One of the great things about having cats as pets is that they don't need to be walked. And they're naturally clean, fastidious creatures. Well, that's 2 great things. But there's a drawback that every cat owner is familiar with: the litterbox. No one likes scooping out the clumps every day, but if you don't, pretty soon your whole house will be filled with that wonderful aroma of feline waste product, and your cat will soon start refusing to use his litterbox.
These automatic, self-cleaning litterboxes are "the cat's meow!" They automatically scoop out the clumps after your cat has used the box, and dump them either into a removable tray or into a waste bag inside an airtight receptable to minimize odors.
Your cats will always have the clean, sanitary litter box they prefer when you use one of these automatic self-cleaning litterboxes. No more scooping! No contact with used, unsanitary litter! Reduce odors to keep your home smelling fresher and cleaner.
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For multiple cat homes the "mega" size of the LME9000 is the perfect solution. The unit comes with 4 waste receptacles and 4 carbon filters and an ionic air cleaner to eliminate odor. The paw cleaning ramp reduced the amount of litter tracked outside the box. Light sleepers will appreciate the sleep timer that can be set to prevent the unit from activating during the night.
Self-cleaning litter box for extra-large cats or multiple-cat households
Infrared sensor detects and rakes waste away 10 minutes after cat leaves
Timer automatically resets upon re-entry; paw-cleaning ramp; "on/off" switch
4 carbon filters, 4 waste receptacles, and ionic air cleaner for reduced odor
Look, its not a magic litter box. I dont know what everyone was expecting.
Reviewed by: Meghan L. Gallery, Washington, DC United States Review Date: 2007-04-11
I purchased this with alot of apprehension after reading all the negative reviews, but I just couldn't help myself. I really hate cleaning the litter box THAT much. I followed the instructions carefully, using only a little bit of litter, which is where I assume most of the bad reviewers went wrong. I have two very large cats, that really...take care of business in the litter box, so my Littermaid has really been put thru the ultimate test over the last few months of having it. Occasionally, if one of the cats goes directly on the rake, it clumps onto it, but it comes with a tool that easily dislodges it. I empty the recepticle about once a week, reusing the same tray a few times to save money on refills. So all-in-all this was a great purchase, I dont mind occasionally tending to the litterbox when there are clogs, its well worth the exchange of not having to scoop litter every day. Also the ionic filter works wonders, there is almost zero odor!
I dont know what the other reviewers were doing wrong or perhaps they just has insanely high expectations..come on people, this is a litterbox.
The Trick! Use silicone spray
Reviewed by: William Yerazunis, Review Date: 2009-11-09
I agreed with most of the previous "horrible" reviews on my new elite mega... then I tried something.
Here's the trick: if you use it as it comes out of the box, without treating, it will be a piece
of junk and clog on every use by even a small cat. You will be angry, and rightfully so.
HOWEVER, do this and it will go for weeks without a single clog:
1) CLEAN the pan. REALLY CLEAN. If you have a pressure washer, use it. You must get it down to the
base plastic.
2) DRY thouroughly. Two days of air drying will do it. Toweling won't. You must remove all
moisture from the surface of the bottom pan.
3) Then spray the pan with a heavy-duty silicone spray. I used CRC Heavy Duty Silicone Spray (which
Amazon doesn't stock but most auto parts stores will). It's a high-viscosity silicone spray. Spray
it on liberally- you want to fully wet the entire inside of the pan and the comb with the silicone.
Any surface that isn't _wet_ with silicone isn't sprayed enough. Yes, it will appear slimy even when
dry. That's OK- cat litter does not "absorb" silicone spray.
4) Use a gel lubricant on the sliding rails (where the comb slides up and down), as well as a little
on the gears and rollers. I used Synco Super Lube (which Amazon _does_ sell)- five bucks will get you
a good supply. Apply liberally; the gel is what keeps the grit out of the slides.
I did this and as I said, I can now go for a week plus without any manual cleaning and without any
clogging whatsoever. Thus, a rating of 5/5. (Yes, I had a previous version of the littermaid
Mega, and silicone spray helps that one, too.)
If you own a cat - you can't be without this!
Reviewed by: Ronald T. Clarke, San Antonio, Texas Review Date: 2009-08-16
Litter maids are the most amazing thing. I would never be without one again. This is my 2nd one after the other lasted for about 8 years of dutiful service with two cats!
Have you ever walked into a house and SMELLED the cat litter? It's nasty right? Not with this product - - - the kitty uses it and 10 minutes later the litter is raked by the operation of the machine and all of the kitty mess is scooped into a tank with a lid with a top and then closed up and covered over. Then the rake goes back and cleans up the litter again! Smooth box.
Ready to go for another use.
With two cats you have to empty the tank every other day. How do you do that? Just dump the tank into a small plastic bag (like the ones you get from your grocery store or Wally world) tie it into a double knot and throw it out in the trash. All done....and the cleaning operation takes less than 30 seconds and BEST OF ALL - NO SCOOPING! EVER!
Like I said - never be without it - EVER! You have to try it or watch it in operation online.
cat likes it
Reviewed by: Charles A. Krohn, Panama City Beach, Florida Review Date: 2009-12-26
I thought I ordered the smaller version, which would have been OK as we have only one cat. But the larger version we received works alright, the cat likes it and my wife and I take turns emptying the litter container. We were surprised by how well it manages odors--no smell at all. It's possible to turn the mechanism off during sleeping hours (ours, not the cat's) but we leave it on 24/7, as we keep the LitterMaid in a spare bedroom where we can't hear the raking noise after the cat composes herself.
a real timesaver!
Reviewed by: John Doe, Orange County, California Review Date: 2009-01-13
This is my second littermaid litter box and I am very pleased with the improvements on my newest box. My last one wore out after about 4 years of two cats using it. I highly recommend this to anyone with cats! My recent purchase through amazon.com was great, the litter box is brand new and nearly 1/2 price, delivered to my front door!
Magnificent! A true Masterpiece... Don't hesitate to buy
Reviewed by: Simple Stuff, Vista, California United States Review Date: 2009-08-10
So many confusing reviews, I waited and studied up on these units over a year before buying one to try. I have 2 of the original design and they are still working fine. But I have 3 cats. It was taking an hour twice a week to clean the old ones. I bought one of these Elite Ultimate to test out. The feature I cannot live without now is the Ionizer! It works sooo great! No smell whatsoever! And I now spend maybe 15 minutes to tidy one up, if necessary. I am so amazed at how little maintenance it takes, and the included forked-edge-scooper is just perfect to quickly clean the tines of the rake. None of the reviews seem to be accurate in describing how well-made and wonderful this littermaid is; I hope this review helps set the record straight. I loved this so much, I moved the 2 old units to the garage, and I bought 2 more to add to this one for my cats to use in the house. So I now have 3 perfectly working units, with so little maintenance that I can't believe it!! It doesn't hurt to check them every couple days and just tidy up a bit, but there is no major cleaning or worry. And the Ionizer keeps the rooms completely fresh. I had one shipment from Amazon where the Ionizer stopped working after a week; I called Littermaid. We tried the reset button on the bottom front track, but it did not restart, so they sent me a new one. All 3 that I have are working fine. It is really freeing and my cats just love them. I prefer them with the wonderful cabana top that you can quickly lift off and put back on. I keep the shiny slick bottom free of debris, and avoid scratching it, and that seems to help keep everything working smoothly...nothing sticking or getting gummed up. These units are wonderful. Do not hesitate to get one and try it...the black one is the Ultimate version with the Ionizer. I have only found it online; I have not found it in the stores. I am soo glad I got this particular unit and am soo happy with all 3 that I have! Best purchase I have ever made! Sorry it took so long :)
Aside from it being somewhat loud, both my cats and myself are not put off by the murmur when the litter is being sifted clean. In fact my cats love the litter box so clean and fresh.
It does use LitterMaid litter and other more expensive brands of high clumping litter. The litter I'm currently using for this is Arm & Hammer Super Scoop, which is more than I pay for my regular litter, but since only half of my cats use this box, it lasts pretty well.
I recommend this to anyone needing or wanting a little break in cleaning their cats' litter box.
How did I survive without this for so long?
Reviewed by: Jay Riemenschneider, Roswell, GA United States Review Date: 2008-11-25
I did a lot of research on these type of units before getting this one. It seems that people either love them or hate them, so I want to pass on some tips that have helped me get the most out of my unit.
1. Keep it filled with litter to the line only. Overfilling strains the motor due to the weight of the litter. Letting it get too low on litter allows urine to stick to the bottom and then the rake can't scrape it off cleanly. One reviewer said they sprayed silicone spray on tray bottom between cleanings. I did it once. It worked well, but I don't change the litter completely anymore. I just add.
2. Use a grocery plastic bag to line the waste receptacle to make emptying a breeze. This was probably the best tip there is. It takes a few tries to get the hang, but soon you won't be touching anything dirty with your bare hands.
