Littermaid

Has anyone here tried the Littermaid? I was thinking about getting one and wanted to know how easy it was to switch a cat over to it.

I haven't tried it but, saw the Consumer Reports evaluation of it. They say that it works well but there are problems getting cats to use it. It seems that the noise and movement frighten a lot of them. I've, always, done well with the basic plastic pan and clumping litter, myself. The only modification I use is a metal soup skimmer, for cleaning. Those plastic pooper-scoopers are too flimsy and I've had several handles snap.

I haven't used one, but know people with multiple cats that absolutely swear by it. I don't remember Tony having any problems with his cats getting used to it, but I guess it just depends on the cat. I would also think it would depend on where the litter box is. The Littermaid has a 10 minute timer (I think) so if the litterbox isn't where kitty is 10 minutes after they go they wouldn't even know the difference. There is also a motion sensor that resets that 10 minute timer so it doesn't scoop up kitty!

I think it's a great idea, but a little on the pricey side for me right now. (We actually put it on our wedding registry, and for some reason no one thought getting us a litter box for a wedding gift was appropriate! LOL)

We have one. I hate it; hubby, when he lived here, loved it.

There was no problem switching the cats over to it. The only issue is, if you don't use the recommended litter, it clumps to the bottom of the pan and clogs the system. The sweeper can't get through it so it wears down the batteries trying to scrape it up. The cats don't like the bottom of the litter to be damp, so they have in the past looked for other potty spots.

Hubby liked it because it only needed attention every 2 or 3 days and the smell was mostly non-existant. I hate having to scrape the bottom and the expense of batteries. I prefer stainless steel and newspaper litter or something else recycled. I just scoop as needed and dump it out daily.

I think it would have been fine for one cat, but multiple boy cats with all the scent marking issues, I don't think it was worth the expense.

Thanks for all your answers--I had heard mixed things about it and wanted some expert opinions. You guys are great!

I have the Littermaid, and love it! The key is to have one built for multiple cats. I had the regular size and two little kittens. After a few months I too thought I was using the wrong litter. The problem was not the litter; it was the size. As the kittens grew, the box was just too small. Now I have the one for multiple cats. It saves so much work. You can save money and avoid touching the dirty litter by lining the receptacle with plastic bags. I use Arm and Hammer clumping litter; it works well.

We have 6 cats and have used a LitterMaid for several years. In fact, two of them. I kind of have mixed feelings about them. The convenience is great, no daily scooping. I have had no problems getting any of my babies to use them. But there are some drawbacks. If the stool is a bit loose, it gets caught in the scooping fork. If you have kitties like my two boys, they piddle a small ocean and sometimes the scooping fork can't lift it. Also I have noticed that the kids prefer litter that is a bit deeper than is allotted in the LitterMaid pan. I have a deep one for multicats and the original one. I am looking to replace them and am seriously considering the Litter Robot .
This one seems more sturdy than the LitterMaid and quieter.

That Litter Robot looks great! I think I will have to save my pennies for that one instead of the Littermaid.

Howabout the flushing litter box - I've seen it
advertised and it costs around $300+, expensive I know - but that sound the best out of all of them yet.

I have looked at the flushing one and I can think of a couple reasons why it is impractical for me.

I have 6 cats. I don't think it can recycle and dry fast enough. And I don't have the facilities to hook up more than one.

How do you keep an eye on poops if they are flushed away? If stool samples are necessary or monitoring of poo is necessary for some reason, that can be done with the Littermaid and Litter-Robot.

It is also more feasible to have 2 Littermaids or Litter-Robots with a multicat household.

Those are just my personal opinions after using a Littermaid and searching for something better.

Well, I went out and got one last night as soon as I got litter in that thing, Fitz HAD to try it out and he kept going back to make deposits so he could watch it clean. It is a little loud but it'll be nice to get rid of scooping every night!