Automatic Litter Box Review: Litter-Robot vs the Petree Litter Box
If you’re looking for a way to make your life easier, self-cleaning litter boxes are a significant investment. Thankfully, we know a thing or two about litter boxes. The Petree litter box is an excellent alternative to more expensive models. Most people are looking for features in a litter box that work great in the Petree litter box and at a lower cost than the Litter-Robot.
The Petree and Litter-Robot are similar. However, the main distinguishing characteristic is the Litter-Robot app, which is connected to the litter box and can keep the pet owner more aware of the cat’s movements.
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While it is convenient to have an app, at the end of the day, the main task of the automatic litter box is helping with scooping the litter, and many pet owners will need help finding an app worth the price difference. The main features are otherwise very comparable to each other.
Litter-Robot and Petree litter boxes offer the convenience of disposing of dirty litter into a bag in a waste drawer underneath the waste bed. Once the cat has used the box, the odors will be contained.
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Are Automatic Litter Boxes Worth It?
The reality is that no one needs an automatic cleaning litter box. Of course, the old-fashioned method still works fine, but electric versions make taking care of your kitty more convenient, less smelly, and less time-consuming. In addition, an automatic litter box allows you to go several days without checking on your cat’s litter box, making them an excellent choice for busy pet owners or families with multiple cats.
This type of litter box is also suitable for pet owners that need to be more mindful. If you need to remember to clean the litter box on time, these machines can do the job for you. Pet owners with disabilities can also greatly benefit from a scoop-free litter box system since they won’t have to bend over to scoop the clumps of litter.
It’s important to remember that if you don’t stay on top of cleaning a litter box, it can create all types of problems for you and your cat. You can purchase an automatic litter box with an inbuilt cleaning cycle system.
No matter why the automatic litter box appeals to you, having one means your cat will have a fresh, clean litter every time they need to use the toilet. Self-cleaning litter boxes do the dirty work for you by eliminating the need for manual scooping. This will significantly reduce their risk of getting sick from a messy litter box.
Whether you have multiple cats or just one, we’ve researched the market and tested top products to help you find the right option for your feline friend’s cleaning cycle.
Which Automatic Litter Box Should I Choose?
If you are looking to purchase a self-cleaning, automatic litter box, you might have heard of the Litter-Robot or the Petree automatic cat litter box. But how do you know which one is the right choice for you? What are the main differences between these two products, and which one is best suited for your needs? Read on to learn about the features and benefits of each self-cleaning automatic litter box.
Choosing between Petree and the Litter-Robot depends on what you need for your cat(s). The Petree automatic cat toilet is an excellent choice if you have a limited budget. It offers all the fundamental features you would expect to see in a self-cleaning litter box. However, the Litter-Robot is a superior product. If you have a large cat, the Litter-Robot is better, because it offers more space inside the globe.
The automatic cat litter box from Petree provides all the essential features of a self-cleaning automatic litter box at a lower price than its competitors. It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 12-month warranty.
Petree vs. Litter-Robot – The Price Difference
Depending on your budget, you can opt for a self-cleaning litter box or an intelligent litter box. The Litter-Robot comes with an app that not only notifies you when the waste drawer needs to be emptied but also provides you with data on your cat’s habits, which can be extremely helpful for supervising your cat’s health.
The first significant difference between the two self-cleaning litter boxes is the price. The Litter-Robot 3 Connect starts at $549, while the Petree litter box costs $379. With a $120 difference between them, the price might be reason enough for some cat owners to opt for the Petree litter box. The Litter-Robot, however, has an enhanced set of features that provide cat owners with more options and facilities for their pets.
The Petree Litter Box – Features
The automatic self-cleaning cat litter box from Petree provides all the essential features of a self-cleaning litter box at a lower price than its competitors. Most of the features of the more expensive automatic litter boxes are present in the Petree litter box.
Petree recommends completing a more thorough, manual clean with pet-oriented products, like Nature’s Miracle or another pet-safe cleaner, at least once a month to maintain high hygiene standards.
The sensor detects the cat entering and exiting the automatic litter box and cleans the mess, putting it into the waste receptacle. That way, the cat will have a clean litter box whenever it goes to the bathroom.
