If you are a cat owner, you are probably always on the lookout for products which will make caring for your cats as simple and painless as possible.
There are plenty of products that can help with this, but the products which are often the most hopeful are those which help with the litter process.
One product which is incredibly popular for helping with this is the Litter Robot line which has been receiving upgrades regularly to keep their products top of the line.
The Litter Robot 3 Connect was popular for years, but Litter Robot have now released their new Litter Robot 4.
The Litter Robot 3 Connect is of course still functional, and if you have one already, is it worth shelling out for an upgrade, and if you have neither, is it worth paying extra for the new model, or will you be better off saving your money and buying the Litter Robot 3 Connect.
So, if you are tempted to buy either of these products, but you are unsure how to pick between the two, we have created this guide.
This guide will make all of the differences and similarities between these 2 products clear so you can work out which will be a better fit for you and your car!
Quick Comparison
Both the Litter Robot 4 and the Litter Robot 3 Connect have glowing reviews on whichever review site you are looking at, however, on average the Litter Robot 4 seems to score a little better.
Once they are assembled, the Litter Robot 4 is 22 inches 2ide, 27 inches deep, and 29.5 inches high, on the other hand the Litter Robot 3 Connect is only a little wider being 24.5 inches wide, 27 inches deep, and 29.5 inches high.
This also means that both products have a similar footprint with the Litter Robot 4 being 22 inches by 27, and the Litter Robot 3 Connect being 24.5 inches by 27.
The dimensions for the entryway of the Litter Robot 4 is 15.75 inches by 15.75 inches, and this is a bit smaller with the Litter Robot 3 Connect which is 10.25 inches by 15.5 inches.
The entry for the Litter Robot4 is a wide and round flat faced entry, while the one for the Litter Robot 3 Connect is more oval shaped and is angled upward.
Once assembled both products weigh about 24 pounds as well.
The cycle delay options on the Litter Robot 4 are; 3, 5, 7, 15, and 30 minutes, while on the Litter Robot 3 Connect, there are fewer options with just 3, 7, and 15 minutes available.
It is worth noting that the Litter Robot 4 features a dust reducing sifting screen, whereas the Litter Robot 3 Connect does not.
Both do feature their own safety features with the Litter Robot 4 having a motion sensor at the entryway of the product, whereas the Litter Robot 3 Connect has a weight sensor on the step to the entrance as well as inside the main globe.
The cat is able to activate the product by activating the motion sensor at the entryway of the Litter Robot 4, as well as the one on the step, and the one inside the globe.
For the Litter Robot 3 Connect, it is activated by stepping on the weight sensor on the outside step, as well as the one inside the globe.
When it comes to the sensors features, the Litter Robot 4 features both a curtain sensor, as well as a SmartScale sensor, while the Litter Robot 3 Connect only has a weight sensor.
The cleaning cycle for the Litter Robot 4 features the WhisperQuiet feature, while this is not included in the Litter Robot 3 Connect.
When it comes to how many cats each product is suitable for, while they are similar sizes, it is said that the Litter Robot 4 is suitable for up to 4 cats while it is only really appropriate for the Litter Robot 3 Connect to be dealing with up to 3 different cats.
When looking at the weight of the cats, for the Litter Robot 4 you will want the cats to be weighing more than 3 pounds, while for the Litter Robot 3 Connect the cats will need to weigh more than 5 pounds.
Both the Litter Robot 4 and the Litter Robot 3 Connect have a full drawer indicator, while only the Litter Robot 4 features a cat litter indicator, as well as being the only product which features litter tracking and drawer levels in real time.
On the Litter Robot 4 the handle and step are optional features, whereas they are permanent on the Litter Robot 3 Connect.
There is a control panel on both of these products with it being located on the top of the globe on the Litter Robot 4, while it is on the bottom right of the Litter Robot 3 Connect.
The filter for the Litter Robot 4 is on the outer bottom of the globe, and on the vents of the waste drawer on the Litter Robot 3 Connect.
The sleep mode of the Litter Robot 4 can be customized to be different on weekdays and weekends, whereas the sleep schedule on the Litter Robot 3 Connect starts 8 hours after the start time of the product.
The nightlight of the Litter Robot 4 also has more customization with the auto, on and off settings, as well as a high, medium and low level.
On the Litter Robot 3 Connect you are only given the option of Auto and off.
Finally, the Litter Robot 4 can detect the weight of your cat specifically, while the Litter Robot 3 Connect can not.
However, the Litter Robot 4 cannot function without Wi-Fi, while the Litter Robot 3 Connect does have an open air option.
Different Core Features
Both of these devices feature different products which help them stand out from each other.
This section will go over the core features which are used to help with the main functions of the Litter Robot and make it work more efficiently and effectively!
WhisperQuiet Operation
One of the best features which is used on the Litter Robot 4 exclusively is the WhisperQuiet operation, this is a patented technology exclusive to this product, and this fixes one of the main issues of other Litter Robots being how loud the cleaning cycle can be.
