Automatic litter boxes are great, but what litter is best for them? When your cat uses an automatic litter box (also known as litterbox, litter pan or litterpan) you need to get the right litter or they might reject it entirely.

Many automatic litter boxes work in similar ways but differ in the details. For example, nearly all automatic litter boxes work because a robotic rake separates and removes clumped waste from the box. However, the size of the rake might differ and some litters work better with it than others.

In general, the best litter for most boxes is any litter that is scoopable. When this type of litter encounters moisture it clumps up, allowing the rakes to remove the waste. You may need to experiment to find a clumping litter with small enough grains for the clean litter to pass through the rake and remain in the box.

Most pine, wheat, corn and newspaper litters don’t work well with electric litter boxes in my experience. These products don’t generally clump well and therefore won’t be effective with an electric litter box.

The best solution is to read your automatic litter box’s manual and see what the manufacturer recommends. If a litter isn’t working with your automatic litter box, you should change it before it causes the box to malfunction.

I hope this information helps you pick the best litter for your automatic litter box.