3. You do not need to use the ramp if it takes up too much floor space. I don't think it provides much benefit myself.
4. Don't expect perfection. It takes a little tlc and needs some help from time to time. If you have multiple cats or are away most of the day, this is a must. There is absolutely no trace of a cat smell in the house.
My relatives laugh, but this thing works!
Reviewed by: K. Robertson, southern Virginia Review Date: 2008-12-09
I've had lots of giggles and eye-rolls when I tell my family about my new electronic cat box, but when they see it in action, they stop the criticism. I've wanted one of these things forever, and I'm definitely not disappointed with it. I'm one of those people who hates litter boxes with a passion, so, since I recently needed one for my elderly cat who can't go outside as much now, this litter "maid" is just the ticket for me. The odor control is the most important feature that I like, as I have a fairly small house. The noise when it's in operation doesn't bother me that much, especially since I just have one cat, so I can live with it. Like another reviewer, I use a plastic bag to collect the waste, which helps cost wise. My cat was somewhat wary of the box at 1st, but he's actually curious and entertained by it now! However, he will not use the ramp and simply climbs in/out one side, which I expected, but maybe he'll get used to it. I'm not worried about him having problems with the raking mechanism right now because he still moves fairly well, but if and when he gets a lot slower, I'll have to re-evaluate. With the sensor, I really don't think it will be a problem.
Hope this lasts through multiple generations of cats!
Makes kitty and ME happy
Reviewed by: R. Cipriani, Florida Review Date: 2008-12-06
This is the new improved model. I have the older one and was pleased overall with its performance. But Kitty wanted a bigger one. He is a little long in the body and he sometimes had a problem getting his whole body in but no problem with this gem.
Kitty is fussy and wants a clean box ALL the Time. That is easily solved with the Littermaid.
As for me, I like that the kleaning is sooooooo much easier and no mess.
One thing about have cats is when you have visitors, you really don't want a messy cat box somewhere in the house.. This saves the day. NO SMELL , NO MESS and NO unsightly dirty pan. The ion cleaner makes for a nice fresh area around the box for those of us that don't have access to set up the box in a garage or segregated area in the house.
The next improvement, I love as does Kitty is the cleaning ramp. This keeps more of the litter in the box and off my floor.
Now I have friends who bought a similar box and they complained about it. After talking with them they were not using the right heavy clumping litter..That is the trick that makes this work so well. I always buy either multiple cat litter or try one of the heavier clumping litter. Works like a charm.
Again Kitty and I are both HAPPY...with this item.
Reviewed by: PurpleDoggys, San Diego, CA Review Date: 2007-01-21
After going through 4 of the rake-type automatic litter boxes (DON'T EVER BUY ONE) in less than two years, I decided to try the Litter Robot. I should have done it two years ago and saved myself a lot of money and frustration!
To give you some specifics, we are a 5 cat (adults) household, males & females (all neutered), ranging from 6 to 15 pounds. They all took to it with very little or no trouble at all.
This is a GREAT product! It requires hardly any attention, uses clumping type litter and can be left On or Off. In the On setting, it cycles approximately 7-10 minutes after the cat leaves it. If you wish to keep it in the Off setting, you can switch it On for immediate cycling or "Flushing". The cycling noise is fairly minimal, kind of a loud hum, but if you are a light sleeper, you can switch it off at night and then turn it on first thing in the morning for immediate "flushing".
Although the manufacturer recommends using plastic wastebasket bags, it isn't necessary. I use the plastic bags from the grocery store, WalMart, etc., and just cut them a bit at the seams.
The only complaint I have about the unit is my own fault! Since the thing works so well and any smell is pretty much undetectable, I have, on more than one occasion, forgotten to empty the collection drawer in a timely manner... Yikes!
My only suggestion to improve the product would be to add another rubber grommet to secure the bag at the front of the drawer, but even without one, I am still ordering a second unit for the house.
Lastly, the customer service people at Litter Robot are amazing! They immediately respond to inquiries and sincerely care about their customers.
Cat Lovers!! Step away from your hand-scoop or rake type litter boxes and order a Litter Robot immediately! Once you see it in action, you'll slap yourself for not doing it sooner!
Would purchase again, wonderful machine!
Reviewed by: a DMented lil Thori, California Review Date: 2007-05-01
I've had our Litter Robot for a little over a year, it's running just fine and haven't had any problems at all. The piece is a little on the loud side and woke me up the first couple of weeks but given it's size and that it sits in the room next to my bedroom, it's completely understandable. It's like a loud hair dryer going off. You can also just turn it off at night and do a manual cycle in the morning. If I'm at the other end of the apartment, I can barely hear it at all.
I have two cats, aged 3 (7 lbs, very adventerous, playful, ..nosey) and 5 (11 lbs, was feral for most of his life, skittish but very sweet and cuddly once he's comfortable).Both were adopted when they were about 4 years old from the local SPCA. They were comfortable with an open litter pan while at the pound and/or previous homes and I switched to a covered one for about 8 months before the Litter Robot. They took to the Litter Robot quite well, both explored and used it within half a day and the little one still likes to watch it go around or when I clean it. Both cats, however, seem to pefer the pan style and will use that if it's around instead of the litter robot. However, they absolutely have no problems and easily hop into the litter robot when that's the only choice and they both have room in there to turn around in there.
The piece is very sturdy and simple, I slide the pan out and empty about once a week. It's very simple to clean without a liner (IMO) because the litter doesn't always fall directly into the bag, especially at the front end, and I end up haveing to jiggle things around so there's a clean areas to unfasten the liner. It's not much of a problem for me, I just take the whole pan and dump it into a garbage bag and still don't have to touch anything. The pan goes for a quick rinse and soak in some warm soapy water while I clean the outside and stand with a disposible wipe. Once everything is dried, the pan slides back inside with a sprinkle of baking soda on the bottom and it's good until the next garbage day. The unit does get stinky but the smells don't "stick". Once you soak the disposal pan in warm/soapy water and wipe down the exterior, the smells are gone.
When it gets a little smelly, about once every couple of months, and I dump out all the litter. There is a button just for that specific purpose, so you just let the machine do all the work. I spray down and soak the inside with a mild "all surface" spray and let it sit a few minutes before wipeing to dry it back out. I am also buying less litter, I used to have to dump out the whole pan once every one or two weeks. The Litter Robot also uses about a half to two thirds less than what I was using in the previous litter boxes because it's round so the litter pools into the middle and has less "surface area" to spread out and waste.
About twice a year, I take the whole ball and dunk it in the bathtub for a good rinse. That tends to be a bit bulky to clean and takes a while to fill but it's very a basic soak (mostly to clean the screen), rinse and dry.
Two of the problems I *DO* have with this unit are no fault of the company's :
1) During one of my trips out of time, the kitty sitter/friend didn't toss in enough extra litter over the week so the urine pooled at the bottom of the unit. The litter absorbed all/most of it so it was a solid mass but it also stuck to the lineing of the machine and didn't fall down when the machine rotated. Eventually, it'll dry out and fall back down, of course, and it scrapes off easy enough but it's rather *ick* when you think about it.
2) One of the cats is rather energetic when he covers his waste so there is quite a bit of litter scatter sometimes. I can't take off stars and complain about the company/unit because when I brought it, I could see there wasn't a door cover to prevent this sort of thing and I'd rather not have the machine any bigger than it is already! I had to sweep with their previous pan litter boxes too, so it's not really an extra chore or anything.
This machine has changed our lives *** UPDATED 4/1/10 **
Reviewed by: Jeffrey Gaines, San Jose Review Date: 2007-08-06
Review Summary
Pros
- Low maintenance (dump and refill 1-2 times/week)
- Rugged construction (high quality materials and reasonable to clean)
- Automated and kitty safe (auto shut off if disturbed while cleaning)
- Simple design and few moving parts
- No pee leaking on the floor or wall behind the box (tall cat)
- Money-back guarantee
Cons (very slight)
- Cost (you get what you pay for-this is soooo worth it to us)
- Accidents (cat not turning around can produce a mess-see below)
- Scattered litter (keep a broom handy)
- Sound (not for bedrooms at night-though for us, music to our ears)
We have been looking for the right automated cat box for our four indoor cats (wife just added two recently-can you say crazy cat people?). We were discouraged with the reviews of poor quality, high cost, and bizarre approaches of the many choices (I have been looking for 6 months and just recently found the Litter Robot on Amazon). I was encouraged by the strong reviews and comments and the 60 day money-back guarantee. I was willing to part with the $299 + $20 shipping from Amazon to get it if it really worked. As you can imagine the scooping twice a day required to stay ahead of our kitty crew.
