I had four cats in the early 2000s, and it was wonderful living with multiple kitties. Now, I have a dog that growls at my cat, so I have to wait before adopting more felines.
Four cats means four litter boxes, and that’s a lot of scooping. I wish I had a Litter Robot then! How nice to have a self-cleaning litter box. Scooping four boxes every morning and night takes a bit of time, and cats want a clean litter!
Litter box duty isn’t the worst chore, but twice daily scooping can be a bit time-consuming. We have one litterbox in the basement and one upstairs, and sometimes, I just don’t have the time to run downstairs to the basement twice a day. An automatic litter box certainly solves that problem. What could be better than a scoop-free litter box?
Then, litter always flies out of the litter box and creates litter tracking as the kitty flees the area. That has to be cleaned up, too. Litter brands promise that they stay fresh, but nothing’s fresh when it has pee or cat feces in it. That is why a Litter Robot 4 is like a gift from God.
Litter-Robot 4
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Litter Robot 4 Reviews
Automatic litter boxes have advanced quite a bit from the rake method to the does-it-all and report it to you on the app variety. I adore my cat, but no one wants to deal with pet waste. She’s my daughter and furry friend, but I don’t ask her to clean my bathroom. The Litter Robot 4 is like a magical cat’s litter box.
I love the Litter Robot 4 because my cat has clean litter all the time, and I don’t have to scoop the cat’s litter box. It has lots of great smart features.
Pet products that make my schedule less busy and stressful and improve my kitty’s bathroom visits are great. Most reviewers agree, although a few people did report issues they had with it. Some called it their “best investment ever.”
Novelty Litter Robot 4 offers
Although both the Litter Robot 3 and 4 have many of the same features, Litter Robot 4 has new features that Litter Robot 3 didn’t. Litter Robot 3 vs. 4, here are the new improvements:
- A widened entrance
- A lower step to get in
- The control panel is now on top
- The SmartScale
- An entry motion sensor
- A tightly sealed waste drawer
- More cycle timer setting options
- Quieter
- Added OmniSense to provide real-time litter and waste levels
- The minimum cat weight dropped to three pounds
Key features
Here’s more information about the upgrades that the Litter Robot 4 has that the previous model didn’t.
More Odor and Dust-Absorbent
The seal around the waste drawer traps the smell inside, so it can’t waft into the room. Litter Robot makes an all-natural premium clay litter that doesn’t produce dust when poured into the Litter Robot. One of the Litter Robot reviews said that they used a different brand of cat litter, and it worked well.
Litter Robot 3 and 4 offer Whisker OdorTrap and carbon filter, which also reduce odors. One user review praised this odor filter.
Quietest Version
The only sound you can hear when the litter sifts in the Litter Robot 4 is the gentle pouring of litter (like sand) shifting around. I read online that Litter Robot 3 had a louder cleaning cycle sound, and the new Litter Robot is a lot quieter.
That’s nice for humans who don’t want to hear a machine noise when the Litter Robot is doing its thing, and it’s good for kitty cats who are frightened by strange noises coming from their litter box. You don’t want them to get spooked, or you’ll have to resume your duty as Queen/King Scooper.
Real-Time Waste Monitoring via App
This is especially helpful if your cat isn’t feeling well. If you have multiple cats, the Litter Robot 4 identifies each individual cat by weighing them with its weight sensors. Each of your kitty cats will be registered according to the cat’s weight.
The moment your kitty goes potty, you’ll be notified on the Whisker app. The weight sensors are invaluable because you can differentiate between your multiple cats. You might need monitoring of individual cats for health reasons.
App-Enabled Alerts
Your cat can also use the Litter Robot 4 if you haven’t enabled the alerts. The Whisker app just provides additional options. For instance, you can pause automatic cycling in 8-hour increments with sleep mode. And you won’t get pee and poop notifications if you don’t pair the Litter Robot app with the Litter Robot 4. The app also allows you to brighten or dim lights in the globe.
The app will alert you when the Litter Robot needs more litter and when the bin is full. You’ll have to check them visually if you’re not using the smart features. The app is also a tool for your cat’s health. You’ll have your pet’s waste information at your fingertips if the vet asks you about your cat’s frequency of urinating and other things.
