How To Get A Good Multi-Cat Auto Litter Box
Looking for the best automatic litter box for your feline friends? Making a decision of which unit to buy when having several cats can be hard, because of so many types of self-cleaning litter boxes on the market. But this does not have to be that way, we will make your decision an easy task with the following information. The best way to choose a multi-cat automatic litter box is to check 6 important points that usually get overlooked:
#1 Big Capacity to Hold the Collected Waste
This is very important if you plan to use the same machine with several cats. The idea of having an automatic litter box is not to worry about the maintenance for at least 4 days and that being said you need to make sure the device you get has enough capacity to hold 4 or more days’ worth of waste. One cat needs to urinate at least 4 times a day and defecate at least once a day with a healthy food diet. Multiply this by 2 or 3 and you’ll know you need a device with a good waste capacity if you want to forget about emptying the litter box for several days. The CatGenie is the exception to this rule because this unit features a self-disposal mechanism where the waste goes to the sewerage system.
#2 How Long the Machine Takes to Self-Clean
The faster the machine does the cleaning cycle, the more chance that the automatic litter box will be clean and ready for another cat to use. If the automatic litter box takes too long to self-clean more chance that one of the cats will be waiting for the machine to be ready. If your cats have some territorial issues, the cat waiting may end up doing its business somewhere else. This is also important because if the device gets clean and ready fast, it’s more likely to be accepted and used by several cats because most cats don’t like dirty litter boxes, especially with waste created by another cat.
With the Litter Robot, the cleaning cycle lasts a little over 2 minutes which is fast. The CatGenie takes 34 minutes to complete one cleaning cycle which could be a problem with multi-cats due to the electrical expenses of having the machine auto-cleaning several hours a day (is like having the dry machine running). In general, is recommended to program the CatGenie with intervals of hours and not automatically. The problem with this option is that the litter box won’t be clean all the time, have some waste sitting there, and maybe another cat won’t want to use it.
#3 Adjustable Wait Time of Cleaning Cycles
It’s important to have the ability to adjust the wait time for the automatic litter box to start a cleaning cycle, especially if you are going to use the unit with several cats. The reason for this is that you need to adjust the litter box according to your cat’s elimination habits and also the number of cats. The more cats, the fewer minutes should be set up before the auto cat litter box starts self-cleaning.
You need to observe your cat’s elimination habits and when you have an idea of how often and the intervals between one cat and the other you can decide the wait time for the unit to start cleaning.
#4 A Mechanism that is Effective When Self-Cleaning
If you choose a fancy system to collect the waste that works in theory but not in practice you will find yourself wasting your money. You need to invest in a self-cleaning system that works and it’s proven to work. Check reviews and percentage of satisfaction when buying an automatic cat litter box.
When searching for automatic litter boxes for your multiple cats ask yourself these questions: Are my cats going to do their business right on that spot that the machine needs them to? Are my cats messy when doing their business? Can the machine handle all the urine my cats will create?
If you are looking for a solution for multiple cats that works effectively and won’t give you headaches, you need to be willing to invest the money for a good unit. When it comes to an automatic litter box for multiple cats you definitely will get what you pay for.
#5 A Solid and Well-Made Unit
Several cats doing their business several times a day means a lot of work for the machine. For this same reason, you need a device that is made with the best technology and materials, a heavy-duty machine with a motor that won’t die within the next six months after you buy it.
If you want the automatic litter box to work efficiently for your several cats you must choose a product that has been made to last, with a lifespan calculated for thousands of cleaning cycles.
#6 Not Too Much Maintenance or Supervision
If you have multiple cats and you want a self-cleaning litter box I assume you don’t want to be checking, re-checking, and supervising the correct function of the unit.
If you want an automatic litter box that is almost maintenance-free don’t get litter boxes that use narrow disposable waste compartments, rakes, or anything like that because these devices usually feature a small litter bed and they are more suitable for a single cat.
The Best Multi-Cat Litter Box According to the Number of Cats
To save you time I will compare the options on the market for automatic cat litter boxes and how they would perform with 2, 3, or more cats.
