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Litter-Robot: Meet Georgia and her neurotic owner
By Ericka Basile
July 12, 2010
The well-being of pets is high priority for the bloggers here. You know that, right? But, gosh do we hate to clean up after their waste.
I have tried other automated litter systems. I usually bring them back to the store because they do not work. Nope. None of them have worked for my cats.
Why do I keep insisting to try the newest ones on the market? I have eight cats. You figure they go twice a day, so in a month that is 480 scoops. Wouldn’t you be looking for something that would do the job for you?
When I was asked to review the Litter-Robot, I really put it to the test. The unit seemed to good to be true. What was the catch? I had to try it at my house. With my gazillion cats. Especially I wanted to test it with Georgia, the teenage cat from hell. (My favorite cat. Ironic, isn’t it?)
I get a little over protective about the trap door inside the globe of the Litter-Robot. I just couldn’t believe it would not catch Georgia’s tail or paws. She is not afraid of anything, and I just know she would try to climb into that trap door when it opens.
So, in the really long video below which I bet you will watch … tell me if you say to yourself, ” Did I just watch a nine-minute video about a crazy cat, an over-protective human, and a litter box?”
.
.
In the video — you did watch it, right??? — you saw: a) cats like to play in litter; b) the Litter Robot is a super-smart product; and c) my cat’s paw and tail did not get stuck.
The Litter Robot ($349) comes in cream, black and gray (gray is recycled plastic so, eco-people — get that one.) It also has an optional table cover so you can hide it. I like the design personally. Futuristic. Quirky.
The machine does what it says it will do. It scoops the litter for you using gravity to make the clump fall to the bottom, out the secret door, and into a waste container reservoir. I like the Litter-Robot much better than other automated units I have tried thus far, units that raked the clump, and the tongs of the rake end up gross and dirty. The use of gravity when the globe turns and the screen on the Litter-Robot eliminates the need for the rake.
One last thing: I forgot to put a plastic liner in the bottom tray when I shot this video. Litter Robot does sell them (or you can use a grocery bag), so you can empty the bin easily. I asked the company rep how would I clean the orb (globe they call it), and she said I can wipe it with a wet-wipe. The globe doesn’t open (bummer), but there are no electronic parts so you can take it outside and hose it off. Just the base has the electrical motor parts. It plugs into the wall.
I spent a lot of time with this Litter Robot, and I seriously tried to make it not work. I like that it waits seven minutes to start the cleaning cycle. I also like the fact it saves on the amount of cat litter I have to buy. Perfect for multi-cat households.
To get your cat used to using it (as opposed to my testing methods of randomly letting my cats go in or pushing them in) the company suggests leaving the Litter Robot off for a few days so cat is used to it without the noise. Take a scoop of soiled litter from your cat’s current litter box and put this scoop into the new Litter Robot. Mmmm, the cats will smell the lovely aroma and want to enter and do their business. In a week turn the Robot on.
The lifestyle of the Jetson’s is finally here: A robot does everything, even scoop the poop. Life is good.
p.s. Georgia, who is shown in photo at right with her friend Snowflake behind her, was fired from the job of product review cat during the making of this video. She wanted me to ask if you would like to hire her because she is out of work now.
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I love the idea of these automated litter systems, but there’s always one thing I worry about, especially in multicat households: what if that thing goes off and scares off one of the cats and she’ll never use a litter box again? I know they all have a delay, and it sounds like this one has a nice long one, before the mechanism kicks in, but with multi-cat households, the cat who did her business may be in another room by the time it goes off, but another cat may just be getting ready to go? What has your experience been with that aspect, with this one and other automatic litter systems you’ve tried?
And Georgia does not look happy about having been fired….
Comment by Ingrid King — July 12, 2010 @ 11:25 am
Ingrid,
Once the noise went off all the cats came over to explore. One by one they sniffed and looked at it. Then they each used it and when they left another cat sometimes went right in (to ‘remark’ the territory) but eventually someone went near it when it started to go. They seem bored by the noise now and just use it when they need to go.
Kinda like all technology- we get used to it. I know I just got a new dryer and the thing is SO LOUD. But, as I type this I can hear it all the way to my office… I’ve kinda gotten used to it.
Yes, Georgia is miffed still … lol.
