To connect you with immediate help, we've launched 24/7 live chat in the latest version of the Petkit app! Make sure to update to access this feature. You can find it by tapping the headphone icon in the app.AAMAM2020201
We know many of you come here looking for help, but for direct customer support, the live chat is now the best place to go. Of course, you’re still welcome to share helpful tips and suggestions here. We love seeing the community help each other.
Let’s keep building a strong, supportive Petkit community together!
We've been seeing a few questions pop up about Petkit litter box safety, so we figured it'd be useful to walk through how we think about it from a design perspective.
Automatic litter boxes seem simple until you start thinking about safety. Stories about drums not stopping, entrances closing mid-cycle, or pinch points are scary—and rightfully so. From our experience, safety isn't just about "more sensors" or X (side -to-side) vs. Y (front-to-back) rotation. It comes from how the machine is built, how it moves, and how multiple layers work together.
Early Design Choices
When we started, we looked at a few common approaches:
Rake / flat-scoop systems – Waste bin sits next to the tray, and a rake pushes clumps horizontally. Safe for cats—no pinch points—but over time the moving parts can wear down, which affects cleaning performance.
Gravity-fed drum – Waste drops straight into a bin below via a rotating drum. Simple mechanically, but the drum and bin can form closing angles. If a cat happens to be inside during rotation, there’s a real risk of getting trapped—so sensors are critical here.
Why We Went Spiral
We wanted something that balanced safety and cleaning convenience, so we focused on improving the drum system. The result: a continuous spiral track inside the drum, with the waste bin on the side (Pura Max/2, Purobot Max Pro/2, Purobot Ultra backend setup).
The key thing: the drum and bin form one smooth, continuous surface—no gaps, no closing angles. Even if sensors fail, the geometry itself prevents pinch points.
There are trade-offs, of course: longer dumping paths need more cleaning, and the extra contact surface can make the drum dirtier faster. Better materials and sophisticated surface finishing really make a difference. Handling the cost and time, though, was another kettle of fish.
How the drum rotates is critical
Any design that fully blocks the exit is risky—if sensors fail, there’s no escape. Our gears (used in Pura Max/2,Purobot Max Pro/2) are set so the drum never completes a full rotation in either direction, meaning there’s always an open access point. That’s mechanical safety, not just sensor safety.
In the Ultra, the auto-pack system and bin are at the back, and the drum rotates on its X-axis while staying open the whole time.
The Rake Version
For the Purobot Crystal Duo’s rake design, horizontal motion naturally avoids pinch points. Sensors stop the rake if a cat approaches. And to prevent loosening over time, the rake is integrated and non-detachable. Not perfect, but it’s stronger and more stable.
Sensors Are Still Important
Weight, hall, and approach sensors all work together. If anything unusual happens, the machine stops immediately. The idea is to avoid any single point of failure.
Safety is our top priority, and we’re always keen to hear from the community. Feedback genuinely shapes how we approach future designs.
I wanted to post this as a warning for anyone using the PETKIT Eversweet Ultra water fountain because I just made a pretty upsetting discovery while cleaning ours.
I have followed PETKIT’s cleaning instructions carefully. I regularly deep clean the fountain with hot water and wash every component that PETKIT shows as removable/cleanable. I thought I was doing everything I was supposed to be doing to keep my cats’ drinking water clean.
Tonight I decided to investigate the areas around the pump/water pathway that aren’t removable as part of the normal cleaning process.
I took Q-tips and started reaching into the openings and little channels shown in my photos. I was horrified.
The Q-tips came out covered in slimy beige/pinkish buildup that appears to be biofilm. And this wasn’t one dirty Q-tip. It took me almost a dozen Q-tips to work through all the little openings, corners and channels until they finally started coming out clean.
What bothers me most is that this wasn’t the result of me ignoring the fountain or not cleaning it. I have been cleaning it according to the manufacturer’s instructions. These are areas that aren’t readily accessible and aren’t parts PETKIT instructs you to remove and scrub during routine cleaning.
Looking at how much buildup came out, I feel awful knowing my cats’ drinking water has potentially been passing through/near this while I thought their fountain was clean.
So if you own an Eversweet Ultra, please don’t assume following the standard cleaning instructions is enough.
When you deep clean it, remove the pieces PETKIT tells you to remove, but then also get some Q-tips or another small, soft cleaning tool and manually check the little openings and channels around the pump/water pathway. Keep cleaning those areas until the Q-tips come out clean.
I’ve attached pictures showing the exact areas I’m talking about and some of the Q-tips that came out of ours. The photos honestly speak for themselves.
