Automatic Litterbox Central

I have been using the Litter Robot for going on 5 months now. It works great, but is a bit noisy. I have it in the bedroom, so I put it on a timer; it is set to be off while I am sleeping. I did switched back to Scoop Away because of better odor control.

I don't have an automatic box (but will soon.) I currently have 4 cats and 2 litter boxes and I scoop once a day (sometimes twice.) I have tried almost every brand of litter out there, including Swheat Scoop and World's Best. One of my girls will pee on the bathroom rug if I buy scented litter of any type so everything I have tried has been unscented.

My favorites:
Precious Cat (Dr. Elsey's)
EverClean

I buy whichever one I can get cheaper.

We use Tidy Cat: Small Spaces. No oder. Clumps good. But, the cats (we have 2, used to have 3 -- my 14yo passed away) do tend to track it, litterally, all over the house.

I don't have an automatic litterbox yet (still in the research phase). I have two cats and have been using Tidy Cat Small Spaces for about a year. Before that, it was Tidy Cat Multiple Cats. However, I just switched to World's Best Litter for Multiple Cats. It's pricey, but I like the fact that it's made from corn and that it flushes. It's only my second day, so I'll have to let you know how it goes.

Tidy Cat tended to have a strong litter smell, but did clump really well and held back the smell of pee and poop pretty well.

I tried Swheat (sp?) at one point, but it smelled very sweet and I couldn't handle that. I don't like purfumey smells.

Well I dont scoop.... and never had an automatic box. I have been using the Feline Pine. That is pelleted pine sawdust I believe.... It smells better to me than the clay litters and because I live out in the woods I can just dump it and not fill my trash can up with cat litter.
But all that said I just ordered a CatGenie. Hopefully that will be the best answer yet.

My experience with having 2 cats and working in a vetenerian hospital in the past tells me that there is more to litter box problems than only "litter" itself.

Most people that would come to consult with their cats would often ask about that problem. The thing is that if you feed bad and cheap food to your cat, he will eat more of it to feel full, thus creating more feces. Also, the cheap food and table scraps make it smell really really worst than it should. Basically, a cat should get the best food possible of course, but will also reduce considerably the smell and quantity of feces. This fact is even more noticable with dogs.

As for the litter itself, i have tried all the best brands available in the hospital's store. I am lucky that my cats will use whatever i put in their box but i noticed they have their preferences...


The worst one was the crystals. It looked nice when it was new. Although it was great at drying the solids and making it easy to scoop out, i found the urine would never really absorb and the crystals soon turned into a bright yellow only a few days after making it look disgusting to anyone who would use my tiny bathroom. And the smell? unbarable!

Any other kind i tried would just be disapointing until i got Scoopable FELINE FRESH, made from pine shavings. http://www.planetwiseproducts.com/index.htm I must admit i tend to forget the litter box ever since i moved and put the box in the basement. But with this stuff you can't smell a thing, it clumps really well. You can flush it but i prefer putting it in the trash. Anyway you can also compost it if you want. I haven't found anything wrong with it except for a little tracking but it was worst with the crystals which would scratch wooden floors if you got a chip stuck under a shoe or something. it's also very light so i can purchase a big bag on my own.

I am planning on getting either a Litter Robot II or a CatGenie... because i just keep forgetting to clean the litter box!

Oh and the cats? Well they seem to dislike the pine getting between their toes and the fact that they can't have fun throwing aroung litter chips, but that's life! At least they use it well and it works!

I read here somewhere that chicken scratch (feed) works. I got some at a local feed store and indeed it works and looks just like WBCL and it is much cheaper. Clumpa well and has very little odor. I am using it in a LM and LR. The person at the feed store has cats and was interested in this as well. He sells WBCL and uses it for his cats. I wonder what the results will be. Wiill he raise the price of the feed and re-bag it? HA!

morris wrote:I read here somewhere that chicken scratch (feed) works. I got some at a local feed store and indeed it works and looks just like WBCL and it is much cheaper. Clumpa well and has very little odor. I am using it in a LM and LR. The person at the feed store has cats and was interested in this as well. He sells WBCL and uses it for his cats. I wonder what the results will be. Wiill he raise the price of the feed and re-bag it? HA!

How much does chicken scratch cost? Is it significantly cheaper and do you have to worry about bugs hatching in it?

I just switched to Swheat Scoop from the clay clumping type on the advice of the kennel where I board my cats when I'm away. The kennel owner told me that it's better for cats and it isn't as dusty. I'm finding it works fine but it seems to track more than clay, maybe because it's lighter. In addition, it is still fairly dusty, although I suppose it's healthier dust that the clay dust! Swheat Scoop is also way more expensive than the clumping clay.

I'm also considering buying a Litter Robot and I'm not sure if Swheat Scoop will work with it.

I think I'm a voice crying in the wilderness, but I LOVE crystal litter. Not crystals mixes with another kind of litter, but the pure crystals. There is no odor, ever! I had two siamese cats (who died of old age-related diseases last year) and they used crystals for eight or nine years. They loved it and so do I. Now that we have two new baby siamese kitties, I have introduced them it it, and they use it happily.