When it arrived, the old litter box went out the door and I set it up the Robot. I turned off the automatic cycle and loaded it with litter per the instructions. We had a covered box before so this was not a foreign concept for our cats. They took to the box in reverse order of age with the female kitten(5 lbs) jumping in to play and then make a deposit and then the teenage male(11 lbs) and 5 yold male(15 lb)visiting within a few hours. The big boy, 7yold(18 lbs) took about 24 hours to give it a try. He actually has a little more room to turn around in this versus the covered box because of the round interior. Within a day I was able to turn on the automatic cycle after just running it manually during the adoption period.
We have had the unit for 3 weeks now and love it. Because the little gifts get rolled in litter before they are dropped into the drawer, and the remaining litter in the drum is completely screened after dumping, there is no noticeable smell from the drawer or the drum...especially compared to the regular box. Line the drawer with a LARGE plastic shopping bag or a kitchen trash bag using the little holders inside and sprinkle a little litter in the front of the drawer for any leakage of liquid (I will explain below) I also use kitty wipes to wipe down the drum inside once a week and wash the drawer after each dumping (1-2 times/week). I had to wash the manual box eveytime I dumped anyway as the cats scratched through the box liners and made a mess.
There are some issues to deal with. First, one of our cats forgot to turn around when urinating. The front of the drum is low (1-2 inches when full) so it ran down the front of the machine and onto the step platform (not the floor) that has holes to drain back into the drawer. This is not the most pleasant thing to clean up but kitty wipes work well to wipe the front and then you can dump and rinse the drawer. To help, I put a little extra litter in the front of the drawer to soak up the urine in case this happens. It has only happened twice to us with the big cat but I can understand if it happens all the time what a pain that would be. I saw suggestions for duct tape on the front inside to help. They could also upgrade the design by adding a lip on the lower part of the entrance and adding a drain channel into the drawer that extends past the front drawer wall so the drawer bag fits under it and directs any flow into the discarded litter.
Next, despite placing a mat in front of the box, be prepared to sweep up litter daily. Our cats just jump from the litter to the floor. Because the litter in the box is clean, we have noticed no remains on the floor but we keep a broom for the scattered litter. A laundry room or closet is probably the best place for the machine. The machine also makes some noise in a silent house. Following the location suggestions would minimize this. Personally, I don't think it is very loud. I also get a smile when I hear it as it is one less scoop I need to do.
We are not clean freaks and have trouble scooping the twice a day minimum it would take to be so with travel and life commitments. If you tend to lean that way, then maybe an open top box you scoop often for four cats is the way to go. For our habits of scooping, the cats seem to like this machine better as we don't get the occasional gift somewhere near the box because it is always sparkling clean for them. Like any toilet you maintain, you need to get your hands dirty no matter what method is used. This has been far cleaner for us and the cats so far though. This machine has taken us from dumping partial or whole boxes of litter every two days to refilling with 2 pints of litter once a week. We have obviously NOT seen the explosion of litter use that some mention.
In summary, this machine has changed our lives and also makes our friends happy that feed and check-in on our cats when we are out of town. This was money well spent.
** Update 4/1/10 **
This is no April Fools gag. This machine is still running great coming up on 3 years. It would be a nightmare if it ever died.
Outstanding Product ** Updated **
Reviewed by: Menthol Rum, Los Angeles, CA United States Review Date: 2007-09-22
I was interested in an automatic litter box, not so much as I wanted to reduce the amount of cleaning, but at the time, I travelled often for days and would come home to a less than fresh smell. I looked at the options and read reviews and decided upon the Litter Robot. It arrived, I unboxed it and I literally only turned around and one cat was inside already and the other was waiting her turn. So much for them being afraid of it.
I followed the instructions, and my 2 cats (both 2 years old) took right to it. Initially, they liked to 'play' with it when it turned. They knew by stepping on the 'ledge' the globe would stop rotating. That was annoying but passed quickly. I used the small kitchen bags as liners and sometimes I used baking soda for extra odor control, but I never found it necessary. One nice effect this had was that quite often new visitors were quite surprised to find that there were 2 cats living here, as there was no 'cat smell'. The sound it makes when rotating is my only 'con'. Its not that loud, not that often, nor does it run for that long, maybe a minute? (I've never timed it.) They do track a small amount of litter outside the globe, but nothing too bad. If you don't clean the tray and things pile up, you can end up with a very messy globe, but that's due to not emptying the tray before it's full.
I use the LR with World's Best Cat Litter and it does a tremendous job at keeping the place from smelling, gives the cats a constantly clean litter box and makes dealing with the litter box an absolute breeze! My litter lasts a long time as compared to before. I probably use a 25 lb bag about 3-4 months. Every month or so, I wipe the base down and completely clean the globe with a hose.
Customer service is excellent as well. I did have an issue and they helped me resolve it quickly and everything has been fine since.
Some things your should know about the LR:
- it's bigger than an average litter box
- it makes noise as it rotates for *about* one minute or so
- your litter will last longer (much longer for me)
- it does an excellent job of odor control for me
- no more scooping!
When it is time to buy another one, I will buy another Litter Robot. I recommend this product strongly, as I have had an excellent experience and my cats love having a clean litter box all the time. With the money back guarantee, I suggest to all cat owners that they try the Litter Robot, it's just excellent.
8/26/09 Update:
I recently had a problem (we caused) that required me to send the base in for repair. Immediately, it reminded me of how I dislike to scoop and how my cats get a constantly clean "bathroom" with the LR. The customer service was polite, helpful and patient, as they had been in the one previous contact. We tried a few things to see if we could effect a repair without sending the unit in and then it became obvious the base would need to go in for repair. I boxed it up, sent it in and was contacted via email that repairs were complete and had it back the following week at a repair cost that I felt was very reasonable. Service like this makes a big difference and my experience with the company is as good as with their products.
More than 2 years later and we are loving this robot. It is surrounded by a custom wood cover and 85% of it is hidden and the sound is deadened even more. Aside from seeing cat items, still no one knows there are cats in the home by smell, several people asking where we keep the litter box.
5 star rating reiterated unreservedly for product and customer service.
If you can get over the cost, it's worth it!
Reviewed by: J. Wagner, Review Date: 2007-04-20
Like the previous reviewer, we've also gone through several rake-type automatic cat litter boxes (all Litter Maid brand; 2 LM700, 1 LME9000) two of which failed after one year, the third simply worked so poorly we couldn't wait to get rid of it. We'd spent enough on those three to buy the Litter Robot with some change left over. Spending so much on an automatic litter box may seem silly to some folks, but my wife and I travel a lot for work and can't have a half-dozen litter boxes laying about for our two cats, nor do we wish to spend the time cleaning all of them after we get home. So anyway, on to the machine...
The Litter Robot is BIG! I'd read the measurements, but when I pulled it out of the box I was still surprised! Make sure you've got the room for it. My first impression of it after the size of it was the heft. This thing is sturdy, nothing cheap about it. All the interior parts are heavy and well assembled with rivets or screws, as well as the shell. The next thing that I noticed was the simplicity. No complicated moving parts like some boxes with rakes, lids, etc...; a motor turns the ball, that's all you see, and the drive gear is hidden below the ball. The item assembled in a flash: Put ball on base, line up with gear, plug in power, turn on. That's it. I filled it with standard scoopable/clumping kitty litter. The only error I made was that I overfilled it a little and it dumped some litter on the floor when I test cycled it. No problem, clean up the mess and take a few scoops of litter out. Overall impression of the device is that it is of good quality and should provide good service for years. My only faint potential misgivings are the motor, circuitry and rubber liner. If any of these fail, I hope the company is still around to get replacement parts from. I also note no large benefit to having the litter catcher step other than catching some of my overfill. When our cats finished with the box they launched out of the door and land on the floor, they still scatter litter. Oh well, nothing new there compared to a regular box.
The cats. We switched boxes on them cold turkey. Our cats aren't very skittish but they don't take quickly to new large devices that smell funny and make odd noises. They spent a lot of time sniffing it and checking it out, but they refused to use it. They held out for 24 hours and they couldn't stand it any more; we observed the cat equivalent of crossed legs and jumping up and down for a few hours before they hopped in (meowing, walking up to the box and looking inside, walking away, pacing, repeat...), but as soon as one hopped in and used it, the other couldn't wait and stood by the door and jumped in as soon as the other left. Problem solved, they are now Litter Robot converts.
Overall, so far we are very happy with it. We got over the "sticker shock" and the size, the cats got used to it in less than a day. The Litter Robot works exactly as it is supposed to, and we hope for years of serivce from it. A MUCH better quality device than any of the rake-type litter boxes we have had. It leaves no bits floating in the litter after a cycle, and needs no hand cleaning after a few days like the rake-type boxes. We'd recommend this box.
Now I just have to resist painting it to look like the EVA vehicles from "2001: A Space Odyssey"; "Open the pod bay doors, please, Hal...Open the pod bay doors, please, Hal..."
