Latest poop on Litter Robot

No one seems to have read the previous posts, but I'll continue
reporting on our progress with the litter robot. It looks like we'll
keep it. It's not cheap at $350 for the big model but it is clever.

All three cats are using it, but Nipsy has the most trouble, being the
biggest. The actual litter area is very small, smaller than the
smallest litterbox I've seen. But since it's completely encased in a
globe, it's hard for the cats to miss. Nipsy did yesterday however,
sticking his butt out the door and peeing on the floor. Maybe it was
an editorial comment.

I've finally moved the robot out of the bathtub (where our littterbox
has normally been) and into the hallway. I couldn't figure out where
else to put it. Because it's now on a level surface, it actually
cycles on its own like it is supposed to. It does make noise and I
hear it at night if I'm sleeping lightly.

It uses way too many bags, so I put a plastic container into the waste
drawer and that catches the clumps nicely. No odor and no wasted bags.
Every other day I empty the container into the old pail that I
previously used to scoop the clumps into.

There is a small amount of litter that ends up outside the robot as
the cats come out, but I that's pretty good. The dust appears to be
kept to a minumum - one of the biggest advantages as far as I'm
concerned. It uses much less litter than before; probably because it
doesn't waste it by scooping it away like I did.

The best news is that it might make it possible for me to take in
Scooter from outside. I recently installed the heating pad for his
outside home but I'd really like to get him in once it really gets
cold.

That's today's Litter Robot report.

"dgk" wrote in message
...

No one seems to have read the previous posts, but I'll continue
reporting on our progress with the litter robot. It looks like we'll
keep it. It's not cheap at $350 for the big model but it is clever.

I'm sure someone will be interested. I find scooping so simple, I don't see
the point. My niece had one of these, so I saw it in action. To each his
own. For that money, I would rather have a great vacuum. The Dyson Ball runs
$399 at Target right now.

dgk wrote:
No one seems to have read the previous posts, but I'll continue
reporting on our progress with the litter robot. It looks like we'll
keep it. It's not cheap at $350 for the big model but it is clever.

All three cats are using it, but Nipsy has the most trouble, being the
biggest. The actual litter area is very small, smaller than the
smallest litterbox I've seen. But since it's completely encased in a
globe, it's hard for the cats to miss. Nipsy did yesterday however,
sticking his butt out the door and peeing on the floor. Maybe it was
an editorial comment.

I've finally moved the robot out of the bathtub (where our littterbox
has normally been) and into the hallway. I couldn't figure out where
else to put it. Because it's now on a level surface, it actually
cycles on its own like it is supposed to. It does make noise and I
hear it at night if I'm sleeping lightly.

It uses way too many bags, so I put a plastic container into the waste
drawer and that catches the clumps nicely. No odor and no wasted bags.
Every other day I empty the container into the old pail that I
previously used to scoop the clumps into.

There is a small amount of litter that ends up outside the robot as
the cats come out, but I that's pretty good. The dust appears to be
kept to a minumum - one of the biggest advantages as far as I'm
concerned. It uses much less litter than before; probably because it
doesn't waste it by scooping it away like I did.

The best news is that it might make it possible for me to take in
Scooter from outside. I recently installed the heating pad for his
outside home but I'd really like to get him in once it really gets
cold.

That's today's Litter Robot report.
\


I do find your reports interesting. Purrs that Scooter can soon come
indoors. MLB

On Tue, 1 Dec 2009 15:32:39 -0500, "cybercat"
wrote:


"dgk" wrote in message
.. .

No one seems to have read the previous posts, but I'll continue
reporting on our progress with the litter robot. It looks like we'll
keep it. It's not cheap at $350 for the big model but it is clever.

I'm sure someone will be interested. I find scooping so simple, I don't see
the point. My niece had one of these, so I saw it in action. To each his
own. For that money, I would rather have a great vacuum. The Dyson Ball runs
$399 at Target right now.


The main problem I've had is that I refuse to use more than one litter
box and I have three cats. I can't get Scooter inside and still keep
one box. I've been lucky so far but four is pushing it. My hope is
that one always clean litter box would be ok. And the robot does clean
after each event.

The other big problem was dust. Having the litter box in the bathroom
(bathtub actually) means the dust gets on the walls and everywhere
else. Now mostly the dust was my fault because I'm a bit impatient
while scooping litter and don't wait for all the litter to fall
through the scoop and I kind of just dump it in the bucket. That does
produce a lot of dust.

