The best self-cleaning litter boxes to save you from the pain of scooping

Having a cat (or a few) is great. They’re soft, cute, cuddly, and make for amazing internet content. But there’s one thing about owning a cat that universally sucks: scooping and cleaning the cat litter box. This unpleasant and smelly task often takes more time and effort than we want it to. And if you get lazy, even for a moment — say after a long, bad day at the office — your cat thanks you by going outside its litter box. (Great, now you’ve got two stinky messes to clean up — definitely not worth it).

Thankfully, automatic cat litter boxes exist to help take some of the work out of looking after your cat.

How do automatic litter boxes work?

An automatic litter box can detect when your cat has soiled the litter and then takes that opportunity to rake the waste into a separate compartment. You won’t have to individually scoop each clump — you just need to empty out the waste bin regularly. It works similarly to a robot vacuum with a self-emptying base: You don’t have to clean anything each time it runs, but you do have to empty the base when it’s full.

This ensures your cat has a clean litter box every time it needs to relieve itself, which can help the cat actually go in its box instead of on the floor. So, an automatic cat box is a great investment for finicky cats that need a pristine litter box every time they go. (Note that most automatic litter boxes are meant for adult cats, and are not suitable for kittens less than five pounds.)

OK, but do automatic litter boxes actually work?

Yep, they really do. Not only does an automatic litter box do the scooping for you, it also keeps odor at bay. You’ll no longer have cat poop and pee just literally sitting out in the open in your house. It’ll be swept into a sealed chamber to help repress the smell.

Be aware though, a lot of self-cleaning litter boxes are enclosed, which not every cat will like. If your cat doesn’t regularly like a covered box, opt for one that’s open. Automatic litter boxes also make noise while they’re cleaning themselves, which could scare timid cats. There are quieter options out there for cats who get spooked easily.

What are the benefits of using a self-cleaning litter box?

I mean, it’s right there in the name. It’s self-cleaning. AKA, you don’t have to hunch over and tediously scoop kitty litter, which is objectively the worst household chore. And, like we mentioned, the litter box will smell up your home less and a clean box will encourage your cat to actually use it. Plus, it’s more hygienic for both of you because you won’t have dirty paws tracking bacteria and litter all over the house.

So, here are our top picks for the best automatic litter boxes for 2021.