ADDENDUM: 05/01
Ok, after having the LRII for a while I can't say enough good things about it.
Incredibly easy to use and easy to clean.
We use a fair quality multi-cat scoopable/clumping litter and this prevents almost all used-litter smell that some have complained about, but a little smell does happen - there's no perfect "no-smell" litter box out there, just ain't gonna happen! The only minor gripe I have is that there is some litter dust creation that needs to be dealt with, but that's the litter's fault, not the LRII's. It occurs to me that the tray is big enough to set a box of open baking soda in it. Wonder if that'll work to reduce the smell?
Cleaning. What a dream. We use standard plastic grocery bags. They don't always fit perfectly because some stores use different sizes, but using the right size or some creative fitting gets the bag to fit every time. We don't buy garbage bags for this device, but that's just a personal choice. You've just spent $328 on a litter box (with shipping), gotta pinch pennies where you can, right? Emptying the tray is easy: Pull it out, remove bag and throw it away, dump anything that may have missed the bag into wastebin, install new bag and re-insert drawer.
At no point do I have to handle a scooper or used litter!
For those that are complaining about the tray overfilling with used litter or the device constantly cycling due to too much use, you have 2 options: Get enough LRII's to cover the amount of cats you have, or, have fewer cats! Burnout due to a line of cats using the box constantly is not the fault of the LRII, it does what it is supposed to within reason. This device is engineered for the average household of probably 2-4 cats, not a half-dozen plus.
Tracking litter. I've NEVER seen a litter box or a litter box anti-tracking litter pad that prevented tracking. Cats don't like to step on them because they are uncomfortable, so unless you make your cats walk through an anti-litter-tracking (sounds like an invention waiting to be made!) tunnel to and from the litter box, there will be cleanups needing to be done! We solved a little of the tracking by placing the opening of the litter maid towards the wall in a corner. This forces the cats to step on the step and pad which gets rid of some of the litter on their paws. Not perfect, but it works.
The design. I can't get over how simple and ingenious this device is. After using it for almost 2 weeks without any cleaning other than the automatic dumping of the litter, there still is not one single clump of soiled litter floating in the pan. Absolutely nothing sticks to the rubber "pan". The litter still looks fresh and clean. I've only had to add a few generous scoops of litter to make up for the used portion. The plastic parts inside are well attached, well designed, and heavy. Nothing to corrode or any complicated moving parts to fail. The motor does make some noise, but if you've had one of the rake-type boxes, I'd say that it is the same or actually quieter. One of the best suggestions I've read here is that if the device wakes you up at night, turn it off when you go to bed! The cats will still use it, and when you turn it back on in the morning, it will automatically cycle and "flush".
Please read all the reviews here and at the LRII's site. There are cats that are too big, too small, have medical issues, have age or personality issues in a way that may not make the LRII right for you. Save yourself the headache and expense, do a little research. Buying this box without educating yourself and then returning it with a bad review isn't the LRII's fault.
If you think the LRII is right for you, get it. I can almost guarantee that you will think it is fantastic and as close to a perfect automatic litter box as is currently available.
About our useage:
2 cats, one about 12 lbs and one around 16 lbs.
We use "Simplicity Plus All Natural Scoopable Cat Litter", Scented (mint) from a 44 lb box.
Results in dumping the tray < once a week, nothing sticking to the inside, almost no smell at all, but some litter tracking.
I've been a cat mom for over 20 years and have worked in animal rescue almost as long. This thing does exactly what it says it does. No hype. When I downsized into a 300 square ft condo so I could work and go to school full time, I needed a miracle. Four geriatric kitties and a mostly absent mom in such a small space... I needed some help with the cat box. I tried the competition--Littermaid Mega--for a month with poor results. No odor control (despite their glowing claims of an automatic ionic air cleaner and carbon filters), constant clogging of the rake, and numerous yucky bits left behind. I was constantly coming home between work and school to disasters, spills, you name it. Littermaid Mega was less effective than a regular litter box.
Money is very tight, but I recklessly splurged on the Litter Robot when a neighbor complained of the smell from an open window (next to the cat box). It is hands down the BEST money I have ever spent and all my issues with regular boxes and the Littermaid Mega are solved!
-- No more tiny litter granules in my bed because Litter Robot lets me use the alternative types of litter like Swheat Scoop.
-- No lingering odor because waste is deposited in a truly sealed container *** hint: using odor fighting trash bags make things even better ***
-- No more being a constant slave to the litterbox. I can empty the tray every 3 days if I need to (great during term paper crunch times) and fresh litter gets added every other day without problems.
-- Hooray, washing and sanitizing is a breeze! Out back with a hose, the inside is easily power washed. Since most of the litter area is lined in heavy duty rubber, even the gooiest blobs don't stick and hang around to smell up the house.
-- Simplicity of design and operation means nothing to clog or get stuck or break off. I expect this baby will work forever as long as I don't do something stupid and fry the circuit board.
-- Best of all, I barely had it out of the box and one of my cats was already trying to climb inside. All 4 were using it in less than 5 minutes after I set it up and have had no complaints or fussiness from them. And they are usually little grouchy fuss buckets (at least the 2 part Siamese are). Ms tuck in my paws and call me a beach ball has no fit issues with the generously sized interior. Even my Bengal who is bigger than a Maine Coon and is convinced he's not a cat at all, had no issues with the Litter Robot. He'd make the thing his favorite hangout if the other cats would let him, it's so clean on a daily basis.
If a poor back to college woman making less than $10/hr says the price tag on the Litter Robot is totally worth it, well, that's saying something. Try it. You will be won over the first day.
I knew that I needed to replace our second Litter Maid. Both of the ones we have had lasted years, but I had enough complaints that I decided to check on what was new and different. I was really thinking that Litter Maid might have made improvements. At first, I was appalled at the idea of spending $300 on a litter box, no matter how wonderful. The more I read about this one, though, the more I decided that it would save money in the long run.
Now that I have owned it for a couple of months, I can't imagine ever, ever, going back to anything else. We are only a one cat household at the moment. I am just sorry that we lost our old guy back in January, and that he didn't get to have this,
The assembly was easy. The cat took to it right away (I did sprinkle a little of her old, scooped, but used, litter in for a day or two). I also would place a small piece of paper inside, where I could see it because it stayed so clean, I wanted confirmation that she was using it and not rebelling elsewhere. I emptied it after a week, no smell with the drawer closed or open. It really didn't need to be emptied, but it was my first time, so I did. So easy! I bundled the old Litter Maid into a trash bag and said 'bye! The next time I waited two weeks, still no smell. Still not full, still easy. My husband is now much happier about my occasional week/two week trip away from home, and so am I because he never did take care of the litter situation up to my standards.
Perhaps I have an extraordinary cat, but she doesn't throw litter out, or deposit stuff on the outside. That was a problem with the Litter Maid and conventional boxes. Certainly the smells are contained. I would imagine that strangers would not notice that we had a cat. The cat doesn't seem at all bothered by the noise. She likes to watch it, but doesn't worry about it. Much as I like her, I don't really think that she is out of the ordinary smart or capable. This is a great machine.
I bought the black one, which does show dust, Not worth counting off for though.
A number of reviewers have complained about the noise. Mine lives behind my open laundry room door. I can hear it from the kitchen and family room, but it just makes me happy, knowing that it is chugging along making my life much better. I think that it is probably the kind of noise that you stop hearing after a while.
If you are hesitating because of the price, don't. You can use whatever litter you like, yes even some of the ones that don't (gasp) cost that much. I would say that you definitely need one of the hard clumping ones. I use plain old 13 gallon trash bags in my kitchen anyway. I haven't tried those plastic grocery sacks. I think that they might work, but would take a bit longer to get installed evenly, and when we are thinking about almost decadent ease of use, why bother?
In the end, I like this thing so much that I came back to review it, something I rarely take the time to do. Assuming that it's continued performance goes on steadily for a few years to come, I can't imagine life without it. I am considering buying another for my parents' house, because my cat visits there often.
I'm living the dream.
Reviewed by: WereBear, ADK Mountains, NY USA Review Date: 2006-12-07
All cat lovers have that dream... that somehow they can have cats without always cleaning the litter. Now you can make that dream happen. Get a Litter Robot.
Okay, it's kinda big and needs an outlet. There is some noise when it works, about as much as a microwave. There's sometimes litter scatter that needs to be swept up, and with two cats I change the bag twice a week. And that's all there is to it! I can't emphasize this enough: the Litter Robot really works.
Seven minutes after the cat has "left the building," the automatic timer kicks in, but only if it detects no cat presence. Even if the cats come to look at it and put their paws on the step, it will stop. So there isn't much chance of the cat getting caught in it and swearing out a vendetta. If the coast is clear, the Robot turns its dome to sift down to just clumps (you need clumping litter) and dumps only the clumps in the waste drawer. This turning action does two wonderful things; it allows the motor to need only a little power, so it can't get stuck and burn out, and it also "breads" the clumps with litter so even cats who don't cover will get their stuff automatically covered and dumped. Then it comes back to base, evening out the litter as it does so, and turns itself off, leaving completely clean litter in the dome that doesn't smell and is ready for the next time.