The slow turning of the robot really does seem to keep down the dust
to a minumum, which means the robot can go into other rooms without
dust fear. We don't have any carpets so while a nice vacuum would be a
plus, we have two Roombas running around handling most of that chore.

It's all just a ploy to see if I can add Scooter to the household. I
haven't figured out how that will work out. He does seem to like being
outside, but he's spending a lot of time in his new home outside my
door and he must get lonely and bored. I'm not sure that a cat can get
too bored outside though.

Still, I feel terrible every time I pet him and then go inside for the
night while he stays outside. I'm not sure he wants to be inside
though; I think he would prefer if I just moved into his box. I didn't
make it big enough though.

This is the first time I've actually considered having an
indoor/outdoor cat though. I agree with you that cats are better
protected inside and would feel horrible if he got run over or
something. But he seems to enjoy running off with the other outside
cats and visiting other homes on the buffet line.

The former owner of my house left a few fur pieces in a cedar chest. I
saw her last year and asked what I should do with them and she said
that she didn't care. So I used a mink wrap to line Scooter's box last
week.

dgk wrote:
On Tue, 1 Dec 2009 15:32:39 -0500, "cybercat"
wrote:

"dgk" wrote in message
...
No one seems to have read the previous posts, but I'll continue
reporting on our progress with the litter robot. It looks like we'll
keep it. It's not cheap at $350 for the big model but it is clever.
I'm sure someone will be interested. I find scooping so simple, I don't see
the point. My niece had one of these, so I saw it in action. To each his
own. For that money, I would rather have a great vacuum. The Dyson Ball runs
$399 at Target right now.


The main problem I've had is that I refuse to use more than one litter
box and I have three cats. I can't get Scooter inside and still keep
one box. I've been lucky so far but four is pushing it. My hope is
that one always clean litter box would be ok. And the robot does clean
after each event.

The other big problem was dust. Having the litter box in the bathroom
(bathtub actually) means the dust gets on the walls and everywhere
else. Now mostly the dust was my fault because I'm a bit impatient
while scooping litter and don't wait for all the litter to fall
through the scoop and I kind of just dump it in the bucket. That does
produce a lot of dust.

The slow turning of the robot really does seem to keep down the dust
to a minumum, which means the robot can go into other rooms without
dust fear. We don't have any carpets so while a nice vacuum would be a
plus, we have two Roombas running around handling most of that chore.

It's all just a ploy to see if I can add Scooter to the household. I
haven't figured out how that will work out. He does seem to like being
outside, but he's spending a lot of time in his new home outside my
door and he must get lonely and bored. I'm not sure that a cat can get
too bored outside though.

Still, I feel terrible every time I pet him and then go inside for the
night while he stays outside. I'm not sure he wants to be inside
though; I think he would prefer if I just moved into his box. I didn't
make it big enough though.

This is the first time I've actually considered having an
indoor/outdoor cat though. I agree with you that cats are better
protected inside and would feel horrible if he got run over or
something. But he seems to enjoy running off with the other outside
cats and visiting other homes on the buffet line.

The former owner of my house left a few fur pieces in a cedar chest. I
saw her last year and asked what I should do with them and she said
that she didn't care. So I used a mink wrap to line Scooter's box last
week.


When I was a teenager, we had an orange tabby (Ginger). He was a very
large Tom. We didn't neuter cats in those days. He slept on the
radiator covers all day, but as soon as it was dark he wanted OUT winter
and summer-- and he stayed OUT all n night. We later found out that he
had made a nest under a neighbors porch and that is where he stayed.
In the morning, he came and jumped to the windowsill outside of the
bedroom and scratched the screen to get it -- it was six feet off the
ground. We would then go to the bathroom, open that window and screen
and he would jump the six feet to come in.

He eventually developed a huge abscess on his neck which the Vet
drained, but it didn't heal and he was in lots of pain, so we had him
PTS. This was before antibiotics. Ginger was a good cat. MLB

"dgk" wrote


The main problem I've had is that I refuse to use more than one litter
box and I have three cats.

That is just totally crazy. You are very lucky they are not pooping on your
bed and peeing in your shoes. What exactly are you trying to accomplish,
other than tormenting your cats?