Smaller and Sleeker Design
Despite the larger opening, the overall Litter Robot 4 is smaller than the Litter Robot 3, making it easier to tuck it away in small spaces. The Litter Robot 4’s dimensions are 22” x 27.” The Litter Robot 3’s dimensions are 24.25” x 27.”
Wider Opening
It’s actually five inches wider, so big kitty cats won’t suffer the indignity of having to squeeze through. Also, when your kitty first sees the Whisker Litter Robot 4, a larger opening is more inviting (like a human entering an MRI machine). The dimensions are 15.75” x 15.75” — lots of space.
Bigger Waste Receptacle
The Litter Robot 4’s waste drawer is 9-11 gallons. They say you only need to empty it once a week for one cat and a couple of times for two.
Improved Accessibility
The bigger opening makes it easier for cats to jump in and out. There’s also a step for them to hop onto before entering the Litter Robot 4.
Comprehensive Data Collection
The new litter robot will weigh your cat, let you know when the bin needs to be emptied, tell you when you need more litter, and tell you when your cat(s) uses it.
Pros
- It saves me time, and I only have to empty it weekly.
- I can monitor how much my cat weighs and when she does her business.
- The Litter Robot 4 tells me when litter levels are low and when to empty the waste bin.
- The Litter Robot 4 can accommodate up to four cats (not all at once).
- 90-day in-home trial
Cons
- Some people report glitches.
- The litter box comes with a free one-year warranty, but you can pay $50 for a three-year warranty.
- $699 is a high price point and quite pricey
Litter-Robot 4
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Size
It’s small enough to hide behind something or slip into a corner. It is tall, so you can’t cram it under short pieces of furniture. The new Litter Robot is a few inches narrower than the older model.
Design
Sleek and stylish
Material
Very strong plastic
Ease of Cleaning
It’s very easy to pull apart and clean. Whisker recommends a basic globe cleaning every 1-3 months and a deep cleaning at least every 3 months. And no need to scoop! There’s even an empty button that allows you to dump all the litter in the drum into the drawer if you want to put all new litter in.
Price
The Litter Robot 4 price is $699. The Litter Robot 3 is $100-150 less expensive if you can live without the improved features.
Litter Robot Reviews from owners
Litter Robot 4 reviews are even better than Litter Robot 3 reviews.
Most reviews were positive. They said their cats responded well to the new litter box. Some reviewers who own cats reported that the sensors didn’t always work. One person said that they get repeated triggers of cat sensors every few months, so they clean the sensors or hit the power cycle if they are on vacation.
Another cat owner said the litter level scale didn’t alert him on the app that he needed to add litter. He said that if anyone has the same issue, they’ll find out when they check the unit. Someone else said that the only issue he had was that the hood popped up when the cleaning cycle began.
How Does Litter Robot 4 Function
The Litter Robot 4 operates through a sophisticated, automated system designed for ease of use. When a cat exits the unit, sensors trigger a countdown, allowing time for the litter to clump. After this delay, the globe-shaped chamber begins a slow rotation, sifting and separating waste from clean litter.
The waste is then deposited into a lined drawer below, minimizing odors and mess. This process ensures a consistently clean litter environment for the cat, reducing the frequency of the manual cleaning cycle for the owner.
Best Litter To Use With a Litter Robot
Whisker makes their own clay litter, but people also use other premium brands designed to solidify in clumps when wet. Litter-Robot works with almost any hard clumping litter or scoopable litter that clumps as long as the litter beads or crystal litter are small enough to pass through the sifting screen.
- Set it up on a low carpet or a floor for accurate monitoring.
- Put the old litter box next to it.
- Don’t turn it on until your cat has explored it.
- Pour litter into the box.
- Plug it into an outlet.
- Enable Bluetooth on your phone. The Whisker app works with Androids and Apple phones.
- Hold down the power button on the Litter Robot for three seconds.
- The light on the panel will be solid blue.
- Input your email and login.
- Go to the Whisker app and choose Litter Robot 4 set up.
- Light will flash yellow while connecting
- Scan the QR on the box or unit.
- Name robot.
- Choose the frequency of the cleaning process.
This is a video showing how to set it up.
