Editor's Note: PurrSong, the company behind the LavvieBot litter box that we saw at CES, is launching a crowd funding campaign for a second generation of the litter box called the LavvieBot S. The new model will go live on IndieGoGo starting August 19. The LavvieBot S will normally cost $899 but during the campaign you can buy one for $449 and early birds can snag one for $399. Please note that CNET's reporting on crowdfunding campaigns is not an endorsement of the project or its creators. Before contributing to any campaign, read the crowdfunding site's policies to find out your rights (and refund policies, or the lack thereof) before and after a campaign ends.
The biggest downside to owning a cat is cleaning the litter box. It's smelly, messy and, well, there's poop involved. Lots of poop. At CES 2019, the company PurrSong wants to reimagine how both cats and humans interact with "the box" by launching a self-cleaning litter box called LavvieBot.
Upon first glance, I notice LavvieBot's clean modern design. It doesn't really look like a litter box. Its minimalist vibes should blend in with a number of room decors without drawing too much attention.
It has a simple design that blends in with a variety of room decors like a planted cactus.
PurrSongAfter your cat does their business in the LavvieBot, a rake on the inside gently and quietly removes clumps without breaking them apart in the process. You can set different timed intervals for the box to clean the bed. Waste is kept in a bag-lined drawer which only needs to be emptied once every two weeks.
Inside is a fine-tooth rake that gently separates clumped waste from the litter bed.
PurrSongThe accompanying PurrSong app connects to the LavvieBot to track litter box use and changes to your cat's weight. It can even differentiate between multiple cats. Another feature is the ability to receive a text when your cat has used the LavvieBot.
There are other self-cleaning cat litter boxes and one of the most popular is the Litter Robot. In comparison, LavvieBot is smaller, has a more subtle design, and can add fresh litter automatically from a 6.5-liter storage bin.
While we haven't tested the LavvieBot, or more specifically our cats haven't, we are curious to see how it does in real-world use over time.
First published Jan. 6, 6 a.m. PT.
Update, Jan. 7: Adds IndieGoGo pricing.
Update, Aug. 19: Adds IndieGoGo start date.
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