Four months after the birth of our daughter, my spouse and I, busy with childcare, decided to purchase an automatic cat litter box.
Until now, we had been using a standard system litter box. It was inexpensive and we had no major complaints, but every time our cats did their business, we had to scoop the waste and throw it away. Also, since we used wood pellets instead of regular litter, when the cats urinated, we had to mix the pellets, remove broken pieces that fell through the grate, and periodically replace the litter pads in the drawer below.
We thought that an automatic litter box might help reduce some of these chores.
Which Automatic Cat Litter Box Did I Choose?
After searching online and even using AI to compare options, we ultimately chose the CATLINK SCOOPER PRO-X. We also considered the Litter-Robot, but it was too expensive for our budget. Luckily, CATLINK was offering a discount at the time.
The litter box itself cost ¥43,000, and we bought the optional step for ¥8,800, bringing the total to ¥51,800.
It is roughly ten times more expensive than a standard system litter box, but we are hoping it will make life easier.
What CATLINK SCOOPER PRO-X Can Do
The CATLINK SCOOPER PRO‑X is the top-of-the-line model in the CATLINK series. It’s a fully automated litter box designed not only for cleaning but also for monitoring your cat’s health, supporting multiple cats, and maintaining a hygienic environment. Here’s what it can do:
- Automatic Cleaning & Waste Management
Automatically cleans after your cat uses the litter box.
Separates clumped litter and waste into the collection tray.
Offers manual, automatic, and timer cleaning modes.
Can be controlled remotely via the smartphone app.
- Health & Activity Monitoring
Tracks your cat’s weight, visits, and time spent in the litter box.
Monitors elimination frequency and abnormal behavior.
Provides weekly and yearly health reports.
Supports individual recognition for multi-cat households (for cats over 1.5 kg). - Odor Control & Hygiene
UV light for automatic sterilization.
Sealed waste drawer to contain odors.
Built-in deodorizing filter keeps the room smelling fresh. - Smartphone Connectivity & Alerts
Compatible with iOS and Android apps for real-time monitoring.
Sends push notifications for full waste drawer, low litter, or unusual activity.
Allows remote cleaning and setting adjustments from anywhere. - Multi-Cat Support
Individual recognition allows tracking for multiple cats.
Supports up to 4 cats.
Tracks each cat’s weight, visits, and elimination data separately. - Convenience & Easy Management
Wi-Fi connectivity integrates with the app.
Firmware updates and mode adjustments can be done via the app.
Quiet operation suitable for nighttime use.
I set it up.
It is huge. Although we had heard about its size, it’s still impressive in person. We placed it on the loft floor, where the previous litter boxes were located. For safety, we kept one of the old system litter boxes just in case.
We have two cats, so previously we had two system litter boxes. This automatic box replaced only one.
Assembly and installation were straightforward.
After Two Weeks of Use
Our honest impression: it’s quite good!
Pros
- Dramatically reduced the frequency of cleaning up waste
- Litter stays clean consistently
- Quiet operation
- Can monitor the litter box via the app
Cons
- Litter tends to scatter (expected, though)
- Original box and packaging are large and difficult to dispose of
- Wi-Fi connection was tricky
- Slightly higher monthly cost (about ¥1,000 extra for us)
- Litter falls under the tray
We still have one old litter box, but it hasn’t been used at all. Both cats seem to prefer the new box.
Even with an automatic litter box, some maintenance is required. Waste can stick to the tank walls, so regular cleaning is necessary. The tray for waste is replaced every 2–3 days for our two cats.
We don’t use the official waste bags—they are expensive and inconvenient. Instead, we use 45L trash bags from the 100-yen store. The included litter wasn’t ideal either, so we switched to a cheaper, low-odor, less-scattering option. We also bought a dedicated mat to make cleaning scattered litter easier.
The app’s cat recognition feature is a bit hit-or-miss, but overall, we’re satisfied. Now we just hope it won’t break.
If you don’t need the app functions, the CATLINK SCOOPER YOUNG might be sufficient. It currently costs ¥35,800 in Japan. The entrance is higher, a step is highly recommended.
I’m not sure whether Litter-Robot would be better, but I can see that CATLINK can perform very well too.
Thanks for reading!
