Report - self-cleaning litterbox

Christine K. wrote:


Do they operate by an electric cable plugged into a wall outlet or some
kind of battery??

You have a choice - there's a plug-in cable, or you can use
eight size D batteries. (Obviously the plug-in option
doesn't involve being sure you have batteries on hand when
those installed die.)

Or something else entirely?? If by cable, then one
could just unplug it, and if by battery, take it out when you don't want
the box to operate.

Not necessary - there's an on/off switch. You turn it off
before you empty the waste-bin (they're "disposable", but
I'm too thrifty to dispose of anything when it can still be
reused), or when you need to change the used litter for
fresh. It uses "premium" quality clumping litter (but
PetsMart has its own brand, much less expensive than most)
and it doesn't seem to need changing as often as a standard
litterbox. Although you CAN operate it by hand, it seems to
operate more reliably, with fewer problems, if you just
leave it turned on to do its own thing when it chooses.

"EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)" wrote:

Not necessary - there's an on/off switch. You turn it off
before you empty the waste-bin (they're "disposable", but
I'm too thrifty to dispose of anything when it can still be
reused), or when you need to change the used litter for
fresh. It uses "premium" quality clumping litter (but
PetsMart has its own brand, much less expensive than most)
and it doesn't seem to need changing as often as a standard
litterbox. Although you CAN operate it by hand, it seems to
operate more reliably, with fewer problems, if you just
leave it turned on to do its own thing when it chooses.

I would try to remember to run it at least 2-3 times a day. But when
I was going to do it, I'd go into the bathroom (where I keep the
litterbox), close the door, and then run the cleaner. That way, my
cats would never even need to know it was anything other than an
ordinary litterbox. No fears or anxieties, or refusal to use the box.

And it would never run unless I was right there. That way, if it had
some kind of problem, I'd be able to stop it and fix it. I'd hate to
think of it going back and forth, over and over for hours, while I was
at work. (Yes, I know it's supposed to automatically shut off if it
sweeps back and forth more than X number of times. But where is the
guarantee than any piece of machinery will always work the way it's
supposed to? )

Joyce
--
To send email to this address, remove the triple-X from my user name.

wrote:

All I want is a button that accomplishes the same function
as the sensor.
And a "manual mode" so the sensor doesn't operate. If there were self-
cleaning litterboxes like that, I might consider getting one.

As I explained in the post prior to this, you CAN operate it
manully if you like. However, I have already found that the
automatic operation is much nore efficient, and since it
won't operate with a cat IN the box, even my skittish
Cendrillon isn't alarmed by it.

While we're on the topic, does anyone have one of those "Cat Genie"
litterboxes? I've seen it advertised on TV, but don't know anyone who
actually has one. This one not only removes waste automatically, but
it liquifies everything, flushes it down the toilet, and then *washes
and dries* the litter.

I saw one on display at Petco (or something that sounds like
it) several years ago. However, you had to hook it up to a
faucet, somehow, as well as have a handy electrical plug-in.
(At the time, the section of the bathroom where I kept the
catbox had neither a sink nor an electric outlet nearby, so
I didn't inquire any further.) When I wanted to check it
out again, a few months later, I couldn't find one anywhere,
so I assumed they'd gone out of business. (Maybe they did,
and someone bought the patent, renamed it, and improved upon
it.)

Sounds great, but also sounds like, with all
those different phases of operation and all those moving parts, there
are many opportunities for something to go wrong. (And you *really*
don't want your cat deliberately triggering the mechanism for laughs.)
I have no idea how much these things cost, but I'm sure they're not
cheap.

The initial cost of the one I saw was (IIRC) over $200, and
since it didn't use litter, but some specially manufactured
"crystals" that had to be replenished from time to time, my
interest was more a casual "what will they think of next?"
than any serious contemplation of buying one.)

the only disadvantage is that a cat may have to use it without it being
cleaned if you are sleeping, and mine does have a switch so you could turn
it off at night and then back on in the morning, Lee
wrote in message
...
"Smokie Darling (Annie)" wrote:

She'll probably get bored with that after a while.

A friend of hubby's has two of those. Both of his masters, litter
mates, boy and girl (but I don't know their names, sorry) seem to like
to sit there and set off the sensors.

When they are bored, usually at 2 or 3 in the morning. He comes out
and they are jumping in, jumping out, and sitting and watching. He's
had his for a couple of years now. They still aren't bored with it
(hee).

That's hilarious. A waste of energy, but hilarious.

I still don't understand why they don't make manually operated littermaid
boxes, that will only do their thing when you press a button or flip a
switch, etc. That way, there's no risk of having the thing go off at the
wrong moment, and scaring the cat off ever using the box again, or having
them play with it at 3 in the morning.

Is there a *disadvantage* to a manual switch? I mean, other than the
human having to, OMG the horror, actually push a button?

Joyce
--
To send email to this address, remove the triple-X from my user name.

you can have either batteries or a plug in, and I forgot to say, I wouldn't
turn mine off as one of the reasons we got ours is because I have one cat
that will go anywhere else if the box isn't pristine, Lee
Christine K. wrote in message
...
kirjoitti:
"Smokie Darling (Annie)" wrote:

She'll probably get bored with that after a while.

