Yes, the problem with all these automated cat poop solutions is losing access to a super important clue about your cat's health. If you scoop every day, you'll notice when suddenly there is more or less pee in the box, or blood in your cat's urine or stool. Cats hide pain. Sometimes the litter box is the only way to catch something like a bladder obstruction before it's too late.

Being able to smell their waste in the litter box is also an important part of a cat's territory marking. Having it all flushed away or covered up in scented cleaning solution is going to raise the chances a cat starts peeing in inappropriate places under stress. Same with the lack of 'sand' to dig in when peeing in a toilet (at least the automated boxes still have a digging substrate). The digging is so instinctual that you don't have to train even feral cats to use a litterbox. As soon as they realize it's the only place in the house they can dig, they'll use it.

Good points. If you notice a bunch of little pee clumps, or you cat is trying to use the box way more than normal, probably want to have a vet take a look. Also, if they suddenly stop using the box and start peeing/pooping somewhere else on a consistent basis, have the vet check that out too. Our cats had bladder infections. They start to associate the litter box with pain, so go somewhere else. They may also be trying to send you a message.

This makes no sense to me. I know how often, and what color my cat's pee is. I do not understand how a homogenous clump of clay would tell me nearly as much. Ditto blood in the stool, which I posit would be much easier to spot floating in clear fluid than caked "almond roca" style in litter.