Automatic Litterbox Central

Check out the last comment on this article:

http://www.mcgladrey-family.us/kayne/archives/2003/08/23/littermaid_vs_litterfree.html

an excerpt:

August 25, 2003

The company is out of business mostly because it had to many investors and when the last amount of investment was needed to bring down costs, (to the company and the consumer), increase production, advertise and increase staff there was lots of people wanting to invest until they saw the long list of people that already invested in the company and they wanted no part of it. (Most have 4-6 investors not over 15).

Once the company is out of bankruptcy, it will come back in a big way. The second generation of the unit was ready to come and was much improved. It was quieter, slightly larger, did not blow air when it drained but sucked the air and had an air filter to make it even less stinky. (The filter would come with the cleaning cartridge) It also had a disable sensor so if the timer went off and the cat was in the box, it would delay the cleaning 10 minutes.

The founder/inventor want to bring the product back in 12-6 months with the right funding and staff in place to do it right this time.

(Note -- the author of the above excerpt has an email address @litterfree.com)

Yea That one guy seems to be intimately associated with the LitterFree product. I'm definately watching this forum for updates.

This is exciting news - that the designer might make a comeback. My son loves his LitterFree which he uses for 4 cats, and I was all prepared to buy one for my 3, and then found that they are REALLY hard to come by due to company going out of business. Then I read your comment about the potential comeback and the 'next generation' planned improvement and thought - "maybe I should wait until the new version comes out." But . . . is there any firm (as in "almost-positive-it-will-happen-based-upon-direct-info-rather-than-rumor"). IF NOT, maybe I will just keep looking until I find a new unused 'old design' in a box as opposed to all the used ones with picked over parts Any idea where I can find a new one at a reasonable price? All on EBAY today are used, apparently.

Thanks a bunch! This is such a cool idea and a welcome diversion from all the dreary chat groups I belong to about the sad state of managed care health insurance. (I am a managed care consultant by trade.) - Arkansasfarmgirl

I have it on very good authority that the company will be back, with a new, improved product, at a competitive price. We are probably talking about 8 to 14 months. The designer of the product is a very educated, intelligent, and motivated individual, who is not about to let this product just die.

In the interim, I think the present unit works great, and would urge you to buy one! I have two myself, and my cats and I love them. No smell, no hassle, no cat litter to buy.

Thanks for the fast response, shfwilf. This inventor sounds like a guy we would like -- a dedicated entrepreneur with brains and guts to make it happen, who is not daunted by setbacks. Good for him!

My husband and I will go ahead a try to get a new one 'in the box' from ebay (or wherever), in the meantime. We live on a farm, but travel a lot on business (we are both consultants) -- and our 3 cats stay at home. I think all they do when we are gone is eat and listen to country music on the radio. You can imagine the state of the two litter boxes when we roll in there about 1:00 AM -- not a pretty sight or smell. My husband loves the cats like I do, but he HATES having to change the litter boxes (2) before we can stumble into bed. My son has 4 cats -- he travels too -- and his works just fine even with 4. It has transformed his life, and that of the 4 cats, as he is gone some weeks for 4 or 5 days straight.

Thanks again - we'll do it, and will watch in a few months for the good news of the resurgence! I am glad that there is a website like this so that we will not miss the news when it comes out! - Arkansasfarmgirl

I and my two cats are so excited to hear about the rebirth of the LitterFree! If anyone has any information about investment opportunities in the new company, I would be interested to look it over! And, since my eldest cat is a behemoth, We are very much looking forward to the bigger and better version! Keep us all up-to-date!

