Why Your Automatic Litter Box Isn’t Performing As It Should

Automatic litter boxes are designed to make life with cats easier. They take care of routine scooping, help keep the litter fresh, and give cat parents one less daily chore to think about.

But if your automatic litter box is leaving waste behind, going through litter too quickly, or not controlling odors as well as you expected, the litter box itself may not be the problem.

An automatic litter box and the litter inside it work as a system. The litter needs to form firm, durable clumps that can be efficiently separated, while the litter box itself needs to be designed to handle those clumps effectively.

For example, the homerunPET CS106 is designed with a hill-shaped litter bed that helps keep litter more concentrated toward the center of the box, while its cleaning system is designed to efficiently separate waste from clean litter. Paired with BoxiePro® Bot™ Clumping Clay Cat Litter, whose probiotic formula helps keep the litter box cleaner on a microscopic level, the litter and box can work together to support a cleaner, more efficient overall litter box routine.

Here are some signs your automatic litter box may not be performing at its best—and what could be happening.

1. Small Pieces of Waste Are Being Left Behind

After a cleaning cycle, you want the litter bed to look clean and ready for the next visit. If you regularly notice small pieces of soiled litter remaining, your litter may not be forming clumps strong enough to stay intact during the cleaning process.

But clump strength is only one part of the equation. The litter box's cleaning mechanism also plays an important role in separating the soiled clumps from the clean litter.

With the CS106, its cleaning system is designed to efficiently separate waste from the remaining clean litter, while a strong-clumping litter such as BoxiePro® Bot™ can help the waste stay together during the process.

What can help: Choose a litter that forms firm, durable clumps, and pair it with an automatic litter box designed to efficiently separate waste from clean litter.

2. Wet Litter Is Sticking to the Box

If you notice damp litter or clumps sticking to the inside of your automatic litter box, clumping speed may be part of the issue.

Litter needs enough time to absorb moisture and create a defined clump before the machine begins its cleaning cycle. If the litter remains soft or wet, it may stick to surfaces instead of separating cleanly.

Over time, that can mean more residue inside the box and a messier litter bed.

What can help: A fast-clumping litter designed to create hard clumps can help waste separate more cleanly during automatic cycles. It’s also important to follow your litter box manufacturer’s recommended timing and operating instructions.

3. Clean Litter Is Ending Up in the Waste Drawer

Finding some litter in the waste drawer is normal—the machine needs to remove litter attached to your cat’s waste.

But if you’re consistently throwing away a noticeable amount of clean litter, your litter and automatic box may not be working together as efficiently as they could.

Factors like clump size, litter granule characteristics, and how well clumps hold together can influence how much litter gets removed during a cleaning cycle.

When clumps stay compact and intact, the system can more effectively separate what needs to go from the litter that can stay.

What can help: Use a clumping litter recommended for automatic litter boxes and follow the manufacturer’s fill guidelines. Avoid assuming that every clumping litter will perform the same way in an automatic system.

4. You’re Using More Litter Than Needed

One of the less obvious signs of inefficient automatic litter box performance is how quickly you go through litter.

Weak or oversized clumps can crumble and take clean litter along with them. Oversized or poorly formed clumps can also result in more litter being discarded than necessary.

That means you may find yourself topping off the box more frequently, even though your cat’s bathroom habits haven’t changed.

A more efficient cycle removes the soiled clump while allowing as much clean litter as possible to remain in the box.

What can help: Choose a litter that forms tight, durable clumps and consider a litter box designed to keep litter efficiently concentrated during the cleaning cycle.

5. Odors Are Returning Too Quickly

Automatic litter boxes can help with odor because they remove waste soon after your cat uses the box. For example, the homerunPET CS106 not only separates clumps in a timely manner, but also incorporates odor control features such as a waste bin odor-blocking baffle and a deodorizing gel.

If clumps break apart and leave small pieces of waste behind, those pieces remain mixed into the litter bed. Over time, that can contribute to unwanted smells—even when the machine is cycling normally.

The litter itself also needs to continue controlling odor between cleaning cycles and trips to empty the waste drawer.

What can help: Pair efficient waste removal with a litter that provides long-lasting odor control. Strong clumps can help remove more of the soiled litter during each cycle, while effective odor control helps keep the remaining litter fresher. 

6. Your Automatic Litter Box Shouldn't Create More Maintenance

Automatic litter boxes are designed to reduce daily scooping, but they still need to be emptied and maintained regularly. A larger waste capacity can help reduce how often cat parents need to empty the waste drawer. The CS106 features a 12L waste bin, giving cat parents more room between waste disposal trips.

Litter can still stick to paws and travel outside the box after your cat exits. The amount that travels through your home can vary depending on the litter’s granule characteristics and how readily it clings to paws and fur.

For an automatic setup designed around convenience, constantly sweeping up scattered litter can defeat some of the purpose.

What can help: Consider tracking performance alongside clumping, dust, and odor control when choosing litter for your automatic box. A larger waste bin can also reduce how frequently you need to empty the drawer.

Your Automatic Litter Box and Litter Should Work Together

It’s easy to think of an automatic litter box as an appliance and litter as simply what goes inside it. In reality, the two affect each other every time your cat uses the box.

The automatic litter box detects use and handles the cleaning process. The litter has another job: absorbing moisture, forming a durable clump, controlling odor, and allowing soiled litter to separate efficiently from clean litter.

When both sides of the system are doing their jobs well, you can get cleaner cycles, less leftover waste, better litter efficiency, and a fresher litter bed.

That’s the idea behind pairing the homerunPET CS106 automatic litter box with BoxiePro® Bot™ Clumping Clay Cat Litter.

A Better Pairing: homerunPET CS106 + BoxiePro Bot

The homerunPET CS106 is designed to take daily scooping off your to-do list and make litter box maintenance easier. To perform at its best, an automatic litter box also needs litter that forms firm, stable clumps and can be efficiently separated during the cleaning cycle.

BoxiePro® Bot™ is specifically designed for automatic litter boxes, with performance characteristics including:

• Long-lasting odor control

• Less sticking. Less residue. Cleaner cycles.

• Strong, durable clumping

• Low dust and low tracking

homerunPET CS106 is ideal for cats that enjoy a roomier litter box and for cat parents seeking an easy-to-use, low-maintenance automatic litter box, with performance characteristics including:

• Extra-large space for big cats and multi-cat households

• Automatic litter refill

• Holds more litter than leading competitors

• Easy to clean

Together, the goal is simple: let the litter form a strong, clean clump so the automatic litter box can efficiently take care of the rest.

For best results, always follow homerunPET’s recommendations for litter compatibility, fill level, operation, and maintenance when using your CS106.

Get More From Every Automatic Cleaning Cycle

If your automatic litter box isn’t performing quite as well as you expected, don’t immediately assume something is wrong with the machine.

Look at the entire setup.

Are clumps staying intact? Is wet litter sticking? Is too much clean litter being discarded? Are small pieces of waste staying behind?

Those clues can tell you a lot about how well your litter and automatic litter box are working together.

With the right combination—such as the homerunPET CS106 and BoxiePro Bot—you can create an automatic litter box setup designed to deliver what cat parents really want: less scooping, less mess, and a consistently cleaner place for their cat to go.

Related Reading

• How to Clean an Automatic Litter Box Without Damaging the Sensors

• Automatic Litter Box FAQs: Answers to the Most Common Questions