LitterMaid Self Cleaning Cat Litter Box Review
May 9th, 2006 by Rob
This is a review of the deluxe model of the LitterMaid cat litter box. First of all, if you are considering a LitterMaid box, get the deluxe model. The cheaper model is too small; the deluxe edition costs more ($140 at Wal-Mart). If you are serious about a self-cleaning cat box I can tell you from experience you will be disappointed with the cheaper model.
If you are like most people, you hate cleaning your Ragdoll cat’s litter box. The great thing about the LitterMaid box is that it automates much of the unpleasant aspect of cleaning the litter box. Here are the basics of how these litter boxes work.
After your Ragdoll does his or her business and exits the box, a sensor detects the cat is no longer present. The box utilizes a timer to allow your clumping cat litter to clump up and trap the undesirable material. After the timer has expired a mechanical arm scoops the clumped excrement into a plastic receptacle and closes the lid. Once the receptacle fills up you push down on the lid to secure the top and throw it in the garbage.
Sounds great right? When these boxes work correctly they are wonderful. They have problems when overfilled with cat litter. If you put too much litter in the box the mechanical arm does not function correctly. If the robot scooper arm is unable to complete a scooping cycle it will try again ten times.
After ten failures the box will stop trying to scoop and flash a red light at you. The downside of this box is that is loud and takes some getting used to for you and your cat. Once you have the level and type of cat litter set properly you can expect smooth sailing and scooping.
You have to use a clumping variety of cat litter with this box; some brands work better than others so you may have to experiment to find the right variety.
The plastic bins are a disposable and you purchase packages of replacement bins when you run out. If you are concerned that the robot box will frighten your Ragdoll cat, don’t worry. Most cats are fascinated by their LitterMaid boxes and will run back to watch the scooping.