Automatic cat litter device and method

An apparatus for receiving and disposing of waste material from an animal, comprising:

• a rotatable chamber having a first opening defined in an exterior surface thereof, the opening being suitable for ingress and egress of the animal, the chamber being adaptable to receive and substantially retain litter therein, the chamber having a second opening defined in the exterior surface thereof for selective disposal of the waste material therethrough, the chamber further including:
• a septum in the interior of the chamber, the septum being attached to the chamber to form an inner compartment within the chamber, the inner compartment having a port to place the inner compartment in fluid communication with the chamber, the second opening being defined in the exterior surface of the chamber at a position adjacent the attachment of the septum to the chamber;
• and
• a screen operatively associated with the port to screen out objects, including waste material, greater than a predetermined size from entering the inner compartment;
• a support base for supporting the rotatable chamber;
• and
• means associated with the rotatable chamber and the support base for automatically rotating the chamber relative to the support base, wherein the means rotates the chamber in a first direction by an amount less than a full rotation to cause the litter to pass through the screen and into the inner compartment and cause the waste material to be caught by the screen and to be expelled downward through the second opening out of the rotatable chamber.