And I haven't done a thing.
Depending on your cat size and number, you will need to change the bag periodically. I use the cheapest 13-gallon bags I can find, since you won't be filling up the bag, just the bottom of it. (And really, who wants to live with 13 gallons of litter?) And I save on litter, too, because only the dirty stuff gets discarded. Very occasionally I need to knock a clump off the screen or vacuum out the bottom, but the rest of the time I just go over it with some cleaner. And I'm done.
Sound good to you? Then get one. Yeah, yeah, it's a lot more expensive than the dishpan and scoop you've been using. But you know what?
It's. Not. The. Same. Thing.
Suppose my Robot lasts me five years. Without even considering the litter savings, it costs me $5 a month to have my litter box cleaned every time the cats use it.
My expectations were high based on the many raves this has received, so I wasn't wowed, but I wasn't disappointed either. My cat isn't transitioning as well as I expected--she reluctantly uses it and hasn't peed elsewhere, for which I am grateful, but she continues to pitifully beg for her old litter box. I hope this doesn't go on much longer or she may wear me down (it's only been 2 days though). The only reason I'm writing is to point out something that I didn't think of when choosing the color--litter and its dust shows up a great deal on the black model. Perhaps it would as well on the beige--I don't know--but it's something that I didn't think of when weighing my options.
Update
It's now December 2009 and the litter robot is still going strong. It hasn't had any significant problems, and the kitty eventually took to it just fine. I wouldn't want to have a cat without one of these.
Litter Robot ROCKS!
Reviewed by: L. Miyoshi, California, USA Review Date: 2006-11-08
We've used another automatic litter box for years, and when it broke this last time, we bit the bullet and paid extra for the Litter Robot.
It took our cat a little while to get used to it, as she's never used a covered litter box before.
I can't get over how clean it is, how easy it is to empty, and most important: how much it controls odor! The difference is phenomenal. Plus, it's just really cool to look at. Wish I'd purchased it months ago when I'd first read about it. It's SO worth the extra cash if you hate litter box duty and litter box smell. (Who doesn't?)
Reviewed by: Pamela, Long Island, NY Review Date: 2010-03-27
Over the years I have tried many different types of litter boxes in the hopes of finding one that is easy to maintain, while at the same time does not require my cat(s) to climb on top of dirty litter. Units such as Littermaid failed the test terribly. I have owned two, both with the exact same shortcomings. They left small pices of waste in the box no matter how hard you tried to remove it. Secondly, It was impossible to remove the disposible container without getting touching some waste. Third, the waste tray had to be replaced twice a week. Waste trays, and carbon filters were expensive. This was a poor choice for a litter box. I also tried the Scoop-Free system. It was better, except the cat was always walking on crystals that were damp with urine, and the trays had to be replaced every three weeks. Each tray cost about (...).
Out of frustration and desperation, I purchased the Litter Robit II with the Bubble. Folks, let me tell you, it's 'the cat's meow'!! It was easy to set up, requires changing the plastic waste bag only twice a week with inexpensive garbage bags. My hands never touch the litter when removing and changing waste bags. My cat took to it the first day without any coaxing. She never has to step into a litterbox that has dirty litter in it as this system removes 100% of the waste from the remaining litter during the cleaning cycle. Although the initial investment was high, the payback in ease of maintenance and seeing my cat in a cleaner environment is great.
Weigh the long-term benefits against the price, and you may find as I have that this system pays for itself in peace-of-mind, and ease of use. Good luck!!
It just plain works!
Reviewed by: tesg, Iowa Review Date: 2010-05-19
I'm one of the many who moved up from a dying Litter Maid (Mega Elite, in my case), and couldn't be more pleased.
While I appreciated the Litter Maid's positive aspects (it DID reduce cleanup and odor), the negatives had me looking for an alternative solution. I wanted something quieter, and something a little more foolproof. I hesitated about spending $349 on a litter box, but now that I have it set up and in use, I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.
The Litter Robot arrived in a box nearly the size of my garbage can. Cats enter the globe and do their thing (in a surprisingly small amount of space), exit, and seven minutes later, the globe rotates sort of like a cement mixer, separating the clean litter from the waste, which gets deposited into a drawer in the base that you line with any suitable brand plastic garbage liner you wish (unfortunately, plastic grocery bags are just a bit too small). The clean litter gets tossed in the process, re-seating in the proper space as fresh as can be.
Quieter? WAY quieter. Cleaner? WAY cleaner. There's almost NO litter on the carpet near the unit since I set it up. Less litter waste? WAY less. The collector tray had nothing but waste clumps in it when I cleaned it (negative aspect: BOY did it smell!) Odor? NONE (unless the drawer is open, obviously). Capacity? I cleaned it for the first time after four full days...and I could have gone longer. This thing is ingenious.
Maintenance pretty much comes down to topping off the litter (I suggest scooping your litter into a large plastic drink cup and just tossing it in) and maintaining the drawer. One of my cats is of the larger variety, and he has no problem with the interior space of the globe. The unit itself is a little wider than Litter Maid Mega Elite, but only takes up about half the footprint length-wise.
The cats DID take some time to get used to it before they tried it (they were initially horrified and 'held it' for about fifteen hours), but it only took one try and they were suddenly fine with it.
I'm REALLY pleased with Litter Robot.
Day 2 - So far it works GREAT!
Reviewed by: C Wilson, denver, co Review Date: 2010-03-19
I ordered the litter robot to replace my old litter maid self-cleaning box because I LOVE the self-cleaning aspect. However, reviews of the newer litter maids were really low, and I had some issues with litter sticking to the bottom etc. So, after much deliberation, I decided to spend the money on this product. The box arrived on my porch yesterday and my first thought was , "Holy CRAP that thing is big!" No worries, I have plenty of room, so I unpacked it and read the instructions and put it to use. My cat was using it within a few hours. It is quieter than the litter maid was and I can already see that it is working better. I cannot comment on how long it lasts because I've only had it for two days, but as long as it doesn't break down, I'm as happy as I can be with its performance.
We were LitterMaid customers for years, and I think we went through 3 generations of those boxes -- because they worked the best for our application at the time. But I tired of the messy rakes, the timing of the the rake movement (2 cat household can throw it off), especially if somebody forgot to 'bury it', the constant refill (and being careful not to overfill), and the noise. It's been 3 weeks with the Litter Robot. Wow! Can't say enough good things. I've added just a little litter in 3 weeks. Even with 2 cats, we can plan to only empty the litter receptacle once a week (could easily go 10 days), and add a bit of litter at the same time. It is quiet. The cats seem to drag less litter out of it. Our female was a bit afraid of it at first, but now she likes to watch it do its cycle. This unit is worth the money -- I'll get payback on cat litter alone in about a year.
Oops!
Reviewed by: jgd, PHILADELPHIA, PA, US Review Date: 2010-05-09
It was wonderful--and the cats adapted to it immediately--until it broke down, about 2 weeks after it arrived.
Reviewed by: C. Courter, California Review Date: 2010-01-10
I have had cats for years. We (my son and I) currently have 3 cats. In the past, I've tried traditional litter boxes, and LitterMaids. I even tried a different "traditional" litter box about six months ago that used pellets, and the cat would pee, it would go down through the pellets to a pad in a drawer. I've tried everything.
No matter what I tried, people walk in, and they knew we had cats. Whether they saw them or not.
My son, who is in charge of cleaning the litter boxes, never did it well. He would scoop it well enough, but short of doing it every 6 hours or so, with 3 cats, it would get gross. Plus every week, simply because of the cats output, we'd have to dump out the litter, and completely scrub it. And then the litter mess that was around the litter boxes. Didn't matter what litter I tried, was always the same.
So, I decided perhaps it was time for a litter maid again. But I kept hesitating, as past experience has been they worked great for the first few weeks, then it usually became a very expensive normal litter box.
I stumbled across this one. $329 for regular unit, $349 for the extended "bubble" unit. Yikes. Talk about expensive. But I did some research. Took me a month to decide to try it.
I searched all over the internet trying to find a bad review. Except for the price, the only other bad part I read about was from people who said they didn't clean it regularly. Even people I knew had one (never knew they had one) and they loved it.
Here's what happens. You get a delivery of a BIG box. You unpack the box, and the unit is very simple to put together. The globe sits on the base, and there's really no way to mess that up. There are two ways to put in the scoopable, clumping litter, I opted for the easy, no hassle, through the front. Plug it in, and it starts to work.
