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As every cat owner knows, the most disagreeable part about having one or several indoor cats is the cat litter dilemma. What litter is best? What type of litter box to use– open, covered, with or without a door, automatic rake type or the Litter-Robot.
Several other considerations with dealing with litter and litter boxes such as; what keeps the ODOR down the best? What about the cost of the litter and the possible health risks? Toxoplasmosis is a serious health threat to pregnant women or those with compromised immune systems and they are not to empty cat litter boxes, handle cat excrement or breathe in the dust of a litter box being cleaned.
We have 4 kitties and they are an integral and essential part of our family. Our feline family includes 2 sisters that are 2 years old, Sophie and Sadie. Sophie is 16 pounds and Sadie is 8 pounds. We added a new addition, Sasha. She joined our family at 8 weeks of age and at about 2 1/2 pounds. Soon after adopting Sasha, we rescued an abandoned kitten named Charlie. He came to us weighing 14 ounces.
Each one of them successfully uses the Litter-Robot. We were amazed at how easily the cats and kittens took to the Litter-Robot and how using it totally changed how we take care of our precious felines. I hope I never have to be without the Litter-Robot again!
The Litter-Robot design eliminates the need for litter box emptying and thus is more healthful for family members tending to the litter needs of their cats. No more handling used litter or breathing in the dust while scraping, scooping and emptying the litter box. Pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems should still avoid emptying the Litter-Robot drawer, but its system keeps the used litter and excrement contained in the bag within the drawer until it is time to remove the bag and replace it.
The Litter-Robot uses less litter. To try to keep litter box odor under control, we had been using a brand scoopable litter with carbon that was pretty expensive. We also added baking soda to the litter. As directed by the Litter-Robot information, we used the same brand of litter when setting up the Litter-Robot so our kitties would take to the Litter-Robot, although the Litter-Robot information states it will work with any brand of scoopable litter after the cats start using it. Because of the unique design, the Litter-Robot requires less litter and wastes much less litter, I cut our monthly litter bill in HALF. That’s right, by 50%! I buy half as much litter per month by using the Litter-Robot. That a big plus for us since we are trying to save money wherever we can to pay for the rising gas and food costs. So, for every 28-pound container that I buy for around $16.50, I am SAVING that exact amount per month. That’s $16.50 I can put someplace else, like in the gas tank or groceries.
The Litter-Robot maintains better odor control. What I have discovered in using the Litter-Robot is that the bag-lined drawer where the kitty droppings are deposited keep the odor better contained than any other litter system I have ever used. It is not necessary to change the bag daily, even going several days before changing the bag does not increase the odor (depending on how many cats you have using the same Litter-Robot that is.)
The Litter-Robot eliminates the need for daily litter attention. That’s right! As I mentioned above, the large drawer can hold several days’ worth of kitty plops (depending on how many kitties you have). I was thrilled to find that I did not need to empty the drawer except every 2-3 days rather than every day, sometimes twice a day which I was doing with our litter box. With 4 cats, there is a lot of kitty waste, believe me! The Litter-Robot holds it all and I empty the drawer after several days. We can even leave home for a few days knowing that the kitties will have a clean place to go without us even being there to attend to the Litter-Robot.
The Litter-Robot uses non-proprietary refill bags. Once while I was shopping at the pet store for my aquarium supplies, I overheard 2 workers lamenting that customers were getting upset because the store was out of stock of some of the proprietary refills and bags for one of the other brands of automatic litter box cleaners. The workers commented that all their stores were out of the refills and they did not know when the product was expected in. So, if I had one of these other brands, I would be out of luck in getting my refills. Not so with the Litter-Robot, as it uses no proprietary or special refills. The bags that line the drawers are ordinary 13-gallon kitchen trash bags. Again, a substantial money-saver and stress-saver.
The Litter-Robot has built-in safety feature for our cats. The automatic cycle will cease immediately if the cat returns or another cat enters, thus preventing injury. The sensor in the step-plate signals the automatic cycle and the also the stop cycle should a cat try to enter during the globe movement. The upfront cost of the Litter-Robot may be daunting, but the savings in time, effort and yes, money, make it a great investment.
Customer Service is superb. One thing that means almost as much to me as the product itself is the service after the sale, and they do provide courteous service. I consider this a major plus!
Full Warranty for 18 Months. Automated Pet Care Products, Inc. stands behind the Litter-Robot self-cleaning litter box with an 18-month full warranty.
Conclusion: The Litter Robot has revolutionized our pet care. I would not ever want to be without my Litter-Robot! I recommend The Litter-Robot to anyone who has a cat.
A few notes:
The Litter-Robot was very easy to set up and use. The unit consists of a base (where the controls are) and a globe with an opening where the litter (and cats) go. The globe gently turns 7 minutes after the kitty exits the Litter-Robot and during the turning cycle, the waste falls into the bagged drawer below. The globe then gently retuns to the upright position, covering up that drawer and sealing in any odors. It’s an ingenious design!
I put a rug in front of the Litter-Robot as there is some loose litter that comes out on the kitties’ paws.
The Litter-Robot is very easy to keep clean, inside and out. Can I say that I love something designed for kitty poop? Well, I do! And I recommend it highly as a real workhorse for the cat owner.
Please visit the website below and watch the Litter-Robot work!
Manufacturer’s Website:
http://www.litter-robot.com/
Manufacturer:
Automated Pet Care Products
Telephone Hours:
Monday through Friday: 10:00 AM – 10:00 PM Eastern
1-877-250-7729 toll-free
Email Addresses
General Inquiries: info@litter-robot.com
Customer Service: customer_service@litter-robot.com
Technical Support: help@litter-robot.com
THE LITTER-ROBOT Self-Cleaning Litter Box
Product Review
Dimensions:
- The fully assembled Litter-Robot is 29 inches high, 22 inches wide and 24 inches deep.
- The waste drawer is 11 inches wide, 16 inches long and 6 inches deep.
- The oval shaped entry for the cat is 9 inches high and 6 inches 1/2 inches wide.
- The litter bed area measures 14 inches across at the maximum litter capacity.
- There is 13 inches to 15 inches of head room for the cat inside the globe depending on the level of the litter. The inside width is 20 inches across at the widest point, and depth is 15 inches front to back.
The Litter-Robot is one-of-a-kind self-cleaning, automatic litter box. Unlike its predecessors (with rake arms that break off and raise a dust cloud), this automatic litter box is a technical marvel. It looks like something from outer-space, yet its design is very simple, and best of all, it works.
Pros:
- Uses any type of clumping litter.
- Can handle cats of varying sizes.
- Truly automatic in performance.
- Uses less litter than conventional litter box.
- Saves money on litter.
- Eliminates daily attendance.
- Reduces smell and mess.
- Uses any type of 13-gallon trash bag, not a proprietary refill.
- Easy to clean.
- My cats and kittens took to it immediately.
Cons:
- Won’t be automatic during a power outage. (Under those conditions, it acts like any manual litter box.)
- Some owners have reported a reluctance of their cat to use it. (The handbook addresses how to get your cat used to the Litter-Robot. I followed their advice and never had a problem.)
- Some extra-large cats may have trouble fitting inside the Litter-Robot. (Of our 4 cats, Sophie now weighs 20 pounds and uses the Litter-Robot just fine, but every cat is different.)
Conclusion: This is one self-cleaning litter box that really works. I highly recommend it!
© Copyright 1995-2008 Vickilynn Haycraft. All Rights Reserved. No portion of this review may be copied, stored or transmitted in any medium, for any reason without prior written permission of the author.
About Vickilynn Parnes
