Published Nov 21, 2022
Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
Ratings
- Ease of Cleaning – 9/10
- Odor Control – 7/10
- Appearance – 9/10
- Construction – 9/10
- Price – 7/10
Overall Score: 8.2/10
Intro To The CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Automatic Litter Box
Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
The CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Automatic Litter Box, is a self-flushing, artificially intelligent litter box from the CatGenie family. This unit replaced the CatGenie 120 model and is currently the only self- flushing litter box on the market
This one of a kind self-flushing and self-washing litter box promises to be the cleanest, smartest and easiest litter box system. But at $479 does the CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Litter Box do what it claims to, and is it worth the price?
After weeks of thorough testing, we’ve concluded that the CatGenie A.I. is an good performer in all key areas and stands high above the rest when it comes to it’s apps abilities and effective cleaning. However, there is a lot to consider depending on your personal needs and how many cats you have in the home.
Why Should You Trust Us
Mallory Crusta, our head of content, tested the CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Automatic Litter Box over the course of several weeks with her two cats, Wessie and Forest. In this article we provide you with an overview of her experience as well as everything you need to know about this self flushing litter box in order to make your own decision.
Specifications
The CatGenie A.I. Automatic Litter Box is a large, round litter box designed for use in a laundry room or bathroom. It measures 19.25″ wide in front, 17.5″ wide top, 21″ high, 24.5″ deep allowing for hoses. It needs to connect to a cold water line and a standard GFCI outlet using an 8′ long water supply hose and 10′ long drain hose .
The CatGenie A.I comes with the adapters needed to attach the hose to your water line and to set up the waste line into a toilet or a washing machine drain. However, if your water hookup is unusual or if you have a fixed water line, you may need to make some adjustments when installing the unit.
How To Set Up the CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Automatic Litter Box
You will need to connect the CatGenie to a cold water line using the supplied T-Adaptor, and share drainage with the toilet or washing machine. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
The CatGenie A.I. requires a little more work when setting up when compared to other self cleaning litter boxes. While it’s not difficult to install, it does need a decent amount of space, a water supply, electrical outlet and a place to drain the waste. The cord is only 6 feet long, so this is something you will also want to consider.
You will need to connect the CatGenie to a cold water line using the supplied T-Adaptor, and share drainage with the toilet or washing machine. The drain hook secures under the toilet seat to pass waste into the toilet. Cold water is shared with the toilet. In a laundry room set up, the drain hose is inserted into the washing machine drain pipe and cold water line is shared with the washing machine.
There is a Sanisolution cartridge that must be installed before use. This can not be refilled and the unit will not function if it is not in place.
How Does The CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Automatic Litter Box Work?
A cleaning cycle takes about 30 to 40 minutes to complete. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
The CatGenie is a self-flushing, self-washing litter box that gathers waste and rinses it with water and SaniSolution, so it can be flushed down the toilet or a drain. The CatGenie uses washable granules instead of traditional litter, which can be cleaned and reused.
The CatGenie washes, scrubs, scours and purifies the washable granules and litter box. The granules are very small and fine, so they look and feel like clay litter, but they are biodegradable and septic-safe.
During the cleaning cycle, the CatGenie has a scoop that drops down into the litter tray and collects the solid waste. The waste is deposited into a compartment where it is softened and then mixed with water and the SaniSolution before being flushed away.
CatGenie then uses hot air to thoroughly dry the granules at the end of each cycle, leaving them completely dry for the next use.
The CatGenie app allows you to set to detect your cat’s presence (Cat Activation Mode) and it will clean after your cat exits the litter box. You can also keep it in Manual Mode and set a scheduled cleaning time. A cleaning cycle takes about 30 to 40 minutes to complete.
Cat-Friendliness
The CatGenie is cat friendly in general and you are able to purchase an optional cover if that is how your cat prefers to use the litter box. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
The CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Automatic Litter Box needs to be in a bathroom or laundry area to operate. These may be rooms your cats do not use or like being in. Our cats did not want to use this litter box even when it was replacing another one they use in the bathroom initially. They warmed up to it after about a week.
The CatGenie is cat friendly in general and you are able to purchase an optional cover if that is how your cat prefers to use the litter box. It does make some noises which could make nervous cats hesitant to use it.
Our biggest issue with cat friendliness is the lengthy cycles for cleaning which may take up to 40 minutes which could leave the little box inoperable many times a day. This is a bigger issue for multi cat homes.
Odor Control
Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
The CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Automatic Litter Box litter does not control odor at all between cleaning cycles. When it does perform a cycle and cleans the litter, then applies the Sanisolution, it does smell better.
If, during the cleaning cycle, it misses pieces of feces, those will go through the washing and drying process. When the hot air kicks on to dry the litter, it may create more odor heating up those feces.
