> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.catstandard.co.uk/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # Automatic litter box planner: measure, compare and set up - URL: https://www.catstandard.co.uk/automatic-litter-box-planner/ - Published: 2026-09-17T19:04:55.000Z - Updated: 2026-10-06T15:10:33.000Z - Description: A printable measurement and setup pack, plus a browser-based ownership-cost calculator for choosing an automatic litter box. - Author: Kieran Simpson - Tags: Litter & trays, #research-guide ## The short answer Start with three yes-or-no questions: is an automatic tray suitable for your cat, does the exact machine fit with room to clean it, and is the recurring cost worth the saved scooping? If all three answers are yes, our starting pick is the [Neakasa M1 Plus](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CSKBWBF6?tag=catstandard-21&ref=catstandard.co.uk) for its open-top design. Choose the [PETKIT PURA MAX 2](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DCBLXNGB?tag=catstandard-21&ref=catstandard.co.uk) when its lower entrance and broader stated litter compatibility suit the household better, or the [PETLIBRO Luma](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FPX3GGN7?tag=catstandard-21&ref=catstandard.co.uk) when a camera is part of the reason you are buying. The planner below turns those decisions into measurements and a cost you can compare. For Neakasa, allow a 35.2cm entrance, compatible fine clumping litter and at least 70cm of vertical placement space. The listing displayed a frequently-returned warning on 6 October 2026; check the functions during the return window. On this page [Step 1: decide whether an automatic tray suits this cat](#step-1-decide-whether-an-automatic-tray-suits-this-cat)[Step 2: measure the machine's working space](#step-2-measure-the-machine-s-working-space)[Step 3: calculate the cost beyond checkout](#step-3-calculate-the-cost-beyond-checkout)[Step 4: pick for the reason you are actually buying](#step-4-pick-for-the-reason-you-are-actually-buying)[Step 5: plan the first week before the box arrives](#step-5-plan-the-first-week-before-the-box-arrives)[Step 6: keep the convenience](#step-6-keep-the-convenience)[How we built this planner](#how-we-built-this-planner) This is the working page for the whole automatic litter-box cluster. It takes you from “would this help?” to “will it fit?” and then through the first week without pretending the machine will raise the cat for you. [Download the printable automatic litter box planner (PDF)](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/assets/downloads/automatic-litter-box-planner.pdf) ## Step 1: decide whether an automatic tray suits this cat Read our [automatic litter tray suitability guide](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/are-self-cleaning-litter-trays-worth-it/) first. Keep an ordinary tray if the cat is below the machine's minimum weight or life-stage requirement, has mobility or toileting problems that make the entrance unsuitable, or cannot be safely supervised during the change. Our [safety guide](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/self-cleaning-litter-box-safety/) explains why the sensors and app do not replace observation. - **The cat:** meets the exact model's weight, size and life-stage rules. - **The household:** can keep the old tray during a gradual introduction. - **The owner:** can still check waste, litter, sensors and the cat every day. ## Step 2: measure the machine's working space **Measure working space, not just resting size.** The [M1 Plus specification](https://eu.neakasa.com/products/neakasa-m1-cat-litter-box?ref=catstandard.co.uk) lists 51.3cm resting height, 64cm maximum operating height and at least 70cm of vertical placement space. Also allow room to remove the drawer and chamber. Use those different measurements when checking a shelf or alcove. Measure the footprint, then the parts that move. A waste drawer needs somewhere to go. A drum or hood needs room to come off. The cat needs a clear approach, and washed parts need somewhere to dry. Use our [full size and placement guide](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/self-cleaning-litter-box-size-and-placement/) alongside the exact manual. ### Write down all eight 1. Machine width, depth and height. 2. Required gaps from walls and vents. 3. Space to remove the waste drawer. 4. Space to open, rotate or lift the drum or hood. 5. Entrance height and the cat's route to it. 6. Distance to a suitable socket. 