This means that you can put this product wherever you want and you will not have to worry about the noise bothering you or anyone else.
If you are bothered by loud mechanical noises, this is one of the main reasons to go for the Litter Robot 4 over the 3 Connect.
Sifting Screen Upgrade
Another feature which makes the Litter Robot 4 a lot more efficient is the sifting screen which it uses, and it is designed to make it stop as many particles getting into the air when it goes through the process of sifting cat litter.
This means that there will be less gross dust surrounding the Litter Robot, but also less on the rubber around the bottom of the device.
This is even more important for people who may have allergies or who need to maintain a good air quality.
Sensors For Cycle Activation
Another new feature which is included with the Litter Robot 4 is that it has 2 new sensors, one being the curtain style sensor which features 3 motion sensing ‘eyes’ which are found by the entrance of the device.
The main use of these sensors is to monitor when a cat is going in and leaving the product so it can activate a cleaning cycle when it is needed.
There is the other type of sensor which is the smart weight scale which you can find on the bottom of the unit.
This sensor, as you can imagine, is used for tracking that a cat is inside the unit and recording its weight.
Both of these sensors compliment each other to make the device work more effectively.
Compare this to the Litter Robot 3 Connect which only has a weight scale on the bottom of the device, and this does not measure the weight of your cat, but is only used to activate the device once your cat is actually inside the device.
Nightlight
The Litter Robot 4 has also moved the location of the nightlight it uses to make it more safe and more effective. It is now found by the entryway of the device and it will point right into the litter bed.
This is compared to the nightlight which is on the Litter Robot 3 Connect. For this device the nightlight can be found on the underside of the bonnet of the device.
It is worth noting that for the Litter Robot 3 Connect you will need to remove the bonnet to clean the device quite regularly, and this can lead to the likelihood of the nightlight getting damaged higher.
Design
When looking at the design of both products, we can see that the Litter Robot 4 has a much more compact look, which is arguably more neat as well, this also means that it takes a little less space on the floor with a more compact footprint.
This is where it is worth noting that you have the option of 2 models for the Litter Robot 4, with one featuring a step, and one featuring a handle.
The model which has the handle is designed for cats which are more likely to jump right into the unit, and will not get any use out of the step.
This model which only has the handle takes up a little less space because of the slightly shorter depth it has, this is a perfect change for those who do not have as much space to work with!
Different Features On The App
As well as the features which affect the main operations of the Litter Robot, there are also the features which you can control using the compatible app for the Litter Robot.
While these features are a little less tactile than those which are found in the previous section, some of them will greatly impact how you are able to use and customize the device.
Waste Drawer Tracking
One of the best features of the Litter Robot 4 is that it will give you real time updates on how full the waste drawer of the device is.
This works with another motion sensor which points cones of light onto the litter bed.
When the globe of the device is rotating and the waste is able to drop through the opening into the bottom, the aforementioned sensors are able to detect this and determine the cat waste.
Then the smart weight sensor which is found in the base of the device is able to register the weight of this waste and how much it has increased.
With both of these units working together you will get a pretty accurate reading of the weight of the waste drawer and how full it is, and all of this information will be sent over to the app.
You can find this information easily as the indicator will be right on the homepage of the app.
There is a feature similar to this on the Litter Robot 3, however, it is not working in real time and there are some other things you will have to do to get a properly accurate reading.
To get an accurate reading you will need to make sure you are emptying the gauge which you have on your app once you have emptied the drawer.
The weight level of the waste which is shown for the Litter Robot 3 Connect is actually a calculation done based on how many rotations which have been done, in comparison to the Litter Robot 4 which has a specific weight sensor to give a more accurate reading.
Litter Level Tracking
As well as tracking the waste levels, the Litter Robot 4 also has a feature which will show you just how much litter your Litter Robot is working with.
You will be shown if you have an optimal amount of litter, or if the amount is low and you will need to replace it.
This will be shown by a bar on the app, the bar will be blue when it is at an optimal level, however, if the level is more low, it will appear red.
This will also update live and you will be able to see that you have added new litter on the app once this has been done!
Cat Weight Being Recorded
This has also been referenced in the section which went over the different sensors which each device has, but the Litter Robot 4 has a smart scale sensor which is at the bottom of the product and this will be used to sense the presence of the car, but also to weigh it as well.
This is a great double feature for the Litter Robot 4 to have as it will also let you know when the cat has last been using the Litter Robot and how much it is weighing regularly.
This is a feature which the Litter Robot 3 Connect unfortunately lacks.
Customizing Nightlight
Both the Litter Robot 4 and the Litter Robot 3 Connect feature a night light which has the main function of being able to help cats with navigating the device during night time.
We have mentioned in the design section how the light is found in a different place on each device and this effects slightly how it functions on each device.
However, it is worth noting that the nightlight has some more flexible features on the Litter Robot 4 compared to the Litter Robot 3 Connect.
For example, the Litter Robot 4 gives you the option to keep the nightlight on constantly, or keep it off constantly, or you could choose to have it only activate when it is dark with auto mode.