Cat goes in, does their business, and leaves the bubble. After about 7 minutes, the unit starts to work - the bubble on top begins to turn, until these two windows open up on the bottom and dump the cat waste into a drawer in the bottom. That's it. No need to scoop.
Now, I put it close to the other litter box they mostly used. Two of my cats went in with no problem, but the third was scared of it. The next day, I took away the other litter box, leaving them only this one. The one cat that was scared of it finally went in, and now loves it.
With three cats, I think we'll need to empty the drawer (which, by the way, uses just basic garbage bags, like the 8 gallon, or 13 gallon type, the cheap ones you can buy at nearly any store) about 2 - 3 times a week.
Again, people who have been to our home have commented on how you can't smell the litter box anymore. My nephew put it the best - last time he was here, he wondered if we even changed the litter box (we did, daily in fact), this time, he came inside, and thought we got rid of the cats because there was zero smell.
I would recommend this to anyone. The price is worth it. I've not had to add cat litter in a week, which is a rarity. My son doesn't groan when I tell him to clean the litter box, as he just pulls open the drawer, takes the bag out, and puts it in the outside trash. Putting a new bag in is easy.
This is truly a wonderful invention, and seriously, if you are considering a littermaid, purchase this instead.
WOW!!! Amazing!
Reviewed by: Jessica Pointer, Pittsburgh, PA USA Review Date: 2010-03-19
I have 2 cats. I have tried littermaid. Never ever again. When my littermaid died for the 5th and final time, I new I did not want another one. But, I can't stand traditional litterboxes (not that the littermaid was any better). I started searching online and reading reviews. The Litter Robot seemed like it would be the best. But for $350, Wow, that's a lot of money. I decided to just go for it, after all they have a 90 day guarantee and if it sucks I can get my money back.
I am in love with a litterbox. Ok, the thing is just cool. The kids love to watch it run, they bring all their friends to watch it too. But, really, the best thing is that it works. It works! There is never any smell at all in the laundry room. I am very sensitive to smells. It is easy to empty the drawer. I never have to touch the litter at all and I can buy inexpensive garbage bags at the grocery store. No buying expensive plastic containers. Adding litter is a piece of cake.
I recently went on vacation. I had a neighbor take care of the cats while I was gone. First of all she was happy that she didn't have to scoop. Secondly, when I got back I got busy and forgot about the litterbox. It sat for over a week without me emptying it. I was really afraid of what I might find when I opened it. It was completely packed full. I was able to reach in and grab the sides of the bag and pull it right out. No mess at all!
I will never buy another litterbox again. It is totally worth the money.
Truly the Cadillac of litter boxes
Reviewed by: Kathryn L. Hanson, Boise, ID United States Review Date: 2010-01-27
I have been using the litter robot for almost 6 years and started with the first model. I loved the first one but the new one is absolutely the Cats Meow. My precious Birmans (Zamora 6 and Chopper 3) give their hi 5 paw rating.
After having to replace our litter maid every 6 to 8 months, we read the reviews and decided to try the Litter Robot. We were extremely happy with the way it worked but had to learn to live with the noise of the motor when it activated (about as loud as the vacuum cleaner) since it only activated a few times a day.
After 4 1/2 years of faithful duty, the old Robot was ready for a trade-in. We purchased the Robot II and are extremely pleased with the "improvements" that have been made. The motor is considerably quieter, the extended lip is great and I'm sure that we'll find more things about it that we like! The cats seem to like the bubble in the back of the globe.
WOW - GREAT PRODUCT - GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE
Reviewed by: R. Varley, Cookeville TN Review Date: 2010-07-14
I can admit, the thought of paying this kind of money for a litter box is troubling, however, after our LitterMaid box of 5 years is starting to fail, we thought we try something new. I read many reviews and overwhelmingly, people who have purchased this product like it, so we gave it a try.
Sorry Amazon, but we ordered a Refurbished Unit direct from [...] and saved about 70 bucks. The unit arrived in 3 days and you'd ever know is was refurbished. Not a speck of litter on it or in it.
The cat was very curious when taking it out of the box and getting it set up. Once set up where her old box was, she was inside and using it within 10 minutes. This thing works like a charm. The materials used seem of high quality.
I noticed they when I received it, there was no owners manual. I contacted the mfg and received a call back in 30 mins with their apologies. I was told that the refurb units are actually customer returns less than 30 days, and they are completely cleaned with no mechanical issues. Like said, it was worth the money I saved considering there was no evidence that it was a refurb. Also, I was able to download the owners manual from their website, so that wasnt an issue either.
This is only day one of owning it, but so far, so good. I am a believer!
List Price:$349.00 Lowest New Price: $329.99 You save: $19.01 (5.45%) Average Rating: Reviews: 18 » Read All Reviews
1 New from $329.99
The Litter Robot is the automatic, self cleaning litter box for cats 'that really works'. When your cat enters the litter chamber (globe) a weight activated sensor detects the presence of your cat. After 7 minutes a clean cycle starts with the slow rotation of the globe in a counter-clockwise direction. The rotation of the globe sifts and separates clumps from the clean litter (clumping litter) and deposits all waste in the large capacity drawer lined with a standard kitchen garbage bag. The globe then returns to its home position with a clean, level bed of litter ready for the next use. The Litter Robot has no rakes or wires to jam, clog, or break. Its simplicity and durable construction ensure a long life of service. The Litter Robot operates on 12VDC and is easy to set up - just add litter to the globe and plug it in. The ECO version of the Litter Robot is made using recycled plastics and is a blue gray color.
Automatic self-cleaning cat-litter box saves time and money
The ECO Litter-Robot reduces litter use and is made of recycled plastics which is good for the planet
Patented sifting process cleans litter automatically after each use
Deposits waste in large-capacity drawer lined with kitchen garbage bag
Reliable and safe; works without rakes or wires that could jam, clog, or break
Reviewed by: D. Lynn, Canton, MA Review Date: 2009-03-21
I LOVE the litter robot! I have owned two littermaids and I have had nothing but problems with the last one. After the warranty replacement stopped working after 6 months I started looking for something better and I found it. I purchased the newer bubble unit from the company directly--it gives the cats a bit more room to move around inside the globe--and within hours of setting it up my cats were using it.
I should back up a bit and explain a few things. First, I am a legally blind man who has two cats and a service dog. So, I love animals but I do not like dealing with a litter box. I am also retired from the Air Force where I was a crew chief on two different airframes. SoI have a mechanical background and know a quality built product when I see it--or in my case feel it, yes that is a blind joke and you can laugh--and this is a well made product and best of all it is built in America. The litter robot was amazingly easy to set up and use. I setup the product myself in moments since it comes already assembled and all you do is set the globe on the base, put in litter and plug it in. So, if a blind guy can handle it I would hope the rest of you can. After setup I left the littermaid there and the cats were still using it. The next morning I put the old box outside and put some cat nip in the globe to get the cats in it to check it out. I had taken some old litter and put it in the globe. After getting both cats in there it was smooth sailing from then on. The cats have been using it since without any troubles.
I should say my cats are not small by any means and they have no problems moving around in the globe and keep all their business where it belongs. The unit itself has a smaller footprint than a littermaid, though it is obviously taller. It is also nowhere as loud as either of my littermaids have been. I have been able to go 4 days between changing the trash bag. There is less litter on my floor because the littermaid allows litter to come out the sides and there was always litter the fell in between the box and the collection bin.
I am in litter box heaven. This is the greatest litter box ever. For all the negative remarks, if you really read them you will see that most of the complaints are not the fault of the product but problems related to the cat not keeping it's business inside the globe or the owner not introducing the product properly to their cats. I highly recommend this product. I am truly impressed with the design and that it does what it says it will do.
I would suggest purchasing directly from the manufacture since they have a 90 day return policy and Amazon's is only 30 days. But, honestly you should be able to figure out if your cats are going to use it in a week but 90 days is a nice cushion. I hope this review helps you make an informed decision.
AMAZING
Reviewed by: Richie, Los Angeles, CA Review Date: 2009-03-21
I have had this machine for about 6 months now in the eco friendly grey color. It is simply the best cat litter box out there - period!
I used to have a littermaid. Every 6 weeks I had to call customer service and get a warranty replacmeent because it broke. Plus the rake kept sticking. Littermaid sucks!
This machine does not use as much litter as other boxes. If you are reluctant to buy this, just think about the money you will save in cat litter. I estimate I save about $100 a year on litter now. I just buy a 20lb box every 6 weeks to 2 months.
Having a cat is so easy now thanks to Litter Robot. I just pull out the drawer and replace the bag. I now only have one cat, so it just needs doing about once every 2 weeks. I use good litter and it is fairly well sealed. The room does not smell at all of the waste.
My only minor complaint is that it is kind of hard to pour new litter in. I think I need to get a plastic scoop or something. As when I pour it from a 20 lb box, it seems to spill everywhere.
