Whisker enhances the lives of cats and their owners through innovative pet care solutions
As the global leader in connected pet care, Whisker is dedicated to making life with cats smarter, cleaner, and more delightful. Whether it’s a self-cleaning litter box that automates scooping or an automatic feeder that promotes healthier eating habits, the company delivers superior insights and solutions that revolutionize pet care. Among Whisker’s most celebrated innovations are the Litter-Robot® and Feeder-Robot. Jacob Zuppke, President and Chief Executive Officer, tells us more about the company’s iconic solutions.
“Twenty-five years ago, we invented and manufactured the Litter-Robot, which has since become our most well-known product. The Litter-Robot is the number one
rated self-cleaning litter box for cats. It is designed to be large and ergonomic enough for cats to comfortably get in, do their business, turn around, and exit the box. This fully automated system ensures a cleaner litter box experience for both pets and their owners.”
Renowned for being convenient and hygienic, the Litter-Robot serves as a testament to Whisker’s ingenuity and innovative spirit. Jacob describes how the automation works: “The Litter-Robot is self-cleaning, featuring a globe-driven mechanism that automatically cycles using gravity to separate clean litter from dirty litter. After each use, it collects the dirty litter into a waste compartment below, keeping the clean litter fresh for the next use. It operates fully automatically, as if the cat was flushing its own toilet. A series of sensors detects when the cat is inside the unit, ensuring both the cat’s safety and the device’s functionality. The real-time sensors also weigh the cat each time it goes to the bathroom, tracking the animal’s duration, frequency, and elimination patterns. This data is shared with pet parents through the Whisker app. Moreover, the carbon-filtered waste drawer provides an odor-controlling feature, which is a significant advantage for owners of traditional litter boxes. Importantly, there are no electronics in the globe, making it easy to clean by simply removing the globe and cleaning it. The Litter-Robot’s footprint is comparable to that of a jumbo-sized litter box, so it can fit in most spaces within the home. With its aesthetically pleasing design and high-quality finishes, it serves as a premium appliance, and all of its components are serviceable, which makes the Litter-Robot a durable solution for cat owners.
“Over the years, the Litter-Robot has evolved through a variety of models. Drawing on over 20 years of consumer insights, we have integrated feedback into the beloved Litter-Robot 4 and now our newest generation – Litter-Robot 5, Litter-Robot 5 Pro, and Litter-Robot EVO, which are available to US customers now and select international markets will have access to the new line in 2026. As we consider our existing products, this new line, and the future of our product offering, our ethos remains focused on inventing solutions for pet parents, listening to their needs, and anticipating what they might not have thought of before,” he adds.
“In addition to the Litter-Robot, we are the inventor and manufacturer of other innovative connected pet care products, like the automatic cat feeder Feeder-Robot, along with several new products that have recently been announced or are under development,” Jacob continues. “As mentioned, we’ve developed the Whisker app, which has over 715,000 monthly active users and boasts over 150,000 nearly five-star ratings. As pioneers in this space, we were the first to launch an app for an automatic litter box. This felt like a natural next step after launching the automated litter box; the app is a place for us to share the insights we garner about how cats interact with the litter box. By tracking their pets’ habits on the app, cat owners gain valuable information that enhances their caregiving experience.”
With such exciting innovations under its belt, Whisker is now focused on expanding its retailer partnerships across North America and Europe. “At present, we are in most major retailers in America, including every PetSmart location, which amounts to about 1400 stores; several hundred Best Buy locations; Walmart; Target; and approximately 30-to-50 independent pet stores. We will also be rolling out to more retailers soon, with announcements to follow. In Canada and Europe, we are rapidly expanding into the major retailers across those regions,” Jacob says.
This geographical expansion is accompanied by significant investments in increasing the capacity of Whisker’s manufacturing plant. “Over the last five years, we have invested nearly $20 million into our manufacturing facility in Juneau, Wisconsin. This factory now spans approximately 250,000 square feet. Additionally, we have 50,000 square feet dedicated to our headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, which houses everything we need to support our operations, including our R&D department, R&D lab, corporate staff, engineering space, photo studio, video studio, and more,” he informs.
With 2025 approaching its end, Jacob shares insights into Whisker’s priorities for the upcoming months. “As we prepare for the next chapter of our business, we are excited to introduce the new Whisker.com, which is becoming the central hub for everything Whisker – where all our products, stories, commercials, campaigns, and more come together in one easy-to-navigate destination.
“We will gradually evolve our primary e-commerce experience from Litter-Robot to Whisker, marking a significant change after 25 years. This comes as we recently launched the next generation of our products, with several new inventions to follow. Additionally, we will continue our international expansion into the second half of the year. Manufacturing readiness is also a priority as we prepare for the continued growth and acceleration of our manufacturing capabilities. As we have quickly built our engineering team, integrating such a large number of new members requires a period of adjustment. It is essential for everyone to learn how to work together, which is a key goal for us as a business,” he concludes.