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LITTERMAID MEGA
Description: LitterMaid is the world's most tecnologically advanced cat litter box. A microprocessor controls the completely automatic LitterMaid allowing it to self-clean after every use. Motion detectors know when your cat is using the box and ten minutes after your cat leaves the LitterMaid, a cleaning comb sifts through and removes all clumps.
Reviews (95):
 Why did I wait so long?,
Reviewer: drayegon Redding, CA 01-14-2005
I really did not think it would work as good as it did in the TV commercial. Boy was I wrong. We have three cat's and they all love it. The old type of litter box had to be cleaned almost every night or the cats would pick other places. With this now in place yes I have to dump the tray but that is no biggie. It saves litter and it keeps the house smelling much nicer with this system. Why did I put this off for so long? After having had this for a month it has been the best thing we could have done for our cats and my back. Dont you put it off try it and you will not look back. ::: Almost Two months and it is still the greatest since sliced bread. Not once kitty accident since it has been setup. Cats took to it like ducks to water.
 FANTASTIC item
Reviewer: mikemulka Ottawa, IL 06-18-2002
I've had the Littermaid for about 4 years now, and I won't do without it. I had two cats (one has since passed), and both reacted differently. One absolutely loved it from the first. (She would run into the utility room whenver it started raking just to watch.) The other seemed terrified so I left the old litter box out. But after 2-3 weeks, he took to it as well, and stopped using the old box altogether.
There are a few tricks to make use of the Littermaid easier and less expensive.
1. Re-use the Waste Recepticles! Also, I found that using just one tended to be messy when trying to clean out the residual damp litter. So now I use 2 at a time. I keep the empty "dirty" one covered off to the side with a SMALL amount of Arm & Hammer carpet deoderizer sprinkled inside, and when it comes time to empty the bin, I "sweep" the old (now dry) one with the included brush, and switch it with the (just emptied) damp one. Works like a charm.
2. DON'T empty waste bins directly into your trash! I put mine into the kitchen trash, and this smells up the room something awful whenever you open the lid. I dump the bin contents into a small (3 gallon) plastic trash bag, and also put the "sweepings" from the dry bin into the same bag. (The old deoderizer goes with it and helps subdue the smell.) The bag is a bit oversized for this, but that gives you plenty of extra bag to twist & knot.
3. Replacement rakes ARE available directly from Littermaid. You won't find them in the parts/accessories section of their website. You have to call them. However, they're pretty cheap ... Over the course of 4 years, the rake has broken on me three times, so it's a good idea to have a couple spare ones on hand.
All-in-all, it works out quite well. I highly recommend the Littermaid (Mega size). The smell, (even in the same room as the litter box), is MUCH better. If your cat is skittish about it, give it some time. It's worth it.
 Free to do other things besides scoop the cat box
Reviewer: Anonymous 12-10-2003
I agree with other reviewers who indicate that the time window of 10 minutes is too short for the litter to clump hard enough, the pan is too shallow and the thing is a chore to clean when the time comes.
However, it is a nice convenience to have when you live with two cats and don't want to spend your time monitoring the litter box. And, the cats seem to enjoy watching the rake go back and forth.
Littermaid does have their own brand of litter which works better than any of the premium litters available. It has a funky smell but our cats don't seem to mind. The bags are small and a bit pricey. It is worth not having to clean muck off of the rake and it does track less. I have only found it stocked at Target so far.
Unfortunately, I am hunting for a replacement since our old one stopped working AGAIN. The first time it was under warranty and they replaced it, but it is completely dead again after only 8 months of use. The motor most likely burned out as the power indicator [red light] is lit.
Both of our cats are between 9 and 12 pounds each and the LM900 works well for them. I may go with the LM950 this time, though.
 Don't believe the hype
Reviewer: Brian Florida 02-27-2005
This is one of those products that I have a hard time believing this many people love or swear by it. I kept putting this off and putting this off, its one of those too good to be true things. But after reading a lot of reviews and being really tired of cleaning up after my wife's cats during her recovery from an injury, I thought I'd try it out.