This cat box is considerably lower than the more expensive models. It also comes with a set of waste bags appropriately sized for the waste compartments that make for easy disposal.
It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and a 12-month warranty. If you have trouble operating the kitty litter box, a customer service number is responsive and available to answer any queries.
Petree Litter Box Dimensions
- Height: 21″
- Width: 23″
- Depth: 25″
- Entryway Height: 7″
- Waste Drawer: 4L/ 135 oz
- Weight: 16 pounds
General Features
- Suitable for cats that are at least three months old
- Petsafe for up to 4 cats
- It has a covered 4L waste bin.
- For one cat, you need to clean the waste drawer once a week.
- You need to clean the waste drawer once every 3 to 4 days for two cats.
- It would be best if you cleaned the waste drawer once every 1-2 days for three cats.
- Maximum weight charge – 44 lbs
- works with a maximum of 8.8 pounds of litter.
- Requires regular clumping litter, but it is also compatible with plant-based litter (please note that when using plant-based litter, the manufacturers recommend cleaning the waste drawer more frequently)
- Not compatible with non-clumping or loose-clumping litter, newspaper-based litter, crystal litter, or absorbent wood pellet litter.
- Efficient in odor control (it has an activated carbon filter odor management system), but it does not remove all odors. Please note that the waste is stored in the waste container under the litter box. Still, its efficiency in odor control dramatically depends on the number of cats using the litter box.
- Reviews have talked about the wait time for receiving their product as four weeks due to shipping from being made and shipped from China.
Safety Features
- Gravity sensor that prevents cleaning mode from running if the cat is inside. Should the cat jump in the litter box while running, the sensor will detect its presence and immediately stop the machine from running.
- A wide entrance to the litter box
- Wire reinforcement treatment prevents the cats from biting the wire and getting shocked
Litter Robot 3 Connect
The Litter-Robot 3 Connect is the third model of self-cleaning litter boxes from Litter Robot – they came out with the LR4 recently. The warranty varies based on where you buy it – sometimes you can buy an additional warranty, for example.
LR3 Litter Box Dimensions
- Height: 29.5″ (74.9cm)
- Width: 24.25″ (68.6cm)
- Depth: 27″ (68.6cm)
- Entryway: 16″H x 10.25″W
- Inside Globe: 15″-17″ H (depending on litter level) x 20″ W x 20″ D
- Litter Bed: 14″ wide at maximum
- Waste Drawer: 16″H x 12.5″W x 5″D
- Weight: 24 pounds
General Features
- Automatic mode is suitable for cats that weigh at least 5 pounds
- For cats that weigh less than 5 pounds, the manufacturers recommend using the self-cleaning litter box in semi-automatic mode – leave the Litter-Robot off. When the kitten uses the litter box, please turn it on; it will automatically clean it.
- Made for cats weighing up to 25 lbs.
- Well-suited for large-sized cats – the space inside the globe is 15″ -17″ H (depending on litter level) x 20″ W x 20″ D. The high walls on the hood are nice for Ragdolls and other large breeds.
- Can accommodate up to 4 cats
- For one cat, you need to clean the waste drawer once a week
- For two cats, you need to clean the waste drawer twice a week
- For three cats, you need to clean the waste drawer every other day
- Litter-Robotcycle occurs after each use and takes 7 minutes to complete
- 8-10 pounds of litter in the litter pans at a time
- It has a carbon-filter odor management system, making the Litter-Robot very efficient in minimizing odors. However, it can’t eliminate them. The amount of odor control ultimately depends on the number of cats using the litter box and the type used.
- It works with all clumping litter, but the manufacturers recommend using high-quality, standard-weight clay litter. It also works with silica gel litter (as long as the crystals pass through the screen) and plant-based waste. It is incompatible with strictly absorbent, non-clumping, low-clumping litter, newspaper-based litter, crystal litter, and absorbent wood pellet litter.
- The manufacturer recommends cleaning the waste compartment more frequently with plant-based litter.
- Reduces cat litter usage by 50% because it eliminates the used litter during the cleaning cycle. Clean waste goes back into the globe for the cat to use again.
