The 8 Best Automatic Cat Litter Boxes Of 2021

With over 10,000 reviews on Amazon, this popular self-cleaning litter box from PetSafe is the best overall pick if you’re shopping for one that really can do just about everything. It self-cleans for weeks with no scooping, cleaning, or refilling necessary — and it comes with a durable plastic tray lining that creates an extra barrier of protection against potential leakage. All you have to do is plug it in, and it starts working immediately. The automatic rake system will sweep waste into the covered compartment 20 minutes after your cat uses the litter box.

While this box is fantastic at controlling odors (and many reviewers say it’s the best), you can’t use ordinary litter with it. Instead, you have to use the company’s crystal litter. On the plus side, this litter won’t stick to your cat’s paws, is 99% dust-free, and is up to five times more effective at absorbing odors than ordinary litter. However, some reviewers note that the crystals have a noticeable scent of their own, which may be a negative for some. Stirring the crystals about once a day can help prevent this and keep your home stink-free.

What cat owners say: “This is the best money I’ve ever spent!! I have gone years despising the cat litter smell and fighting with kids about cleaning out the box. I’ve tried every different litter that promises results. I went in my neighbor’s house with 3 cats amazed that I couldnt smell them…and this litter box was by the front door! I bought one myself and the cat smell is GONE GONE GONE. I change out the litter every 3-4 weeks and it’s sooooooooo easy. The cat likes it too.”

This self-flushing box from CatGenie is a game-changer because, while it isn’t a toilet, it does flush just like an ordinary toilet would. Perfect for up to three cats per household, it requires washable granule litter (which you can buy from the company). It starts by removing and liquefying waste and then flushes clumps and dirty litter out so you don’t have to do any scooping at all. It also uses a veterinarian-approved sanitary solution to wash the litter granules while the dryer function goes to work, leaving them warm and ready for the next use.

In order to get it working, you do need to set it up in your bathroom or laundry room, so if you’re tight on space in those areas, this may not be the ideal automatic litter box for you. In a bathroom setup, the drain hook simply secures underneath the toilet seat, while in a laundry room, you need to insert the hose into the washing machine drain pipe. For pet parents who really care about hygiene and have the space to set this up properly, this box is a must-have.

What cat owners say: “I bought my genie automatic litter box 4 months ago so I’ve now had time for an honest review. Yes it’s an extensive litter box but it’s worth every penny. Maintenance is at most 5 minutes a month. Mine is in the laundry room and plumbed into an old sink drain in the wall. No toilet flushing needed which means no odor. I have 3 cats, In 4 months I’ve only needed 1/4 a box of litter to replace some the cats tracked out and just changed the original deodorizer / wash solution. They last a long time. The best part, I haven’t scooped out or had to smell the cat box.”

A true classic never goes out of style, and when it comes to this automatic litter box from Littermaid, that’s definitely the case. Tough, dependable, and cleverly designed, this box comes with an automatic rake for easy cleaning and has a litter line that prevents overfilling. In addition, it includes a ramp that helps eliminates tracking as well as four waste receptacles, four carbon filters, and an adapter. It also runs via a motion sensor, which initiates the cleaning cycle after your cat uses the litter box. The litter box is designed for one cat, but multiple Amazon reviewers report successfully using it with two.

While you can buy litter from LitterMaid directly, reviewers say any clumping litter will do, which gives this budget buy a nice little edge over many other higher-end self-cleaning boxes on the market. This one doesn’t have the same odor-controlling capabilities as some, but it’s very effective at getting rid of waste and ensuring that your cat has a safe place to do their business.

What cat owners say: “Absolutely love this. Easy to change the container when it is full. Not very noisy. Have had no issues with it clogging. There’s no longer the lingering litter box doors as there is with the regular litter boxes we have used in the past. […] She doesn’t drag much out with her and it gets caught on the ramp and not all over my floor. Best investment! Also we use way less litter then in the typical boxes.”

While automatic cat litter boxes reduce the amount of work you need to do to keep the litter fresh, they still require you to occasionally replace the litter. This automatic litter box from PetSafe works with disposable pre-filled trays of crystal litter so you never need to touch the litter, and it connects to an app on your phone that alerts you when you need to swap trays or buy new ones (and yes, it factors in how often your cat uses the box). The app also lets you track your cat’s litter box usage so you can note any changes of habit that might signify a possible health issue.

While the app is a major perk, this is also just an excellent automatic litter box. It automatically scoops waste into an enclosed waste bin 20 minutes after your pet leaves the box, so you don’t have to do any raking or scooping yourself. An LCD display tracks how many times your pet has used the litter box, and there is a button you can press if you want the box to rake the litter on demand. That said, if all goes well, you shouldn’t have to do more than swap out the litter tray about once a month — nothing more, nothing less.

This litter box can be purchased with or without a cover, depending on your preference.

