Owning a cat is a great privilege and a joy, but few feline owners look forward to the task of cleaning out the litter box. Not only is it a smelly experience to sift through urine-infused litter in search of fecal remains, but handling soiled cat litter while pregnant can even be life-threatening to the unborn baby. Fortunately, a helpful product offers a solution many kitty-owners have been waiting for: a Litter Robot™. This contraption is designed as a self-cleaning litter box that only needs to be emptied one or twice a week instead of every day.
Advantages of Using the Litter-Robot
- It saves money. Instead of buying more litter and constantly refilling the box, the Litter-Robot decreases litter purchasing by up to 50%! This also limits the amount of plastic bags used to dispose of waste, and the amount of trips to the large garbage disposal outside.
- No more “cat urine” smell! The days of stinky litter boxes become a thing of the past when you use the Litter-Robot. Though the company recommends emptying the litter box at least once a week, the daily “hovering” waste smell is far less detectable than other generic litter boxes. Using a carbon filter system, and consolidating the litter in the waste compartment below helps keep the unpleasant stench to a minimum.
- Safety is a key feature. Though the robot does rotate during the cleaning process, if the cat were to jump inside while it is rotating, the motor shuts off right away, and allows the cat to do his business. There is no electrical exposure, wires, or pointed objects which could be a threat to the pet.
- They are durable, and designed to last. The system is efficient, reliable and does not take up more space than a normal litter box. The “bed” of the litter box is motion and weight sensitive, and can accommodate even larger cats of up to 15 pounds.
- Purchase and satisfaction guarantee. There is a 90-day guarantee with a full refund if an owner is unsatisfied with the results, or if the cat seems to have an aversion to the box. For those that are happy with the Litter-Robot, the company also offers an 18-month full warranty with the opportunity to get repairs on the product should there be any malfunctions.
Adjusting to the Litter-Robot
Anytime something changes in an animal’s routine or environment, the pet might take a few days to adjust to the unfamiliar object. In the case of the Litter-Robot, here are some helpful tips as to how you can help you kitty become accustomed to his new waste-space.
- First, keeping the robot on “off” for the few days while your cat is getting used to the new contraption. Position the Litter-Robot exactly where your cat’s original litter box was located. Though it will look strange to him initially, the cat will begin to realize why it is there. (For an extra nudge, sprinkle a little catnip inside, or rub some out the outer opening to pique his curiosity.)
- Another way to lure the cat into the Litter-Robot, is to cover the whole thing with a cardboard box. Since cats are private creatures (who can seldom resist the charms of a cardboard box) this might be the best way to entice them to explore inside.
Note: If your cat still isn’t using the Litter Robot™, and is having incontinence then you can bring in the old litter box, but leave the Litter-Robot right next to it. Don’t clean the regular litter box for a day or two, and see if the cat will hop up into the robot to relieve himself instead once his old litter box is soiled enough to cause the cat to look for other options. Once he has done this for a few days, you can toss the old box out.