- Works with any waste bag, as long as it fits inside the drawer. Customers typically use 10-13-gallon kitchen garbage or sizeable plastic grocery bags. Litter-Robot also offers eco-smart custom-fit waste drawer liners.
- While there are accessories you can purchase for the Litter-Robot 3 Connect, it does not require any of these to provide the complete set of features. All accessories provide extra features only.
- 8-hour sleep mode that prevents the Litter-Robot from cycling at night to avoid noise
- An automatic night light is beneficial for elderly cats whenever they need to use the Litter-Robot during the night.
- At their headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, they focus on new product development, marketing, and excellent customer service, and in Juneau, Wisconsin, they have manufacturing and shipping.
Litter Robot App Features
- It comes with an app suitable for Android and iOS, which all family members can use.
- It provides information about the level of waste inside the drawer so that you know when it needs changing. Please note that changing the drawer once a week (when one cat is using the litter box) is mandatory, but you will be notified in the app if the drawer needs changing sooner.
- It records every litter box use and provides statistics on the cat’s litter box habits. If the cat uses the litter box more or less frequently than usual, you can see it on the app and contact your veterinarian.
- When more cats use the Litter-Robot, the statistics are available for each cat individually. Whenever one cat enters the Litter-Robot, it detects its weight and records its habits.
Safety Features
- It comes with cat sensor technology, which stops the device should the cat enter during the cleaning cycle.
- Whenever the Litter-Robot stops, for any reason, you get a notification on the app
- No rakes or wires inside the globe
Petree vs. Litter-Robot Reviews
- While both self-cleaning litter boxes have primarily positive reviews (both have a 4.5-star average) and include recent studies, the Petree litter box has only 87 reviews on its product page. On the other hand, Litter-Robot bases its 4.5-star rating on 9077 reviews.
- Moreover, for each reviewer, you can see the number of cats, the number of Litter-Robots, and the type of home they live in. This way, you can filter out the reviews to find those most relevant to you. Litter-Robot also has an Instagram community of 500,000+ satisfied customers. Follow their hashtag, #litterrobot, to see pictures from real users and their cats.
Cons of self-cleaning litter boxes
Self-cleaning automatic litter boxes are not as straightforward. They are alright, but they come with some points to consider when making your final decision.
A clean automatic litter box can be expensive, loud, and take a long time to scoop. In addition, they are only suitable for some cat sizes, so you must see if the litter box will fit your cat if you have a Ragdoll, or another large breed.
The mechanism will not detect if the cat weighs more than 5 pounds. In addition, reviews mention that the bagging mechanism tends to get clogged up, which means a lot more effort in sorting it out. This can defeat the purpose of saving time and work for you, the cat owner.
Besides, both of these machines have a disposable litter tray. They have bags you can attach to the machine and then throw away, which may not be preferred over disposable trays.
How to train your cat to use an automatic litter box?
Suppose you are worried about transitioning your cat from a regular litter box to an automatic one. In that case, you will find the following points easy to implement to ensure a smooth transition. The main point is to keep their routine as regular as possible. If you’re trying to transition your cat from a traditional box, do as much as possible to keep their training the same. For example, put the box in the same spot or near it, and use the same litter.
You can put some of your cat waste from the old litter box into the new one so they will understand where to go and know what that unused space in their home is for.
Give your cat the option between the new box and the old one for about a week. Then, sprinkle catnip in there to entice them inside.
One crucial point is turning the automatic mode on when the cat gets used to the new automatic litter box. The last thing you want is to spook them before they’re comfortable using it.
Final Considerations
Choosing between Petree and the Litter-Robot is entirely up to you and what you need for your cat(s). These are some of the best automatic litter boxes available to go right either way. The Petree automatic cat toilet is an excellent choice if you have a limited budget. It offers all the fundamental features you expect in a self-cleaning litter box. However, the Litter-Robot is a superior product. If you have a large-size cat, the Litter-Robot is better, especially for Ragdolls and other large breeds, because it offers more space inside the globe.
The app that comes with the Litter-Robot is a unique tool that makes litter box management much more manageable and provides valuable insight into your cat’s litter box behavior. This gives accurate data on how often your cat uses the litter box and can help you notice any medical issues you might not otherwise notice.