When you get this be sure to keep your old box in place, until your cat is using this. The process can take 2-3 weeks for them to fully get used to it.
We LOVE Our Litter Robot!!
Reviewed by: Jump Boy, Cambridge, MA USA Review Date: 2009-10-16
I hardly write reviews, but after about a month of using the Litter Robot, I just had to take the time to give my absolute, highest praise for this wonderful product! We've been considering getting an automated litter box for some time, since our one cat (and we) are quite keen on always keeping a clean litter box. Obviously, this is a regular chore when we're around, and a particular concern whenever we're away. (We don't insist that our friend/family, who are already doing us a big favor by cat sitting, to be nearly as obsessive about scooping as we are!)
Anyway, we took a lot of time to research all of the major automated boxes (the raking systems, those that use drying crystals, ones that use a conveyor belt, etc...). Unfortunately, we were left generally disappointed and skeptical about their effectiveness. It seemed they all had some significant issue such as the rake not properly sifting the clump, or the requirement of having to frequently buy expensive trays or cartridges. Litter Robot was the only product that didn't seem to have any significant "catch," and had markedly better reviews than anything else.
So why wasn't this initially an obvious choice? One concern was not knowing if our cat would use it. He's a bigger cat at 15 lbs (he's not overweight, just big, with a longer, bigger frame), and he's quite a scaredy cat, so he might not want to go into a strange looking contraption. Another hesitation was the price, since the Litter Robot was about twice the price of some of the other systems.
Well, the first concern was addressed when we found out that if we ordered directly from the company (litter-robot.com), we had a 90-day money back guarantee in case our cat didn't take to it. The second concern was easily dismissed when we asked ourselves how valuable it would be if it worked as well and trouble-free as we had hoped. If it did, it would easily pay for itself many times over by relieving us of all the concern, inconvenience, time and effort of daily litter box chores. Conversely, if we had instead bought a mediocre, troublesome product to initially save a little money, we would eventually end up spending a lot more money, time, effort, etc. re-buying and retrying something else. It would have been a good example of the idiom, "penny-wise, pound foolish." Another factor that clinched our decision was that this product is made in the USA (Thank you Litter Robot, Inc!) In fact, this was the only automated litter box that we could find that was made in the US. (We try to buy USA-made products whenever we can.)
Anyway, we decided to purchase the expanded, LR II Bubble unit since our cat is big and thought the added bubble window would lessen the "enclosed space feeling" for our cat. We also got the "Eco" unit since it's made with 100% recycled plastic (another nice and thoughtful option from this company). It arrived, by free shipping, in a box large enough to hold a small washing machine! However, the unit itself wasn't nearly as big and obtrusive as we had feared so it fit perfectly well in the bathroom where we had our old litter box. Material and construction seemed high quality, with rugged plastics, thick rubber, tight seams, etc. Even the packaging was thoughtfully done. Both the box and inner packaging are heavy duty, collapsible corrugated cardboard so you can fold them flat for easy storage (In fact, LR includes clear instructions on how to repackage the product in case you ever need to send it back.)
About a week before the LR arrived, we had elevated our old litter box and put a hood over it to get our cat more familiar with the type of situation he would see with the LR. Once we got the LR, we took our old box away and put the LR in the same spot and filled it with much of the litter from his old box. We knew we weren't following the exact LR instructions on how to make the switch, but we were hopeful since our cat seemed to have had no problems adjusting to his old box when we elevated it and modified it with a hood. (Admittedly, we were also a tad impatient.)
Evening came and we noticed that our cat seemed to want to use the box. He would keep going into the bathroom (he usually only goes there if he has to use the box), approach the LR and look inside, but unfortunately NOT go in. It seemed he knew what it was for, but too scared to go in. Well, as the evening wore on, we started to get somewhat concerned but kept hoping he'd use it on his own. Finally, it became VERY CLEAR he had to go, when we found him in our rabbit's 2' x 3' cage (with our rabbit inside, which our cat is normally afraid of -- yes, he is a scaredy cat!), trying to use our rabbit's tiny litter box! (We were both horrified and impressed that our cat was smart enough to know that this tiny box was also used for litter.) So we immediately took him out of our rabbit's cage, and gently shoved him into the LR, in a similar way as if shoving him into a carrier. He protested in the same way as when he's put into a carrier, but as soon as he felt the litter under his paws, he took a LONG pee! We praised him and gave him some cat treats as soon as he came out to reinforce his good behavior. That was it. From then on, he started using the LR on his own w/o hesitation. (Although our approach turned out well, we'd recommend a little more patience and follow the instructions given in the LR's manual instead.)
The one remaining step was to turn the unit on so that it would self clean. After several days of manual activation (while our cat was kept away), we turned it on and let him watch while we stayed so he would be reassured if he felt anxious about his litter box's motion and noise. It worked perfectly since for the next couple of weeks he actually seemed amused by it and would come running to watch when he heard it self clean. Also, he didn't initially turn around to poop, but must have realized that it wasn't ideal since it blocks his exit. Well, he quickly figured out to turn around first before pooping so it wouldn't be in his way. (He's so smart!)
Anyway, seeing how it works, we are so impressed with LR's intrinsic design. Its ability to thoroughly sift the litter (to coat and remove effectively) is only possible through its wholesale tumble action. This thorough sifting provides extreme fault tolerance, to easily handle non-ideal situations such as clumps being too wet, sticky, or being broken apart, or poop that hasn't been covered, etc. I can now understand why other systems can only give mediocre results since it's just not possible to get this thorough sifting from their design. Besides this main design, some other notable features are:
-Quiet. About equivalent to a sound of a hair dryer on low.
-Uses regular, inexpensive, clumping litter.
-Uses cheap 13 gallon tall kitchen garbage bags to hold used litter. (We just buy a very thin, generic 0.4 MIL variety which are more than strong enough, but will hopefully degrade faster in landfills.)
-Floor of the globe covered with rugged, heavy duty flexible rubber that flex out to prevent any sticking.
Needless to say, this is definitely one of the best purchases we've ever made, and we're singing the praises of this superb product to all our cat loving family and friends!
Best litter box ever
Reviewed by: C. Beckman, Review Date: 2009-06-10
Spending the money on this litter box was well worth it. I have only one cat. I change out the trash bag once a week. There is no litter box smell (except if you happen to walk in the room when it is cycling and the doors are open to the waste receptable and it is full). Very little litter gets on the ground around the litter box - I sweep almost once a day but could probably go 3-4 days before a substantial litter scattering builds up. And it would still be much less litter than I used to have on a daily basis from the rake style automatic cleaning litterbox.
This is the BEST
Reviewed by: Chris Davis, lex, KY Review Date: 2009-11-08
I bought this from litter robot directly because they have a good 90 day return policy.
We have two cats. One took to immediately the other resisted, but in a week he was good. They both use it now. We are in automatic mode. Smell is gone. We saved a lot of back and forth between my wife and Iabout who's turn it was to clean the litter box. It expensive. But its made in the USA and it provides value and makes life better. I think it will last a long time. Don;t waste your money on a cheap box. My wife says it cute too. Bonus.
Reviewed by: D. Orton, MURRAY, UT, US Review Date: 2009-11-28
I adopted my third cat over the summer. With the addition I added a new Littermaid to my existing 10 year old littermaid. I was excited about the new look and features of the new Littermaid. HOWEVER, when I got it I noticed that it didn't work as well as the old one. It didn't just remove solids, but bulldozed out clean litter as well. This proved to be very problematic. It went through a great deal more litter, more receptacles, and I had to constantly remove ick from the tines that scoop the ick out. While on vacation the person watching my cats reported that the old littermaid died and they had purchased me a new one to replace it. Upon my return I learned of the thoughtful gesture and didn't have the heart to tell them that I hated it and they esentially wasted their money on junk. At some point I just turn both boxes off and started scooping the old-fashioned way out of frustration at how much litter I was constantly hauling to the house. That helped, but was the exact opposite of 'automatic litterbox'. In September a little lost kitten found me. Four cats and two horrible Littermaids was not working. I added a plastic box that looks like a rubbermaid tote with a textured lid to help with track off. It came down to cats having innapropriate eliminations out of frustration with the box situation that forced me into action. I'd been looking at CatGenie and Litter Robot online for awhile (since getting the horrible new LitterMaids), but felt like I'd spent way too much already. Cats peeing next to the boxes change all that. It was either get rid of the rescued kitten or do something drastic. I came home one night and got online and bought one CatGenie and one Litter Robot. I've been able to remove one Littermaid entirely and am working at getting the other out of here too. (Anyone in the market for two used Littermaids? lol ) Both new waste disposal systems are working great. I love them both. The cats do too. The Genie is a great solution for places that have water and a drain option. It's louder than I thought it would be, but doesn't bother anyone. I was surprised how long the cleaning cycle takes. But for never buying litter again that is really not a problem. The Robot is so quiet and actually sort of fun. I got the kind with the clear bubble on the back for my two larger cats. They all like looking out. I think the extra light it lets in made it much less frightening for them initially. It is taller than I anticipated, but again, for the convenience that is a little thing to consider. I would make sure you really think out where it will go first. The place I had anticipated putting it won't work. It is tall enough according to the measurements, but it doesn't account for the extra space needed to lift the globe onto the base. Both new systems are worlds apart from the icky, smelly, costly newer-style Littermaids. If you do go with the Littermaid option, go with the ugly, tan, boxy ones which are much cheaper. If they worked like the original model I had it will work reasonably well, but still can't touch either of the new systems. The best part is I got to keep the little lost kitten and the inappropriate peeing has stopped!