WHAT A WASTE OF MONEY !!!! Yes, it looks cool and works okay to begin with, but the honeymoon ends quickly, within a day or two. The unit does not handle urine well, especially if you have a larger cat that makes large messes, the rake doesn't seem to be able to move the clumps in one piece. It even has a problem with solid waste. The rakes leaves behind bits and pieces as it moves along. I found that most of the time, the clumps from urine were still soggy and nasty to deal with while following the advice of other users and emptying out the recepticals instead of throwing them away to save money. I did this because the replacement recepticals are extremely expensive and other users said that cleaning them after use was easy. What a joke!! The recepticals are made of very thin plastic and very difficult to snap out of place and back into place with splattering the waste around while you working with the receptical.
After a frustrating 3 weeks with the box, I gave it to my sister who has younger, smaller cats, thinking it might work better for her since she didn't have a large mess maker. She had the same results...frustration. After reading some more reviews online, I think maybe the designers should allow for more time to let the clumping of waste finish. I also think that they should design the box with a more powerful motor to move the waste. Please take my advice and the advice of those who have had negative opinions and experiences with this product. Save yourself the money and frustration. Take the easier route to "self-cleaning" and teach your cat to use the toilet !!!
Exciting product needs major improvements
Reviewer: Judy Hood Mason, Mi 02-26-2005
I bought this product for $66 at Meijers. The cats loved it and so did I, for the first 6 hours. The kitty poo poo stuck to the rake, caused a jam and the entire rotating arm broke in a matter of hours. I was so bummed. It would have made life so much easier. Numerous reviews stated that the poos need to dry before they get raked. This is true! C'mon you engineers. This is the only product I would advocate animal testing on. Great idea but a real mess to clean up. It is getting returned tomorrow.
I should have listened to my sister..
Reviewer: michellynn 02-19-2005
...and returned this thing when she warned me about it! At first when I bought my LitterMaid, I was thrilled with it...I didn't need to scoop anymore. I had read the reviews about the delay for clumping being too short, so I would leave the power off, then switch it on to scoop when I noticed the box had been used.
I don't know, maybe I waited too long before fully emptying and cleaning it the first time, but it was a MAJOR pain, and I never really got all the clumped litter off of the tracks (my cat tends to throw a lot of litter around and doesn't always have the best aim when urinating). The unit was never the same. Even waiting more than 10 minutes to run the unit, it would drag huge chunks of soiled litter across the box, only to then smash them under the rake when it retracted.
I finally gave up and threw mine away. I waited years to buy this thing because I thought $90 was a bit much for a litter box. I wish I had stuck to my miserly ways in this case.
 LitterMaid needs some new engineers
Reviewer: D. Kim Los Angeles 02-12-2005
First off, great idea, poor execution. These things have been around for over ten years now, can't they get it right? This is my second LitterMaid but the first one i purchased over 6 six years ago worked better. The law of diminishing returns in full effect.
Pros:
1. I don't have to scoop most (that's most) of the waste out of the litter box.
2. My house doesn't have that "I'm old and I live alone with my cats" smell any longer.
Cons:
1. The rake starts up approximately 10 minutes after the electric eye is activated by the cat. That's too short a time window to allow the litter to clump, so the rake ends up dragging a paste of liquid waste across the entire litter surface. As a result I have to bust out the old scooper and remove small clumps that the rake left in it's wake. I think the timer should have been doubled to allow for proper clumping.
2. The plastic waste recepticle snaps into place so taking it out sometimes causes errant spills and flying waste particles!
3. Um, 20 bucks for 12 waste recepticles seems like...it rhymes with rake, to me.
This product has the potential to save many hours of being hunched over the litter box scooping poop into a plastic bag, but sadly, the engineers at LitterMaid have almost proven why they don't work at JPL. I give two generous stars.
Boy, do we love this thing!