"cybercat" wrote in message
...

"dgk" wrote in message
...

No one seems to have read the previous posts, but I'll continue
reporting on our progress with the litter robot. It looks like we'll
keep it. It's not cheap at $350 for the big model but it is clever.

I'm sure someone will be interested. I find scooping so simple, I don't
see the point. My niece had one of these, so I saw it in action. To each
his own. For that money, I would rather have a great vacuum. The Dyson
Ball runs $399 at Target right now.

I have a Dyson, but I like the design of the Dyson ball and would like to
have one.

"dgk" wrote in message
...

The main problem I've had is that I refuse to use more than one litter
box and I have three cats. I can't get Scooter inside and still keep
one box. I've been lucky so far but four is pushing it. My hope is
that one always clean litter box would be ok. And the robot does clean
after each event.

The other big problem was dust. Having the litter box in the bathroom
(bathtub actually) means the dust gets on the walls and everywhere
else. Now mostly the dust was my fault because I'm a bit impatient
while scooping litter and don't wait for all the litter to fall
through the scoop and I kind of just dump it in the bucket. That does
produce a lot of dust.

The slow turning of the robot really does seem to keep down the dust
to a minumum, which means the robot can go into other rooms without
dust fear. We don't have any carpets so while a nice vacuum would be a
plus, we have two Roombas running around handling most of that chore.

It's all just a ploy to see if I can add Scooter to the household. I
haven't figured out how that will work out. He does seem to like being
outside, but he's spending a lot of time in his new home outside my
door and he must get lonely and bored. I'm not sure that a cat can get
too bored outside though.

Still, I feel terrible every time I pet him and then go inside for the
night while he stays outside. I'm not sure he wants to be inside
though; I think he would prefer if I just moved into his box. I didn't
make it big enough though.

This is the first time I've actually considered having an
indoor/outdoor cat though. I agree with you that cats are better
protected inside and would feel horrible if he got run over or
something. But he seems to enjoy running off with the other outside
cats and visiting other homes on the buffet line.

The former owner of my house left a few fur pieces in a cedar chest. I
saw her last year and asked what I should do with them and she said
that she didn't care. So I used a mink wrap to line Scooter's box last
week.

Awwwwwww, I sure hope you can at some time take in Scooter.

On Wed, 2 Dec 2009 15:20:48 -0500, "cybercat"
wrote:


"dgk" wrote


The main problem I've had is that I refuse to use more than one litter
box and I have three cats.

That is just totally crazy. You are very lucky they are not pooping on your
bed and peeing in your shoes. What exactly are you trying to accomplish,
other than tormenting your cats?


They didn't seem tormented. It was a very large litterbox and I
cleaned it morning and night. There never seemed anywhere else
appropriate to put a litterbox (bedroom? living room? dining room?
kitchen?).

Only the basement, and I can go a week without going down there. In
fact, I've installed Leak Frogs
http://www.ideativeinc.com/leakfrog.cfm

just in case I get a leak down there since I likely wouldn't know
until too late.

Actually, there is a second litterbox. The Breeze system that I once
tried and that the cats refused to use. That does sit in the Cat
Introduction Room but is pretty much snubbed. The only time it got any
use was introducing the Litter Robot when Nipsy decided to use that
instead. Much to my surprise it started stinking one day. I closed it
off because I need him using the Litter Robot. I guess I am tormenting
him by making him use the Robot, but he's getting used to it.

I don't want a regular litterbox in that room because it doubles as a
computer repair room and I don't want dust getting into the computers.

The cats also go in the backyard during weekends and evenings when I
get home before dark (not now of course). I did have one cat who came
in to use the litterbox but the others figure it's ok to go au
natural.

With the litter robot it's always clean for the next cat, so I guess
that's better than a regular litterbox if a cat is particular. Mine
aren't.

"Cheryl" wrote
I have a Dyson, but I like the design of the Dyson ball and would like to
have one.
The orange one. That commercial really got me. Where they have the old style
and the ball in action. My current vacuum is way too heavy and there is
something wrong so that it clings to the rugs and I have to really push and
pull it. Time for a new one, but man, $400 for a vacuum? I think I spent
$300 on a Fantom Thunder, one of the first hepa filter vacuums I had seen.
It was heavy as a rock, but did a nice job. Damn near sucked the paint of
the floor of the old house.