What cat owners say: “I’ve considered an automated litter box for years but kept putting it off. I’m so glad I finally got one! It sets up easily, both the litter box itself and the phone app. Our cat adapted to it immediately. Actually, she was climbing inside while I was putting it together and started using it regularly right away. The app shows when it detects the cat entering the box and when it rakes the box clean 20 minutes later. There has been absolutely no smell at all! Today the app alerted us that it was time to replace the litter (right at 4 weeks from installation.) Our auto-delivery of the replacement litter arrives tomorrow. To change it out, we’ll just lift the plastic unit up, slide out the old box (the soiled litter is under a flap), and use the lid below it to place on top then discard. After a quick wipe down with a sponge, the new box will slide underneath and we’ll be good for another month. The cat loves having a fresh litter box every time she enters and we are thrilled about not having to deal with cleaning it!”

Whether you have one larger cat or multiple furbabies, this self-cleaning litter box from Nature’s Miracle is an excellent choice. Designed to be used with multiple cats weighing more than 15 pounds, the extra-large box is super spacious. The high-walled litter box has a smart motion sensor that allows it to rake and scoop the litter after each use in order to keep things fresh. Four waste receptacles, each with a carbon filter, prevent stinky odors, and a paw-cleaning ramp means your cat won’t track dirty litter into the rest of the house. There’s even an LED night light feature so the litter box remains visible in the dark.

To use the litter box, plug it into a wall outlet. It shouldn’t be used with kittens under 6 months of age or under 5 pounds. Users report that the box works with standard litter.

What cat owners say: “Super easy setup, works like a charm! My cats love it and adopted it right away! A month later, they are still amused by the fact that it moves on it’s own. BEST PART IS THE EASY CLEANUP! Take the little tray and dump it. THATS LITERALLY IT! Amazing value 10/10”

If you’d prefer not to see the interior of your cat’s litter box, you’ll want a hooded box, and a top-entry one in particular to reduce the amount of scattered litter. This automatic litter box from PetSafe has these features, plus all the perks of a high-quality self-cleaning litter box. The top-entry hood has a grate that removed litter from your cat’s paws once they jump out of their private bathroom spot, and the litter box itself does its part to eliminate any mess or smell from your home. It has automatic sensors, and you can set it to self-clean five, 10, or 20 minutes after your cat uses the box. A rake scoops any solid waste into a covered receptacle you can empty as needed. The box uses disposable trays filled with odor-resistant crystal litter that you can simply replace at the proper time — each one lasts for up to 30 days.

This litter box comes in a few different colors, and can also be purchased with a front-entry hood if you’d prefer.

What cat owners say: “Love it! Being in a smaller home, we had no choice but to place a litter box in the kitchen. The PetSafe ScoopFree Ultra was the best choice. We never have any smells, and we were able to hide it with large fake tree. The top entry prevents our dog for being able to access the box and prevents litter from being tracked out of the box. It is such a good design that visitors have no idea it is even there. I have to point it out, and then they are amazed that there are no smells. Yes it is more expensive than clay litter, but I would rather pay extra for a low maintenance product that keeps the smells away.”

Though it may be a splurge, this smart litter box from PETKIT is legitimately packed with thoughtful and impressive features — plus, it’s super sleek. Not only does it fight odors super effectively by spraying the waste bin with an independently-developed purifying liquid, but it also has literally 12 high-tech sensors to ensure your cat never gets caught in the box when it’s self-cleaning. This includes thermal, infrared, weight, and anti-pinch sensors that detect when your pet approaches or enters the box. These safety sensors are super important, because the box, which self cleans by rotating the drum and filtering out the litter, can be set to clean itself automatically or at scheduled times — so you want to be sure that it can shut things down when your cat needs to do their business. The litter box also connects to your smartphone and can be controlled remotely via the app, which also lets you track your pet’s potty habits and sends you reminders when you need to replace the litter or deodorizer fluid, or dispose of any waste.

What cat owners say: “So convenient and easy to use. Set up was quick and easy, programming was fairly simple with options for customization, cleaning works flawlessly, and it sends updates directly to my phone when it is time to empty the disposal tray and/or when to add more litter. This auto litterbox does it all!”

Unlike the other litter boxes on this list, this round litter box from PetSafe uses a conveyer system to remove waste. The spacious bowl, which can be filled with clay litter, rotates a bit every half hour, sifting the clumps out as it goes. It rotates fully every hour and a half, pushing the clumps onto a conveyer that drops them in the attached covered waste bin. The bin has a carbon filter to fight odor, and can simply be emptied when needed. An LED light lets you know when the litter box is running — it’s super quiet, so it’s helpful to have a visual!

What cat owners say: “This automatic litter box from PetSafe is so funny but also really useful in the same time. No more mess no more smelly litter box. […] It constantly moves around VERY slowly and sifts the litter, sending clumps and lumps up a ramp to a container. Every other day I pull the container out, replace the bag, add a bit more litter and that’s it… the rest is done automatically. I’ve had this over 3 weeks now and haven’t smelled any cat litter odor. The mechanism of this litter box is very quite my cat don’t even notice it. It makes a full circulation in about 1 hour so my cat can do his business on clean litter every hour. The good thing is that with this machine we can also save money, we do not have to buy the amount of litter we used to before, no litter is wasted as before. […] All in all I’m more than happy with this product and i would recommend it for all the cat owners.”