Reviewer: carolyn Canal Winchester, OH 02-05-2005
Frankly, this has taken WAY too long to invent! Where was this 20 years ago?!! Anyway, what a Godsend this thing is to our house. I use the multi-cat formula litter in ours, even though we only have the single cat. It just keeps things smelling nicer longer and you don't really have to worry about the mess. My only complaint with this thing is that sometimes it scoops litter onto the floor but hey, that's what brooms are for! We have ours in the basement so that really isn't much of a factor regarding the litter spillage. However, I do still keep out a regular box just because ours likes to do one in one box, and the other in another box. I'm tempted to get two of these Littermaids just so I don't have to worry about changing the other box!
Ours gets clumps on the rake as well when our boy likes to urinate on it, but I just use a regular cat scooper and scrape it off. Also, those refills are tremendously expensive so I do as the previous reviewer and just reuse them, fill them with a deodorizer (baking soda works great and it's cheap!), and voila! I've not had any trouble with mine getting so full that I couldn't get it out to empty. It snaps out pretty easily, even if there's quite a load there in it.
This is one of the best products I've bought for a very long time and I'm very happy and glad that it's around. My aunt has had two of these things for about 7 years, if that gives you any idea of how wonderful they are to have around. Great product.
Fantastic Idea... but room for improvement
Reviewer: C. Luke Sacramento, CA 01-28-2005
I bought this a few months ago for my 2 cats. The waste container fills up in about 2-3 days so you do still need to change it every other day. The hardest part about that is getting the plastic tray out while it's full. It snaps in so you have to get a grip to snap it out without flinging stuff everywhere. :) So it's better to change it before it's completely full! LIke every day!!! If not, ya might wanna wear safety goggles. ;) Other than that it works great. My boy cat loves to pee on the rake though, which makes things clump to it.. so i do have to monitor the situation daily. But otherwise i like it much better than the traditional cat box!!! Anything for my two favorite felines!!!
This thing rocks!
Reviewer: L. M. Guccione 01-25-2005
i don't know why this box is getting such a bad name! i purchased mine last week and i am loving it! it locked up on me once because i had put to much litter in it, but other then that it is awesome! i hate scooping poo, this is a much better alternative!!!!
Broke after 6 months
Reviewer: D. Fan San Diego, CA 01-24-2005
It's noisy. Littermaid should use a quieter motor. Worked well for 6 months and the motor stopped working. It's also hard to clean.
Fantastic product for busy owners
Reviewer: Marie Demeo NY 01-09-2005
I have to say this is one of the best products we have ever bought for our cats. They love the fact that every time they get in the litter it's clean, and with everyone in household being out at least 12 hours a day week days, it saves us coming home to the horrible job of scooping poop. Do I think the replacement recepticles are over priced, yes, but are they worth the investment, also yes. We love our cats, and now we love them more because we are not dreading coming home to a full cat litter tray.
This product is also highly useful for those people that have neighbours come and look after there cats while you are away. Our Neighbour loved the fact that she didn't have to scoop out the cat poop!
While I think this can be a little pricey, it is well worth the investment.
A MUST HAVE if you have cats...
Reviewer: Christopher Atlanta, GA 01-03-2005
I have had the same LitterMaid Self Cleaning Litter Box for almost 9 years now and have never had one problem with it. After I adopted my two kittens, now 9 years old, I realized that keeping a regular litter box clean would be a never ending and impossible task. Plus I am a clean freak and love to have a clean smelling house. I hated walking in and smelling cat litter! I debated on getting one of these for a few months because of the cost but finally broke down and made the purchase and have never regretted it.
Some suggestions that I have that you might find useful...
Re-use the waste containers by dumping the dirty litter in plastic grocery bags to save you some money. Add some baking soda or the litter deodorizer to the bottom of the containers each time you empty to help keep clean and fresh. I find I can use one container for several months if not longer.
I also buy a big bag of baking soda at Sams and sprinkle it all over the bottom of the litter box and throughout the litter each time I add some or change it out. This seems to help keep the little box cleaner meaning less deep cleaning for me every 6 months or so.
Your cats will still track some litter outside the container even with the Paw Cleaning Ramp and some litter will fall through when raking into the container. I went to a carpet outlet and picked up a leftover piece of carpet they had and placed under the entire cleaner. It catches anything left on my cats paws and litter that falls through. Then all I have to do is move the cleaner every once in a while and vaccum any stray cat litter up.
