Automatic Litterbox Central

Hi,
I am in the process of adopting a 6-7 year old cat. Her foster mother has told me that she uses a covered littler box and although she is afraid of the vacuum and thunder, the foster mother thinks she should be able to use an automatic litter box.

I would like to buy the Litter Robot and have her begin using it as soon as I bring her home. I do not currently have any other cats, so I don't have any other litterbox.

Would it be a bad idea for me to only have a Litter Robot in my home when she first arrives? I wouldn't have it plugged in to start (I read the suggestions here). Am I taking an unncessary risk of having her go on the floor because the Litter Robot is too scary? Or is it more likely that she will take to it immediately if it is her only option? I would like to avoid getting a second litter box if possible, in large part because I live in a small space and don't have a lot of room.

Thanks so much for any advice. I have been reading this forum for weeks, trying to figure out what the best automatic litter choice would be. I decided on the Litter Robot because I know this cat already uses a covered box and because it has gotten such great reviews. I was tempted to wait for the CatGenie to be released more widely, but it seems that it is taking awhile to get to people who pre-ordered months ago, so I thought the Litter Robot might be the better choice.

Thanks again!

The safest path is to put a covered litterbox next to the LR (don't plug it in) and fill them both up with litter. If the cat chooses the regular box (most likely) then let that one stink up until she gets curious about the LR full of nice clean litter and decides it's OK to use. When she starts using it regularly, take the covered litterbox away and hope the cat doesn't hold any attachments to it.

Moving to a new home is often a scary situation for an older cat. You can help her through the transition by giving her a familar litterbox for the first few days. Making her happy in her new home is more important than getting her to use the LR quickly.

Thank you so much Scott--that's very helpful. I went out and bought a covered litter box today that was domed--my thought was that if it looks like the Litter Robot a little it might make the transition easier. I think I'll use the covered one exclusively for awhile until she's comfortable, then introduce the Robot but leave the covered box there, then wait for her to make the transition as you suggested.

The last thing I want is for the cat to be more nervous than necessary!