.
The small-but-perfectly-sized Catlink Pro-X Luxury Version self-cleaning litter box doesn’t just do a brilliant job of cleaning up after your cat. It can also track the stats of your cat’s health and makes a report available to you every day, week and month.
Our tester Allie, who has two cats, said this feature provides a great way to keep on top of your cat’s health and wellbeing. She told us: “The health-factor really only comes in because you’re able to see which cats are using the litter box — which is actually more useful than you may think. If you have multiple cats this is a great way to monitor them.”
The automatic litter box is smaller than other products we’ve seen, which Allie says makes it perfect for small spaces. “This one is relatively small and can be tucked away fairly easily, which is essential for our small apartment," she says. "It looks really good in the space we’ve chosen for it. I think this is probably the only automatic litter box that would make sense in our small apartment.”
Looks aside, Allie also praised the machine for how easy it was to set up. The only issue was connecting it to the app. “It took a couple of tries to get the litter box connected to our wifi properly.” But once done, Allie couldn’t believe how quiet the machine was.
Once your furry friend has visited the litter tray, the self-cleaning gadget automatically sweeps five minutes after it senses a cat has used it. But, as Allie mentions, you can set your own time in the app. Plus, it will send you handy reminders when you need to change the litter, empty the tray and fully change the litter.
Emptying the tray was something Allie had to do every seven days and she mentioned it was very ‘easy’ to do — with no noticeable odors detected.
There were, however, a couple of downsides. “The litterbox will not properly register a cat’s weight if they weigh under 3.5 pounds, or if you have multiple cats that are within one pound of each other, which ours are,” Allie says. Additionally, it didn’t work properly on Allie’s carpet. “Unfortunately, our entire apartment is carpeted,” she notes. To get around the issue, Allie placed a wood plank underneath it and it seems to be working just fine.
Would Allie recommend this to other cat parents? “To be honest, I’m not sure we would’ve paid $600 for this litter box not knowing how useful it would’ve been,” she says. “But boy are we glad we have it! The amount of time and energy it’s saved us in not having to clean the litter box twice a day is amazing.”
The best self-cleaning litter box that is easy to use
✅ You want an easy set-up: This litter box is super straightforward to install and comes with clear instructions. You’ll have it up and running in no time!
❌ You have a large cat: Since the entrance hole is a little small, it might be hard for very large cats to fit through. The website says that it's not suitable for cats over 18lbs.
🔎 PETKIT PuraX Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box: With its sleek design and simple setup, this litter box is well worth the money. We love the smart features that weigh your cat and track how much litter is remaining.
If you’re looking for a self-cleaning litter box, but are put off by tricky setups, this could be the product for you. Our tester Norah said the instructions were “extremely clear” and assembling it was “very easy”.
The litter box cleans and deodorizes on automatic, manual, or scheduled mode – saving you the unwanted job of clearing it out every day. Norah says that she only has to swap the waste bag out once a week which has saved her lots of time.
She says: “For someone who lives in a busy household, the litter box has completely alleviated an entire step in our list of to-dos. Not only that, it also works amazingly well and the app is extremely useful and convenient.”
When we think of a litter box, we don’t tend to think of something particularly good-looking. However, Norah says it’s “way more sleek and stylish than your day-to-day box [...] and blends in very nicely.” She also confirms that it traps any unpleasant odors.
So, what could be better about it? Norah says that it might not be the best option for large cats as the entrance is quite small. “Our cat is close to 12 lbs and it absolutely works for her. Anything larger than that may not work.”
Whilst it took some time for her cat to get used to it, Norah says that she really enjoys using it now.
How to choose the best self-cleaning cat litter box
Despite all of the delights that cats bring to your life, one of the not-so-glamorous sides of being a cat owner involves reaching for the pooper scooper. That’s where the best self-cleaning cat litter boxes come in as they do all the dirty work for you!
Thankfully, technology has allowed feline owners around the world to say goodbye to one of the most unpleasant chores that come with being a cat parent. Whether you hate scooping or simply don’t have enough time in the day, these automatic cat litter boxes can turn out to be well worth the money.
When choosing the right self-cleaning cat litter box for you, it’s important to take into consideration the following factors:
- Size of the complete unit
- Whether it is suitable for multiple cats
- Whether it has a hood (if your feline loves to flick after visiting)
- How the waste is removed and disposed of
- The sound it makes during cleaning
- If it has the ability to reduce odor
- The type of litter and bags it required
Becks is a freelance lifestyle journalist who has more than 9 years of experience in the world of digital and print journalism. She covers health, wellness and family interests for a range of titles. When she's not putting pen-to-paper (or finger-to-keyboard) she's reading, in the gym, or taking her Dog Aunt title very seriously looking after the handful of four-legged creatures in her life.