Dear shfwilf,

I've read all of the posts concerning the LitterFree and you seem to be the only "leading authority" on the return of the company and a potentially revised product. So, here's hoping that you're not pulling my leg!
As my user id suggests, I have 5 kitties at home. I learned about the LitterFree just before they vanished from reality, but by the time I had saved up enough money to purchase one . . . they were gone! Any way, all seven of us, at my house, are anxiously awaiting the return of the bigger and better product! I really hope your source is totaly reliable. If they are, then I'd like to offer another suggestion for the revised model. I'll start by saying that one of my five is a little "Miss Priss." If there is a hint of ANYTHING other than clean litter in her box, she will not use it. For this reason, we currently are using 2 LitterMaids. The only plus to these boxes is that a motion sensor detects the cats prescence and will run 10 minutes after the cat exits the box. In theory, waste is scooped out 10 minutes after the cat's visit . . . everytime. Without going into all the reasons I can't wait to replace my LitterMaids with LitterFrees, I would just like to suggest that the new models (hopefully coming soon) also give the customer the option to set a motion detector mode and allow the box to "flush" 10 minutes after each cat's visit. Angelina (a.k.a. Miss Priss) would be eternally grateful!
Thanks!
P.S. Please keep giving us updates on this product and it's resurection! I can hardly wait!!

I'm not pulling your leg - Duncan (my Scottish Fold) wouldn't let me!

I have 7 cats (5 Folds, a Bengal, and a Burmese), and two Litterfree boxes. Everyone here is happy.

You can still buy the Litterfree on Ebay.

5felinesfamily wrote:In theory, waste is scooped out 10 minutes after the cat's visit . . . everytime. Without going into all the reasons I can't wait to replace my LitterMaids with LitterFrees, I would just like to suggest that the new models (hopefully coming soon) also give the customer the option to set a motion detector mode and allow the box to "flush" 10 minutes after each cat's visit. Angelina (a.k.a. Miss Priss) would be eternally grateful!
Thanks!
P.S. Please keep giving us updates on this product and it's resurection! I can hardly wait!!

The problem with that idea is that you would spend a lot of money on solution and the unit would also get a lot more use than it should.

The only drawback to the Litterfree is having to spend money on chemicals. The good news is one container can last over 30 days and costs only $19. (For me longer, only one cat). But if you have the unit start 10 minutes after, (especially with 5 cats) you'll have the unit running 8-12 times a day!

This will have you changing the solution every 4-5 days! And it won't do much for the life of the unit and the granules.

Hi looknow12!

I totally agree with what you've posted . . . but this was my plan: I was hoping to purchase two LFs; one would be set to run three times per day for 4 of the 5 cats, the other (if giving this option) would be set to run 10 minutes after each visit. The latter would be my Miss Priss's personal litter box. With only one cat using this box, I wouldn't think that it would run more than three times per day, any way. But at least it would always be clean everytime she wanted to use it. This may also be a good option to have for single-kitty homes.

Any way, just thought it might be good as an option . . . but if anyone who has a LF out there, thinks that my Miss Priss will be o.k. the way it is, I'd love the reassurance!!

Thanks all!

I think your cats will love the box. You don't need to use solution, and the granules do not wear out.

litter-free saved my life by making taking care of cat feces acceptable where before i could not handle the smell.

i was surprised to find out their web site was down today.

i am called the israeli embassy on monday to find out where thedy are located in israel-i will buy my supplies sraight from israel if i havve too.

or ill go there for vacation and come back with a years worth of products!

i visted israel and greece in the 1980s its a beautiful place

alan

Unfortunately, the supplies are not available in Israel.

However:

You don't need the solution - running it 3 times per day and adding a few drops of dishwashing liquid at the beginning of a cycle each week will keep it clean. Monthly, you should dump the granules into another container, remove the processing unit, and clean the pan and the bottom of the processing unit using soap and water.

The granules do not wear out -but you need to put the ones the cats kick out of the box back in. A small hand vacuum or a brush and dustpan work well for this.

Hi Michael,
Since I've noticed your expertise on the system, I thought I'd repost a request that I earlier posted in another thread.
My problem is as follows: After running okay for 2-3 months, the unit continues to run through its fill/process/fan/drain cycles as it always did, but, now, during the fill cycle, nothing gets filled; i.e. no water comes in at all. I checked for twisted hosing and low water pressure as the manual said, but no help. Any ideas?
Thanks.
Vince

It sounds like perhaps the valve in the unit isn't working properly. Bue - are you sure that the water line going to the unit is not shut off ?