The secret is using much more than you see used in the Scoop Free. (Another story for another time; I sent mine back.) Anyway, I use about five to six pounds in a jumbo litter box, making a depth of three to four inches. Scooping diligently and stirring, it used to last three weeks with my adult cats, and one was a whopping sixteen pounds. I don't know how long the kitties will make it last, since i just set it up last week.

I have't found too much difference in brands. Right now I'm using Exquisite Cat Crystals but I pretty much go by what crystals happen to be cheapest when I'm shopping. I've never used the Pearls. The one down side of crystals is, don't step on one in your bare feet!

As an old hand with crystals, I'll be glad to answer any questions anyone might have.

I have not yet decided 100% on a favorite litter, IMO they all have drawbacks.

My favorite is WBCL multiple cats - has been our standby, but it does track a lot and stick to the cats paws and fur frequently. And I have found if I give them the choice my cats prefer clay.

So we recently went back to clumping clay - Dr Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra. I just hate when it sticks to the scoop and the box etc.

My cats' favorite is Better Way Original (unscented) I am currently giving this one a try. It is a very fine sand-like litter.

I hate how many manufacturers label their product "unscented" but then the litter smells like perfume. Everclean "unscented" smells like a whole bottle of perfume. All Tidy Cats products smell like public restroom air freshener. I hate scented products and so do cats!

Q: What brand are you devoted to?
A: Scoop Away and ExquisiCat® Crystals
Q: Why?
A: They are the best and as far as I'm concerned only option for my cat. To explain, my cat is a high volume pee'er whose style of going is to back as close to the wall of her box as she can. Instead of squatting she lets her urine run down the side of the box. This style combined with a large volume does not allow clumping litter to surround the liquid. Crystals alone would be worse. Crystals can't absorb fast enough to handle a high volume pee'er so the results of using those alone would end up with puddles and odor problem. The best option for a cat like mine is to get the hardest clumping litter I can find and add crystals to help absorb all the moisture so the clumps can dry properly. Without using both, the clumping litter never gets dry enough to hold together so I end up with crumbling when I scoop or worse, a gooey clump stuck to the box that's extremely difficult to dislodge. Using both assures I get the results I'm looking for.
Q: Does it control odors well?
A: Yes.
Q: No odor at all?
A: No, I do not have any odor problems.
Q: Does it clump well?
A: Yes, Scoop Away is the best clumping litter I've found and it does perform as represented under normal conditions. As stated, my cat presents a challenge that I do not deem normal conditions. Scoop Away with crystals OR adding crystals as I do is best for this type of challenge.
How often do you scoop?
Once a day.
Is it cheap?
Yes. Costco has an excellent price on the Scoop Away - 10.99 for 40 lbs. So I get it there and add the crystals instead of buying their 'with' crystals formula. I get the ExquisiCat crystals at Petsmart. The crystals last a long time using them the way I do.

Comments: Many cat parents out there get lucky and have a cat(s) where anything will work. But litter and litter boxes are not miracle workers. What is best for one household may not work worth beans in another. And cats can and will act up if they don't like their situation. The big secret to getting your kitty box and litter right is taking time to observe the cat’s habits. Figure out your cat’s style and any habitual patterns. Large clumps or clumps in the same area of the box everyday will cause jamming issues with most auto boxes. If your cat is lazy not to bury, a litter to help with odor control along with a covered box are good choices. In my case, I need a high wall box. Like it or not, automatics and all standard designs can't be on my shopping list. For me, a clumping litter with crystals works best.

Since I took the advice of someone on here and switched to chicken layer (a type of dried, crumbled corn feed that is extremely similar to The World's Best Cat Litter), I will never go back to any other kind of litter.

I pay $13.00 for 50 lbs plus buy Tidy Cat powder deodorizer. With 2 automatic litterboxes and 11 cats, I buy 1 bag of the chicken layer appx. every 4 weeks, and one can of deodorizer. That makes my monthly expenditure on litter appx. $16.00.

I've got other posts on this board extolling the virtues of it. I'll hunt them up and link them here later.

I have tried nearly everything over the years. So far, I like the cat genie the best, but only have had for 4 months. Tidy cats clay is my 2nd favorite

LitterMate: I believe it was the Elite model in 2005-Waste receptical was too small and stinks horribly, cost of recepticals is high, did not scoop up the "little nuggets", need 2 or more with multiple cats
Arm and Hammer clay: WAY too dusty! End of story!
Tidy cats brezze: Worked out for a while, some cats did not take to it well, pellets smell after awhile, got to soak box/pellets in bleach to kill smell and reuse pellets. Stoped using after I could not find pads/pellets locally.
Worlds BL: Not bad, used for awhile,I can't remember why I stopped using it..? Cost maybe..
Pine litter: NO! Threw out after 2 days! Breaks up to powder, impossible to scoop, smells, messy!
Newspaper litter: Not as bad as pine, same issues eventually.
Tidy Cats scoop litter: Always go back to this brand after all my failures! Good clumping, odor control, and cost effective(can find coupons and sales) Hate the tracking and clay paw prints on my sinks and tubs, (my cats like water)
Cat genie: Works well, does produce smell when drying occasionally, best if left on auto, that reduces the smell. Cost of supplies may be high, but comes to roughly $26 a month with 4 cats on auto, I buy in bulk to save! Pellets do track, needs a good cleaning every 2 months.