You might think it's a god-send that there's such a thing as an automatic cat litter box, if you have one cat and sometimes even several. Yes, they do exist, and for some individuals, they're truly among the best inventions available. But, there are drawbacks that you should consider as well.
First, if you utilize this kind of litter box you should get only advanced clumping litter in order that clumps won't break under any circumstances. Exactly why is this so? You'll get with rather a mess, because if you use a cheaper clumping litter. If clumps don't keep unchanged, you'll discover both the rake and the litter box it self smeared with feces that you'll have to clean-up. Just premium clumping litters that never split are suitable for use within an automatic cat litter box.
2nd, your cat( s) should be of the type that is maybe not spooked by the automatic rake. The box itself is automated with an electric eye, where a rake automatically 'scoops' used litter when your cat exits the box and deposits it in a database found at the back end of the box. If this sort of movement spooks your cat, it's likely that he or she'll not enter the box at all, ergo making it useless to you.
Next, if you have more than one cat and/or are gone for extended periods of time beyond a couple of hours, you should have at the very least two of these boxes. The reason being it's not likely that the box it self will be able to accommodate multiple cats, as you only pour in litter to a range around one to two inches. You'll continually need to be restoring this litter in order to make sure that the box works properly. Thus, if you're gone for more than a handful of hours at a time, it's probably best to use a regular box where you can scoop out only once or twice a day your-self.
One notice to make here is that although some containers use silica crystals as opposed to clumping litter and therefore only scoop solid-waste so that litter lasts longer, many pet owners feel that this is simply not healthy for their cats. The choice is up to you.
Ultimately, these kinds of litter boxes aren't cheap. However some came down somewhat in price recently, you're perhaps not going to be paying $16.99 for this type of box as you'll with just a normal cat litter box. Expect to pay about $100-150 for a top quality automatic box.
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Therefore, the decision is yours, but the ease is not always what you might expect using an cat litter box furniture. Frequently, just using good quality clumping litter in a regular box and scooping it out a couple of times daily is the simplest way to go.