Best Litter for Automatic Litter Boxes in Australia: What Works in Each Box
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Table of Contents
The best litter for an automatic litter box is a fast-clumping, unscented clay with small granules. It’s the one type all six automatic boxes in our comparison accept. Tofu and tofu-clay mixes work in some boxes and not others, and crystal or pine litter suits almost none of them, so check your box before you buy a bag.
An automatic box cleans by sifting clumps out of the litter or raking them into a bin. Litter that doesn’t clump, clumps slowly, or is the wrong size jams that process, and the makers are specific about what they’ll accept. They also disagree with each other. This guide lines up what each maker publishes for the six boxes in our automatic cat litter box guide, then adds what cat welfare bodies say cats themselves prefer.
On this page: the short answer · litter by box · litter types · what cats prefer · how much to use · can you flush it · the makers’ own litter · questions
Any of the six boxes: fast-clumping clay (bentonite), unscented, small granules.
Tofu or a tofu-clay mix: the CATLINK Open-X, PETLIBRO Luma and PETKIT Purobot Max Pro 2 all list it, and PetSafe say the SmartSpin takes any litter. Not the Litter-Robot 4.
Crystal or pine you won’t give up: the PetSafe ScoopFree SmartSpin is the only one of the six whose maker says any litter works.
Whatever you use: fill to the box’s own fill line, not to a depth from a tray guide, and put it in the bin, not the toilet.
Which litter works in which box
This is what each maker publishes, in their words where it matters. If your box isn’t here, its manual will have the same kind of list, and it’s worth reading before you open a new bag.
Use: mineral, bentonite, tofu, cassava and mixed litter, fast-clumping, with granules under 16mm (CATLINK Australia).
Don’t use: nothing is listed on the Australian site. CATLINK Europe’s FAQ says avoid non-clumping, crystal and silica gel litter.
Use: “a high-quality, clay-clumping litter” is what Whisker recommend. Some silica crystals work if they pass through the screen.
Don’t use: non-clumping, loose-clumping, newspaper or wood-pellet litter. Whisker say plant-based litters typically don’t work, lightweight corn or wheat litter may not pass the screen, and white or see-through litter can upset the level sensor.
Use: clumping, tofu and mixed litter only.
Don’t use: crystal, pine, or ultra-fine litter such as grass seed or cassava.
Use: clumping clay, tofu or mixed litter, in pieces no longer than 12mm and no wider than 3mm.
Don’t use: anything longer than 12mm.
Use: any litter, with a premium clumping litter recommended.
Don’t use: nothing listed.
Use: small-granule clumping litter such as clay, bentonite, corn or baking soda.
Don’t use: large-pellet tofu or soya litter.
Sources: CATLINK Australia, Litter-Robot 4 manual, PETLIBRO, PETKIT, PetSafe Australia (SmartSpin), PetSafe Australia (Clumping).
Litter types, one at a time
Clumping clay (bentonite)
The safe choice. Every maker above accepts it, and Whisker name a clay-clumping litter as their recommendation for the Litter-Robot 4. Look for “fast-clumping” and small granules on the bag: CATLINK recommend fast-clumping litter with granules under 16mm for the Open-X, and PetSafe recommend small granules for the ScoopFree Clumping.
Tofu and tofu-clay mixes
This is where the makers split. CATLINK, PETLIBRO and PETKIT all list tofu and mixed litter. Whisker say plant-based litters typically don’t work in the Litter-Robot 4, and PetSafe say large-pellet tofu or soya isn’t recommended in the ScoopFree Clumping. If you like tofu litter, pick the box to suit it rather than the other way round.
Cassava
The clearest disagreement on this page. CATLINK Australia list cassava for the Open-X. PETLIBRO rule it out of the Luma as an ultra-fine litter. Check your own box’s list before you try it.
Crystal and silica gel
Crystal litter is generally non-clumping (PETKIT say so of its own), so a sifting box has no clumps to pull out. PETLIBRO rule it out of the Luma, and CATLINK Europe say to avoid it in the Open-X. Whisker allow some silica crystals in the Litter-Robot 4 if they’re small enough to pass the screen, with a warning that white or see-through crystals can throw off its level sensor. PetSafe’s SmartSpin is the one box here sold as taking any litter.
Pine and wood pellets
Ruled out by name for the Litter-Robot 4 and the Luma, and PETKIT’s limit is pieces no longer than 12mm. International Cat Care also note that some cats find hardwood pellets uncomfortable to stand on, particularly cats with arthritis. If your cat is used to pellets, the SmartSpin is the only box here that says it’ll take them.
Corn and wheat
Whisker warn that lightweight litters such as corn or wheat may not pass through the Litter-Robot’s screen properly. PetSafe list corn among the small-granule litters suited to the ScoopFree Clumping. Same material, opposite advice, which is the theme of this page.
What cats themselves prefer
The machine has to work with the litter, but so does the cat. The welfare bodies line up on a few points:
Unscented. RSPCA Australia say unscented litter is best, “as cats can be put off by the smell of scented litters”. Cornell’s Feline Health Center say most cats prefer unscented litter.
Fine and sand-like. International Cat Care say cats tend to prefer fine-grain, unscented litter with the consistency of sand, and that many prefer clumping litter.
Change slowly. International Cat Care suggest mixing a new litter in gradually over a week. Cornell say to switch gradually, adding small amounts of the new litter to the old.
Watch the dust. Both International Cat Care and Cornell list dusty litter among the things to look at for a cat with asthma.
One more thing International Cat Care say plainly: self-cleaning trays can make random movements or noises that startle some cats. If you’re moving to an automatic box and a new litter at the same time, change the litter first in the old tray, then bring in the box.
