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Looking for the best litter for automatic litter boxes? Most automatic litter boxes let you choose the type of litter used as long as it’s a clumping litter. However, there are certain brands of automatic litter boxes that require brand-specific litter to be used.
Let’s dive into the best litter for an automatic litter box and what you should be on the lookout for.
The Best Litter for Automatic Litter Box Overview
- Best Litter for Automatic Litter Box: Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Multiple Cat Litter
- Best Value Litter: Tidy Cats Scoop 24/7 Performance Clumping Cat Litter
- Best Premium Litter: Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Clumping Clay Litter
- Best for use in CatGenie Litter Box: CatGenie Washable Granules
- Best for use in PetSafe ScoopFree Litter Box: ScoopFree Premium Blue Non-Clumping Crystal Litter
What Type of Litter is Best for Automatic Litter Boxes?
When you’re searching for the best litter for an automatic litter box there are a few key things to keep in mind including the type of litter you buy, the litter box specifications, and your cat’s preference.
Clumping Litters
In general, clumping litter is the best litter for an automatic litter box. Because automatic cat litter boxes typically use a sifting or raking mechanism to clean, you need the used litter to be in a form that can easily be removed. Clumping litter forms hard, solid clumps when it comes in contact with liquid which makes it easier for the self-cleaning litter box to remove it. And of course, solid waste will be picked up by the cleaning mechanism as well.
If you opt for non-clumping litter, then the rake will not be able to pick up the wet litter leaving the dirty litter in the box.
Brand Specific Litters
Some automatic litter box brands will require that you use their specific brand of cat litter. If you want to play it safe, it’s best to stick with the brand-specific cat litter. However, you can usually search through the reviews to find other cat owners who have swapped to more generic brands.
Cat’s Preference
Lastly, take note of your cat’s preferences. If you have a picky cat that doesn’t like change, you may want to find an automatic litter box that can use regular clumping clay litter if that’s what your cat is used to.
Best Litter for Automatic Litter Box – By Litter Box Brand
Some automatic litter boxes require you to use a specific brand of litter, while others are more flexible. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular automatic litter boxes to see what type of cat litter they require.
CatGenie Automatic Litter Box
The CatGenie Automatic Litter Box is an automatic litter box that requires no litter. It uses cat-approved, septic-safe Washable Granules that never need to be changed according to the manufacturer. However, you will have to add granules if the level gets low.
The CatGenie works by collecting your cat’s urine as it travels through the non-absorbing granules and liquifying the solid waste inside an odor-trapping Hopper. The CatGenie then washes and hot-air dries the box and the cat litter making it ready for the next use. You can safely dispose of the waste collected down the toilet or hook up the CatGenie to the toilet for automatic disposal.
Litter-Robot Automatic Litter Box
The Litter-Robot Self-Cleaning Litter Box does not require brand-specific litter making it a good option if you want to continue using your normal litter.
The Litter-Robot works by using a timed delay after your cat goes to the bathroom to start the cleaning cycle. The globe will begin to rotate which sifts out the clumps and solid waste from the clean litter. The clumps are then deposited into a carbon-filtered drawer below the cat litter box and the globe rotates back to the normal position with only fresh litter remaining. Cat owners then simply empty the waste drawer and add fresh litter as needed. The Litter-Robot is great for multiple cats and different kinds of cat litter.
Litter Maid Automatic Litter Box
The Litter Maid Self-Cleaning Litter Box is another automatic cat litter box that doesn’t require brand-specific cat litter. However, you’ll want to make sure you’re buying a clumping clay litter to ensure the rake can pick up the waste.
The Litter Maid Automatic Litter Box works by using a sensor that notes when your cat is using the litter box. After 10 to 12 minutes, the cleaning cycle will start and a rake will scoop out the clumps and waste. The rake drags the cat waste to a waste receptacle compartment which is then emptied by the cat owner as needed.
PetSafe ScoopFree Automatic Litter Box
The PetSafe ScoopFree Automatic Litter Box requires you to use their crystal litter for the box to work properly. The crystal litter is both for odor control and dehydration of solid waste.
The PetSafe Scoop Free Litter Box works by automatically raking in the dried and absorbed cat waste into a covered waste trap below the box. Once the tray is full you throw away the entire tray and load a new disposable tray in its place. PetSafe promotes the use of crystal litter due to its better odor control, dust-free properties, and most importantly, its ability to absorb liquid waste and dehydrate solid waste which is essential to the litter box’s operation.
The Best Cat Litter for Automatic Litter Boxes Reviews
Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Multiple Cat Litter
Best Litter for Automatic Litter Box
Brand: Dr. Elsey’s
Litter Material: Clay
Litter Features: Clumping, Multi-Cat, Odor Control, Unscented, Dust Free, Low Tracking
Key Benefit: Forms hard clumps that make it easier for scooping or raking making it a good option for automatic litter boxes.