7. Route to the washing area. 8. Space for the old tray during introduction. ## Step 3: calculate the cost beyond checkout Enter your own figures. They stay in this browser and are not sent to us. Use zero only when a cost genuinely does not apply; an unknown price is a reason to check, not a free accessory. Machine and required accessories (£) Litter each month (£) Bags or liners each month (£) Filters, cleaner and other extras each month (£) Subscription each month (£) Electricity each month (£) Ownership period (years) Calculate ownership cost Enter your figures, then calculate. The result is an estimate, rather than a forecast. It excludes repairs and price changes because neither can honestly be predicted from a product page. For a fuller explanation, see [what automatic litter boxes cost to run](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/self-cleaning-litter-box-running-costs/). ## Step 4: pick for the reason you are actually buying Scroll across to see the full table. Exact-model starting points; fit specifications and UK purchase routes rechecked 6 October 2026. __Exact-model starting points; fit specifications and UK purchase routes rechecked 6 October 2026.__ | Need | Our pick | Main compromise | Buy | | -------------------------------------------------- | ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | An open top and straightforward starting point | Neakasa M1 Plus | 35.2cm entrance, fine clumping litter and at least 70cm vertical placement space; allow for open-top scatter. | [Check Amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CSKBWBF6?tag=catstandard-21&ref=catstandard.co.uk) | | A lower entrance and broader stated litter options | PETKIT PURA MAX 2 | Still a substantial enclosed machine; its fit and litter rules need checking. | [Check Amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0DCBLXNGB?tag=catstandard-21&ref=catstandard.co.uk) | | A camera as part of remote checking | PETLIBRO Luma | The camera adds information, not supervision or a diagnosis. | [Check Amazon](https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FPX3GGN7?tag=catstandard-21&ref=catstandard.co.uk) | Our [full UK automatic litter-box comparison](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/best-self-cleaning-litter-boxes-uk/) checks the exact specifications, compatibility and buying cases behind these picks. The recommendation is based on published information; we have not hands-on tested these machines. ## Step 5: plan the first week before the box arrives Keep the old tray. Use familiar compatible litter. Let the new machine sit switched off or in manual mode at first, following its manual. Do not place the cat inside or make the new box the only available toilet. The [gradual introduction plan](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/how-to-introduce-cat-to-self-cleaning-litter-box/) gives you a day-by-day order without pretending every cat works to a calendar. ### Stop the rollout and investigate if - the cat strains, cries, toilets elsewhere or suddenly changes her habits; - a cycle starts unexpectedly with the cat present; - the machine rocks, leaks, smells electrical or reports repeated sensor errors; or - the litter clumps badly, smears repeatedly or breaches the model's rules. ## Step 6: keep the convenience Automatic means the rake or drum moves waste. It does not mean the waste drawer empties itself, sensors never need wiping or the cat can be assessed through an app. Save the [cleaning schedule](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/how-to-clean-self-cleaning-litter-box/), [troubleshooting order](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/self-cleaning-litter-box-troubleshooting/) and [compatible litter guide](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/litter-for-self-cleaning-litter-boxes/). [Print the measurement, cost and setup worksheets](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/assets/downloads/automatic-litter-box-planner.pdf) If the open-top starting pick survives those checks, continue with our [full Neakasa M1 Plus verdict](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/neakasa-m1-plus-review/) before following the retailer link. If the lower-entry option survives the worksheet, continue with our [full PETKIT PURA MAX 2 verdict](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/petkit-pura-max-2-review/) before following the retailer link. ## How we built this planner The decision sequence covers suitability, working space, recurring cost, exact model, introduction and maintenance. Fit specifications and exact-model UK purchase routes were rechecked on 6 October 2026; the original wider research was completed on 17 September. Any quoted offer in the linked reviews has its own date and eligibility conditions. The calculator uses only your inputs and performs simple arithmetic; it does not estimate repairs, price changes or the value of your time. Read [our editorial standards](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/our-standards/). Read [our editorial standards](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/our-standards/) or browse [all litter and tray guides](https://www.catstandard.co.uk/topics/litter/).