Automatic Litterbox Central

Just got the LR and my cat used it the 1st day! I love it! My cat is kinda chunky and he seems to fit in there ok. (hes on a diet now and hopefully hell be able to fit in there better) Today I was checking the bag for treasures and found that there was urine under the bag in the collection box. I am assuming that my kitty is peeing on the wall and its going out the side holes directly to the collection box. Is this because hes such a big kitty? I know hes not a sprayer, Ive watched him several times in his old box just squatting. What can I do if this happens again? Is him peeing out of the holes going to hurt the LR? It looked like all the urine went into the box and not under it... Could this be because he is a bigger kitty?
I have another question: do you think he will stop using the LR eventually if he gets tired of trying to fit in there? he is 16 1/2 lbs, and Im trying to get him down to 13. So hopefully this wont be an issue.
Sorry that this is so long I just hope I can keep the LR, I love it so far!!!
Any help would be great!
Amy

I don't know why it's getting into the box. If he's actually peeing outside the box, he may be protesting. Our vet recommends a course of valium to combat behavioral issues of this sort - it is supported by a prolonged study at Texas A&M vetrinary school.

You might talk to your vet about it if the behavior continues.

I have a problem with my 16-year old tabby, Nord, in regards to this. He walks in the LR sometimes, but does not turn around much, and urinates. Thus, the urine is going out the LR's door and often lands on the top of the drawer. Then, the urine seeps into the drawer.

I have been trying to follow Nord when he goes in there, so that I can train him to turn around once he gets inside, but it is hard to keep track on hime always.

I believe that one reason that he does not turn around is because he is a bigger cat (~15 lbs) and does not feel comfortable inside the unit. My hope is that someday they will invent a King-sized LR, with plenty of space for bigger cats!

Don

For those of you who have cats walking into the Robot and using it without turning around, this is how I was able to train my 20 pounder to stop that:

I followed him to the 'bot after I knew he was using it regularly. Then as soon as he hopped in, I'd touch his leg. He got into the habit of turning around within a couple of days. Now he goes in, turns around and looks out to make sure I'm not going to sneak up on him while he's in the bathroom.

>^..^<

Its not that hes peeing outside the box, its that he is peeing out the fill/dump holes. I think its just cause hes a big kitty and he pees kinda high. I actually put a regular size trashbag in the box and i havnt seen any urine under that so far. and he also has lose 2 lbs so far, so that might help too.
I dont know if he doent turn around in the box (i never catch him in there) If i do see he doesnt turn around, I am definately going to try Laurens tecnique in training my cat. Well have to see if I can! Its great advice!!
Thanks

Madori76 - how often have you seen your cat pee through the waste port? Have many people had this problem?

In answer to your second question: We haven't had that particular problem with our cats.

I have had a bit of that problem. More at first, only evey now and then now.
Not sure which one but one of my 3 cat's dosn't always turn around and it runs out and seeps in the foam sealer on the drawer. I use a kit. garbage bag in mine, then if it happens, I dry it with paper towel and use a clorox wipe, let it dry a few min's, wipe it dry with a paper towel ( I use the kind you can tear smaller or larger so only use what I need.) I also use the clorox and p. towel on both sides of the foam part of the drawer. This keeps it clean,etc.
needing to empty the drawer every 36 hours helps keep it from being real bad. Still better then scooping out the litter. MUCH better.

Katt

I've also found pee under the bag a couple times. Luckily, I could see where someone had peed out one of the waste ports, and it had ran into the waste drawer. I didn't see any way to prevent the culprit from peeing out the hole, so I just figured out how to contain it. Each tim I replace the bag (daily, since I have 6 "kids"), I just ensure that the "top" of the bag is tucked under the lip. That way, if any liquid runs off of the kitty-guards and drips into the tray, it will always go in the bag.

BTW, the culprit was found to be Mo, our youngest. Apparently this is "target practice" for him. Our 20-lb, resident fat-cat, Church, has no problems.... he just does his business with his head sticking out of the entrance.

Hope this helps...

Kelly =)

I also had problems with urine on the entrance and leaking down through the front ledge and then down under the bag. I finally spotted one of my cats enter and then not turn around while peeing with her tail sticking out the entrance. Looks like others here have the same problem. Once this started happening it became more and more frequent. It certainly makes for a messy and smelly cleanup.

I have a solution that worked for me. I used box tape and created an internal "ledge." After cleaning the interior entrance way with wipes and drying it carefully, just stretch a length of tape (with the sticky side facing out) across the INSIDE ledge. It sticks there nicely so it will form a firm 1 - 1.5 inch lip barrier. Next, since I used clear tape, I stuck a piece of white paper on the sticky side so my cats could easily see that there was something new there. Finally, I stretched another length of tape across the sticky side and along the bottom ledge to keep hair or anything from attaching to the first piece of tape and also to anchor the tape a bit more and keep it well attached.

It's been 2 weeks now and the problem is gone! I thought my cats might tear it down (they could if they wanted to) but they just jump in over it. I also thought they might try to pee over (or all over) it, but nope. They also used to kick a fair bit of litter out every once in a while but that has stopped as well. The tape remains intact and unsprayed upon.

I also used to have the problem with one of them spraying into the waste ports (and therefore under the bag), but for some reason this has stopped as well. (I have my fingers crossed.)

Hope this helps others it certainly worked great for me! Good luck!

Thank you for this post!

I got my LR a few weeks ago. My cats were using it OK, but the 1st few nights, I had to unplug it during the night because of the noise, and one cat developed a habit of peeing without turning around (probably because the litter was dirty in some areas and she didn't want to walk around in the robot) and the urine went on the step and it would also run down into the drawer. I finally moved the LR furthur from my bedroom and have it plugged in during the night too, but this cat kept on peeing on the step.

I finally remembered reading your post and decided to put the box tape/paper to make the ledge like you did, and it's worked! It's been only about 24 hours but so far no pee on the step! (This cat has been doing this everyday so I think I am out of the woods now)

I can't thank you enough for this solution!!!

I knew I'd read about this problem earlier, so was glad to find this thread again. I've had my LR for only 3 days. Yesterday and last night were the first cold turkey days (no old box) ... my cats will not transition if they have a choice, I'm discovering. Anyway, they *seem* to be using it, but this morning there was urine all over the step and the drawer was full of it. My cats are not sprayers and they are only 7 - 8# ... so I can only surmise that they are not turning around and are sticking their little hinnies out the door ... or it might just be one cat. I did catch one this morning and just tapped her, and she turned right around to do her business while looking out the door. I'll also try the tape trick and see how it goes.

Thanks,

Molly

I cut and pasted dplearn's tape suggestion in the sticky thread about helping cats use the LR -- hope you don't mind!

One of my cats also pees throught the waiste port holes. Both of my cats are very private and will never go if you are around, so I am unable to see which one is doing it or how to remedy it.

tape question
my cats are always peeing on the ledge. we've had the lr for about 2months and while they are using it - there's pee and litter on the ledge every day.

the tape idea sounds great... but i'm a little confused, do we put the tape on the ledge of the pull-out tray, or the ledge of the opening into the globe?