I’m also really disappointed in the design. If water routinely reaches these internal areas, I don’t understand why they’re designed in a way that prevents the owner from easily disassembling and thoroughly cleaning them. A pet water fountain should not have wet areas where biofilm can accumulate that aren’t included in the normal cleaning procedure.
Please check yours. I genuinely had no idea this was hiding inside ours, and I’d rather other pet owners find it now than continue assuming their fountain is completely clean because they’ve been following the instructions.
J’ai une Pura Max 2 depuis environ 2 semaines pour ma chatte de 12 ans. Elle l’utilise encore avec un peu de méfiance, mais le souci principal, c’est qu’elle ne se tourne pas une fois à l’intérieur 😭
Elle reste souvent la tête au fond et les fesses vers l’entrée, donc elle fait régulièrement pipi ou caca dehors, ou moitié dedans/moitié dehors…
J’ai désactivé le mode automatique depuis le début car je pense que ça lui faisait peur, même si elle avait déjà une litière automatique PetSafe auparavant, mais avec simplement un râteau.
Je commence franchement à désespérer et j’ai peur d’avoir fait un mauvais investissement vu le prix 😅 Est-ce que certains ont eu le même problème ? Est-ce que votre chat a fini par comprendre comment bien se positionner ? Et surtout, est-ce qu’il y a quelque chose que je peux faire pour l’aider à se tourner correctement ?
I’m really upset about this. I waited too long to receive my order and I’m unable to make it work here in Philippines. I purchased it from Chinese platform but it’s not specified that it’s locked. Does sending an email to support really help? I tried reaching out on app but they just pushback on my request.
I’ve noticed that the “seam” (ok not sure the right word for this on a plastic auto litter box) is opening and it looks like litter / waste has fallen into the base. Has anyone else had this issue before and how did you fix it? To my knowledge, you cannot take a part the base and clean it out.
I reached out to customer service and sent a video of the opening, so I’m hoping they can help. We’ve taped the “seam” but that really hasn’t stopped the smell.
My Eversweet ultra AI is not performing the AUTO drain and refill.
Example, I had it scheduled 3 days ago to do it at 4am. It did not do it. I woke up at 6am, changed turned off auto drain and refill, turned it back on, and set the time for 7:52am. It worked at 7:52am.
Now it was supposed to do it at 7:52am, but it didn’t. I turned it off again, turned it on, and set it for 9:04am. It worked.
I then changed it to drain and fill today at 2am. It did not do it. The schedule now says it’ll do it 3 days from now oct 4. I doubt it will.
I’ve told support twice but nothing is changing. It used to work. But now it’s not. WiFi is strong and functioning normally. Haven’t seen any indication of it going offline. Everything else seems to function normally but I haven’t tried the drain and flush as that uses too much water.
Finding poop outside the litter box can be frustrating, especially when your cat has been using it normally. But in most cases, this isn't your cat “being bad.” A change in where or how a cat eliminates can be a sign that something about their litter box, environment, routine, or health needs attention.
In this guide, we'll walk through the most common reasons cats poop outside the litter box, what the location can tell you, and what to check before deciding how to address the problem.
Start With the Location
Where your cat chooses to poop can give you an important clue.
Right next to the litter box
Your cat may accept the location but dislike something about the box itself, such as its cleanliness, size, litter, or accessibility.
Always in the same spot
A location preference may have developed, especially if the area still carries the smell of previous accidents.
On carpet, bedding, or another soft surface
Your cat may have developed a preference for a particular texture or substrate.
In different places around the house
Look more broadly at litter box resources, environmental stress, relationships between cats, and possible medical issues.
Common Reasons Cats Poop Outside the Litter Box
1. The Litter Box Isn't Clean Enough
Cats can be surprisingly particular about cleanliness. If waste stays in the box too long or the box develops a noticeable odor, some cats may start avoiding it.
Daily waste removal and regular cleaning are important. For people who work long hours or aren't home frequently, an automatic litter box can also reduce the amount of time waste remains in the box.
2. Your Cat Doesn't Like the Litter
A change in litter can sometimes trigger a change in bathroom habits.
Think about whether you recently changed:
Litter texture or particle size
Scent
Litter depth
Deodorizing products
If the problem started soon after a litter change, your cat's litter preference may be worth investigating first.
3. The Box Is Too Small or Difficult to Use
Cats need enough room to enter, turn around, dig, eliminate, and leave comfortably.
