Life

Courtesy of LavvieBot

This Self-Cleaning Litter Box Can Do Some Pretty Impressive Tricks, Honestly

by Samantha Grindell

Cat moms, it's time to celebrate: After years of cleaning poop daily, you can finally retire your kitty-litter scooper and the look of disdain you give your feline friend every time they have an upset stomach (you know it's not their fault, but really?). Gone are the days when you had to be intimately involved with your cat's bowel movements, thanks to LavvieBot from PurrSong, a self-cleaning litter box that's totally revolutionizing the cat bathroom industry.

That's right — there is officially a self-sufficient litter box. Before you interrupt me, yes I know there are already self-cleaning litter boxes that come with a variety of features, but none are quite as advanced as the LavvieBot, which was unveiled at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show. Essentially, the machine self-cleans and refills litter automatically, depositing waste in a lined drawer that only needs to be changed about every two to three weeks for a one cat home, according to the LavvieBot site, as it can hold almost 29 pounds of litter (that's like double your cat's weight omg). The machine looks like a little washing machine of sorts, with Make Use Of praising the sleek design.

That's already way better than a typical litter box, but the auto clean functions aren't where LavvieBot's smart features end. The device adjusts to you and your cat's specific needs with the help of the PurrSong app, which tracks your pet's waste so you're up to date on their health. It also lets you know when the waste drawer needs to be emptied and allows you to order new litter with the touch of a button. It can even differentiate between cats by their weight if you have a multi-kitty home, allowing you to be sure you know how each of your fur babies is doing. It's kind of like having another pet parent at home to help you take care of your feline friends.

As C-Net explains, the product's biggest competitor is probably the Litter Robot, but LavvieBot's high-end design (the Litter Robot looks a bit like a miniature spaceship) and ability to "add fresh litter automatically from a 6.5-liter storage bin" gives it the upper hand.

There are only a few cat parents who might not want the latest development in litter box technology. The LavvieBot site warns that Maine Coons and Savannah Cats are too heavy for the machine, and if your cat has weak or short legs, they might struggle to get into the box, as the entrance is about a foot and a half off the ground. But that shouldn't prevent you from purchasing; you can always put a stool in front of the door to help your kitty up.

The product isn't for sale yet, but as C-Net reports, PurrSong will launch an Indiegogo campaign in May 2019, estimating the smartest litter box ever will retail for about $379. For comparison, the Litter Robot retails for $450. So although the LavvieBot sounds pricey, it's a pretty good deal for the tech the product comes with. Only four months until you can retire your litter box duties for good, cat moms.