Whether you have just one cat or more than one you will not be let down by this product. Like I said at the beginning I have had mine for going on 9 years and it keeps my house smelling little free. I would not do without it!
Couldn't live without it!
Reviewer: Allison Serafin Houston, TX 01-01-2005
I have 2 cats and they love the Littermaid...and so do I! I work long hours and to be honest, I simply forget sometimes to clean the litter box, but the Littermaid does all the work for me. All I have to do it empty the plastic container every 2-3 days and then replace it with a new one. I use Tidy Cats Crystal Blend litter and that seems to work great. I have never had a problem with the litter level.
I had to keep this in my bedroom last year and I simply turned the unit off before I went to sleep so that the motor wouldn't wake me up in the middle of the night. Then I would just flip it on when I woke up in the morning.
You can also purchase a little tent for this unit in case you have guests coming over and the mechanical litter box is an eyesore.
Best $160 bucks I've ever spent !!!
Reviewer: Allison Serafin 12-31-2004
It seems that a lot of people who've had problems with this unit have multiple, large or male cats. I only own a single 6 lb female cat so I really can't comment on their issues.
Anyhows, I was sick and tired of stinky litter. Especially after I had the basement finished and now needed an odor free litter solution. After 3 months of use I can say that this product works great. It promptly sweeps away the litter after she's done and the compartment seals tight so no more odor. My cat is very finicky and used to kick out all the litter (and other nasties) out of her old box creating a huge mess. She doesn't do that anymore since the Littermaid always provides her with clean litter.
I've never had any problems with the unit (including the rake) getting dirty. All that is required is to, once a week, vaccuum the rake guides clean of litter-dust to keep the unit working smoothly.
Use a good quality litter !!! "Tidy Cats -Scoop" works just as well as Littermaid's and is a whole lot cheaper.
the best thing since cat nip
Reviewer: N. Brummett 12-27-2004
I had 1 littermaid already, but with 5 cats, needed one more. I got the "mega" one for Christmas, and I have to say it is one of the most useful products on the market to help you. If you are like me, your cats find you through no fault of their own, and having a big heart, you think 1 more will not make that big of a difference. While this is true, it is not true when it comes to cleaning the litter box- this has been such a time saver for my husband and I, and our cats had no problem getting used to it. I would recommend this for anyone
Over Valued
Reviewer: S. D. Rogers Gainesville, Ga 12-24-2004
First of all if your cat pees in the back corner on the tines, forget about it, you'll constantly be scraping and cleaning and poking around in this thing until it works properly. Secondly it's not any more cleaner than a regular enclosed cat box, my cats have litter scattered around the opening only hours after I sweep up around it. It's easily clogged, the unit has an infinite amount of nooks and crannys that get full of litter, and need a thourough cleaning (outdoors!) every few months. It's really a chore to do. The motor is not very powerful and gets bogged down on larger clumps EASILY. After you buy it you'll notice the cheapness of it right away. The noise and the lack of quality of the parts. Countless times I have been awaken at midnight by the loud whine of this contraption struggling to empty the contents until it finally stops after four or five rounds of noise unable to achieve its goal. After a little more than one year mine just stopped working I will not purchase another and I advise you the same. There's no getting around scooping litter if you care about your cat(s). Someone needs to hit the drawing board again with a different style of auto litter box, one thats engineered a bit better than this failure.
I threw mine in the garbage
Reviewer: Lisa M. Ahern Chicago, IL 12-17-2004
I did not like my littermaid at all - I ended up throwing mine in the garbage because I was so disgusted with it. It was actually more work for me to keep this clean then to keep a regular litter box clean. I also found that the motor on this was not strong enough and kept getting stuck - which basically defeats the whole purpose.
Great for paticular cats!
Reviewer: A. Blazier Kansas City, MO 12-15-2004
Great purchase. I have had mine for over a year with three cats and it is still running great. More work than advertised, but still a great investment.