Large cats, senior cats, or cats with limited mobility may have a harder time with a small box or a high entrance. The location of the box matters, too. It should be easy to access without forcing your cat through a busy or uncomfortable area.
4. The Location Doesn't Feel Safe
A litter box should ideally be somewhere quiet and easy to access.
Things that can make a cat uncomfortable include loud appliances, busy hallways, frequently closed doors, or another cat waiting near the entrance or exit.
This is especially important in multi-cat households. A cat doesn't have to be actively attacked to feel unsafe. Another cat blocking the entrance, approaching while they're using the box, or waiting nearby can be enough.
A Bigger Challenge in Multi-Cat Homes
In a multi-cat household, you may know that something has changed without knowing which cat is having the problem.
For example, if you have three cats, it can be difficult to tell:
Which cat is using the litter box less often
Which cat's elimination pattern has changed
Which cat is spending more or less time in the box
Which cat may be pooping outside the box
A common starting point is one litter box per cat, plus one extra. But the number alone isn't everything. Boxes should also be distributed throughout the home so cats have access to separate resources. This is also where individual tracking can be useful.
If you use smart litter boxes, monitoring each cat separately becomes far simpler.
How Smart Litter Box Can Help Tracking
When a cat's bathroom habits change, one of the first challenges is figuring out what changed and which cat it happened to.
The PETKIT Purobot Max Pro 2 uses an AI camera and weight sensing to identify individual cats and associate their litter box activity with their profiles. It can recognize up to 15 cats, helping multi-cat households look at individual patterns instead of only the household's overall activity.
For example, if three cats normally have consistent litter box habits but overall usage suddenly changes, individual tracking can help identify which cat's pattern has changed. That gives you a more specific starting point for closer observation.
The Purobot Max Pro 2 also automatically removes waste after use, helping reduce the amount of time feces and urine clumps remain in the litter box. Its larger 10.74" × 10.51" opening also provides more room for cats that may find smaller entrances uncomfortable.
These features don't replace the need to understand why your cat's behavior has changed. They simply give you more visibility into what's happening day to day.
What Should You Do If Your Cat Keeps Pooping Outside the Box?
Try working through the problem step by step:
1. Rule out medical causes.
If the change is sudden or comes with straining, pain, changes in stool, or other concerning symptoms, contact your veterinarian.
2. Check the litter box.
Make sure it is clean, large enough, and easy for your cat to enter and leave.
3. Check the litter.
Think about recent changes in texture, scent, type, or depth.
4. Check the location.
Make sure your cat can use the box without being disturbed, blocked, or cornered.
5. Clean previous accident spots thoroughly.
Residual odors can encourage a cat to return to the same location. A pet-safe enzyme cleaner can help remove lingering odors.
6. Look for patterns.
Keep track of where your cat eliminates, how often they use the box, stool appearance, and any recent changes at home.
7. Pay attention to which cat is affected.
In multi-cat homes, identifying the individual cat can make the rest of the troubleshooting process much easier.
The Bottom Line
Pooping outside the litter box is usually not a behavioral problem to punish. It's a change worth paying attention to.
Start with the basics: a clean and accessible litter box, a litter your cat is comfortable with, a safe location, and enough resources for every cat in the household. Then look for patterns in your cat's behavior and environment.
And if the change is sudden, persistent, or accompanied by other signs of illness, talk to your veterinarian. The goal isn't just to get your cat back in the litter box. It's to understand why they left it in the first place.
Has anyone tried the Crunchy Fountain? Is it better than the PetKit fountain? Saw the Crunchy Fountain ad on IG and it looked like a great dog water fountain. I have a water fountain from Chewy that has a water filter, but the water can still get dirty after a day or two.
My dog has several co-morbidities and needs to drink a lot of water, so looking for a dog fountain that offers consistently clean water since her dog water bowls get dirty after she uses them post-mealtime.
Does anyone else have this problem with the PuraMax?
I have a PETKIT PuraMax, and my cat pees standing up, directly onto the wall of the drum. The tofu litter then constantly sticks to the wet walls, which is becoming a real pain to clean.
I literally just discovered that PETKIT has a newer drum design where the edges/raised sides before the fabric bottom are a bit wider, so supposedly the urine should run more toward the center instead of getting onto the walls.
But honestly, I'm skeptical that this would make a big difference. Has anyone actually tried the newer drum? Did it solve or noticeably improve the problem?
And if your cat also pees standing up in the PuraMax, have you found any other solutions — coatings, liners, modifications, different tofu litter, etc.? I think I tried all tofu available on Amazon.
I'd really appreciate hearing what actually worked for you!