LIFE.CHANGING
Reviewed by: John Gadd, Tampa Bay, Florida, USA Review Date: 2010-02-15
I don't typically gush about something I bought, but this is cause for exception. Not only has this product changed my cats lives, but it's also changed mine, and my house, for the better.
I'm a single guy, owner of 3 cats, a 4 bedroom house, and 3 business's. As one could imagine, life can be rather hectic for me. Keeping my house smelling good was a particularly difficult challenge, considering I often use my home for business and hosting parties. To keep the mess/smell controlled to one room, I used to use two litter pans, with trays underneath to catch kick out and tracking, and two buckets. Twice daily you could easily find me hunched over, grimacing, holding my breath as I sifted woefully through cat feces and urine clumps, taking tools out of one bucket and dumping waste into another. I'd purchase lots of litter, baking powder deodorizers, air fresheners, and related items to assist me, but you could always catch a whiff here and there, and the cost was pretty outrageous. Taking good care of your cats is expensive enough with the rising cost of good food, and vet care. On top of all this, the "litter box room" had turned a former bedroom into a rarely used storage room, and clay dust covered everything inside. One day I thought that, certainly by this day and age, mankind had to have come up with a solution for this nightmare.
After reading tons of reviews, I opted for the litter robot over the cat genie and others, simply due to simplicity of design. I have a bit of engineer in me, and the design of the LR is superb. Its the simplicity that will (I predict) ensure reliability for years to come. Some balk at the price, but I looked at it like a toilet for cats, and toilets for us humans aren't cheap either. I ordered the Bubble unit for the increased lighting (more on that) and space for my big guys.
Assembly could not be any easier: Just place the globe on the base, and plug the cord into the base and the wall, fill with litter and put a bag in the drawer, and in under 2 minutes it's ready for use. My 15lb Bengal cat Sebastian took to it with aplomb, loving the always-clean litter and privacy. He's pretty smart, but my other two guys are not as adapting. My youngest (Willie) is scared of his own shadow, while my 15 year old Anthony is stubborn and picky about his litter. I spent some time introducing them, with the unit off and lots of patience. It really helps that I have a great rapport with my cats, as they trust me pretty thoroughly. Still, I left one pan out, and replaced the other with the LR. Seabass took to the LR quickly, while the other two resisted. I abandoned cleaning the pan, and made sure to continue to show the LR to Anthony and Willie daily. After a week, I removed the pans entirely, closed the door to the room, and placed the LR in front of the door to the room. A final reintroduction was needed, and some coaxing, but in one day the other two converted totally. Its been BLISS ever since.
Its been about a week, and in hindsight the old way seems far more archaic, and unsanitary than I ever remember it being. This task has been reduced to checking the LR with a quick glance, and emptying the waste bin every 3-4 days. Smell? There is NONE! Tracking is greatly reduced as well, and my litter consumption has been cut in half! My house FINALLY no longer smells of cats. To top it off, I have reclaimed that bedroom and turned it into a home office. Indirectly, this will lead to more productivity for me (thus, more $$), so combine that with the litter (and associated products I no longer need) and this thing pays for itself. To top it off, I no longer have a dust problem. I literally tear up when I think to myself how much this has improved my life!
Alas, nothing is perfect. Suggested improvement: a small interior light. Just one LED bulb would not cost much to integrate, nor cost much to operate (could be activated by the weight sensor), and would make the unit more inviting to enter. The bubble helps, but the dark colors it's offered in do not. It could also stand to be larger, so that larger cats have room to turn around, and perhaps a better way to catch tracking on the front step.
Even without these improvements, the LRII is an amazing product that will improve YOUR quality of living, not just your cats. For all of its merits, and simplicity, the value it represents makes it worth far more than the $329 price tag. This product might be the tipping point of the scale in the all time war of cats vs dogs!
Very clever design
Reviewed by: Eric Brodeur, Montreal, QC Review Date: 2010-06-03
The thing that impressed me to most about this unit is the clever design. Its so much better than the littermaid I have. Its a lot less noisy than the littermaid too. The round top slowly rotates and the litter pass through a grid that retain bigger elements. Then the wasted just drop in the bottom container in which you can use simple kitchen garbage bags. Its build to last. Even the way you fix the plastic bag in the drawer is so easy, I wish garbage can could have those.
Very efficient and low maintenance.
Litter Robot saves the day!
Reviewed by: Nancy B., Central Texas, USA Review Date: 2010-03-12
We have four indoor cats thanks to a move to the Texas hill country. Litter Robot makes things so much easier and there is not any odor! All cats adapted quickly, and the only downside is the noise when the machine rotates to clean itself. If you live in a small space, this could keep you up at night, but you have the option to unplug and leave until morning, I guess.
I am more than pleased. It is worth the money.
Sadly, the Cats Won't Use It
Reviewed by: Melanie Crane, Berthoud, CO United States Review Date: 2010-07-13
My sister and I bought the Litter Robot as a present for our parents to lighten their load in tending to their two cats. Such a wonderful idea, but the box is enclosed and my parents' cats won't use enclosed litterboxes. Secondly, it sits very high, again deterring the cats from using the litterbox and making getting in and out rather tricky for many cats. We tried everything we could, but my parents' cats just wouldn't use the device. I was very disappointed, because we wanted less hassle for our parents in attending to the dreaded kitty litter. I was also shocked at the cost to return the unit, which anyone considering buying this should be aware.
List Price:$149.99 Lowest New Price: $128.00 You save: $21.99 (14.66%) Average Rating: Reviews: 2 » Read All Reviews
1 New from $128.00
ScoopMaid by LitterMaid Self Cleaning Litter Box. The ScoopMaid system works with disposable replacement trays for ultimate simplicity. The system uses the premium crystal litter that traps urine on contact. This easy to use system has hands free convenience while providing a more sanitary, crystal clean environment for your cat.
Self cleaning litter box with extra high walls help keep floors clean
Automatic rake removes solid waste
Disposable litter tray enjoy once a month maintenance
Reviewed by: tsymyn, Monroe, LA USA Review Date: 2010-07-23
I had originally given this 1 star, but now that I've figured out that you need to rake the crystals back out of the bin every other day, it's working fine. It can't jam (which the littermaid always did), and it controls the odor VERY well if you keep it straightened out. It takes a little more work than I had hoped, but it's still WAY less work than the littermaid. It used to take me about 20 minutes to clean the old one, which had to be done every other day. Changing the box on this one takes about four minutes, counting sealing up the old one and opening the shrink-wrap on the new and doing the few little things to get the bin ready, and that's every six or seven days with our two large cats. The COMPLETE lack of litter dust and smell is also wonderful.
Previous review: Any smell-reducing power this thing has is coming exclusively from the litter crystals. The idea of this device is that the rake should go through the crystals, leaving them in the box, and scoop the solids out and into the little containment bin. After a week of using it and checking it every day to see how it's doing, it looks like it does the impossible. Somehow, it pushes all the crystals into the containment bin and leaves the solids in the box. After the first time it runs, half or more of the crystals are shoved under the lid, propping it open, and there are places of exposed box-bottom where there are no crystals left in the box. Not sure how they managed that, but they did. Since prior to this we've had five or six unreliable littermaids, I'm not really surprised. I think we're going to try the Scoopfree box that's similar to this instead.
If, like me, you're looking to minimize the amount of work that goes into cleaning the litter box, and eliminate the necessity of touching waste, this is by far the worst product you could purchase.
The disposable / replacable litter trays (which are expensive) are supposed to last 3 weeks. They last 7 to 10 days at the very most, IF you're willing to put up with urine soaking through to your floor and waste overflowing from the little compartment it's supposed to be scooped into.
The waste constantly gets stuck on the scooper so you have to remove it manually. The scooper really only works efficiently about 40% to 50% of the time; the rest of the time, the waste just sits in the open. When it comes time to replace the tray and clean the unit, it's the messiest process I've ever gone through. With the design of the box, there's no way of getting around touching urine, and I feel like I need a shower and my bathroom needs to be hosed down afterwards. This is way more work and way more messy than the normal $10 litter box I used to have. I'm getting rid of the thing after just a couple months of use.
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