If you really love her/him, but you hate the cat...
Reviewer: Sprite Texas 12-14-2004
Littermaid is a guilty pleasure. it's the kind of thing that some folks just won't buy for themselves out of sheer guilt because the price makes it just seem so logical to just scoop it out. But stop kidding yourself. you will love this thing if you don't throw away your scoop. keep the litter loose enough and you will love your littermaid much like i do.
Silicone Spray
Reviewer: boosoxx Maryland 12-12-2004
We've used this litterbox for more than 3 years now. We have 2 cats that are quite competetive in their box activities. I agree with many of the reviews...the litter does clump at times and then the rake is unable to complete its sweep of the pan. We currently use Fresh Step (we've tried them all). I hose the litter pan and rake down every month or so and when its dry, I spray it with 2 coats of SILICONE SPRAY to decrease muddy litter patches. !!Spray anything that touches the litter!!
I hate cleaning the litter box, but partial scooping every 1-2 days is better than daily changes, any day of the week. Enjoy! P.S. Have you seen the power booster cable advertised to give the rake a li'l ooomph?
This litter box STINKS! (Literally!!)
Reviewer: boosoxx The Woodlands,TX 12-07-2004
I wish I had read some of the other reviews of this crappy product before I bought it. We have two cats and thought this would be the solution to dealing with cat litter everyday. How wrong we were!!
The rake was constantly getting stuck and clogged with used litter clumps - this requires you to scrape the clump off the rake (much more up close and personal than I like to be with cat crap). This will especially be a problem if your cats tend to use the bathroom in the same place in the box (which also requires you to redistribute the waste in the receptacle at least once a day). This, combined with the relatively small amount of litter that you can use, made the odor much worse than with a regular box we cleaned every day.
So, as I see it, this thing is actually MORE work than just cleaning the litterbox once a day...with no payoff. Not to mention the cost of the thing and its pricey receptacles.
The best invention ever!!!
Reviewer: Lisa K. Randolph, NJ 11-30-2004
We have 4 cats and had 2 regular litter boxes up until about a week ago. No matter how often we scooped, the cats would keep going outside of the box and the house would really smell. We finally decided to invest in this litter box and the cats have not had 1 single accident! And the house smells so clean too!! This is now the only litter box we have and we are thrilled with it!
Using the Litermaid
Reviewer: Cat Critic NY 11-28-2004
We read a lot of mixed reviews before buying the Litermaid box and were a little skeptical. We have two kittens and bought the biggest size, we are very happy. It still requires maintenance, but it still much better than tradition ional methods of maintaining liter.
Self Cleaning Litter Box
Reviewer: clarebear 11-19-2004
I never should have bought this. It clumps up and many times the unit gets stuck. You have to keep buying the plastic trays. I ended up throwing it out and just getting a regular litter box. It sounds great but it isn't. ( I only have one cat too!)
Mega works for us!
Reviewer: H. Sturrock Amherst, N.H. 11-05-2004
After reading many negative reviews, I was skeptical. But once our LM900 Mega arrived, it has worked well, and CONSIDERABLY reduced the cat box smell that everyone couldn't help but begin to notice. We have three cats and had to scoop two of the litterboxes at least twice a day. Who has time for that? I have read that people have better luck with the Mega, so check your model. You may want to consider upgrading. Our cats seem to love it. I gave this 4 out of 5 stars because sometimes the rake can't scoop up the tiny pieces of debris, but it isn't a dealbreaker by any means. Plus the waste recepticals and carbon filters are a bit pricey to maintain....but worth it!
there's got to be a better solution...
Reviewer: songmann Nashville, TN 10-24-2004
Mine was quite entertaining when I first purchased it because it came with a unique, added bonus feature. Every time the rake would get up to the disposal container, it would hang up and then forcefully catapult it's precious cargo across the room. I would be sitting there watching turd showers as they fell like meteors after being flung from inside my closet.