Comment by ericka — July 12, 2010 @ 11:38 am
Good review, but do I have to now refer to you from here on in as “Ericka the big fat cat” or “Miss Big Fat Cat”, or just BFC?
Comment by David S. Greene — July 12, 2010 @ 11:45 am
We got a LR and were very pleased with it. They have a blog and customer service is reputed to be helpful, too.
Ours finally gave up the ghost after many years of service, outliving the cat who favored it.
My only issues with LR are that it’s a)too small for large cats to use comfortably and b) it needs a scooping litter, working best with a clay-based litter (which we no longer use).
If you have a med to small cat and prefer clumping clay litter (and $300 to spend on a litter box), then the Litter Robot is for you.
Comment by mikken — July 12, 2010 @ 12:55 pm
Thank you for the detailed video. I have seen this product but not how it actually works. I too have a multi-cat household so it is important to know that it works in one and not just a home with one or two.
My one question would be how well it works during the night or while you are out. What happens when it has been used several times while you are sleeping or gone and cannot attend to it? Does it still work as well?
I do not remember the name of it but have you tried the one that looks like a toilet bowl and claims to “wash” the litter… I like the fact that you are using my favorite litter in this video (obviously the favorite of the masters of the house or it would not be allowed LOL….. I wonder if the litter washing one requires something special. I think I had found it on Drs Foster but am not sure.
Thanks again…..David Green posted this on FB and I could not wait to view it. Well worth the time to view it.
Dawn
Comment by Dawn — July 12, 2010 @ 1:44 pm
Hi Dawn,
I’ve had it set up now for about four days and the cats are using it at nit and day. They seem to like it better than the regular litter box. I am most impressed that it has not clogged up the filter screen.
I think testing different litters for this machine would be the next step. The type I used here works great and maybe I lucked into choosing the perfect fit. I like to use Worlds greatest cat litter, too, so I will give that a whirl next.
Btw, David: a woman can call herself a big fat cat but nobody else can!
Comment by Ericka — July 12, 2010 @ 6:21 pm
Noted. Thanks.
Comment by David S. Greene — July 12, 2010 @ 7:39 pm
The LR looks like a great product! Too bad it’s so small. I have a large (14 lb) cat (yes, a female, and no, she’s not overweight, just burly). I don’t think she’d fit into the Litter Robot.
I had a 20 lb. male cat years ago, and I had to use a baby bathtub for his litterbox (cut down one side) and a dog carrier to take him to the vet. I think about 1/2 of Aleister could fit inside that Litter Robot.
Come on, cat product manufacturers - some of us own Maine Coons and other big cats!
In the meantime, I use those Litter Pearls and do my own scooping, and wait for the Super-Sized Litter Robot!
Comment by CatPrrson — July 13, 2010 @ 3:27 pm
My neighbor just found two kitties who are 3 months old and one of them has the biggest arms and paws I have ever seen on a kitten.
Did you know your burly girl was going to be so big when she was a kitten?
I’ve heard people say ” wow, look at those paws, that is going to be a big dog, cat, etc) but i wonder if it is really true for cats?
Comment by Ericka Basile — July 14, 2010 @ 6:39 am
Ericka: my burly girl Madeleine is actually, proportionally, very dainty-pawed. She was an average-sized kitten who became big and muscular.
Now Aleister, the 20-lb male cat (RIP), he had enormous paws and we all knew he was going to be a big ‘un. His father was a neighborhood “large, fluffy striped cat” (to quote the owner of his mom) so I suspect he had some Maine Coon ancestry. I still miss him, he was a great cat, as was his “sister” Stella who died in ‘07 at age 18. It’s weird as a cat person to only have one now!
Stella was also a fairly sizable cat (12 lbs). So, for what it’s worth, I’ve always found a lot of cat products - carriers, litter boxes - ridiculously dinky. And since I plan to own a Maine Coon one day - I love big cats! - I suspect I will continue to track down those products made for bigger cats, like “dog” carriers, jumbo litter boxes, “dog” beds, and so on.
Comment by CatPrrson — July 14, 2010 @ 8:39 am
Ericka,
Regarding filling the box — there’s a slot on the side. There’s a “fill” button in the middle, which moves the globe to the slot. That can be moved aside to add the litter. A tad awkward, but it works better than filling it from the front.
Only one of ours uses the Robot. The others stare at it as it cycles.
Comment by Sally — July 15, 2010 @ 11:35 am