Pivot Pet

Self-cleaning is no longer the selling point. Almost every machine does it, so brands are competing on what happens after the waste is gone. That means cameras, weight sensors, per-cat profiles and health alerts at the top end. It also means a quieter countertrend: buyers walking away from apps entirely. The most interesting development this year is not a product. A study published in Animals analyzed litter box data from 136 cats and found measurable behavior differences in cats with chronic kidney disease. Below: the eight changes worth knowing, what the research actually supports, and a table of which 2026 features justify the money. Quick take: what changed this year Cleaning became table stakes. Health monitoring became the premium feature....