Do you hate cleaning out the litter box? The CatGenie A.I. Self-Washing Cat Box is a self-cleaning cat box that eliminates all of the hassle and mess associated with traditional litter boxes. It uses Washable Granules, which never need to be changed or replaced, so you’ll never have to worry about scooping again!
What’s more, the CatGenie A.I. is an IoT (Internet of Things) appliance that uses artificial intelligence technology to monitor your cats’ bathroom behavior, keep an eye on how your CatGenie is running and let you know when supplies are running low.
So let’s take a deep dive into the robotic cat litter tray in our CatGenie A.I. Review.
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Last update on 2023-05-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1-Minute Review
The CatGenie is an automatic and hygienic self-cleaning litter box designed to help cat owners automate the process of scooping and disposing of cat poop. This litter box is programmed to perform cleaning cycles that automatically scoop cat waste, flush it down the drain, disinfect and wash the litter box, and finally blow dry with hot air.
The CatGenie self-flushing litter box uses washable, reusable litter granules and a biodegradable sanitizing solution to kill germs and prevent odor. The washable granules are cat-safe, septic-safe, and do not need to be changed frequently.
Setting up your automatic cat litter box is fairly easy with the detailed guide, and the unit can be programmed either with the control panel at the top or the CatGenie app. The unit is easy to use and you can choose between automatic or manual modes, it even has a child lock mode option, to prevent your kids and pets from messing with it.
Finally, the CatGenie litter box comes with a 2-year limited warranty from its manufacturers.
- Fully automated litter box
- Automatic waste clean-up
- Easy set up and use
- 2-years limited warranty
- Noisy operation
- Long cleaning cycle; takes 30 minutes to complete
- Doesn’t scoop thoroughly
- Doesn’t work well if cat defecates soft feces
- Litter granules do not absorb odor
Last update on 2023-05-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Let’s take a closer look
How The CatGenie Litter Box Works
Our cats are adorable and we love them, but there is nothing adorable about scooping up their poop. As a self-cleaning litter box, the CatGenie is uniquely different from most automatic litter boxes. While most automatic litter boxes, like Litter Robot and Petkit, filter off waste and lock them in a waste drawer, CatGenie comes with a different approach.
It looks like a small human toilet and functions very much like one. This automatic cat litter box is designed to go beyond scooping cat waste, it also flushes poop down the drain to give you the luxury of never having to scoop poop or tie up any garbage bag filled with solid wastes. Instead of traditional cat litter, this cat toilet uses non-absorbent litter granules which can be washed and reused as many times as possible.
When a cat goes in the CatGenie to do their business—scratch, poop, cover—10 or 30 minutes after that, CatGenie automatically activates the cleaning cycle which runs the loop; Scoop, Wash, Flush, Dry.
First, an automatic Genie hand scoops up the solid cat’s waste which is deposited into a waste hopper, while liquid waste drains through the non-absorbent plastic granules and drop directly into the hopper. In the waste hopper, water and SaniSolution mixes with the cat’s waste to liquified them and flush into the drainage for proper sewage treatment.
Next, cold water fills the Genie cat box where it also mixes with the cleaning and sanitization solution, it swirls to wash the plastic litter granules, with the genie hand agitating the granules and scrubbing the basin for a proper wash, before proceeding to flush the water down the drain.
After the granules have been washed, the drying process begins. The CatGenie blows hot air into the litter box while the genie hand sifts the granules to completely dry them. This leaves them fresh, neat and dry for the next time your kitty needs to go. The entire cleaning process takes about 30 minutes. You can set the unit to automatically clean 10 or 30 minutes after your kitty visits, or manually trigger each cleaning cycle yourself.
Since it needs water to wash the litter box and flush waste, CatGenie has to be connected to either your bathroom water line or the laundry water supply, and also connected to the drainage. This is down during the installation process, once the connection is established, the robot is good to go.
Performance
This robotic cat box is the only true automatic “self-cleaning cat litter box,” in the true sense of the word because it actually empties and washes itself. And that’s what makes the product truly exciting, you literally never have to manually dispose cat litter or wash the litter box. The self-flushing and self-cleaning litter box works beautifully well once it’s connected to a cold water line and drainpipe.