The turd launcher, as I've come to refer to it, is now broken and assaults my home no more. After two purchases of this box over the last few years, I'm once again in the market and looking for a better solution. The most frustrating thing about the Littermaid model is that it's actually a reasonably good design which suffers only from miserable quality control during the manufacturing process. For this much money, it should at least come with a turd shield to help you protect yourself.
Too good to be true
Reviewer: B. Novick Montgomery County, PA 10-22-2004
I saw this item advertised for a few years and always wondered if such a device could work. I have one 12 year old cat who has begun to urinate more often. I really never had a problem with her litter box until I hurt my back.
I decided to bite the bullet and shell out $(...) for what looked like a solution to both her more frequent pees and my aching back. Unfortunately, the product did not work. It would rake the premium clumpable litter but could not get the ball of pee into the receptacle before getting jammed and backing off and attempting once again only to fail and return to its original position with the error light blinking.
I contacted manufacturer by email only to be offered the feeble suggestion to try several other litter. I went out and purchased three different premium clumpable litters and none faired better.
PS. Tent is not any better. I also purchased a tent that is made to surround the litter box only to find several pieces for assembly so flimsy they broke. I contacted manufacturer who asked me to email the part numbers and quantity needed. I did and they sent me the WRONG parts.
Good Idea - BAD CHEAP PRODUCT
Reviewer: Anonymous 10-14-2004
Had the original littermaid box for 2 years.After it broke, I had the bright idea to get 1 for each of my 5 cats. I spent over $1000 on them. Only one still works.I have replaced each of the 4 others 3 times each. They only last for approximately 1 month, then the rake stops in the 'dump' position. The company is not good about replacing them. So now I have conventional boxes. Too bad! When the Littermaid works it is very helpful...but the company has obviously skimped on production and is now selling a very lousy product. Don't waste your money or time. Look for another company to make a much more reliable product. I am!
Great Idea, Bad Manufacturing
Reviewer: mricha14 Fort Wayne, IN 10-03-2004
I'm giving this product 2 stars because it was a great idea for a self-cleaning litter box, but they just can't get the manufacturing to work. Here is my experience...
I bought my first litter box and one month after the warranty expired, it stopped - just quit working. I spent endless time with the customer service department, who didn't seem to know anything about their product but just kept trying to sell me another one.
Finally I broke down and purchased another one in June through a department store. This one somehow got jammed every time the rake got to the end of the litter box and THREW the poo out on the floor. I had to just sit there and laugh.
Took that one back and exchanged for my THIRD one. This one quit working 3 1/2 months after I got it. Some how the rake got all off track and jammed up. The department store has only a 90-day return policy and won't take back the Littermaid.
So, after a year and a half, I went through 3 Littermaids, spent $300.00, and basically still scooped the litter box every week just like a $3.00 one. It's not long enough for my one cat, who tends to potty on the top of the rake, it is EXTREAMLY cumbersome to clean, and it doesn't seem to spread the litter back evenly which will make the rake go back and forth endlessly until you manually spread it back - no matter how little litter you use.
Until they can master the manufacturing, and the fact that they will not stand behind their product to give a refund... SAVE YOUR MONEY, THIS PRODUCT IS JUST NOT WORTH IT!!!
No odors!
Reviewer: Allison Heyden Port Charlotte, Florida 10-02-2004
We have only had this litter box for 2 weeks and we love it!
We have had many cats in the past but none for several years and a smelly litter box was one of the negatives that kept us from getting another cat. This box is awesome! It is a very big box so space is an important factor. I am using Swheat Scoop litter and it works fine. The only down side, which I don't find too bad, is that some urine does clump on the bottom. I am not sure if this is because of my choice of litter. I just scoop this and dump it into the disposable container. Following the directions of "greasing" the bottom of the pan before filling did help.
I actually have this box close to my front door and I am not worried about people holding their nose when they come over!
