Why you should buy a Litter-Robot

Whisker recommends one Litter-Robot for every four cats, though I've seen people run six cats on a single unit — that's the usual seven litter boxes down to one. A regular box needs a full litter swap constantly; the Litter-Robot sifts the clumps out continuously, so you're just topping it off. The carbon filter handles the smell — the only time you notice anything is right after a cat uses it, before it clumps and drops into the bag.

The customer service is the best I've dealt with anywhere. If something goes wrong, call them — they'll help.

My Litter-Robot love story

1. 2016

   I looked into toilet-training my cats, decided the cons outweighed the pros, and started researching automatic litter boxes instead. Most needed special proprietary supplies — the Litter-Robot just needs clumping litter and a trash bag. A $10 box of kitchen bags from Amazon lasted almost three years. For comparison, one competitor's tray system runs about $50/month per box; a Litter-Robot payment plus litter for the month comes out about the same or less.

2. 2017

   It fit perfectly in my Chicago pantry — right up until we relocated to Tennessee. My mom, already living there, apartment-hunted on my behalf and sent me a walkthrough video pointing out exactly where it would sit. That was the one. We moved in a few months later.

3. Six months later

   We decided to build a house. Between two floor plans, the smaller one won purely because it had a bigger laundry room. We paid extra for a dedicated outlet, and I showed up on electrician day to make sure it landed in exactly the right spot. It fit wonderfully.

4. Latest update

   About six months into that house, my husband's knees vetoed the stairs — so we built another new house. The single-level floor plan had a small room under the stairs that was perfect for the Litter-Robots. Mid-drywall, we had them reverse the door swing, move the light switch outside, and add (then re-add, at a sane height) a power outlet. The builder called it the "Kitty Suite" and probably thought I was unhinged. It's totally awesome. I will never be without a Litter-Robot as long as I have cats, and I don't think anyone else should be either.