Low-Step Automatic Litter Boxes for Older Cats

A cat whose joints hurt may start going beside the box instead of in it, and drums in particular lift the litter bed well off the floor. The 8 below have a published step under 8 inches, starting at 4.8 inches on the Meowant MW-SC01. For comparison, the entries on CATLINK's Pro-X family sit 14 inches up.

How this list is ordered: Every box with a published entry-step height under 8 inches, ordered from the lowest step. 8 of the catalog’s boxes qualify.

  1. MeowantMW-SC01Rotating drum

    1Meowant

    ~$220

    Meowant MW-SC01

    Meowant's original drum steps down just 4.8 inches to its entry, low enough for a short-legged or arthritic cat.

    Entry step
    4.8 in
    Type
    Rotating drum
    Automate from ~3 lb / ~4 months
  2. Whisker Litter-Robot EVO self-cleaning litter box

    2Whisker

    ~$599

    Whisker Litter-Robot EVO

    Whisker's entry model shrinks the globe to fit a 20.6-by-24.3-inch spot and drops the curtain lasers: its own FAQ says it relies on weight sensors to know a cat is inside.

    Entry step
    5.6 in
    Type
    Rotating drum
    Automate from ~3 lb / ~3 months
  3. MeowantMW-SC02Rotating drum

    3Meowant

    ~$230

    Meowant MW-SC02

    At 19.3 inches square, the SC02 takes up less floor than almost anything else here while still offering a 75-litre drum.

    Entry step
    6.8 in
    Type
    Rotating drum
    Automate from ~3.3 lb / ~4 months
  4. Whisker Litter-Robot 4 self-cleaning litter box

    4Whisker

    ~$699

    Whisker Litter-Robot 4

    Four years on, this is still the reference point everything else in the category gets measured against.

    Entry step
    6.9 in
    Type
    Rotating drum
    Automate from ~3 lb / ~3 months
  5. Whisker Litter-Robot 5 self-cleaning litter box

    5Whisker

    ~$799

    Whisker Litter-Robot 5

    Whisker's 2025 replacement for the LR4 keeps the same 22-by-27-inch footprint and entry but raises the rated weight to 30 lb and the cat count to five.

    Entry step
    7 in
    Type
    Rotating drum
    Automate from ~3 lb / ~3 months
  6. Whisker Litter-Robot 5 Pro self-cleaning litter box

    6Whisker

    ~$899

    Whisker Litter-Robot 5 Pro

    What the extra $100 over the LR5 buys is a pair of AI cameras: one identifies which cat walked in by face, the other looks down at the litter bed.

    Entry step
    7 in
    Type
    Rotating drum
    Automate from ~3 lb / ~3 months
  7. PETKITP9905Crystal tray

    7PETKIT

    ~$200

    PETKIT Purobot Crystal Duo

    This is PETKIT's answer to the ScoopFree: an open crystal tray, but with a camera that watches urination patterns and a 7-inch entry sill.

    Entry step
    7.08 in
    Type
    Crystal tray
    Automate from ~3.3 lb / ~6 months
  8. MeowantMW-SC03Rake

    8Meowant

    ~$220

    Meowant MW-SC03

    Barely 7.8 inches tall, this looks like an ordinary litter pan until the two rakes move.

    Entry step
    7.5 in
    Type
    Rake
    Kitten threshold not published

Other shortlists