PintoBean

[PintoBean]

I keep coming back to this thread too to decide if I can justify the cost of one of these! We currently have one cat - she's allowed out in the day but we have a manual litter tray for nights, although she generally poops outside so it's not too bad to manage.

We're getting a kitten in a couple of weeks though and will probably need to keep her permanently as an indoor cat. I can't bear the thought of the smell and having to regularly scoop poo, but I'm loathe to spend so much on a cat toilet (albeit a fancy, high-tech one)!!

If anyone has one of these robot litter trays and their cats either don't like it or they regret buying for some other reason - speak now or forever hold your peace, before I pull the trigger!

The kitten has to be minimum 5 lbs before the weight sensor can register.

I'd say try scooping regularly with the two cats first before purchasing the litter robot until the kitten is heavy enough to use the litter robot.

 

[lissyflo]

Thanks @PintoBean. I should have said - we're getting her a bit later than normal so she'll be between 5 and 6 months when we get her. So I was thinking she'd probably be heavy enough pretty soon.

 

[PintoBean]

Thanks @PintoBean. I should have said - we're getting her a bit later than normal so she'll be between 5 and 6 months when we get her. So I was thinking she'd probably be heavy enough pretty soon.

Try scooping with two cats first. I found that I could handle scooping up to 3 cats and then when cat 4 entered our lives, i had to draw the line.

 

[Matata]

I keep coming back to this thread too to decide if I can justify the cost of one of these!

If you're going to buy one, get it now. Put in next to the regular litter box the kitten will use when it first comes home. If the kitten is used to clumping litter use the same litter in the box and robot. If the kitten uses other than clumping litter, put the litter it's used to in the regular box and clumping litter in the robot.

At worst, you'll have to push the cycle button until the kitten is heavy enough to trigger the robot. My cats are lard butts but they don't always go totally into the robot. Sometimes they put their butts in and perch their feet on the entry lip which doesn't trigger the clean cycle so I have to push the cycle button. It's still better, imo, than scooping. I think the robot is easier to maintain. Once a week I wipe down the inside with either vinegar and water or clorox wipes. I have 4 cats and used to have 6 large sterilite boxes as litter boxes. Used to put 20 lbs of litter in each box and I got darn tired of emptying them out once every month and schlepping them outside for a scrub.

 

[PintoBean]

I'm loving the stairs, btw. I stuck on those no-skid rubber shoe grips to assist Bellerina. Bellerina only started walking upright from 8/9 months on after she had ear surgery and no longer suffered from vertigo due to the ear flaps being small and not allowing the wax to release. She is also a polydactyl with extra puffy paws. Even though the plastic is textured, she'd still slip on the stairs without the rubber grips.

Ughhh today she hopped up next to me and I smelled poo paws and had to wash them. Sometimes she steps in "it", luckily only once in a blue moon....

That bag of litter to the right is horrendous. It was a $5 promo from chewy.com and is sooooo dusty compared to Dr. Elsey.

 

[lissyflo]

Thanks @PintoBean and @Matata! My husband is definitely in the camp of just scooping a normal tray for only 2 cats. I just hate the smell of walking through the door to a 'present' that's been sitting in the tray for a while. Although for the same price as the robot I could buy a lot of Jo Malone scented candles to mask the problem!

 

[Arkteia]

Very much interested. Following the thread. Would the cats easily switch litter boxes? Any of them scared of the robot?

 

[Matata]

Would the cats easily switch litter boxes? Any of them scared of the robot?

It's dependent on the personality of the cat. All 4 of mine jumped in the globe before I could get it on the base and before it had litter in it. I left 2 of their old boxes in place until I saw all 4 of them use the robot. They were suspicious of it the first time it went through a clean cycle and after that didn't pay it any attention.

 

[PintoBean]

No, my cats weren't scared.

I left a litterbox out and purposely kept it dirtier. 3/4 cats used the robot right away. The 4th cat split her time between both lololol.

 

[PintoBean]

As I was typing this, one of my cats was smacking a broomstick that is leaning against my bed. Litter robot ok, broomstick is the enemy!

 

[PintoBean]

I hope you don't mind if I kvetch for a sec. cleaning ladies just left a little over an hour ago. And my special cat, bless her little heart, as usual steps in it, this time her pee clump she's trying to cover, and I see these little litter print paw prints lolol. I just took a deep breath, swallowed, picked up a sponge and wiped them away. Lolol. She's just got these big big paws for an 8 lbs cat lololol. Pee paw is far better than poop paw!!!!