A friend of hubby's has two of those. Both of his masters, litter
mates, boy and girl (but I don't know their names, sorry) seem to
like
to sit there and set off the sensors.

When they are bored, usually at 2 or 3 in the morning. He comes out
and they are jumping in, jumping out, and sitting and watching. He's
had his for a couple of years now. They still aren't bored with it
(hee).

That's hilarious. A waste of energy, but hilarious.

I still don't understand why they don't make manually operated
littermaid
boxes, that will only do their thing when you press a button or flip a
switch, etc. That way, there's no risk of having the thing go off at the
wrong moment, and scaring the cat off ever using the box again, or
having
them play with it at 3 in the morning.

Is there a *disadvantage* to a manual switch? I mean, other than the
human having to, OMG the horror, actually push a button?

Joyce

Do they operate by an electric cable plugged into a wall outlet or some
kind of battery?? Or something else entirely?? If by cable, then one
could just unplug it, and if by battery, take it out when you don't want
the box to operate.

--
Christine in Laitila, Finland
christal63 (at) gmail (dot) com

-the battery holder is in the top of the littermaid, easy to access,
-the switch on the side will do what you want, and when you turn it on it
resets itself so triggering it isn't necessary.
-the genie thing is about 400 bucks, my brother has it and says he isn't
sure if he or the cats like it better.

Lee
wrote in message
...
Christine K. wrote:

I still don't understand why they don't make manually operated
littermaid
boxes, that will only do their thing when you press a button or flip a
switch, etc. That way, there's no risk of having the thing go off at
the
wrong moment, and scaring the cat off ever using the box again, or
having
them play with it at 3 in the morning.

Do they operate by an electric cable plugged into a wall outlet or some
kind of battery?? Or something else entirely?? If by cable, then one
could just unplug it, and if by battery, take it out when you don't
want
the box to operate.

That's a good question. I don't know.

If it plugs into the wall, you could always rig up a power strip that
has an on/off switch, and pretend it's the on/off switch on the litter
box. If it runs on batteries, that would be a pain in the butt,
especially since battery locations on machinery tend to be in hard-to-
reach places.

Also, the cleaning mechanism is triggered by an electric eye that "sees"
the cat getting in and out. So you'd have to make sure to trip the sensor
once you've plugged it in (or turned on the power strip/snapped in the
battery, etc.).

All I want is a button that accomplishes the same function as the sensor.
And a "manual mode" so the sensor doesn't operate. If there were self-
cleaning litterboxes like that, I might consider getting one.

While we're on the topic, does anyone have one of those "Cat Genie"
litterboxes? I've seen it advertised on TV, but don't know anyone who
actually has one. This one not only removes waste automatically, but
it liquifies everything, flushes it down the toilet, and then *washes
and dries* the litter. Sounds great, but also sounds like, with all
those different phases of operation and all those moving parts, there
are many opportunities for something to go wrong. (And you *really*
don't want your cat deliberately triggering the mechanism for laughs.)
I have no idea how much these things cost, but I'm sure they're not
cheap.

Joyce

--
To send email to this address, remove the triple-X from my user name.

Stormmee wrote:

you can have either batteries or a plug in, and I forgot to say, I wouldn't
turn mine off as one of the reasons we got ours is because I have one cat
that will go anywhere else if the box isn't pristine, Lee

I see. Not a problem in my house!

Joyce

It is a problem in my house, If there is anything in the litter, O. T. will
deposit it on the floor before his highness enters the box.
wrote in message
...
Stormmee wrote:

you can have either batteries or a plug in, and I forgot to say, I
wouldn't
turn mine off as one of the reasons we got ours is because I have one
cat
that will go anywhere else if the box isn't pristine, Lee

I see. Not a problem in my house!

Joyce

if that isn't an issue you could operate it manually with no problems, Lee
wrote in message
...
Stormmee wrote:

you can have either batteries or a plug in, and I forgot to say, I
wouldn't
turn mine off as one of the reasons we got ours is because I have one
cat
that will go anywhere else if the box isn't pristine, Lee

I see. Not a problem in my house!

Joyce

On Thu, 24 Jan 2008 13:59:21 -0700, "EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque)"
wrote:

Oh, you CAN operate them manually - just turn the switch on
when you want it to clean and off when it finishes. (In
fact, the manufacturer suggests you do so for a few days,
until the cats are accustomed to the new box.) However, it
seems to work better if it sweeps automatically, so the
debris doesn't build up. (You have to keep the litter level
much lower than you are probably used to, or it either won't
operate at all, or keeps going back and forth without
shutting off.)

Little Bit is my fussy one. I swear she sometimes moves all the litter
from one side of the box, does her business, then moves all the litter
to the side where she did her thing. She's the main reason I have
covered boxes. Don't know if she'd be satisfied with swallow litter.
--
Steve Touchstone,
faithful servant of Sammy, Little Bit, Spot,
Princess and Furby
with loving memories of Rocky (RB)