The washable and reusable litter pellets are great for saving money on kitty litter, and the decontamination process ensures that your cat always has fresh and clean litter. Since the litter granules are non-absorbent, you don’t have to worry about them swelling up to block your drainage, or cause a major drain problem. For decontamination, the CatGenie uses a SaniSolution cartridge which lasts for about 60 to 120 flushes, and it’s a veterinary-grade level sanitizer.
The CatGenie A.I. will alert you to replace the SaniSolution Cartridge when it has only 10 wash cycles left. While the CatGenie litter box appears to be very efficient and economical, with reusable granules and a cleaning solution that lasts, it also uses electricity which adds to your utility bills, especially if you have more than one cat using it.
This is one of the few drawbacks. But despite that the cost of running the CatGenie is significantly higher than other automatic cat litter boxes, it offers much more because it literally saves you from having to dispose of cat poop and wash cat litter.
Limitations
While the CatGenie does a good job of automatically getting rid of kitty waste, however, it’s not entirely perfect. During the scooping phase of cleaning, the genie hand gets most of the solid cat’s waste, but it doesn’t always get everything out and some waste particles may be left behind to mix with the granules during the wash phase.
This is an unpleasant one because during the drying phase, the heat dries both the granules and the waste that was left behind, and this produces a very unpleasant fecal odor, but it goes away after the cleaning cycle is completed, probably because the SaniSolution tends to mask it really well.
The granules used by CatGenie are plastic and different from traditional cat litters, and they do absolutely nothing to control odor. And if you have the unit in manual mode, expect the build-up of waste and intense bad smell before you push the button.
The genie hand also tends to scoop up a small chunk of plastic granules with the cat poop and send them into the hopper for disposal. This particular limitation depletes the amount of granules in the litter box over time. The recommendation for changing the litter granules is once every 6 months, but with the genie hand sending them into the sewage bit by bit, you should expect to replace them sooner than 3 months.
And one last thing, if you connected the CatGenie to your toilet, the waste goes into the toilet basin when it flushes and remains there until you flush the toilet. It doesn’t trigger the toilet to flush, and the waste in the toilet can be ugly.
Ease of set up and use
To set up the CatGenie, you first have to find the perfect position for it. This has to either somewhere in your bathroom because it has to be hooked up to the water system and drainage.
The self-washing CatGenie A.I. is not very small and measures about 21” high, 19.25” wide, and 24.5” long. If you have a small bathroom, you may be unable to comfortably fit it in there, that’s why there is an option for the laundry room. The set-up process of this cat box is relatively easy because it comes with a very detailed instruction manual to guide you through the process.
The unit is easy to assemble, and you won’t have to screw in anything. The litter box, sanitizer cartridge, bowl, the genie hand and hopper cover are all easy to put together. To set up the CatGenie in the bathroom, you will need to connect it to the water supply by screwing on the T-adapter to the bathroom cold water line and attaching the CatGenie water hose, and place the drain pipe over the toilet rim.
To set up the CatGenie in the laundry room, attach the larger T-adapter to the cold water outlet, screw on the CatGenie water hose and place the drain hose into the laundry waste drain.
The CatGenie A.I. comes with two different T-adapters; one for bathroom setup and the other for laundry connection. It also comes with the drainage hose to ensure the set-up is easy and smooth. The entire cleaning process takes about 30 minutes.
The unit also comes with a power cord for connecting to a power outlet. After the installation, you should be ready to get started with the toilet. Fill the litter box with the washable granules, insert the SaniSolution cartridge into a space provided for it at the top of the unit, and select your preferred setting.
This self-cleaning cat litter box is also a programmable unit and features a control panel at the top of the unit. The control panel has a few button that allows you to set your preferred cleaning mode. You will have to choose from the 3 mode available;
- Push start mode for manually activating a clean cycle,
- Cat activation mode, where the cleaning cycle begins after your cat uses the box
- Auto start mode, where you can program it to run at set intervals. With this mode, you can set the unit to clean every 6, 8, 12 or 24 hours.
