Circle Litter Box {An Overview}

You might have heard of a circle litter box, or you might have seen a commercial for one, but you couldn’t remember the name of it.

Circle Litter Boxes
Circle Litter Boxes from left to right: Circle Litterbox, Litter Spinner, Petsafe Simply Clean, Litter-Robot 3 Connect

Circle litter boxes can mean different things – some are round litter trays, but generally, when talking about a circle litter box, it’s the covered sphere or dome-type litter box that people are referring to.

Litter-Robot-3-with-cat-standing-inside

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The main benefit of a circle litter tray for the cat is that they feel secure and have their own private space. But according to the American Association of Feline Practitioners (AAFP), cats can struggle to use a litter tray if they don’t have a good escape route. So covered circular litterboxes aren’t always ideal. 

Covered litter boxes aren’t always big enough for certain breeds too. However, if you find a circle litter box that works for your kitty, you’ll also enjoy an odor control benefit as a pet owner. A circular litter box with a cover helps to keep certain smells contained and stop them from spreading through your home.

On the flip side, if you don’t keep that inside hood, etc., cleaned, then that covered litter box can start smelling like a porta-potty for your cat, making the environment uninviting to go in and use. So then, sometimes cats start inappropriate elimination habits. Some circle litter boxes also have self-cleaning features.

Some are manual, using clever designs to make it easier for you to sift through the litter and filter out clumps. Others are fully automatic, doing all the work for you – except emptying the collection bin.

Manual Self-Cleaning Circle Litter Boxes:

Manual self-cleaning circle litter boxes are cleverly designed to filter out clumped litter and droppings with minimal effort on your part. For example, the Omega Paw Roll’ n’ Clean just requires you to roll it onto its side once, while the Litter Spinner is designed to let you rotate it fully.

Omega Paw NRA15-1 Improved Roll 'n Clean Self Cleaning Litter Box, Regular, Pewter
Omega Paw Roll ‘n Clean Self-Cleaning Litter Box

They use internal scoops or filters that only allow clean, unclumped litter to pass through.

Litter Spinner Cat Litter Box, Black
Litter Spinner Cat Litter Box, Black

The clumped litter or waste is then gathered in either a slide-out tray or a bin, which you can empty—no need to scoop yourself.

Automatic Self-Cleaning Circle Litter Boxes:

Automatic litter boxes are designed to be self-cleaning. Some can sense when a cat has used them through a sensor. Once it knows the cat has done what it needs to and left the litter box, it’ll rotate to rake and scoop the clumped litter, filtering it into a waste bin. Others, such as the flat circle-shaped PetSafe Simply Clean, rotate constantly, using a conveyer belt to remove clumps.

PetSafe Simply Clean Self-Cleaning Automatic Cat Litter Box, Uses Clumping Cat Litter, No Scooping, Electric Litter Box, Reduced Odour, Replaceable Carbon Filter
PetSafe Simply Clean Self-Cleaning Automatic Cat Litter Box

Either way, you don’t need to do the manual work of filtering out clumped litter yourself – remove the waste bin and empty it regularly. Popular self-cleaning litter boxes are the Litter-Robot and the Petree automatic cat litter box. Check out this comparison of the two.

What is the Circle Zero Automatic Litter Box?

If you search for circle litter boxes, you might find one called the Circle – or the Circle Zero to give it its full name. The Circle Zero was started as part of a very successful Indiegogo campaign – raising over $430,000 against an original target of just $25,000. It uses a motion sensor to track when a cat enters the litter box. Once it detects that the cat leaves, it waits 7 minutes before initiating a clean. Next, it rotates the internal scoop twice to rake out the waste, collecting it in a 2.5-liter bin. It then rotates once in the opposite direction to level out the litter pan.

Circle Zero Self-Cleaning Litter Box - Automatic Premium Scooping - Futuristic Round Design - Easy Settings and Buttons
Circle Zero Self-Cleaning Litter Box

Your cat may decide to return to the litter box – if they do, the motion sensor will detect any movement and stop rotating immediately. Then, it’ll wait another 7 minutes before restarting the cleaning cycle to prevent hurting your cat or causing them any scare.

The Circle has no controls. It is designed to work automatically once powered on. Instead, it just has three LED lights to indicate what is happening. If one LED is illuminated, it means that the litter box is working as expected. Two LEDs lit up means that a cat is using it. The LEDs will then blink once the cat has left the litter box to show that cleaning has begun. All three LED lights will be illuminated when the odor-locking waste bin is full.

You then need to remove the outer shell cover to access the bin and remove any clumped litter and other waste. The Circle self-cleaning litter box comes with two types of scoop to suit different clumping litter. The box has a contemporary white round design that is intended to be subtle enough to blend into any room and not look intimidating to cats. It’s suitable for kitties up to 15lb in weight.