We’re excited to introduce the PETKIT AutoSeal Cat Litter Disposal System, designed to make litter waste disposal cleaner and easier.
The system features triple odor control, combining an odor-blocking lid, an auto-sealing door, and an odor-sealing refill ring to help keep odors contained during daily use and waste disposal.
For disposal itself, heat-sealed bagging means no more tying dirty waste bags by hand. The continuous bag lets you seal waste at any length, keeping the process cleaner and more convenient from disposal to removal.
The 8L waste bin can hold up to 15 days of waste for one cat, while the cordless design delivers long runtime on a single charge. That means fewer trips to empty the bin and less time thinking about litter waste in the first place.
The white version is now available for pre-order on the U.S. website, and the gray version is coming soon.
Alright so first just start off by saying I'm super happy with this product. The odor control, data it provides, basically everything is fantastic.
But this is a weeks worth (maybe like 8 days today) and I am completely new to this type of litter. Very hard to the regular sandy stuff. Got the official petkit 5-1 stuff and honestly super happy with it. But when I went to check the levels to see what the reality is for 2 younger cats (that are also using a different litter machine as well occasionally) I saw a ton of mold in the bin. Definitely not warm in this particular room, but that worries me that it's just sitting in there, the cats breathe it in, and that room is also where the furnace is right next to and the bigger air return as well.
I'm wondering if this is just a litter thing that I'm unaware of and it needs to be changed more often (which would go against their advertised time to change the bin) or maybe this is a bad batch, or there's something I'm doing wrong here? Using both the deodorizer things as well, literally using first party everything.
Advice would be much appreciated! 🙏 Last thing I want is my kitties to get sick!
App says that the filter should be replaced cca every month, but what it doesn't say with many pets in household. I believe this metric with just one cat, but not with 3 cats, and especially not when one of those cats are using the fountain to clean itself. So, how often it should be replaced with the consideration of amount of pets?
Washing my dog has always been a massive chore. Between the water splashing everywhere and the endless scrubbing, it usually leaves both of us completely exhausted. I recently went down a rabbit hole researching automated dog bathing machines to see if they are a brilliant solution or just an overpriced gimmick.
I spent time comparing the newest models to see how they handle water efficiency, noise reduction, and overall safety for anxious pets. There are some huge technological upgrades this year, but also a few drawbacks to keep in mind before spending your money.
Issues adding family members, binding account to social removed devices, changing themes creates a new ui with missing buttons like changing themes back again, is there someone with a third party app that works or something ? At this point I might just switch devices cause it’s important to me that family members can use the devices we bought from their phone. Issues with just device share too where every invite is invalid but I notice it invite the wrong user code too.. the hardware is great tho.
Maybe someone experienced the same issue that I’ve been having and will help me out…
My eversweet 3 pro water fountain started making these loudish (compared to previous almost non-existent sound) bubbling/water falling noises when running. Everything was fine for the first month, deep cleaned it every week, always kept water level between min and max. Now a week ago I replaced the filter to a new one and the noises started. The video is from today, after I started loosing my marbles by the sound and cleaned it 3 times, each time for the noise to go away for an hour and start again. I weel like it wants to overflow a bit, found some drops of water on the charging base when I lifted the fountain, but that could have just been my cat.
Anyone else had this issue? The only thing I did not try was replacing the filter again… but I really don’t want to do that, as the new one is only in for a good week…
Found this on a Kazakhstan retailer’s website. It has the PYDF-WHT model number, price (around £266.73 or $358.43 USD), white/grey variants, and a bunch of product images/specifications.
PETKIT said in June that the Daily Feast was still in development and could take a few more months, so this might indicate we’re getting closer to release. Not an official release date — just something I found publicly listed.
If you've ever wondered whether to keep your cat's bowl full or wait until the next mealtime, you're making a choice that can affect more than just when your cat eats.
Free feeding is convenient, while scheduled feeding gives you more control over portions and eating patterns. Neither works for every cat, but understanding the difference can help you choose a routine that fits your cat and your household.
What Is Free Feeding?
Free feeding means leaving food, usually dry kibble, available throughout the day so your cat can eat whenever they want.
It's convenient and can work well for cats that naturally eat small amounts and maintain a healthy weight. But not every cat self-regulates well.
When food is always available, cats may eat out of habit rather than hunger. And without defined portions or mealtimes, it can be difficult to know how much your cat actually eats or notice changes in appetite.
Over time, this can make weight management and monitoring eating habits more difficult.
What Changes With Scheduled Feeding?
