Automatic Litterbox Central

In another thread, I said that Litterfree was going to be back in business soon. In the interim, my source for this information would like to hear suggestions from owners as to what improvements they would like to see. The broad general areas I am aware of now are:

1. Smell

2. Noise

3. Ability to program number of cleanings

4. Modifications to improve cat acceptance

I have my own ideas in these areas, but I would really like to hear from as many people as possible with as many ideas as possible in any and all areas, so that I can pass them on to my source. In the end, if all goes well, we should have a much-improved unit available shortly!

I think it definitely needs a cat sensor of some sort. Running it on a timer was no good for us. I ended up covering the "flush" button with a piece of foam & tape, and using X10 to flush it.

How did you set the schedule on X10 ? How often?

I think smell and acceptance are related.
If I miss my weekly detailing, there is an outright revolt.
My first batch of scented granules caused one as well.
If the solution could be modified to more completely eradicate the filming solids that cause the ring, that might help.
If the granules are in any way harboring scent, that's no good either.

After years of littermaid training, my guys definitely want a sensor triggered flush.They are confused/disgusted by anything being left in the box.
I think a short cycle via the sensor, with exit delay would be cool.
(for the cats, anway. My littermaid woke me up all the time.....)

I'm kinda clueless on the noise, I don't see how the mechanics (fluid or otherwise) could be a lot different.

Thanks! I will pass those suggestions along. I think that a sound proofing enclosure could be made available to those that want or need one. The sensor is more problematic in that it would mean that if the unit activated every time a cat used the box, it would be unavailable much of the time - the full cycle takes about 30 minutes.

Well, as you know, I am currently having a problem with a new unit that leaks during pump-out. So my first suggestion would be to alleviate leaks! Especially of poop-water. BTW -- I believe that my situation is atypical, and if the company was still in business I feel that they would help, or send me a new box!

As to any other ideas -- I can't add any until I can actually use the product.

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Actually, I can -- once/if I get mine working, I'm going to have a problem with an older, heavy cat who will have trouble getting in since the pan height is so high. I know that LitterMaid has incorporated a ramp. Once I deal with technical difficulties and get it working properly, my next task will be to fashion a home-made ramp so that she can get in.

It would be nice even if LitterFree were to make an *optional* ramp.

1. Programmable number of fill/agitate/drain cycles.
2. Sensor-driven operation that would do 1 fill/drain cycle (perhaps without agitation?) after the cat left the box. This would flush urine out. I'm not sure if wet poop would be more stinky, though.
3. Smaller, softer granules to improve acceptance.

1. Programmable number of fill/agitate/drain cycles.
2. Sensor-driven operation that would do 1 fill/drain cycle (perhaps without agitation?) after the cat left the box. This would flush urine out. I'm not sure if wet poop would be more stinky, though.
3. Smaller, softer granules to improve acceptance.

1) I suspect my cat was once traumatized by a cleaning cycle start-up. Perhaps just changing the firmware to start the motor quietly and gradually would reduce bad experiences.

2) A top entry option would help prevent pellets from being kicked out.

3) I think cats would like it if the pellet bed was simply deeper -- they'd get better digging and burying action.

Any prospect of dosing the cleaning solution with pheromes to aid acceptance?

shfwilf wrote:How did you set the schedule on X10 ? How often?

I use a Linux machine to control my home automation, and I experimented with several things, including using one of the wireless motion sensors to trigger an event countdown. I guess it's been about a year now -- I can't recall any of the specifics. Suffice it to say, it was a lot more custom than you could pull off without a programmable automation controller of some sort.

My suggestions:

1. Bigger Box! I have always used a large hooded box to control the litter around the box, but I have one long and lean 15-pounder and the hood is too small for him, so we don't use the hood.

2. Deeper litter.

My cats use the litterfree so long as I keep the door to my spare room shut. I'm not sure which of the three is uses the spare room as a litter box, but I have a feeling one of these two issues is part of the problem since they've never had a litter adjustment problem. They've tried everything, clay, scooping, and Tidy Cat crystals and never cared, so it has to be something with the box itself.

I had a few mechanical problems with the box, but ever since I put the granules [/i]below the fill line we haven't had any trouble mechanically. I'm really glad to hear that someone will be making supplies and possibly a new and improved version, especially since supplies on eBay will sometimes cost you double the original retail price.

Great site!

Karen B.

p.s. to NFLnut, you might try reducing the amount of granules.

It would be great if there could be research done on a granule that is less likely to stick to the paw. Every time my cats get out, they take about a dozen or so pellets with them.

I don't know if it would be possible to make a pellet which sticks less and stays in the box, but after even a few days of use, there are noticably less pellets in the box. I don't see this supply lasting six months (BTW -- this is from putting my cats in the box to try to get them to use it and them getting out .. they have not started using it on their own yet).

The instruction suggest that you should not put the cat in the box, but sort of incourage the cat by playing with him near the box and then rewarding him when he gets in it.

My cats need to go through the adjustment period again because I went back to litter for a few weeks. So I'm putting the regular bax next to the litterfree, but just not cleaning the regular box so they will hopefully choose the litterfree.

Susanna

Thank you all for the suggestions - I am passing these on to my source as they are posted. Please keep them coming!