23-04-2025
I tried the cat Litter-Robot 4 to see if it's really a 'game-changer' for managing smelly litter
I adore having a cat. Theo is my best friend in the entire world - he's fluffy, he screams in my ear to wake me up, plus every morning and night, he sits on my chest and purrs in bed.
I also scream at people to eat - we're soul mates. But with great love must also come great responsibility and that means scooping up poo. And vacuum cleaning the ten tonnes of litter he has kicked all over my flat.
And cleaning out the clumped-together litter... anyone who has owned a cat knows the pain of this and the stench. The essence of modern life is finding solutions to these kinds of problems.
Enter Whisker's Litter-Robot 4 (£749), a game-changer in the world of cat litter that provides fresh litter for your cat while trapping the odour. This automatic cat litter machine promises to put an end to the scooping ordeal forever, thanks to its self-cleaning feature.
For those looking for more affordable options, the PetSafe ScoopFree Covered Self-Cleaning Litter Box from Amazon for £179.99 could be a viable alternative, reports My London. Although it claims to remove odours, it has a lower user-rating at 3.9 out of 5,448 ratings.
Another option is the Yaheetech Decorative Litter Box Enclosure for £49.99 from B&Q. While it isn't automatic and doesn't offer the odour-trap feature, it serves as a decent low-tech solution.
I decided to give Whisker's Litter-Robot 4 a whirl, hoping it would put an end to my daily routine of vacuuming litter off the floor. Here are my thoughts:
Litter-Robot 4: The Setup
With the promised features, I expected I'd need a Master's Degree to set it up. Thankfully, it was pretty straightforward. On the scale of 'my mum could do it without getting me round' to 'Einstein would struggle with this', it definitely falls on the 'she would need a very brief WhatsApp conversation to sort it out'.
The Litter-Robot 4 arrives fully assembled in a large box. All that's required is to remove the tape, decide if you want the litter guard and plug it in.
It's robust but quite sizeable, so ensure you have ample space for it. It's roughly the same width as a standard litter tray (56cm), but twice as tall (75cm) and weighs 10.4kg without litter.
There's a clear line indicating where to fill the litter - fine, non-clumping litter works best. To help your cat adjust, I'd suggest using the same litter in your old litter box for a week before making the switch.
Once the Litter Robot is assembled, simply follow the instructions in the booklet to download the app.
The App and Functionality
This is where the excitement kicks in. After a simple setup process, you can control the entire Litter-Robot 4 via the app.
Just bear in mind that it defaults to American dates and measurements, which can be a bit annoying. But once you've got past that, you're good to go.
The app provides information on how full the litter is, the amount of waste present and even allows you to set a cleaning cycle from your phone.
The real game-changer is that the app lets you monitor your cat's health. While it can't replace a vet visit when something seems off, getting an early warning that something could be wrong really helps put your mind at ease.
During my fortnight with the Litter-Robot 4, I had no issues whatsoever with the app. It performed as expected and even provided a nearly completely accurate reading of his weight.
Once the Litter-Robot was set up functionally, the next hurdle was getting your cats to adjust. Theo, being a scaredy cat and also 14 years old, posed a particular challenge.
Thankfully, Whisker provides a useful guide on how to acclimate your kitty to their new large toilet. Following the guide, I left the litter next to his usual one for a week without cleaning the old one.
Then, after about a week, I removed the old one and held my breath. Fortunately, we didn't have any accidents on the floor.
Would I recommend the Litter-Robot 4?
Absolutely. One thing to keep in mind: it is an investment.
What you're paying for is daily convenience. If you have multiple cats, they can all use the same one too, which makes the cost more manageable overall.
However, taking into account the top-quality functionality alone, the lack of odour and the convenience of not having to scoop poo every day, I'm pleased to say it justifies its price tag.