The app
The CatGenie app is the perfect way to keep your cat healthy and happy with a simple click of a button. This ingenious app knows how many times your cat uses the CatGenie per day, finds out how often you need to change the SaniSolution cartridge, and recommends maintenance at the appropriate time. It features a built-in timer that allows you to program it for automatic cleaning cycles, which can be adjusted as needed. When it’s time for a thorough cleaning, the CatGenie app tells you with an alert message. The most impressive feature of this app is that it has all the information about your cat’s wellness at your fingertips—right in the palm of your hand!
CatGenie App Features
- Exact monitoring of cartridge cleaning cycles
- Cleaning status including percentage complete (washing, drying etc.)
- Daily cat visit tracking
- Control Panel Lock
- Exact time setting of cleaning up to 8x a day
- Changeable delay of cat activation settings
- Customizable sleep timer for cat activation
- Easy access to support and troubleshooting
Reliability
The CatGenie self-flushing litter box does have a robust construction with durable heavy-duty plastics and a sturdy motor. The circular basin provides enough space for most cats to comfortably do their business. But, the unit can be loud during a cleaning process and each cycle tends to take too much time. 30 whole minutes is a lot of time for your cats to wait before they can use their toilet again, this is more so if you have one than one cat. And during the clean time, your cats will be unable to use the CatGenie.
The CatGenie self-cleaning litter box works reliably and obviously frees you up from having to scoop litter, discard cat’s waste or wash litter. But it really is not the most reliable product out there because they are more than a few limitations to contend with. It’s also not a small machine, and finding the perfect spot for it can be a bit of a challenge.
Ongoing Maintenance
The CatGenie litter box is one automatic self-cleaning litter bow that does not require a lot of maintenance. It’s able to automatically flush kitty waste and wash itself, therefore you won’t have to worry about doing any of these things yourself.
But despite that, you may have to occasionally wipe down the outside of the litter box with a moist towel, and also occasionally clean out the hopper. Also you have to do a little scooping of your own, since the genie hand is sometimes unable to capture all the solid waste. This is entirely optional since the wasting and drying method completely eliminates any of the smell.
But if you want an absolutely clean litter box looking for your kitty, then by all means do any scooping you want. Compared to most other automatic self-cleaning litter boxes, CatGenie self-cleaning litter box is the one with the most minimal maintenance requirements, and that’s a huge advantage for the unit.
Extra Purchases and ongoing costs
The CatGenie litter box comes in a big box, well packaged with all the accessories you will need for the installation including T-adapters for connecting to your water supply line, a drain hose, a power cord, plastic litter granules, SaniSolution cartridge, and practically everything you will need to set it up.
It also comes with a detailed instruction manual and guide that walks you through the set-up process, the unit is designed so that you can set it up without the help of a plumber. The SaniSolution that comes with the CatGenie can last for a couple of months before you will need a replacement, and it costs about $23. The litter pellets that comes with the unit will also last for a couple of months before they will need to be replaced.
The annual maintenance cost for the CatGenie should be about $100, excluding electricity bills which will likely be your highest expense associated with the unit, especially if you have more than one cat. Lastly, CatGenie self-flushing litter box also comes with 2-year limited warranty from its manufacturer’s to cover malfunctions.
A couple of alternatives to consider
There is no doubt that the CatGenie is an amazing product, there are other alternatives that you may want to consider.
For instance, there is the PetSafe Scoopfree litter box with a more budget-friendly price tag and still a decent self-cleaning litter box that scoops cat litter without your assistance. This litter box is designed to look very much like a regular litter box, and it doesn’t have any high-end mechanical functions. The self-cleaning function is a metal rake that automatically pushes off the solid waste into the waste storage compartment.
The entire unit costs less than 200 bucks, and you will have to make a few extra purchases and one reoccurring purchase is the cat litter crystal tray refills, which are somewhat pricey. But regular cat litter and a forever tray both works just fine.
Alternatively, if you want something more reliable and efficient, try the Litter Robot 3. This robot has a different operating mechanism from that of CatGenie self-washing cat box. It neither flushes waste nor washes itself, but it does a great of scooping up cat poop, and it’s automatic. Minutes after your cat uses the Litter Robot, the box starts the cleaning process which automatically separates solid waste from clean litter, with the solid waste going into a waste drawer.
