Automatic Litterbox Central

Hello,

My dad, who will be 85 on Tuesday, has decided that he wants a cat, something my brother and I have been encouraging since my mom passed away 3 years ago. He lives alone and is in good shape. My daughter and I will be helping him pick out cat supplies and his new best friend when we see him Thanksgiving weekend. I want to make things as easy for him as possible and was wondering which type of box would be the easiest for him to use. I've looked at the automatic self-cleaning boxes online and they range from simple manual models that have to be turned over to deluxe battery-operated kinds. Do they really work? Thanks for your help.

Deborah

Hello... I would recommend the Litter Robot for your father. Its an automated box, and it works just as advertised. I've had mine a lil over 3 months, and love it. I think it would be perfect for an elderly person... because it's very low maintence.... all your father would have to do is empty the drawer a couple times a week. I started mine out with this box as kittens, and they used it immediately... it seems older cats don't take to it as fast, so since you didn't get the cat yet... I would suggest getting a kitten if you decide to get the LR. You can check out the reviews about it on this forum, they're all positive reviews. I think all of the other LR users would agree it would be the best solution for your situation.

Any questions feel free to ask... good luck!

In contrast, I would recommend a Litterfree (you can still buy them on Ebay):

1. He won't have to buy cat litter and lug it around - this saves money, time, and physical exertion.

2. He won't ever have to pick up anything heavy (the LR is a heavy unit!) if anything goes wrong.

3. The Litterfree does not require emptying any containers.

4. Litterfree solution is NOT needed if the unit is run 3 times daily, which can be automatically programmed.

5. As long as the granules are replaced in the box when the cat kicks them out, they too do NOT need to be replaced.

Of course, for safety's sake, the cat should never go outdoors for any reason. If you are getting a cat from an animal shelter (which I hope you are), I have found that pure or nearly pure black cats tend to have wonderful dispositions, as do orange tabbies or pure orange cats. No idea why, but it may be that behavioral traits are in some way related to color. I could be wrong, but at least this has been my experience.

I hope that your Dad really enjoys his new friend!

One thing I would like to add to the post above, he forgot to mention Litter Free as gone OUT OF BUSINESS. So the supplies are very hard to find. Petco sells them, but they always seem to be out of stock. Also, if you buy on Ebay - you can't return it if it malfunctions, since the company is no longer there, and this unit is NOT cheap on Ebay.

I tried the Litter Free unit once, and I hated it. Everytime the dryer ran its cycle, it would make my entire house smell like cat feces, it was nasty.

Tori is right - the company is, at least temporarily, out of business. However, supplies (other than one or two boxes of granules which should come with it) are not needed - but if you really want them here is a link:

http://www.petco.com/search/mercado_sea ... litterfree

The Litterfree sells for about $ 200.00 - $ 250.00 new on Ebay. The Litter Robot costs $ 364.00 to 384.00 depending on color.

Tori is also right in that you cannot return the Litterfree to the manufacturer if it malfunctions.

If you run the Litterfree 3 times per day, the odor might be present for a short period of time (~ 1 minute), but is minimal.

Both units have advantages and disadvantages.