When my partner and I recently moved apartments, we were worried about how our cat, Leo – an adorable brown-and-gray tabby – would adjust to a new space. No surprise, he spent days hiding high up in our built-in shelves and nights skittering around the apartment, getting into trouble.
But ever since we brought him home as a three-month-old kitten, he’s been pretty good about finding the litter. This time, we were a little nervous, given that we were introducing him to a different litter box than he was used to – not even a litter box at all, actually, but Whisker’s Litter-Robot 4 ($699). The smart litter box is equipped with self-cleaning technology to make cat parents’ lives easier.
Only a couple of weeks into living in the new space, Leo’s still getting used to the new apartment, but he hasn’t skipped a beat using the Litter-Robot. And since filling up the machine with litter when we first moved in, we haven’t worried about cleanup or foul smells at all, either. Keep reading to learn about our experience with the nifty device.
What to Know About the Litter-Robot 4
- The Litter-Robot 4 uses self-cleaning technology that automatically sifts out waste and provides a fresh bed of litter after every use.
- The Litter-Robot 4 is compatible with any clumping cat litter and trash bag. The waste drawer is designed for odor control, and features a built-in carbon filter.
- You can use the accompanying Whisker app to track your cat’s weight, follow their bathroom usage, and get waste level alerts.
- The Litter-Robot 4 is suitable for multi-cat households, providing a clean litter box for up to four cats of any breed or size.
What I Like About the Litter-Robot 4
Scooping Leo’s litter used to be a daily chore, but we truly haven’t even thought about cleaning up the litter box in weeks. That’s thanks to the streamlined experience of the Whisker app, which tells us when the waste bin is getting full. We’re also able to see if the Litter-Robot needs more litter, which, so far, it hasn’t – the company claims that the machine cuts down on litter waste, and so far, that’s been our experience with it.
The Litter-Robot has also definitely cut down on odors, thanks to the fact that we’re not manually opening up the whole litter box to clean it out. We placed ours in a sports closet, and it’s become an out-of-sight, out-of-mind situation for us – something we’ve been very grateful for.
There are also fun extras on the app, including smart sensor technology that tells you your cat’s weight. You can also get notifications directly on your phone every time your cat uses the bathroom. While this may seem like TMI for some, Leo has been known to eat toys and sometimes get sick, so I imagine this data will be helpful in the future.
What to Consider Before Purchasing the Litter-Robot 4
Another Popsugar editor got to try out the Litter-Robot 4 for her cat, and apparently, her cat didn’t go near it. On its site, Whisker says that most cats acclimate to the Litter-Robot within a week, but clearly some cats are extra skeptical.
Leo does regularly interrupt the robot’s cleaning cycle – we think he’s still confused by the entire thing – but the machine will stop mid-cycle if it senses a cat, and then continue its self-cleaning process once the area is cat-free. The Litter-Robot also does require more space than a traditional litter box, so be sure to check the dimensions before buying it.
Is the Litter-Robot 4 Worth It?
Obviously, the Litter-Robot is a big investment. For households that have multiple cats or a hard time keeping up with manually cleaning their litter boxes, though, this is a day-to-day game changer. I have plenty of friends who have made the investment for their cats and haven’t regretted it.
Where Is the Litter-Robot 4 Available?
The Litter-Robot 4 is available on Whisker’s website.
Rating: 4.5
Lena Felton (she/her) is a senior director of special projects at PS, where she oversees sponsored packages, tentpole projects, and editorial partnerships. Previously, she was an editor at The Washington Post, where she led a team covering issues of gender and identity. She has been working in journalism since 2017, during which time her focus has been feature writing and editing and elevating historically underrepresented voices. Lena has worked for The Atlantic, InStyle, So It Goes, and more.