On the other hand, the Petree litter box is an excellent alternative to the more expensive models. It gets the job done at a lower cost and doesn’t have extraneous features that the Litter-Robot has that the owner may or may not even use.
The main difference is the Litter-Robot app, which can be connected to the litter box. The app support makes it more convenient, but at the end of the day, the main task of the automatic litter box is to be self-flushing, and both self-cleaning litter boxes easily handle the waste.
The Litter-Robot and the Petree litter box offer the convenience of disposing of the dirty litter into a bag in a drawer underneath the bed of waste, and the odors are contained once the cat has used the box. All you have to do is refill the litter every couple of days and dispose of the waste.
Black Friday Sales for Litter-Robot or Petree Litter Box?
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Choosing Your Self-Cleaning Litter Box
It’s your call to decide which self-cleaning litter box is best for you and your cat. If you have a larger cat, it’s essential to consider the size of your cat, as the Litter-Robot is more likely to fit them than the Petree litter box.
The rest of the decision is simply dependent on your personal preferences. If you are very tech-forward, you might enjoy the ease of the Litter-Robot app. On the other hand, if the scooping mechanism matters more to you, Petree might be better at a lower price point.
If you have experience with either of these self-cleaning litter boxes, leave a comment below and let us know what you love (or don’t love) about it. Of course, pet owners are always the best people to advise other pet owners!
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,
We have 2 Litter Robots that have worked flawlessly for our 2 cats for 5+ years now. I love that the cats always have a clean box when they need to go and I don’t have to scoop after every trip to keep their litter clean and ready.
Oh great – glad to hear they have been a hit for you guys.
Our family took a chance on the Petree litter box. It lived up to all their claims and worked great for 9 months.
It then went to slow motion operation. It now takes hours after our cat finishes before it starts the self clean cycle. Once the cycle begins, it can takes 15 minutes to complete.
Sadly, Petree does not stand behind their product. They do not answer inquiries about service and repair. I have sent messages but get no reply.
With regards to the low number of reviews, it is because they do not post all bad reviews. I have left critical reviews on both products and customer service. Neither of them appear anywhere on their website.
In closing, invest a little more for the Litter Robot.
There is a Litter Robot Support Group on Facebook – perhaps there is one for Petree, where you can ask.
Thanks, we appreciate the information and will definitely check it out!
Hi, I tried the link you offer that states the litter-robot starts at $499, but with your link it is only $474, however, when I click on the link it only shoes me $549. How do I get the one you are stating at $474.?
Thank you,
Holly
I don’t think it’s sold for that anymore – this is an older post. I think you can still get $25 off through a Litter-Robot affiliate link. I am no longer an affiliate of theirs – but your best bet would be to get a reconditioned one – those are usually the cheapest and are sold directly on their website.
Is the litter box compatible with pet safe crystal litter?
This is what Whisker (makers of Litter-Robot) said on a video of mine one time when someone asked, “Great question! We generally recommend clumping litter in the Litter-Robot but litter beads and crystals that are small enough to pass through the screen, such as Pretty Litter, will work.”
Hello, thank you so much for the extensive info!! I am thinking of getting the Petree litter box but I’ve just stocked up my clumping tofu/soya litter as I’m currently using the traditional litter box. Based on your information, am I right to say that I can still continue to use my current litter? Thank you!
As long as it is clumping litter, it should work. I would make sure your cat was used to the litter before I changed it’s litter and litterbox. Only one small change at a time for kitties.
Interesting, I have seen a number of ads for a litter robot like boxes for a bit on Facebook. I keep meaning to ask you to see if you can review them.
My cats recently stopped using the Litter Robot as much in favour of the old nevermiss boxes. I am hoping it is just the stress of having our house on the market.
Yes, might be that your house is on the market – or might be because your Litter Robot needs a good cleaning – How to Clean the Litter-Robot
SUPER PAWESOME & FABULOUS info, Jenny honey! TYSVM!!! Very well done! 🙂 <3
Big hugs & lots of love & purrs!
Patti & Miss Pink Sugarbelle 🙂 <3 <3 <3