There is a compatible app that connects the Circle to your smartphone. It’s available on Android and iOS, and it tracks both the number of visits of your cat and how long they stay on their litter tray. If their pattern changes, it will alert you, which will help you to pick up on any medical issues sooner.

The Circle can be disassembled for easier cleaning and to add fresh litter. Apart from the outer shell base and the motor cover, the litter box can be washed, although it needs to be thoroughly dried before it can be reassembled and used again. Purchase the Circle Zero here.

How does the Litter Robot compare?

We’ve had a Litter Robot in my home for over five years. You can read my thoughts in full here, but I overcame my initial hesitation and can see how they can be useful for some cat owners. The Litter Robot does everything that the Circle Zero does, and it’s a well-established brand made in the U.S. It’s been out for years and has different models, so if you can’t afford the very top model, then you’ll usually be able to find one that’s in your budget.

Litter Robot with cat inside and app
Litter-Robot 3 Connect

In comparison, the Circle Zero isn’t as widely available – you might struggle to find one. If you want all the top features of an automatic circle litter box, you might have better luck with a Litter Robot. Purchase your Litter Robot here.

Litter Robot – What Type of Litter to Use?

You can buy many different types of litter, but for the Litter Robot (and other self-cleaning automatic circle litter boxes) to work correctly, you need to be using clumping litter.

YouTube video

Clumping Litter in the Litter-Robot

The reason is that clumping litter clumps together when the cat urinates in a spot. And the way that the Litter Robot works is by rotating and passing the clean litter through a filter. Clumped litter won’t fit through, so it falls into the disposal bin at the unit’s base, and any droppings that the cat’s buried. Once the rotation is complete, only unused litter remains, giving your cat a clean space where they’ll be happy going toilet again. Over time, as the robot is used, the litter level will drop as clumps are removed, so you must keep watching it and top it up as required. Litterbox.com, a sister company to Litter Robot, does offer its own brand of clay clumping litter to use with the robot (or with one of the standard litter trays they also sell). You can check out my review of their litter here:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBCcSHKMSUg[/embedyt]

Depending on which litter I have in my house, I will use the Litterbox.com litter or Dr. Elsey’s. Dr. Elsey’s is another clumping litter that works perfectly with the Litter Robot. You can check out that review here:

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D_5XVcDya5w[/embedyt]

Crystal Litter with the Litter-Robot

You don’t have to use clay clumping litter with your Litter-Robot. While I’m not a fan, some cats and cat owners prefer crystal litter. Crystal litter is non-clumping, but instead, it absorbs cat pee. The drawback with using crystal litter in the Litter Robot is that used litter doesn’t get collected – if it passes through the filter when unused, it’ll do the same when it’s soaked up urine. So you need to replace the litter manually, just as you would with a standard litter tray. The Litter Robot will still remove feces during the cleaning cycle, but you’re only getting half the benefit.

Is a covered automatic litter box right for your cat?

A covered cat litter box that cleans itself might be a great benefit for you – it’ll make it easier to maintain a clean litter box for your kitty without having to go through and find the clumps yourself. But it’s important to consider whether your cat will want to use it.

And while multiple cats can use automatic litter boxes, you’ll need to check if all of yours are happy with it, and if they are, you’ll need to remember to empty the waste bin more frequently. So leave a comment if you’ve tried the Circle Zero, the Litter Robot, or any other circle litter box, and let other readers know your thoughts. [adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=” T7lOupej” upload-date=” 2021-05-30T03:09:07.000Z” name=” Cat Litter Subscription – Delivered To Your Door – Litterbox.com Litter Floppycats Video Facebook.mp4″ description=” This video features the Litter-Robot kitty litter from Litterbox.com It’s a clay clumping litter that works in the Litter Robot 3, but also in regular litter boxes, of course.

I love that it is available as a cat litter subscription and comes to your door. I also love that it has no added chemicals and is naturally scent-free. Litterbox.com litter is a naturally unscented sun-dried sodium bentonite clay. Sodium bentonite clay is known for its superior ability to absorb liquids and sequester odor while also clumping quickly.” player-type=” default” override-embed=” default”]

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Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,

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2 Comments

  1. SUPER PAWESOME & FABULOUS info, Jenny honey! TYSVM! Very well done! 🙂 <3

    I haven't tried any of the circle litter boxes so no experiences to share. <3

    Big hugs & lots of love & purrs!

    Patti & Miss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3 <3 <3

    P.S. For me and our Miss PSB, it's the NVR Miss Litter Boxes and Dr. Elsey's Precious Clumping Clay Litter all the way! 😉 <3

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