Self Cleaning Litter Boxes – Worth the Investment?
There are a million things we love about having pets. They’re furry, loyal, cuddly…the list goes on and on. But on a regular basis, these incredibly cute creatures produce something that is a little less than cute. If I’m being completely honest, the poop situation is one of the reasons I have a cat instead of a dog. The poop is more contained, and I have less direct contact with it. Regardless, it is a responsibility that cannot be ignored.
If you’re anything like me, i.e. uncomfortable dealing with the p-word, self-cleaning litter boxes might be a worthwhile investment. I bought the Scoop Free Self-Cleaning Litter Box about five years ago after I had my fill of scooping every day. It costs about $100.00.
The upsides are:
- I spend a lot less of my time scooping poop. MAJOR PRO.
- It has a crazy cool sensor (like magic!) that sweeps the box 20 minutes after it has been used by your cat.
- Pink seems to like it just fine, and she doesn’t like most things (see her Ask Pink blog for more proof).
- When people come over, I don’t have to worry that she has recently made a deposit.
- The blue crystals are pretty, and I often get compliments about them.
- When I go out of town, I know that Pink doesn’t have to wait for the cat sitter to clean out the litter box.
However, there are some downsides:
- It’s noisy and sometimes wakes me up in the middle of the night. Boo hoo.
- The crystals stick on Pink’s feet and get in the bed. It’s not so bad when they’re blue, but when they’re green or yellow, it’s gross (blue crystals mean they are fresh, green & yellow crystals mean they have been soiled).
- The replacement litter trays are expensive at 14.99 each, but they come with the litter. The company says they are “disposable.” I say they are “reusable.” If you have multiple cats using the box, you may want to spend the extra $50.00 and get the real reusable litter tray, which is made out of plastic.
- The litter rake gets soiled and broken over time. It’s a little nasty.
- I still have to deal with the poop when I clean out the compartment, and there’s more of it.
There are pros and cons, but overall I am definitely glad I bought an electronic litter box. Now I just need to spring for one of those new rakes.
A
nother type of self cleaning litter box I’ve been hearing about is called the Litter Robot. The Litter Robot operates like a drum. Seven minutes after your cat has used it, the globe rotates, sifting the solid material into a drawer lined with a trash bag and leaving your cat with a fresh bed of litter for the next use. It is pricier at $339.00, and I’m not sure I could get Pink into a litter box that looks like a space helmet, but you might have better luck with your cat.
There is another alternative to the Litter Robot that utilizes the spinning drum technology and has a better price tag at $99.00. . The Quick Clean Cat Litter Box from Litter Spinner has been featured on moderncat.net and has good product reviews on Amazon.
Have you tried a self cleaning litter box? Let us know if you think it’s worth the investment in the comments section below.
I have used the Littermaid Elite litterbox. It is not as loud as the scoop free and has a solid tray so that any litter may be used. It also has a timer so you have the option of it raking through the litter every time your cat uses it or having it rake the litter at a set time once a day. One thing to remember about the ‘use any litter’ models is that any litter really shouldn’t be used. Clay litters can become to heavu for the rake causing the motor to burn out. The best litter to use for automatic litter boxes are crystals, corn, pine, or wheat clay free fast clumping litters. Brands such as World’s Best Cat Litter, Swheat Scoop, Nature’s Miracle Litter, Feline Pine and now Blue Buffalo Litter.
I would love to see someone review the Cat Genie. I really want to invest in one for my apartment! Two kitties = double the poop lol
I would like to recommend the Litter Genie, it is amazing! It fills up quickly but works much better than similar products meant for real babies. The plastic bag refills last on average about 3 weeks and come in a 2 pack for $14.99. It has saved me from having to run down to the dumpster twice a day. Highly recommended and I have 4 cats.
Jennifer,
We too have 4 cats but the folks at Cat Genie didn’t think it would keep up with our boys. How large are your cats? We would love to buy a Cat Genie, but have been hesitant to make the investment not knowing if it would keep up with them. Two of our boys are pretty big, around 25 pounds, while the other two are more “normal” sized.
When you say “Cat Genie,” are you referring to the cat box that uses special granules and a solution that washes it out and flushes it away? We have three, for 2 cats. And I’m about to get rid of them. I work with cats at a shelter and have a lot of experience with litter boxes. We thought these would be a great idea, but honestly, cats don’t like them. They simply put up with them. They’re not natural. They don’t absorb. The down sides are that your cat will step in it’s pee trying to cover up (although 1 cat just jumps in, pees, jumps out) and then track that all over the house. The granules stick in their paws longer. And one cat who is now an adult has decided she doesn’t like to poop in it all the time. If you read blogs, you’ll find a lot of people have cats that flat out won’t use it, or decide not to when they’re older. It’s just not worth the cost (not to mention all the chemicals you’re flushing down your toilet.)