An automatic cat litter box is the dream of many cat owners. Wouldn't it be great to avoid the dreaded chore of scooping the kitty litter box every day?
Well, hold onto your seat. There is such a thing as a self-cleaning cat litter box. As a matter of fact, there are several different ones on the market. Here's a quick look at products from three different companies.
Litter Robot
This automatic cat litter box has a science-fiction look about it, as it actually does look a little like a robot. It consists of a globe that sits on top of a litter box. The cat litter is in the bottom of the globe.
The kitty enters the globe to do her business. After a few minutes, the globe turns, and a scooping mechanism scoops up the clump of urine or feces. As the globe rotates, the clump drops through a hole into a waste drawer beneath the globe. If the cat tries to go into the globe while it's turning, there is a sensor that detects the presence of the cat, and it stops turning immediately.
The owner must empty the waste drawer once or twice a week, depending on how many cats are in the household.
Most brands of scoopable cat litter can be used in the Litter Robot. Using old-fashioned clay kitty litter is not recommended.
Convenience does have its price, as this automatic litter box retails for $329.
Litter Maid
This type of self-cleaning cat litter box looks more like a conventional kitty litter box. The feline uses the box as usual. About ten minutes later, a rake goes through the litter, picking up the clumps, and depositing them into a waste container under the box. The waste container is removed every week by the owner, and replaced with a new one.
The Litter Maid automatic cat litter box requires the use of premium clumping cat litter. There are several different models, but the basic unit sells for $110. A larger unit made for bigger cats or for multi-cat households is $140.
Cat Genie
If an owner is looking for a flushable cat litter box, this is the answer. The good thing about the Cat Genie is that the cat litter disposal problem is solved, because it doesn't use regular kitty litter, only special washable granules sold by the Cat Genie company.
This self-cleaning cat litter box looks like a little toilet. It's hooked up to a water line in the home, and also to the human toilet or to a drain. When the kitty uses the box, the liquid drains away into a container, and solids are scooped into the same container and liquified. Water and a sanitizing solution scrub the box clean. The wash water and liquified waste is flushed into the toilet or drain. A hot air dryer then dries the granules.
Although the granules don't need to be replaced, it will be necessary to add more from time to time, as some may stick to solid waste or may be kicked out by the cat. The sanitizing solution comes in cartridges that must be replaced after 120 flushes.
The Cat Genie is $329, and the cartridges containing the sanitizing solution are sold in a two-pack for $40.
Dream On
For most cat owners, automatic cat litter boxes will remain a dream, since the price is more than most are willing to pay. But quite a few cat owners do opt for the convenience of a self-cleaning litter box. Automatic litter boxes sound like science fiction, but they really do exist.
Sources:
"Litter Robot - Frequently Asked Questions," Litter Robot website
"How Litter Maid Works," Litter Maid website
"CatGenie is Unlike All Cat Litter Boxes," Cat Genie website
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