With patience akin to a cat's, dgk, on 10/8/2009 7:07 AM typed:
Apparently it was shown on TV yesterday since two friends told me
about it: http://www.catgenie.com/

Looks pretty complicated and I can't say I like the idea of "cat-safe"
sanitizer. It is a clever idea but the reliance on water and waste
hookup relegate it to a bathroom or laundry room. Plus, it just seems
too complicated. Nor cheap at around $400. Then there's the Liter
Robot we've discussed before. I prefer this one since you apparently
get a chance to see what your cat has done which is important to me
since I can judge their health better.

Well, has anyone tried it or know someone?

An excellent source of actual use feedback is the Automatic Litterbox Central
forum: http://www.litterbox-central.com/litter-box/ . Many comments on the
lackluster or troublesome performance of the CatGenie, and a number of cats
refuse to use the unit due to the pebble-size grains of the reusable "litter."

I personally use and recommend the SmartScoop (http://smartscoop.com/). It held
up great to the frequent use of my elderly cat with CRF (still missing my big
guy--metastatic lung cancer took him from me). Its design is elegant in its
simplicity--easy to break down for cleaning, with the motor housed in a discreet
unit separate from the other pieces. If using a flushable litter, a liner bag
for the catch-tray isn't necessary, but I like to use them for keeping the tray
a bit cleaner with regard to stool. Supplies are nowhere near the cost of the
LitterMaid, and much less overall bulk going into landfills with regard to
plastic. Fairly small footprint for the size of the litter tray--a big plus for
larger cats and multiple cat households.

I have encountered motor wear-and-tear (e.g. gear breakage), but this was over a
year of continual use with, as I stated before, a cat with renal failure. Said
motor also needed to be occasionally opened up (easy do--only four screws) in
order to clean out fine litter dust to improve functioning. The manufacturer
has recently redesigned the motor, however, with metal rather than plastic
gears, and this has gone far to increase the motor's overall lifespan. Customer
service from the manufacturer (OurPet's) is excellent, and they also have a
presence on the above-mentioned forum.

My two whisker's worth on the subject --
--
/\ /\ | "If a man could be crossed with the
^o o^ D.K. "Cat" Kraft | cat, it would improve the man but
-T- | deteriorate the cat."
~ Lynnwood, WA |
___oOO___OOo___ | -- Mark Twain