No odors, happy husband, in my opinion this is worth the money!
wish I'd listened to other reviewers
Reviewer: Kay Nevada 09-12-2004
After my disaster with the Mega I broke down and bought the "LitterRobot" for $400 (I travel and an automated litterbox is a must, not an option). Extremely well built but the cats won't get near it. The kitten loves it but isn't heavy enough to "trip" it so I have to initiate the cycle myself (not handy when I'm gone). I saw the "Plus" version of the LitterMaid at Walmart for $88 and decided to give it a try. What a little dynamo. It's smaller than the Mega but it almost seems like the motor size was the same. Everything the Mega did was a struggle but in this smaller version it's doing great!!!! This has been a godsend. The "Plus model" can plow through anything. Takes up much less room (note to the LitterMaid designers- bigger may have sounded like a better sell but my cats only get in it one at a time). And if it goes out, at least it wasn't $200. This version gets FIVE STARS from me!
Not perfect but definitely worth the money
Reviewer: Andrea E. Conrad Houston, TX 09-10-2004
I bought a box from Amazon back in maybe Feb 2004, i loved it it works great! so i bought a second one, but it has a problem with the rake popping off into the box. i wrote amazon a quick email to complain about my product over 2 months after i bought it and 3 days later before i'd even checked my email i had a replacement sitting at my apartment. they even have a prepaid postage return label so all in all it makes the lowest hassel return i've ever had! i searched around alot and this place has the best prices too! I was entirely pleased with the service.
About the box, it does occasionally leave a little poop behind, or small clumps that break down and can't be picked up by the rake, sometimes a poop gets wedged in the rake and it needs a little assistance. but over all, it's a heck of alot cleaner than it'd be with me having to clean it by myself, and my involvement is minimal!
i have two cats and i LOVE my boxes! now instead of slaving over the box scraping and pouring and replacing litter, this box stays mostly clean with just maybe a weekly resevoir dump. and it doesn't smell! the litter stays clean enough that it doesn't stink, until the resevoir's so full it needs to be dumped. occasionally one side of the container fills before the other if the cat favors a side but all in all, this box is definitely worth the money. and you won't find a better price or better service. i'm so pleased! it's so nice to have such an easy to maintain box.
works well for me
Reviewer: jonicat 09-05-2004
Once you figure out some of the minor quirks, the litter box works well. I have the box located in one corner of my garage.
My cat at first would urinate on the rake and when the wet rake would cycle through the litter it would get clogged.
After studying the situation and my cat's habbits for a while, I discovered that my cat would only squat in the box so his backside was to the wall. i.e. he wanted to be able to have full view of the garage while going to the bathroom.
The rake end of the box was closest to the wall. All I had to do is turn the box around so the rake was on the other end.
Now he still faces the garage but the rake is now in front of him. and he no longer pees on the rake.
Also you can't fill the box to the full line. The motor won't be able to push through the litter.
My cat has no problem with the box not being filled to the recommended fill line. Just a little below the full line is fine.
I also reuse the plastic containers.
My overall opinion: I like the thing.
Maybe a more powerful motor in the future.
I hope this will help you.
A Little Piece of Heaven
Reviewer: Raymond 09-04-2004
I have used this product for a month and LOVE it! Time is of the essence in my household so I don't worry about cleaning litter every day, washing litter pans and all the mess that goes with it. This product does everything for you except put the container in the trash. My two cats are happy, they have a clean space everytime they need to go, I'm happy - I don't have to clean up after them daily and put up with the smells. When the plastic container is 3/4 full, you just snap the top on, lift it out and put it in the garbage. Nice neat package. To clean the pan you just flick two clasps on the side, it drops down, you dump the remaining litter, give it a swish with disinfectant, dry, re-attach and fill with fresh litter. I LOVE this product and having cats is a lot more fun now! The machine also seems to run very well. Some people complain about the noise (which is not very loud) but I think it's a beautiful sound!!
Until they come up with something better
Reviewer: C. Loiland North Dakota 09-03-2004
I have had mine for over a year, and purchased a second this spring (I have five cats). I have to admit, even with the rake getting plugged and the timing on the cleaner being a little too short, it is the best thing on the market for our multiple cat household, since my husband gags every time he has to go near a litter box. I would not want to go back to cleaning three litter boxes every day when all I need to do is check these once a day and empty every three days. The eventual need to wash this thing out is something to consider. I took mine outside in nice weather, but be careful, if the battery compartment gets wet it will take days to dry out and function properly again, or not at all. Over all I am pretty happy with ours (so are our cats).