You can manually use the physical buttons on the panel anytime you want, so you don’t have to use the app. Each button can be pressed quickly or held down for a few seconds for different functions.
The lights on the panel tell you the machine’s status: Blue is ready, red means the cat is in the unit, and yellow will light up when the drum is rotating.
Product Highlights of Litter Robot 4
Let’s embark on a journey of feline convenience and cleanliness as we unveil the game-changing features of the Litter Robot 4 – where cutting-edge technology meets perfect pet care.
Wi Fi Enabled
Wifi allows pet owners to receive litter box recent activity, view stats, and get custom notifications right from the app on their phones. The software tracks litter levels in real-time with info from the sensors, waste levels, and your cat’s weight.
A weekly breakdown in the monthly history tab shows the highest and lowest weight for that week.
Automatic Sifting
The patented sifting process is designed to reduce dust production, be quiet, remove only the waste, and not filter clean litter. That saves litter that might be thrown out from a regular litter box.
The sifting also helps to eliminate bad smell and keep it odor-free by sealing the excrement in the bin. Sealing does a much better job of removing the smell than leaving it in the box.
Excrement sits on top of the litter in a litter box until someone has time to or remembers to remove it. Cats don’t like dirty litter boxes. My cat used to run into the bathroom to use her litter box when she heard me cleaning it out.
This technology automatically “flushes” to use a toilet term. They are finicky and clean themselves 24/7, so they certainly don’t want to hop into a litter box with cat waste in it.
Sensors for Detecting Waste Drawer
The Litter Robot 4 has a SafeCat system that continuously monitors four safety zones to ensure your cat is not in the unit when it begins its cleaning. The cleaning cycle will stop if the cat reenters the litter box.
Three laser sensors at the top of the Bezel are called Curtain Sensors and measure the capacity of the tray in the waste drawer. Each time it has a clean cycle, the DFI Sensor will measure the level of cat waste within the drawer.
When your cat jumps out of the unit, the sensors detect cats and their motion and sift after 10 minutes. It’s designed not to sift when there’s a cat inside it. Dust and cat fur can impede the Litter Robot 4’s ability to sense motion, so if the panel light is blinking yellow, you can gently wipe down the sensors with a damp cloth.
QuietSift Technology
The sifter will get to work ten minutes after the sensors indicate that there’s no cat in the Litter Robot 4. It gently sorts out the excrement by cycling quietly so felines don’t develop a fear and/or distrust of it.
Upgraded Sifting
Sifting is quieter now. You can hear the litter shifting if you are near the Litter Robot 4, but you don’t hear a loud machine sound. Skittish kitties won’t be frightened by the sound.
MultiCat Design
Whisker says that the Litter Robot 4 can handle four cats, which is nice because you don’t have to buy more than one of them if you have multiple cats — unless you have a LOT of felines.
This litter box is designed to accommodate multi-cat households, which is great because many people have two cats to keep each other company, so that’s important. You can’t have too many cats.
SafeCat System
The Litter Robot 4 has sensors to ensure that your cat has left the globe (the main area) before the sifting begins. It will automatically stop sifting if the feline goes back into the unit.
Litter-Robot 4
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Other Features of Litter Robot 4
Now, let’s dive deeper into the world of feline innovation with the lesser-known yet equally impressive additional features of the Litter Robot 4.
Fence
It’s a piece of strong plastic that goes on the bottom of the entrance opening. It helps to remove litter from your cat’s feet and keeps urine from escaping the unit.
Ramp
The ramp is a two-step optional purchase for $65 to help cats climb into the Litter Robot 4. Older felines or kittens might need the help that the ramp provides.
Step
The step is a $40 mat that your cat can step on when they come out of the self-cleaning litter boxes. It’s also optional. It’s ridged, so it catches litter granules falling from your kitty’s paws.
Door
The flap door is optional and provides extra protection from litter granules from coming out of the unit and scattering on the floor.
Scratcher
Keeps your cat’s claws clean and offers a delightful and irresistible opportunity for a good scratch.
Camera Mount
The camera mount kit is an additional option for the Whisker Litter Robot 4. It’s $49 and clips onto the top front of the unit. If you want to watch your cat(s) potty habits, you’ll have a front-row seat to all the action.
Cat-ID Tag
The Cat ID tag identifies one of your cats if they need to use the door flap.
