Every product on CatboxLab gets one score out of 100, built from four parts. The parts never change, the weights never change, and a product’s affiliate commission is not one of them. You’ll also see the score written as a /10 in parentheses — same number, smaller clothes.
What are the four parts of the score?
| Part | Weight | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Cleaning & safety | 30 | How completely the cleaning cycle clears waste — rake, rotation or sift design and cycle timing — how well odor is contained between emptyings (sealed waste storage, filters, covered versus open designs), and the safety stack a maker publishes: weight and motion sensors that stop a cycle, anti-pinch design, and minimum cat weights. |
| Capacity & multi-cat fit | 25 | How many real cats the box actually serves: rated cat count and weight range, waste-drawer or bin capacity against the maker’s own days-per-fill claims, entry height and interior space, and whether cats will accept it — the patterns in verified-owner feedback on refusals and acclimation count here. |
| App & health tracking | 20 | What the app actually distinguishes. A visit count is not weight tracking is not facial identification is not stool and urine monitoring — each level scores what it is, and subscription paywalls behind headline features cost points. |
| Running cost | 25 | Not just the sticker. Purchase price against what you get, plus the cost to own: proprietary trays, bags, liners and filters versus any-bag, any-litter systems, the litter a box can and can’t use, power draw, replacement parts, and how long the warranty actually protects you. |
Where does the information come from?
Three sources, in this order: the manufacturer’s published specifications and warranty documents; the current price, verified the day a comparison is written or updated (every comparison shows its prices-checked date); and aggregated verified-owner feedback, with sample sizes named in the review.
Do you test the products yourselves?
No — and we won’t pretend otherwise. CatboxLab is a research desk. Reviews are built from specs, prices, and owner evidence, and every review says what it’s based on. We think an honest desk comparison beats a fake “we lived with all nine” claim, and we’d rather lose the click than make it.
Can a company pay for a better score?
No. Companies can’t pay for placement, can’t see a score before it’s published, and can’t change one after. Affiliate commissions are checked only after a score is set — the order matters, and it’s the whole business model: if the scores can’t be trusted, the site is worth nothing. See the affiliate disclosure for exactly how money flows here.