HHOLOVE Pro (TY-Pro / CL-TYW) (automatic litter box suitable for large cats): our review

The cat heading for the tray just after tea is unlikely to care about clever features if getting inside is awkward. The Pro (TY-Pro / CL-TYW) has an entrance threshold of 17 cm, a low step that may be easier for an older cat to manage. That is a practical reason to consider it, especially when your cat no longer raises a paw quite so readily.

The manufacturer sets a minimum cat weight of 1 kg and a maximum of 10 kg, a range intended for most adult cats. Its large-cat designation adds context, but those manufacturer limits still govern the choice. Is your growing kitten ready for automatic mode? Manufacturer instructions require kittens below the minimum weight to stay out of automatic mode.

For the changeover, manufacturer guidance recommends initially leaving the appliance switched off or in manual mode, with the familiar tray alongside. Cats rarely appreciate a surprise bathroom renovation.

A waste drawer holding 6 L means frequent emptying, particularly when several cats share the tray. This is the compromise that most shapes our opinion. Automatic cleaning can change the routine, but dealing with collected waste still needs someone willing to take the job on.

Before work, with breakfast bowls to fill and a train to catch, checking the drawer belongs in the household routine. Its capacity cannot tell you how many days you can leave between emptying: the number of cats and the litter used both affect that interval. A weekend away still needs someone checking the tray.

Compatible litter types and replacement supplies need checking with the retailer before ordering, including whether silica or clumping litter is supported and which bags or consumables you will need regularly. We would settle that shopping routine before making room for the appliance. A cupboard organised around supplies you can readily obtain is more useful than enthusiasm on delivery day.

At 54.6 cm wide and 59.7 cm deep, this appliance needs a deliberate space in the bathroom or utility room. Mark out its footprint before rearranging the furniture. A corner that looks generous beside an empty laundry basket can become rather less accommodating once the household washing returns.

The height of 54.6 cm matters too: check the space beneath any shelf where you plan to put it. Plan around the whole appliance, including the room you need to reach it comfortably for everyday care. A neat fit is less useful if getting to the tray becomes a small furniture-moving exercise.

Its unit weight of 13.5 kg makes this a heavy appliance, so choose its position with the intention of leaving it there. Would you need to shift it whenever the bathroom floor needs cleaning? If so, rethink that spot before delivery. The sensible location is somewhere accessible for both you and the cat.

Multi-cat identification, a visit counter, visit duration tracking and weight monitoring give this model a useful set of ways to follow tray habits. In a household where cats take turns while everyone is out, those records could help you keep track of visits that would otherwise pass unnoticed.

Recorded habits still need human judgement. A change in weight or toilet routine belongs in a conversation with your vet; these functions do not explain its cause. We see their appeal as a way to stay aware of everyday patterns, without turning the litter tray into a medical authority.

The manufacturer also states anti-pinch protection and a weight sensor among its safety features. Follow the manufacturer's operating instructions when setting it up, particularly while your cat is adjusting to an unfamiliar appliance in a familiar room. Give that adjustment time rather than rushing to switch on automatic mode.

The Pro is well placed overall in our assessment. We like the combination of a low entrance and several ways to follow individual cats' tray habits. That gives it a clear purpose for an owner who wants an accessible step alongside more insight into daily visits.

The Neakasa M1 Plus is better suited to a household with several cats. The Neakasa M1 Plus alternative has a higher waste bin capacity of 11.23 L, giving a shared tray more room for collected waste. The Neakasa M1 Plus also has a lower unit weight of 10.35 kg, making it less demanding to move.

The Neakasa M1 Plus Lite is better suited to a larger cat. The Neakasa M1 Plus Lite has a manufacturer maximum cat weight of 15 kg, a limit to check against your cat's weight before choosing. Choose around the cat you have and the chores your household can comfortably accommodate.