If You Have 2 Cats
ScoopFree Ultra
This isn’t the best option if you have 2 cats, although it could work if your cats are on the small side and if they are not too messy when using the litter box. Usually, rakes can’t collect 100% of the clumps and some of them get caught behind the rake when cats do their business in the “wrong” area. For this reason, the ScoopFree is more suitable for one regular-sized cat that tends to use the center of the unit when doing its business.
Litter Robot 3 and 4
If you want a system that needs less maintenance, the Litter Robot 3 or Litter Robot 4 are good options. The Litter Robot 3 and the Litter Robot 4 are multi-cat options because they are spacious for large cats or for 2 or 3 cats. The good thing about using the Litter Robot for multiple cats is the fact that the cleaning cycle can be adjusted to 3-7 and 15 minutes (with the Litter Robot 4 you can adjust 3-5-7-15-30 minutes) so you can use the best timing after observing your cat’s elimination behavior. You can also do manual cleanings with a push of a button and if you have the Litter Robot Connect or the Litter Robot 4, you can start a cleaning cycle from your iPhone or Android. Get your Litter-Robot 3 or 4 with $50 OFF on this link.
Another good point of the Litter Robot is that the cleaning cycle is short, it lasts a little over 2 minutes which allows the unit to be ready fast for another cat to use it.
Cat Genie
Good option if you don’t want to dispose of your cats’ waste. The Cat Genie can perfectly handle two cats and you have the option to set the unit on “Auto Start” of 6-8-12-24 hours between each self-cleaning or set the litter box on “Cat Activation Mode” where the unit starts cleaning 30 minutes after a cat uses it. You can also do manual cleaning with a push of a button.
Check How The Litter Robot Works
If You Have 3 Cats
If you want to get only one automatic litter box for your 3 cats the Litter Robot and CatGenie are the best options.
Litter Robot
The most suitable versions are the Litter Robot 3 and the new Litter Robot 4. As mentioned, they have adjustable cleaning cycle times, the waste drawer is large (especially the Litter Robot 4), and they have been designed thinking about multiple cats. They both do a good job taking care of the waste of multiple cats’ use. Particularly, the Litter Robot 4 is ideal for 3 or more cats because it features a smart sensor that registers in the Whisker App the cat weight detected during the last use so this way you can identify which cat used the litter box the last. Check the review of the Litter Robot 4 automatic litter box where I describe in detail how this great unit works.
CatGenie
This automatic litter box probably will experience more clogs if used with 3 cats instead of one or two. However, if you have this factor in mind when buying this unit and are willing to deeply clean this litter box after certain periods of time, this unit works well for your 3 cats.
Keep in mind that the CatGenie takes 34 minutes to complete a cleaning cycle so it’s better to set it on Auto Start or Push Start when used by 3 cats. When programmed on “Auto Start” the machine starts running an auto cycle every 6, 8, 12, or 24 hours. The disadvantage of using the “Auto Start” mode is that feces could be sitting on the litter area for at least 6 hours before a cleaning cycle starts and this could stink your house up if you don’t locate the unit in a proper area. On the other hand, in “Push Start” mode you decide when to manually push the button and start a cleaning cycle.
The other option is to set up the unit on automatic mode for multiple cats where a cleaning cycle starts 30 minutes after a cat uses the unit. However, you will have the machine spinning quite often which means more noise and increased electric bill. I personally don’t recommend the CatGenie for 3 cats.
If You Have More Than 3 Cats
In this case, I suggest getting the Litter Robot 4 or buying two units of either the Litter Robot 3 or the CatGenie. I personally suggest the Litter Robot 4 as I own one and I know how good it works. Though I have only one cat, I can see this litter box working perfectly for several cats. If you want to learn more about the Litter Robot and apply $50 off its price, visit this link and discover all the features of this automatic litter box.
I hope you make the best decision to get an automatic litter box for your multiple cats and remember, if you really want to have peace of mind and not worry about checking your cat litter box for several days, just bite the bullet and invest in a good one.