topic Re: Automated Litter Boxes in Pet Lovers

Automated Litter Boxes

KittySoftPaws — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 17:30:52 GMT

I have been considering purchasing an automated litter box for a long time, but it's a big investment and wondering if anyone has, or has had one and liked it or not. I adopted my 5 yr old cat from the shelter in August. She was semi feral, and as such is still wary of anything new, and still a bit skittish at times. She has however grown into a very loving girl, but like most cats doesn't like change.

I just introduced her to an automated water fountain which in the past my cats other have always loved, but she has yet to be interested so I keep her regular water dish near in the hopes she will.

The brand I purchased is the Petlibro and it's really nice. They also have a new automated litter box which has many great features that seem better than the ones I have seen in the past. They give you 90 days to try it, but it's expensive and I question whether she will be afraid of going into it even though it's a pretty wide open entry.

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Re: Automated Litter Boxes

Marp — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 18:00:06 GMT

@KittySoftPaws, I can't legitimately comment on the automated litter boxes but I would strongly suggest that you get a covered litter box and see how your cat reacts to using it. If she won't enter a covered box it is unlikely she will use the automated one.

I have tried covered boxes in the past but not one of my cats accepted it. I've had friends that used covered and even automated boxes with great success.

Re: Automated Litter Boxes

KittySoftPaws — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 18:16:20 GMT

@Marp Thank you, that is good advise and I had not thought about that. It would definatley be a way to get a good idea on that though.

Re: Automated Litter Boxes

Zoe — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 19:07:55 GMT

Can't comment specifically on Petlibro automated litterbox. We have had a Litter Robot for almost 6 years. Two of ours are from an outdoor colony with one of those being pretty skittish to change.

When we first got our LR, we set it up as close to their existing litterbox as we could. Within an hour, every cat had investigated it -- even going in, if not using it right away. When we woke up the next morning, they had all used it. It took us one night for them all to get used to it. Then, we just moved it a few feet every day to the corner where we wanted the LR to live.

Would advise you not to buy any automated litterbox without an extended warranty. 90 days isn't long enough for all of the issues to show up. If they don't offer an extended warranty, that is probably a red flag, imo (ymmv). The first year with our LR was a little rough. We had to send it in for repairs *three times* during that first 15 months, but we had bought the extended warranty. Since that first 15 mos where we were constantly sending it back for repair before they FINALLY replaced it, we've had no complaints.

We do clean & sanitize ours every 7 days. Takes about 20-25 mins. You have to use clumping litter for these boxes to work, so stuff inevitably gets stuck to the liner, seams and/or grate.

All of the rest of our litterboxes are regular, seamless, stainless steel boxes with high sides for our senior kitties with special joints. If our LR stopped working, we're not sure we'd buy another automated box. It's been fine and has worked well for as many cats as we have. But we LOVE our seamless, stainless steel boxes. Super easy to clean and nothing sticks to them!

Re: Automated Litter Boxes

Kachina624 — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 20:19:24 GMT

There's a very amusing littex box ad running now on TV. It's a huge round thing reminiscent of a laundry device. The commercial has it placed next to the sofa in a living room. Maybe it's good entertainment in lieu of TV?

Re: Automated Litter Boxes

We rescue cats — Sat, 24 Jan 2026 21:33:42 GMT

Our rescue group had one or two reports of cats being injured in one of the rotating top boxes, but that was a few years ago, those issues were probably corrected long ago. I don't them because we have 13 cats and 12 litter boxes. I would be very cautious with a former feral cat, they are very sensitive to change and it can end up being deep seated in them. Several years ago I began using a pine pellet system (the pellets have the pine oil baked out of them) with great success. I think that nearly all of our nearly 30 rescuers use it because it is less expensive than litter, easier to handle and there is less odor.
I cannot post a link but if you go to YouTube and search for: The Original-The Easiest, Most Inexpensive NaturalPine Pellet Litter Box System the creator of the system explains it thoroughly. Lots of folks try to take credit for developing the system, Susan Youngman actually did so and never took a penny for the hours she invested.

Re: Automated Litter Boxes

KittySoftPaws — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 01:09:06 GMT

@Zoe Thank you, great information, and thanks to everyone who replied.

Re: Automated Litter Boxes

Tinkrbl44 — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 02:04:39 GMT

@KittySoftPaws

When we first got Bogey as a kitty, we already had a dog, Skippy.

As it turned out, the dog loved to go fishing in the litter box for little poops to eat! Yikes!

So, we got a covered box and had to introduce Bogey to this new contraption. I put the box in a corner, leaving the lid off, with a small chair next to it. (The box had high walls and the chair seat was even with the top of the box.)

Bogey would jump on the chair and then drop into the litter box, do his business, and jump back on to the chair seat and run off to go cause mischief.

After a few days of chair to box, I put the lid on the box and he would drop through the hole in the lid. Business done, hop onto the lid and then the chair, and then be gone.

In a few more days, he would jump back onto the lid and then just jump onto the floor, not the chair seat. I swear, he looked very proud of himself that he figured it out all by himself, lol.

The whole covered-box introduction and process took about a week.

(I hope this makes sense.)

Re: Automated Litter Boxes

KittySoftPaws — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 02:36:51 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 Yes, haha it does. Bogey sounds like he's got one heck of a personality. I'm just concerned because the automated boxes are so expensive, and she's a skittish girl. I get why, as she was semi-feral when the shelter found her and she was nursing 3 kittens too. But I also know it could take years for her to get over some of it. I just bought her a water fountain she has yet to use. All my other cats I had always loved them. But I am hopeful. Until then, I keep her old water bowl next to it.

Re: Automated Litter Boxes

mrshckynut — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 04:23:31 GMT

@KittySoftPaws we had the original ones back around 2008 or in that time frame. think they were called littermaid

they would be ok if we had only a couple cats but we had 6 at that time. spent more time cleaning the rake and other parts so we decided it was easier the old scoop and toss way

mrshckynut

Re: Automated Litter Boxes

antlor — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 04:35:51 GMT

I also purchased steel litter boxes but I can't say they're non stick. It was disappointing since reviewers raved about this. That is one of the reasons I bought them in the first place, along with odor control. Maybe there are some better than others, I have several different brands from Amazon. Any tips for a better stainless litter box would be greatly appreciated. I have also considered the automated box for my 6 rescue cats. just not sure if it would decrease the workload or not.

Re: Automated Litter Boxes

KittySoftPaws — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 15:01:41 GMT

@mrshckynut That makes perfect sense, and yes, sometimes the old simple ways are the easiest even though it may not look as if it is. The cleaning of the litter box has always been a daunting task, but what you said puts it in a different perspective. Thanks you! I am thinking I will pass on the idea of an automated litter box, based on yours, and all other input I have received here.