Litter Bonnet
Litter Robot 4’s bonnet is on top of the globe and serves as a protective cover for the waste port as the globe rotates. The unit will not operate unless it is installed.
Bag Holder
This is also optional. It’s $49 and holds 24 waste liners. It clips onto the back of the Litter Robot 4. You can use any plastic bag that fits the tray. They recommend a clear bag so the Litter Robot 4 can monitor how full it is.
The bag has to be positioned smoothly against the tray to ensure correct measurements of how full the bin is, and then the app can tell you when to remove the bag.
Bigger Fence
The bigger fence is a plastic ledge that your cat can jump onto before entering the Litter Robot 4. It makes hopping in easier, and when the kitty leaves, any residual litter falls off their paws onto the fence. It’s optional and costs $30.
Compatibility of Cat Litter with Litter-Robot 4
Whisker recommends using their all-natural clay premium litter, but cat owners have said that they used other brands.
Litter Robot 4 Alternatives
- Regular litter boxes are less costly, but all they do is collect excrement. The rest is up to you. That’s why people like self-cleaning litter boxes.
- A less pricy option is a self-cleaning litter box with a rake that automatically removes the waste or one that you shake to sift out the excrement. The rake will need to be cleaned. Shaking the litter box sounds like the litter could all fall out. There are a few less expensive self-cleaning litter boxes that are between $50-100.
- If you opt for the Litter Robot 3, you can save $100-$150 and only miss out on features like a widened entryway, a lower step to get in, the control panel on top rather than bottom, SmartScale, entry motion sensor, tightly sealed waste drawer, more cycle timer settings, quieter, added OmniSense to provide real-time litter and waste levels, wifi, and the minimum cat weight is now 3.
- Litter Robot 4 is ranked highest amongst smart litter boxes, but if you don’t want to spend $699 on a Litter Robot 4, there are many other automatic litter boxes that don’t have as many features but are in the $200-500 price range.
Our Experience of Using Litter Robot 4
I’ve always wanted a self-cleaning litter box. I found the Litter Robot 4 automatic litter box to be user-friendly and easy to set up. I love that it tells me when to empty the drawer and add new litter. My cat loves that she doesn’t have to wait until I clean her litter box.
My cat is 10 now, and the vet said to make sure that she doesn’t urinate too frequently, which could mean diabetes or other health issues.
Having one of the quietest automatic litter boxes that provides data is perfect for that task. Otherwise, I’d be keeping a tally of clumps that I was scooping from the regular litter box.
Is Litter Robot 4 Worth Buying For
I would recommend it to anyone who can afford it. It’s one of the most expensive self-cleaning litter boxes because the app provides so much information.
If it’s out of your price range, you might want to ask your family members/friends to chip in money for the holidays or your birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, an anniversary, put it on your wedding registry, etc.
FAQs
For How Long Does Litter Stay in the Litter Robot?
If you have one cat, you would empty the waste bin once a week. Two cats would necessitate twice a week, and so on. If you only have one kitty, some users say the litter could last a week or two weeks.
How Many Years Does a Litter Robot Last?
In a Litter Robot 4 review, one of the cat owners reported that her previous Litter-Robot model had lasted seven years. Another of the cat parents commented that she has five cats and has been using hers for three or four years.
If any part isn’t working, you can order a new one from Whisker. The life of the unit depends on how many cats are using it and if you maintain it by cleaning it and replacing parts, etc.
How Does the Mechanism of Self-Cleaning Litter Boxes Function?
The globe rotates, and excrement is sifted out of the litter. Here’s a video where you can watch the process.
What To Consider When Shopping for a Self-Cleaning Litter Box?
- Safety features that protect your cat
- Improved odor control
- Performance
- Cleaning ease
- Quiet
Final Thoughts
Self-cleaning litter boxes have evolved into technologically advanced machinery that not only disposes of waste without human hands touching a scooper but also provides data that lets you know when to add litter/remove the waste bag.
The Litter Robot 4 will save you time and litter (and money spent on litter) and ensure that your cat always has a perfectly clean spot to do their business.
After a few weeks of using it, I’m not going back to scooping! Their tagline is “Never Scoop Again.” Everyone benefits!