This process automatically removes waste, so your cat always has a clean bed of litter. The Litter Robot is also equipped with an odor-absorbing component and carbon filters, which helps to reduce the smell of cat litter. While it doesn’t flush and wash itself, it’s an impressive automatic litter box that comfortably takes over your litter scooping chore.
FAQs
Is it bad to flush cat litter down the toilet?
Flushing cat litter is bad because it can swell up and block pipes, causing a serious drainage problem in your home. However, the CatGenie litter granules are safe to flush because they are non-absorbent and made from biodegradable material and degrades in about 6 to 9 months.
Is CatGenie good for multiple cats?
Yes, CatGenie litter box is good for multiple cats. You can use this automatic litter box with 1, 2, 3 or even 4 cats, although it’s best use case is with 2 or 3 cats per unit.
How do I reset my CatGenie AI?
When the SaniSolution finishes after several washings, you will need to either replace it or refill your cartridge. If you decide to refill your cartridge, then you will have to reset it to enable the device to continue to automatically dispense the solution for each wash cycle. This reset is done with a CatGenie Smart Cartridge Reset Device. Once you purchase the Reset Device, follow the steps below to reset the CatGenie cartridge:◼ Turn on the reset device by pressing the button on the right side of the device, when you do the red light will come on.◼ Place the reset device on top of the cartridge, so that the 4 metal prongs align with the gold connectors, and they should connect evenly on both sides. ◼ Press the reset device down with a small amount of force. ◼ Watch the lights. If the green light comes on after a few seconds, it means the cartridge was successfully reset. ◼ But if the red light blinks, this means the reset was not successful. In which case you should carefully repeat the steps again.
How loud is the CatGenie litter robot?
During the cleaning cycle, the CatGenie can be pretty noisy. It makes as much noise as a washing machine or dishwasher, the Genie hand also makes clicking sounds as it moves, and it frightens some cats. If you have scardy or shy cats, you may have remove it from the ‘cat activation mode’ and automatic flushing, so you can run manual clean cycles when the cat is out of earshot.
How do you clean CatGenie AI?
The CatGenie automatic cat box doesn’t need frequent cleaning because it washes itself, but you will need to occasionally clean out the hopper. To clean the CatGenie hopper, make a solution of cleaning powder and warm water in a bucket and pour into the hopper. Also pour a similar solution into the bowl, leave it to soak for 2 hours and run a normal CatGenie cleaning cycle. Occasionally, you can use a towel dipped into a mild mixture of water and detergent to wipe down the body of the unit. The towel should be moist and not dripping with water, make sure you wring out water from the towel before cleaning.
Will it function properly if the drain line is higher than the device?
Yes, it will. Once it’s properly connected, it will work fine whether the drain is higher or lower.
How well does it work via the laundry drain?
It works just fine. The CatGenie litter box is designed to work with the bathroom drain or laundry drain, and it comes with two T-adapters for setting it up either in the bathroom or laundry room.
Can you operate the Genie without a smartphone?
Absolutely. There is a control panel at the top of the CatGenie litter box with buttons for programming it and adjusting the settings. The app is just an extra smart feature, and you don’t really need to operate the unit.
Final thoughts
If you’re wondering whether the CatGenie self-cleaning litter box is a good buy, think of how much time it will save you from cleaning your kitty’s waste, also think of how gross scooping litter and tying up waste-filled garbage bags can be. It’s certainly worth it for these reasons alone, plus your pets will have a cleaner and healthier kitty litter box. The CatGenie litter box is an investment that you and your kitties will enjoy, it may cost a lot at first, but it will save from stressing over dirty litter and cat poop.
Emma Marie is a valued writer at the Little Robot Shop. She studied robotics and deeply understands technology, which shows in her writing. She consistently produces high-quality content, making her a perfect fit for the Little Robot Shop team.
While not writing, Emma works in a popular electronics retail chain. Emma also enjoys running and has two dogs with whom she loves spending time.