Sources: RSPCA Australia, International Cat Care, International Cat Care (litter trays), Cornell Feline Health Center.
How much litter goes in an automatic box?
Use the fill line on the box, not a depth from a guide written for ordinary trays. The welfare bodies don’t agree on depth for a normal tray anyway, and an automatic box is built around its own level.
Whisker say to fill the Litter-Robot 4 to its raised MAX fill line with the litter spread flat. PETLIBRO say to keep the Luma’s litter between its MIN and MAX marks. CATLINK’s litter page says not to fill past the line marked in the box, and PETKIT’s Pura Max 2 manual says not to go past the MAX line.
Can you flush tofu litter?
Bin it. RSPCA Australia say not to flush cat waste or litter down the toilet, because it can contaminate the environment and harm wildlife, including marine wildlife. Icon Water in Canberra lists kitty litter among the things that belong in the bin.
Some litter makers say otherwise. PETKIT Australia describe several of their tofu-mix litters as flushable in small amounts. That’s the maker’s claim about the litter; it isn’t advice from anyone responsible for the pipes or the waterways, and the RSPCA’s advice doesn’t make an exception for it.
If you’re pregnant, the NHMRC’s advice is to get someone else to clean out the cat’s litter tray, and to dispose of droppings and dirty litter daily. We’d read that as covering an automatic box’s waste bin too.
Sources: RSPCA Australia, Icon Water, NHMRC.
The litter the box makers sell themselves
Three of the makers sell litter through their own Australian stores. Read the label against your box, because a maker’s litter isn’t always meant for every box that maker sells.
PETKIT mixed and tofu litters. PETKIT Australia sell several. Its Mixed Cat Litter is described as 70% tofu, 25% bentonite, 3% zeolite and 2% deodorising pellets, which PETKIT say is made for “most automated self-cleaning litter boxes”. Its 5-in-1 is 67% tofu with activated carbon, 29% bentonite and 3% other particles. Both are tofu-heavy, so they suit the boxes that list tofu, not the Litter-Robot 4.
PETKIT crystal litter. PETKIT say its Crystal Cat Litter Set is non-clumping and made only for its Purobot Crystal Duo box. So it’s not one to put in the Purobot Max Pro 2.
CATLINK bentonite. CATLINK Australia sell a sodium bentonite clay litter with irregular granules “for fast clumping”, suited to CATLINK’s own boxes.
PetSafe crystal. PetSafe Australia sell ScoopFree crystal litter in disposable trays for its ScoopFree Crystal boxes, in Fresh and Lavender scents. Those are crystal models, not the two PetSafe boxes in our comparison, and the welfare bodies above prefer unscented.
Sources: PETKIT Australia (Mixed), PETKIT Australia (5-in-1), PETKIT Australia (Crystal), CATLINK Australia, PetSafe Australia.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best litter for an automatic litter box?
A fast-clumping, unscented clay with small granules. It’s the only type all six automatic boxes in our comparison accept, and it’s what Whisker recommend for the Litter-Robot 4.
What litter should you avoid in an automatic litter box?
Non-clumping litter in most of them. Wood pellets are ruled out for the Litter-Robot 4, crystal and pine for the PETLIBRO Luma, and large-pellet tofu for the PetSafe ScoopFree Clumping. Scented litter is worth avoiding for the cat’s sake: RSPCA Australia say the smell can put cats off.
Can you use tofu litter in a Litter-Robot?
Whisker say plant-based litters typically don’t work in the Litter-Robot 4 and recommend a clay-clumping litter instead. The CATLINK Open-X, PETLIBRO Luma and PETKIT Purobot Max Pro 2 all list tofu.
Can you use crystal litter in an automatic litter box?
Only in a few. PetSafe say the SmartSpin takes any litter, and Whisker allow some crystals in the Litter-Robot 4 if they pass through the screen. PETLIBRO rule crystal out of the Luma, and CATLINK Europe say to avoid it in the Open-X.
Can you flush tofu cat litter in Australia?
RSPCA Australia say not to flush cat waste or litter, and Icon Water lists kitty litter as something for the bin. Some litter makers call their tofu litter flushable in small amounts, but that’s the maker’s claim, not the water authority’s.
How much litter goes in an automatic box?
Up to the box’s own fill line. The Litter-Robot 4 has a raised MAX line, the PETLIBRO Luma has MIN and MAX marks, and CATLINK and PETKIT both say not to fill past the marked line (CATLINK on its litter page, PETKIT in its Pura Max 2 manual).
Does the box maker’s own litter work best?
Not automatically. PETKIT’s crystal litter is made for one PETKIT box only, and PetSafe’s crystal litter is for its crystal boxes, not the two PetSafe boxes in our comparison. Check the box on the bag against the box in your laundry.
Is there a dust-free cat litter?
Some makers claim close to it: PETKIT describe one of its mixed litters as 99% dust-free. Treat that as the maker’s figure. If your cat has asthma, International Cat Care and Cornell both list dusty litter among the irritants to look at.
Related guides
Still choosing the box? Our automatic cat litter box guide compares the six boxes above on cat size, smell, size and Australian warranty. For the rest of the cat’s day, the automatic pet feeder guide and the pet camera guide, and every PetBots product is in one place.
Litter rules are as published by each box maker on its own website or in its manual, and we name the source under each section. What cats prefer comes from RSPCA Australia, International Cat Care and Cornell’s Feline Health Center. Where two sources disagree, we show both. We’re not vets: if your cat is unwell, old or very small, ask yours.
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