Litter robot

[Mikem53]

For years, I have resisted trying and buying a self cleaning litter box due to the complexity, half assed designs and idea that they could never get it right.. but recently I gave in and decided to give one A try.. The litter robot had a 90 day trial period, in production for a couple of decades and had good reviews. $500 later, it arrived. Looking like a small cement mixer with a fairly large footprint, we set it up and gave the cats some time to get past their fear of something new and different.
This particular unit doesn’t need any special litter or bags to operate. So you’re not locked into specialized supplies for its operation.
I like the idea that the cats always have clean litter each time they use the box. Less dust, less tracking, etc.
The thing is amazing to watch in action... sounds crazy... but it’s quite ingenious. built well and modular if ever needing service.
so far so good.. thought I would share.. oh.. and no more scooping, more time for forum reading..

 

[Bobvin]

When we adopted a pair of kittens 10 years back, one of them, “Mystical“ or “Misty“ (we called the male “Merlin”) would hop up in the sink in the bathroom to pee. We couldn’t figure it out, why would she paw at porcelain and then pee? We ended calling “the cat whisperer” and learned a few things. We changed the litter to Dr Elsys (spelling?), added a little alfalfa dust, and she has been fine. We asked about hooded (odor filtered) litter boxes and was advised against—in nature cats would never go into a hole to dump-out. Some ideas like the robot are great but not inline with cats natural instincts.

We also learned to have 1 more litter box than number of cats, keep feeding area away from litter area, and don’t put water dish right next to food (in nature a cat would never risk putting fresh kill where it might contaminate their water). If you have multiple cats, if possible, keep their feeding areas somewhat separate from each other.

like you, i hate the scooping ritual, and with my super picky little Misty its often more than 1x/day. She is the most instinct driven cat I’ve ever had. After she eats, she uses the litter box, then returns to the food dish and paws at the area as if covering up any leftovers. Been like that since we got her at 12 weeks old.

 

[Mikem53]

When we adopted a pair of kittens 10 years back, one of them, “Mystical“ or “Misty“ (we called the male “Merlin”) would hop up in the sink in the bathroom to pee. We couldn’t figure it out, why would she paw at porcelain and then pee? We ended calling “the cat whisperer” and learned a few things. We changed the litter to Dr Elsys (spelling?), added a little alfalfa dust, and she has been fine. We asked about hooded (odor filtered) litter boxes and was advised against—in nature cats would never go into a hole to dump-out. Some ideas like the robot are great but not inline with cats natural instincts.

We also learned to have 1 more litter box than number of cats, keep feeding area away from litter area, and don’t put water dish right next to food (in nature a cat would never risk putting fresh kill where it might contaminate their water). If you have multiple cats, if possible, keep their feeding areas somewhat separate from each other.

like you, i hate the scooping ritual, and with my super picky little Misty its often more than 1x/day. She is the most instinct driven cat I’ve ever had. After she eats, she uses the litter box, then returns to the food dish and paws at the area as if covering up any leftovers. Been like that since we got her at 12 weeks old.

We Currently have 2 cats, they are indoor cats but enjoy a nice sized screened in deck. Both were rescued by my wife and have been using dr elseys litter in 2 hooded round litter igloos, if you will. So this isn’t much different other than it’s motorized.
We never had an issue with the litter box or training and it’s working out well. I really like the fact that when the cat exits, it dumps the output in a box below, so they always have a clean area.
they do eat in different rooms and are quite content. Thanks for the feedback and other Info ! Much appreciated.
I lost my most beloved cat last summer after 16+ years, I had to put him down.. I still cant even talk about it..

 

[Bobvin]

Sorry for the loss of your little friend. We grow to love them. Saying goodbye to them sucks.

 

[Bobvin]

And I hope you don't have a pre-school boy come by to visit, that cat igloo might look like a urinal to him!

 

[Mikem53]

And I hope you don't have a pre-school boy come by to visit, that cat igloo might look like a urinal to him!

Lol.. I have 2 Grandkids and one Im giving driving lessons to.. so that time has passed.. but something to consider..

 

[slowGEEZR]

For years, I have resisted trying and buying a self cleaning litter box due to the complexity, half assed designs and idea that they could never get it right.. but recently I gave in and decided to give one A try.. The litter robot had a 90 day trial period, in production for a couple of decades and had good reviews. $500 later, it arrived. Looking like a small cement mixer with a fairly large footprint, we set it up and gave the cats some time to get past their fear of something new and different.
This particular unit doesn’t need any special litter or bags to operate. So you’re not locked into specialized supplies for its operation.
I like the idea that the cats always have clean litter each time they use the box. Less dust, less tracking, etc.
The thing is amazing to watch in action... sounds crazy... but it’s quite ingenious. built well and modular if ever needing service.
so far so good.. thought I would share.. oh.. and no more scooping, more time for forum reading..
View attachment 76229

My daughter has had one of those for a couple of years and loves it.