If you’re looking for the best cat litter for automatic litter boxes you’ll want to make sure you’re buying a premium clumping litter like Dr. Elsey’s. Dr. Elsey’s Cat Litter is a great litter option for households with multiple cats due to its superior odor control. This litter forms hard clumps making it ideal for automatic cat litter boxes.
Tidy Cats Scoop 24/7 Performance Clumping Cat Litter
Best Value Litter for Automatic Litter Box
Brand: Purina Tidy Cats
Litter Material: Clay
Litter Features: Clumping, Scented, Dust Free
Key Benefit: Delivers tight clumps that are easy to be scooped or raked out.
Tidy Cats 24/7 Performance Clumping Litter is a great litter for self-cleaning litter boxes due to its tight clumping features which make it easier for sifting and raking. The 24/7 odor control also makes it ideal for households with multiple cats.
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Clumping Clay Litter
Best Premium Litter for Automatic Litter Box
Brand: Arm & Hammer
Litter Material: Clay
Litter Features: Clumping, Odor Control, Scented, Dust Free
Key Benefit: Creates rock-solid clumps which make it perfect for automatic litter boxes.
Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Cat Litter is another premium clumping kitty litter that is perfect for an automatic cat litter box. Not only does the litter form hard clumps making it easy for self-cleaning litter boxes to remove it, but it also comes with odor-sealing protection for up to 7-days.
CatGenie Washable Granules
Best Litter for CatGenie Automatic Litter Box
Brand: CatGenie
Litter Material: Synthetic
Litter Features: Dust Free, Non-Toxic Natural and Synthetic Materials
Key Benefit: Each box of granules should last between 2 to 5 months with the CatGenie Automatic Litter Box.
CatGenie Washable Granules are designed to be used in the CatGenie Automatic Litter Box. These non-absorbing granules allow cat urine to pass through them to the CatGenies designed storage department. The CatGenie Washable Granules never need to be changed out; however, over time you may need to add more granules on top as the level naturally lowers.
ScoopFree Premium Blue Non-Clumping Crystal Litter
Best Litter for PetSafe ScoopFree Automatic Litter Box
Brand: PetSafe
Litter Material: Crystal
Litter Features: Non-Clumping, Odor Control, Scented, Dust Free, Low Tracking
Key Benefit: Long-lasting formula uses up to 5 times less litter than clumping clay litter with one 4.5 lb bag lasting up to 30 days in a single-cat household.
The PetSafe ScoopFree Crystal Litter is designed for the ![""]("https://ir-na.amazon-adsystem.com/e/ir?t=happycatcentr-20&language=en_US&l=li3&o=1&a=B000ELUQQS")
Automatic Litter Boxes – How They Work
Automatic litter boxes work by using a sifting system or rake to move waste into a separate compartment of the litter box. Typically automatic litter boxes use a sensor to detect when your cat has used the box. Once the sensor is triggered, the machine will automatically clean and dispose of the waste.
The owner must empty the separate container on a set frequency to keep the litter box working. It’s usually much quicker and easier to dump the separate compartment than to clean an entire litter box.
How to Get Your Cat Used to an Automatic Litter Box
Transitioning your cat to an automatic litter box can be a challenge, especially if you have an older cat. The key to transitioning cats to change is doing it slowly and transitioning to a self-cleaning litter box is no different.
The best way to begin the transition is to place your new automatic litter box next to your regular litter box. Make sure to fill the automatic box with the same type of litter that your cat is used to so you don’t introduce too much change all at once.
Once your cat has begun using the new litter box, you can turn it on. However, you should still keep the older box next to it and monitor how frequently your cat is using either box. If you see that they are successfully using the new automatic litter box then you can take away the old one. If you find that your cat is still using the regular litter box then go a few days without cleaning it. The older dirty litter box will become less appealing while the self-cleaning litter box will stay fresh.
After a few days to a week, you can remove the old litter box and continue to monitor your cat’s progress!
Do You Have to Use Specific Litter for Automatic Litter Boxes?
The type of cat litter you must use with an automatic litter box depends on the brand of the litter box. Most automatic litter boxes will allow you to use most types of cat litter, however, there are a few brands like PetSafe and CatGenie that require brand-specific cat litter to be used in their self-cleaning litter box.
The Best Litter for Automatic Litter Box- Final Thoughts
There are many different brands of automatic litter boxes out there and while some require you to purchase brand-specific litter if you have the option to buy your own, we recommend Dr. Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Multiple Cat Litter or Tidy Cats Scoop 24/7 Performance Clumping Cat Litter. Both cat litters are tight clumping making them perfect for self-cleaning litter boxes.
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