The lighting on the Litter Robot 4 can also have its level changed between low, medium and high.
This makes the options for the Litter Robot 3 Connect look pretty restricted by comparison with the only options being off and auto, and there being no different levels for the lighting available.
Customizing Sleep Mode
The Litter Robot 4 has more features when it comes to customizing sleep mode on the device as well. For example, the Litter Robot 4 lets you keep the device on standby for as long as you want to.
You can set these standby hours to be as long as you want, for example, you can stop it working between 10pm and between 8am specifically if you want.
You also get the option to set a different schedule for weekdays and during weekends, or make it the same for both.
The sleep mode for the Litter Robot 3 Connect is a lot more restricted in comparison and the only option you have is to set the timer to last 8 hours after you set the timer for.
This will be the same every day with no difference between weekdays and weekends.
Different Odor Management Features
One of the best features you get with an automatic Litter Robot is that there are also features to help with odor control, but these features are also improved upon in the Litter Robot 4, so let’s look at these now and see if they justify the upgrade.
Carbon Filter
One thing which helps the Litter Robot 4 stand out from the Litter Robot 3 Connect is that it has a filter compartment which you can find on the outer bottom section of the main globe.
This is where you will put a carbon filter which is over the waste drawer. This is a great place for the carbon filter to be found as it will trap an odor which is created by the waste drawer.
There is also a carbon filter on the Litter Robot 3 Connect, however, the carbon filter is found in front of where the waste drawer is by the vents, this does a good job of reducing the amount of odor, however, the odor gases will still rise and you can still smell them when the waste drawer is opened.
OdorTrap
There is also a Whisker exclusive feature called OdorTrap and this is a product which is designed to effectively trap odors and effectively manage them as well.
This product can be used with both the Litter Robot 4 and the Litter Robot 3 Connect.
For the Litter Robot 4 you can put this bad in the compartment which is found in the outer bottom of the globe and you will not need to buy a holder pod, however, if you want to use the OdorTrap with the Litter Robot 3 Connect you need to buy the pod to make it so you can place the bag inside with the magnets it features.
Waste Drawer
Finally, there is the waste drawer which on the Litter Robot 4 has a very tight seal which will do a great job of containing any odors, and the drawer is a bit deeper, and the edges are designed to be more flat so you can easily wrap the bag on top.
The edges of the Litter Robot 3 Connect are not smooth, and the drawer does not seal as tightly because of this. This means a little more odor manages to escape.
Different Multiple Cat And Safety Features
There are also some other features which make the Litter Robot 4 a slightly better choice if you have multiple cats.
SafeCat
One of the best features when it comes to safety for the Litter Robot 4 is the SafeCat features which uses omnisense technology to be able to sense when cats are entering the unit and then making sure that the cat is safe when entering and that it will not be rotating when the cat is entering.
There is a weight sensor on the step of the Litter Robot 3 Connect, and this will stop the movement of the unit when a cat steps on it.
SmartScale
The SmartScale is designed to record the weight of the cat after the Litter Robot 4 has been used, this means you can tell which cat is using the Litter Robot 4 based on the weight recorded at each time
Entryway Changes
As mentioned in the design section, the Litter Robot 4 has a wider entryway, and it is actually more roomy inside the globe compared to the Litter Robot 3 Connect which has a more narrow entryway and smaller space in spite of taking up more room.
Cycle Delay
If you do not know, the cycle delay is how long the time is between the device being activated, and then how long it will take to go through a cleaning cycle.
There are settings of 3, 7, and 15 minutes on the Litter Robot 3 Connect, however, the Litter Robot 4 you get more choices with, 3, 5, 7, 15, and 30, with 30 being a much better choice for multiple cats.
Where To Buy?
Litter Robot 4
Litter Robot 3 Connect
Conclusion
Both of these products are a great way to automate the litter process for your cat, and both of them work well.
However, as we have exemplified here, the Litter Robot 4 does have plenty of extra features which make it a much better device than the Litter Robot 3 Connect is, and they make it a lot more practical in different areas.
This means that overall, if you want to be able to use the Litter Robot anywhere, we recommend using the Litter Robot 4, however, most of the issues with the Litter Robot 3 Connect can be avoided.
For example, if the noise bothers you, simply put it somewhere you will not be able to here is too often.
And while there are more quality of life options which are included with the Litter Robot 4, a lot of these are not massively necessary and can be achieved with other pieces of technology, for example, you probably already have scales which could weight your cat.
So, if you can not justify the upgrade from the Litter Robot 3 Connect, it is still a perfectly functional product.
Dr. Linda Simon MVB MRCVS is a locum veterinary surgeon who has worked in London for the past 8 years. She graduated top of her class in small animal medicine from UCD, Dublin. She is currently a member of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons. Linda is the resident vet for Woman magazine and a frequent contributor to People’s Friend Magazine, the Dogzone website, Vet Help Direct and Wag! Linda also writes content for the CVS veterinary group, Vetwriter and a number of other establishments.
