Automatic Litterbox Central

I am new here.
Our littermaid recently broke and we are looking to get another automatic litter box cleaner. Which one that will be, is yet to be determined.
This is a great site.
Our cat is large. She is 18lbs., so we need a big box. That is a prerequisite for our new box.
If we get the litterfree it will be placed in the laundry room, where the drain for the washer is into a utility sink. Is this going to be a problem?
We had our littermaid for two years. Since I bought it before I had decided which cat I would get, it has always been small for our big cat, but she has been a trooper and used it without any problems. She also does not care what brand litter we use or if we change brands regularly.
Any advise is greatfully taken.
Thanks, Janel.

Janel,

A couple of cautions:

Firstly, there have been several posts about the now MIA Pet-Centric the makers of the LitterFree. We are not sure what happened to them, but people can't reach them by phone. One user posted that the co. had been bought, but the problem of getting ahold of them is persistent. I would wait on considering the LitterFree at least until or if they resurface.

Your 18 lb. cat won't fit, they say, in the LitterRobot. Our 13 lb. cat has figured out how to use the LR by sticking his head out the opening. Would this work for your 18lb cat? I don't know. I do know that the LR has been a big improvement for us, the cats have taken to it quickly, and it works as expected.

See the LitterRobot area of LitterBox Central. There you can post questions directly to the LitterRobot rep. She may have some more info on how your 18lb. would fare with that unit.

cas

My cat is a large 17.5 lb male and he has no problems using the LitterFree. We've had it for a year and a half, and he hasn't had any trouble at all, until we reccently got our new kitten (who uses it happily) and he now goes on the floor next to it, but that is another story! Suggestions on that vein are appreciated! See topic "Multiple cats". Anyway, the litterfree is a little larger than the average litter box, so your cat should be fine. Our cat is extremely finicky, and he has done well once we convinced him the LitterFree was a better option than a nearby plant (with the help of "Feliway"). Good Luck!

The instructions of the LitterFree recommend against connecting to a sink, but don't say why. My guess would be that perhaps some dirty water could get trapped in the u-bend? If that were a problem it seems like you could run water down the sink periodically.

I suspect the reason they don't recommend draining into a sink is because the waste is foul.... after all, it is pureed cat crap. When draining into a toilet, it still makes a bit of a mess, but since its draining into a bowl of water which will automatically drain itself when enough water is added it's OK. In a sink, though, the results will probably be a good bit more, er, unpleasant.

If you plan on the laundry hookup, why not just install a trapped direct drain into the stack used by the sink. A handy homeowner ought to be able to do this or a quick visit from the plumber if you're not a DIYer.

Thank you all for your replies and suggestions.
I opted for a littermaid mega. I don't like the litter that is left under and around the box, but it seems like the best option we have. I also have a second hooded litter box with crystals in it, which she uses now and then.
The litterfree with improvements sounds real nice.
The litterrobot looks too small.
Our cat likes to pile things up. At first we had a traditional box. With that we had a big overflow of litter right next to the box. She is a big kicker.
Its funny to hear all your stories. Cats are all different, I guess... and if you have multiples, I can see how problems can develope.
Thanks Again, janel.

Hi, I'm new here, but have been a big advocate of LitterFree for more than a year now.

I've just remodeled the boy's bathroom with special attention to provide for a more permanent placement of the LitterFree. Here's what I've done and maybe it will give you some ideas for your own solutions.

First, I've installed a shorter cabnet to allow the unit to sit on the floor between the commode and the sink cabnet. It needs at least 17 inches between the rim of the toilet and the side of the cabnet.

Second, I had the electrition add a standard 110v outlet under the sink, inside the cabnet. I've drilled a hole in the side of the cabnet and installed a 2-1/2 inch desk gromet for fit and finish. This will allow all the LitterFree lines to disappear into the side of the cabnet--no more hook over the rim of the toilet; no more dirty water in the bowl; no more unsightly supply lines and electrical cords.

Now, inside the cabnet, I installed a lower trap with a simple extension that cost about $1, and I installed a dishwasher drain attachment on the other side of the trap. That's between the trap and the sink, being sure to orient it to point downward toward the trap. I too was concerned about kitty waist water sitting left over in the trap and causing odor to come up from the sink. However, if you watch your unit do all of it's cycle as it drains into the toilet, flushing between each rince, you'll see that the waist water from the final rince is pretty clean, and it's mixed with the cleaning solution too. It can't be any dirtier that the water that sits in the sinks trap after you've washed your dirty hands with soap. Also the surface area of the exposed water in the sink side of the trap is so small it's inconsequencial.

Finally, I hooked up the cold water supply line using the brass T included for installation in the utility room to the cold water line benieth the sink and plugged in the electrical cord.

It works great, and looks even better, like it belongs. My boy's, Oscar and Oswald love it. They compete with eachother for time on top of their "hair dryer" while the warm air drys the granuals, it's really cute. Oscar sits on top with his front paws and his head hanging down over the opening, basking in the warmth. So sweet.

Just an idea,

Tom