There can also be build up of solid waste in the macerator portion of the CatGenie. This makes regular cleanings important.
Tracking & Scatter Control
Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
The CatGenie’s Washable Granules are small and lightweight which makes them highly trackable and the litter box doesn’t do much to prevent scatter.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Cleaning the CatGenie can be cumbersome because of all the water and hoses involved. Lifting the parts out to clean can get messy because everything is wet. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
Cleaning the CatGenie can be cumbersome because of all the water and hoses involved. Lifting the parts out to clean can get messy because everything is wet.
The CatGenie should get a deep cleaning every six months. They sell a machine washing soak and cleaning cartridge to help in this area.
Other than cleaning out the hopper, topping off the washable granules, and adding a new SaniSolution cartridge, there isn’t a lot of regular maintenance required.
The CatGenie App
The CatGenie App is great because it enables you to track usage, set cleaning schedules, and even order supplies directly. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
The CatGenie app can determine how frequently your cat uses the litter box each day, how frequently the SaniSolution cartridge needs to be changed, and when maintenance should be performed.
You are able to activate a cleaning cycle manually, set it to cat activation mode or set a timer for when you want it to routinely clean. There is even a do not disturb button you can switch on and it will not activate a cleaning during that time.
The CatGenie app sends you an alarm message when it’s time for a full cleaning. The app also allows you to set up individual profiles for each of your cats.
How Much Does The CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Automatic Litter Box Cost?
It does come with a 90 day money back guarantee as well as a two year warranty. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
The CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Automatic Litter Box sells for $479.00 but keep in mind the cost of the Washable Granules and SaniSolution cartridges.
If you consider an average of 3 cleaning cycles per day, a box of Washable Granules ($24) and a single SaniSolution cartridge ($25) will need to be replaced every 3 months.
It does come with a 90 day money back guarantee as well as a two year warranty. CatGenie also has an excellent customer service department that is available 7 days a week.
Our Experience With The CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Automatic Litter Box
We found it to be well designed and innovative. While this unit may require a little more time in setting up, the maintenance is minimal. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
After trying the CatGenie A.I. for several weeks and evaluating its cleaning performance, app and cat-friendliness, we found it to be well designed and innovative. While this unit may require a little more time in setting up, the maintenance is minimal.
It does come equipped with all the connectors needed for installation which is pretty simple and straightforward.
The CatGenie App is great because it enables you to track usage, set cleaning schedules, and even order supplies directly.
Our biggest issue was with the monthly cleaning procedure which can be quite messy and tedious. There are a lot of pieces to carefully remove and a lot of water to deal with.
In addition, the Washable granules do seem to need to be topped off more often than expected. A lot of it gets washed away during the cleaning cycle. You will also find a lot of the Washable Granules tracked on the floor because they are so small and lightweight.
Is The CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Automatic Litter Box Worth It?
The CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Automatic Litter Box, can get messy if there is a blockage and this is a common complaint we see among reviews. Mallory Crusta / Cats.com
Overall, the CatGenie A.I. is a consistent, well made product and has an outstanding app, but it really depends on your needs. It is best for people who have plenty of space in your laundry room or bathroom to connect the unit to a water line and drain or toilet.
This litter box is a bit of an investment, but it has the power to save you a lot of time and hassle. However, it does require some maintenance and is best for single cat homes.
The CatGenie A.I. Self-Flushing Automatic Litter Box, can get messy if there is a blockage and this is a common complaint we see among reviews. This can mean pulling the unit apart and dealing with a mess on rare occasions.
Overall, the CatGenie is a good investment if you want to take cleaning litter manually out of the equation and do not mind occasional maintenance.
I have had 3 cat genies in 9 years. I have two cats. The concept is great but they are not worth the money. The ai one lasted about 1.5 years. They started out about 250 dollars now they r over 500. That is too much for a machine that does not last. The quality has gone down in the past 10 years. I will not be buying any more in the near future.
Glad to get your experience and perspective on it, Dorie.
I purchased the Catgenie over 5 years ago. So I should say I have the ancient model compared to the new one. I have only had to replace it one time and that was because the older model just broke. But I have to say I wouldn’t use any other kind of cat box then this one. I have had issues in the past with the cleaning process. It overflowed while cleaning so now I just get rid of the waste with a scooper myself while I let the CatGenie wash and clean the granules. It is hooked up on my laundry room and uses the big sink I have in the back to flush out the drain. I only have one cat and she took right to using it. I did buy the dome cover for her privacy along with her scratching the sides when trying to bury her waste in the litter. Yes the granules track ALL over the house. I have wood floors and her litter goes everywhere! But like I said I love the Catgenie and will never go back. I have a fixed income or I would purchase the newer model but I cannot afford one. Too bad because I would love it!
Nice! Thanks for sharing your experience.