Automatic Litterbox Central

Lauren wrote:I think it's awesome that our customers would go to such lengths to compare performance of different litters in our Litter-Robot. Only our wonderful customers would be willing to go to such trouble. I can't imagine how this information could not be helpful to others. I am definitely interested to see the outcome.

I do not think it's "awesome". I think the manufacturer should have done that research, and suggest few exact brands that work - really work. It's OK to mention that other brands and types work, too - but we shouldn't go through all that exercise - I am trying third brand/type in just four days since I got my LR.
It is clear; this unit is badly, badly under-developed. It is "half-baked".
It is also clear, that this principle is working, and LR2, or LR Super, or LR Plus - or whatever name they come up with - will be way, way better, and most probably excellent. There are many very little things that are obviously should be tried:
- increasing size of the waste drawer;
- making possible to put bag conveniently;
- making inside of the globe non-sticky;
- altering waste openings' profile so it wouldn't make a cliff for the waste to hung on;
- making entrance to be short-tube-like (less litter dropping out during rotation);
- who said that opening must be in a center of the globe? Move it up an inch, and amount of litter can be increased (yes, it will be lower an inch while rotating - but that's not important, right?)
- etc., etc., etc...

Well, maybe it just tired and a bit frustrating engineer came home from work and talking nonsense... But litter - litter MUST be tested and clearly suggested. After all, we paid you quite a bit and can expect you being experts on this potentially great product...

i guess you really are right, that's something they shoulda tested, but on the other hand, atleast in my opinion....cat litter is cat litter...sure some might clump a little better and control odor a little better, but they're all made out of the same crud (besides the corn kind). i use cheap litter from sams club and it does the job just fine...i really dont think using a different kind of litter would show dramatic differences in the performance of the robot.

runt wrote:i really dont think using a different kind of litter would show dramatic differences in the performance of the robot.

Sorry, but I disagree.
First, I used Fresh Steps Crystals - good for the smell, but because of its huge granules it did not fall good through the mesh, and got half-wasted right away.
Then, I got some clumping kind (forgot brand) - smell becomes a problem.
Third, I tried Tidy Cat Blend - tiny granules go through the mesh perfectly, but tracking is terrible, and dust, and smell is not suppressed as well as with large crystals...

Well, here's my two cents worth... We've had the robot for five months now, and we use el-cheapo clumping litter from the pet store... It's called Cuddles. It works great, and the smell is minimal to non-existent. The tracking is basically non-existent also. One of our cats (we have two) pees a LOT, and I have to change the bag every day, which is annoying, but I LOVE the Litter Robot, and would never want to go back to a regular litter box. Good work on the study, it'll be interesting to see what you come up with.

P.S. I'm thinking of increasing the size of the drawer as in Jen's post (HERE)... Probably going to do that in the next few days.

We're thinking of buying a LR, so I'd love to know what, if anything you've learned so far in your study.[size=18][/size]

Vermithrax,

With this Cuddles litter, you said there is no tracking. Did you have tracking with other litters, or are you cats just tidy?

Thanks,
Becky

I only found one place online with Cuddles cat litter and it was being sold at a place in Hong Kong. I cannot find any other information on it. If tracking is non-existent then that will be the litter for me. Tracking is horrible in my house. I have two cats and two Litter Robots on opposite sides of the house. It is amazing just how far away I find litter.
I am looking forward to the results of the big litter shootout and am thankful it is being done.

Hello,
I use Berkley & Jensen clumping litter (Comes in pink 40 lbs boxes from BJ's Wholesale Club.) I'm pretty happy with it, except my cat, 5 years old, tracks it all over the apartment.

I'm thinking of getting the litter robot, had been thinking of the littermaid. Was just wondering if anyone else uses this same litter? The 40 lbs box of it costs less than $7.

Thanks,
Marc

I just found this thread and wanted to suggest Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra (http://www.preciouscat.com/WebPages/Ultra.html) for testing. It claims to form hard clumps that won't break during mechanical litter box operations. I've had reasonably good results from it.

Laurie

Now that I'm the proud (hopefully) owner of a LitterBot, I decided I should check out the forum more thoroughly and was thrilled to find this testing set forth. The plan looked very solid and I read with great anticipation through the entire thing without finding any results!

Is that because you haven't finished the test or should I be looking elsewhere?

Hey where is the study??? I'd love to hear about it.

Also, I use Swheat Scoop litter, and I'd love to hear what abhorrent smell you are referring to? It smells like wheat to me. Unless of course it is full of urine and feces, then it smells like other things, but then all litter has that.

I refuse to use a clay clumping litter. I had a cat that had a bad reaction to it. It sat in her stomach for years until we figured it out.

I use the WBCL and am very pleased with it. I have heard about others speak of an awful smell as with the Sweat Scoop. It has a clean smell to me also unless someone just left a present in it. I used to use the Sweat Scoop, but like this much better and it lasts longer. I think a key to getting the best out of your litter is to keep it clean. I have a friend that fills his litter box almost to the top to avoid cleaning it often, and he has yet to find a litter that he liies. I also am very interested in the litter survey.