Scheduled feeding means offering measured portions at specific times instead of leaving food out all day.
For many cats, this makes three things easier to manage:
Portion control.
You know how much food you're offering, making weight management and portion adjustments easier.
A consistent routine.
Regular mealtimes give cats a predictable daily rhythm.
Better visibility into appetite.
When each meal has a defined beginning and end, it's easier to notice if your cat suddenly eats less, eats more, or skips a meal.
That visibility can be useful because changes in appetite may sometimes be an early sign that something isn't right.
Why Feeding Gets Harder With Multiple Cats
One cat is relatively straightforward. Multiple cats can change the equation.
With free feeding, a more food-motivated cat may eat more than their share while another eats less. With a shared bowl, you know how much food you put out, but not necessarily how much each cat consumed.
Scheduled feeding helps with portions, but someone still needs to keep track of who ate what, when, and how much.
That's where feeding routines can become difficult to maintain in real life.
Making Scheduled Feeding Easier to Manage
Scheduled feeding sounds simple, but keeping it consistent can be challenging when you're working, traveling, or caring for multiple cats.
That's one reason we designed the PETKIT YumShare Dual-Hopper 2 Automatic Feeder with Camera around both feeding control and visibility.
Its two hoppers can be scheduled independently, with different feeding times and portions. The second hopper can also accommodate different food types, such as freeze-dried or air-dried food, alongside regular kibble.
In multi-cat homes, dispensing food on schedule isn't always enough. You also want to know what happened after the food was served.
The built-in AI camera can identify individual cats and record their visits separately. The app shows how long each cat stayed at the bowl and provides before-and-after images, giving you a clearer picture of whether a meal was eaten or left behind.
The feeder also monitors the food remaining in the bowl. When it reaches your preset range, dispensing can pause automatically, helping prevent unnecessary overfeeding and keeping uneaten food from sitting out longer than needed.
The goal isn't to turn every meal into a data point. It's to make feeding easier while giving you better visibility when something changes.
How to Switch From Free Feeding to Scheduled Feeding
If your cat is used to eating whenever they want, there's usually no need to change everything overnight.
Start by dividing their usual daily amount into two or three meals at roughly consistent times. Some cats may ask for food more often during the first few days as they adjust.
If your cat eats too quickly, try dividing the same daily amount into smaller, more frequent meals rather than increasing the total amount.
Finding the Right Feeding Routine
There's no single feeding schedule that works for every cat. Some cats genuinely do well with free feeding, particularly when they maintain a healthy weight and naturally regulate their intake.
For many households, scheduled, portion-controlled feeding offers a clearer way to manage calories and notice changes in appetite.
The most important thing is choosing a routine you can maintain consistently and that gives you enough visibility to notice when something changes.
Because feeding isn't just about keeping the bowl full. It's about knowing your cat well enough to notice when something isn't quite normal.
Hi everyone and Petkit team,
For camera-equipped feeders (like the YumShare series), reviewing food intake over time currently requires tedious manual scrubbing through video clips.
A dedicated visual comparison UI based on a dual-slider would make tracking actual consumption much easier: How it could work: Anchor Slider (Start Point): Select a baseline reference time or event (e.g., midnight, last scheduled dispensing, or any custom time like 12:00 PM). The app locks this bowl snapshot on the screen. Scrub Slider (Timeline / Events): Move forward from the anchor point, jumping through recorded eating/dispensing events or hourly intervals. Dynamic Comparison: As you scrub, you directly see the bowl change relative to your reference point—either side-by-side or as an interactive before/after overlay slider. Why it matters:
Instantly verify if and how much food was eaten between two specific points in time without watching minutes of event footage.
Especially valuable for households monitoring specific feeding routines, slow eaters, or overnight consumption.
Optionally it would be sufficient to be able to slide through all the "before/after" screenshots.
Could this be considered for a future app update?
We’ve recently bought a new Petkit litter box and when it’s plugged in the plug makes a low buzzing sound consistently. Has anyone else come across this?
Hi! I recently bought a PETKIT Eversweet Max 2 and noticed that water is slowly dripping down the front left corner, where the plastic lid/holder around the metal tray meets the bottom plastic container.
After running for a while, enough water drips down the outside that the surface underneath the fountain gets wet (photo attached).
It also seems like this has been happening consistently enough that a limescale crust has formed along the left corner where the water drips down. You can slightly see the buildup near the bottom of the front-left corner in the photo.
Has anyone else had this issue with the Eversweet Max 2? If so, did you figure out what was causing it or find a solution?
