I admit it. I am a cat lover. I've been owned by 1-23 cats at a time over the last 35 years. I love their independence. I love to hear them purr. I love the way they move and play and sleep and cuddle. No question about it, I relate to cats.
BUT . . . there's 1 thing I HATE about cats . . . THE LITTER BOX.
No species' "waste" actually smells good (well, except horses but that's another blog). But cat urine and feces smells REALLY bad.
I doubt there's anyone who actually enjoys the task of cleaning the litter box. Whenever possible, it's always much more pleasant to say, "Honey, will you please clean the litter box?".
Enter the automatic self cleaning litter box!
There are several different choices but they can seem pricey. As with anything, being an educated shopper will help you make the wisest choice.
#1. Rake-Type Automatic Litter Box
There are several of this type of automatic litter boxes on the market. The ScoopFree and the LitterMaid both fall into this category. Although they are slightly different, they are very similar in design.
The LitterMaid claims to work with any type of scoopable cat litter which needs to be replaced about once a month (for 1 cat households). ScoopFree boxes use a disposable litter tray with Fresh Step Crystal Litter (which is supposed to last 30 days). They both use a sensor which detects the cat exiting the litter box and 7-10 minutes later, begins the scooping cycle. Clumps are dumped into a lined receptacle which requires emptying each day. Light plastic liners can be recycled by lining them with a small garbage bag or they can be disposed of and replaced.
The LitterMaid has a replaceable charcoal filter to help eliminate odor and a carpeted ramp to assist kitty into the box and catch litter upon exiting (if kitty walks down the ramp). Stray litter can easily be dumped back into the box by raising the ramp so you don't have to haul out the vacuum to clean it up. There is no need to ever touch the waste material.
An electrical receptacle is required for operation of these units but some can work on battery power instead making them a good choice if no receptacle is available. Different models are available for single or multiple cat households. Some cats refuse to use a covered litter box which is another advantage to these models. Some come with an optional cover.
Maintenance costs include a monthly (or more frequent) replacement of the litter, replacement receptacles/bags, and replacement filters. Some reviews have been written about these models being quite noisy, scaring the cats. Others claim these types of litter boxes break or jam easily or need extensive cleaning of the rake. Still more say the disposable litter units for the ScoopFree don't last 30 days and are quite expensive to replace.
See the LitterMaid in action at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-99uMoPjTB4# (notice the LitterMaid doesn't get all the clumps?)
Prices for this type of litter box are approximately $80.00 - 140.00.
#2. "Manual" or Roll-type Self-Cleaning
Omega Paw and Roll'n Clean are two types in this category. These boxes work best with clumping litter and are cleaned by rolling the box over so an internal grill can screen the clumps out of the litter and into a receptacle which is then emptied.
These litter boxes are covered so if your kitty doesn't like a cover, they are not the best choice.
They do require litter to be replaced which is an advantage and a disadvantage. The advantage is that you can buy your favorite litter. The disadvantage is having to buy and replace litter at all.
No power receptacle is needed for this litter box.
Prices for this type of litter box are approximately $25.00 - 50.00.
#3. Barrel-Style Automatic Litter Box
One of these types is the Litter Robot. This litter box looks like a barrel laid on its side and it rotates to scoop clumps into a drawer when you push a button. It can be put on a timer so you can set it to clean at night while you are sleeping (your cat may be awake though). The manufacturer claims it uses "much less litter than a normal box" offsetting the purchase price of the box. Another feature of this product is that it is available in color choices.
The cover of this litter box has holes in it to allow for ventilation. This also allows the smells to escape and the box itself is quite large, a good thing if you have large cats.
The Litter Robot does require an electrical plug-in and uses regular kitchen garbage bags for waste liners. It works with a wide variety of types and brands of litter and comes with an 18 month unlimited warranty and a 60-day trial period.
The Litter Robot is more expensive than other varieties however, over the long term, what you save in litter costs will help offset the initial cost. Also, reviews say the Litter Robot is made of better materials and is a higher quality litter box that will last for a good, long time. It's a higher quality investment unit.
See the Litter Robot work here : http://www.robotshop.ca/black-litter-robot.html
Prices for this type of litter box are approximately $350.00.
#4. Flushing-Type Automatic Litter Boxes - BEST BUY
Finally, a litter-free litter box! The CatGenie is the next best thing to successfully toilet-training your cat. This litter box uses granules rather than litter and the box flushes, cleans, sanitizes, and dries these granules each time it cycles. The granules do not need to be replaced, merely topped-up occasionally. The entire inside of the box is flushed clean!
This unit requires an electrical outlet as well as a fresh water source and access to a drain or toilet to flush out waste. Even with those requirements, it is still very easy to set up.
High quality performance and materials make this litter box worth the money. Reviews say it has very few, if any, breakdowns and just imagine how much you'll save never having to buy litter again! There is the cost of replacement granules and the SaniSolution (120 flushes per unit) replenishing to consider but still, I think this unit is the best alternative out there.
The CatGenie comes with enough supplies to last up to 4 months for single cat households. Recommended for 1-2 cats but not more than 3.
Prices for this type of litter box are approximately $380.00.
Read more about the CatGenie here: http://www.robotshop.ca/petnovations-catgenie-cat-box-3.html.
In conclusion, if you want to spend $15.00 for the Kitty Whiz Toilet Trainer, go ahead. I have tried numerous times to toilet train cats and have yet to be successful. For many older cats who have mobility issues, this isn't even an option.
Just my opinion but for only $30.00 more than the Litter Robot, I am going get a CatGenie!
Please check out my website at http://www.worthypets.com.
Copyright 2009 Barb Pattison, Pattison Enterprises, LLC
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
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