I'm browsing today to find a new litter box theme and am interested now with Litter Robot, so have been reading thru the forum. Last year I bought two of the large Omega's that you roll over and it filters the waste into a tray. Seems these things don't snap together tightly (warped plastic upon delivery) and every roll over I got litter all over to clean up, but I have both boxes in my garage so it isn't a big deal for me in sweeping up the mess. But, the durned waste tray doesn't always stay put in the rollover process adding more mess. When the LR rolls its' drum over, does the litter stay put inside? No seams for it to leak out?

Also, I currently use Exqusi-cat Scoop (ES) litter ... and I mix it with Yesterday's News (YN) litter. I really like the YN for absorption and odor control. Can YN be used in LR?

For anyone not familiar with Yesterday's News litter, it resembles rabbit bedding in short elongated pellets. I line the front and back regions of the boxes heavily with it since this is the main areas they do their whiz and has proven to be very effective in urine odor control. It doesn't really clump, but with the ES combo, it disintegrates enuff to work okay for my purposes which is to control odor (primary purpose).

In readying thru the posts, I see I'll still be stuck with one of my Omega's if I buy a LR. I had chosen last year not to buy two littermaids due to all the troubles associated with them, so am still foot-tapping waiting for something better and so far this LR sounds better ... same concept of the rollover as the Omega, but sounds like it still has a lot of kinks to work out or have most of them been fixed? After all, I don't have more cleaning chores with the Omega's as appears with LR, but I am still looking seriously here to try to make my life easier. Having the litter boxes in my garage, realize I don't go out there every day. If the LR kinks up during a roll cycle, will the motor burn up if I don't attend to it right away or is there some failsafe built in?

With the LR, the only litter you will have to clean up is if your cats are kickers and/or trackers. Mine is a tracker and I'm still trying to figure out the best way to control that, but I have had that problem with every litter box I have had and will continue to until someone comes up with a litter that doesn't get stuck between their toes.

The LR does not have seems where litter falls out and the only time litter comes out of the unit is if you over fill it, and in that case, the litter simply empties with the waste into the waste drawer.

As for the litter you use, I use VERY cheap clumping litter that I get from BJ's. Which reminds me, it times to get some more. It's Berkely and Jensen and comes in 40lbs boxes for about $6. I found it worked very well with odor control, except when they first make a #2 and clumps fast enough that the 7 minute delay on the LR is enough. I can't comment on YN in regards to the LR, but I did try that when I first adopted my cat and he tracked it more than any other litter I have tried.

Depending on the # of cats you have, the waste bin is quite large. I think it could hold two weeks worth for my one cat, if it didn't all bunch up in the same area because of the dump area. So when I am home, I just shake the drawer to even it out. When I go away for a few days, I just put in a new bag to be on the safe side. I don't want to come home to find I have a mess to clean up because the globe was hitting against some of the waste.

As for failsafes, etc. It's my understanding that the unit will stop the cycle if it can't proceed, but maybe Lauren or someone with more experience can answer that for your.

Overall, while expensive and it could use a few small modifications, I think the LR is a fantastic piece of eqp. I have it in my living room and bought an adjustable table from Ikea that it sits under and the cats food is on the table, to keep the dog from eating it.

Good luck with you decision, I don't believe you can go wrong with the LR, as long as your cats will use it.

Marc

I have three cats, most likely be just two in another week. I'm not worried much about the tracking mess that seems to come as a given to all litter boxes ... I just wish to be more free of the extra scooping and not have to spend an hour to clean an electronic box (sort of defeats the purpose) ... I detest messing with all the take aparts even with the manual Omega Paws litter box as it is, so when I buy one of these LR's I will build one of those neat modifications for the waste before putting it down for them to use it (seems the mucked up drums is caused from this particular). I know my nature well enuff to know I won't be pulling the tray out as often to ensure the drum doesn't get mucked ... and I got one 17 pound feller who really makes big dumps. I've got these electronic timed feeders and still this guy puts on weight (use only special petstore foods, too). But, he's such a cutie he actually makes fat beautiful. So, I'm glad to see that someone figured out a modification for the waste tray which I can do as well.

Yes, the YN does get picked up by the cat's paws, but have to say that it is definitely easier to pick up with my fingers and it doesn't scratch my floors as the gritty scoop litter does ... and is less likely to get tracked into my house since they have to get thru the pet door first. I will probably use just the Yesterday's News in the Omega litter box, but am curious if it has been tried out in the LR and if so, what kind of results it has had. Sort of wonder if any fancier litter boxes have been designed to use this YN.

So, the only thing left for me to figure out about the LR before placing an order is why they charge $30 more for bone versus the black. Color makes no diff for me, but am curious if there is some other difference.