Too much effort
Reviewer: Anonymous Madison, WI 08-27-2004
On paper, this is a great invention. No more daily litter clean up, right? Wrong. The rake thing is constantly getting stuck, and inevitably it's in the middle of the night, so we have to get up and get it unstuck. My cats don't like the noise it makes, and I think they've gotten scared of it, since one of them has started to poop just outside of the box, and the other one started to pee on the bathroom rug (he's 5 years old, and has never had a problem before). So I switched back to my old litter box, and the litter problems have gone away. I still have the littermaid, but neither of my cats will step one paw in it. Plus, Littermaid insists you use their brand of litter, and I think it's one of the worst clumping litters I've ever used. It has NO odor control, so I'm almost glad my cats have stopped using it.
Great product for the week it worked.....,
Reviewer: S. Bopp Colorado 08-14-2005
My Littermaid worked for only 10 days. I followed the directions to a T and today it just stopped working. I think the maybe the motor in this product is very sensitive. Wish I'd listened to other reviewers.
I LOVED it while it worked, but has a few glitches.....
Reviewer: Blondie137 Houston, TX 08-08-2004
I bought the largest LitterMaid off of Ebay in Jan 2003 from a Seller called KittenKaboodle. It took a few trials to find a litter that worked well but I settled on Scoop Away. Yes, as some reviewers have mentioned, sometimes it does stick to the bottom and you will have to use the scooper to scrape it up or clean the rakes sometimes. Then, I just turn it on and off and it will rake everything up. It only takes me a few seconds to check for any stuck spots or even out the litter, turn it on and off to make it rake and then add a little new litter to the top (so the cats think it's nice and clean). :-) It's not completely "no work" but it is a lot less work than a "manual" litterbox and stays smelling cleaner than manual boxes. I do use larger plastic grocery bags in the receptacle. It's a lot cheaper than throwing away receptacles every 3-4 days and it's alot easier to clean. Believe me, I do not like trying to pry those receptacles out when it is completely full. You have to stick your fingers inside to grab onto it (YUCK!) and it's heavy and hard to get out sometimes dumping litter and stuff all over the place (double YUCK).
The Seller on Ebay was selling the one I bought with a "super charged" motor (which is in the electrical cord). It worked pretty good for almost a year. Apparently, unlike the "normal motor", the stronger motor kept it from resetting sometimes when it would hit clumps that were too big for it. It would attempt to plow right thru which sounds like a good thing, but it wasn't. Apparently the gears and/or sprokets which move the rake along are made of plastic and within a year they were stripped. It started out making a spinning sound once in awhile but would eventually go ahead and rake. One day I came home to a god awful sound. I found the rake stuck right in the middle of the box, gears just spinning and making a heck of a racket. This was enough to scare away ALL 4 cats from the ONLY litterbox. Needless to say we had some accidents. 3 of my cats "recovered" and would go back to the disconnected box, but my 20 year old cat was traumatized and refused to use it. So I had to set up the manual box. I'm STILL working with her trying to get her to stop going elsewhere because of this.
I took the Littermaid to a repair shop and they knew immediately that the gears were stripped because they'd seen it before. They said they couldn't repair it because they couldn't get parts.
I contacted the Ebay Seller who said it was still under warranty. I had to pay shipping to and from the Seller though which was not cheap. The 2nd supercharged Littermaid started doing the same thing after less than 6 months and the Seller says this one is not under warranty. Apparently, the warranty does not extend to the replacement that they sent me which I think is a rip-off considering how expensive these things are.
While the 1st Littermaid was being repaired, I went ahead and bought another "regular" (not supercharged) Littermaid from Petsmart. I've had it 8 months and had no skipping problems so far. I think the "supercharged" motor caused all my problems, but KittenKaboodle refuses to acknowledge this and refused to warranty the 2nd box that they sent me.
So, overall it's great when it works, but it could use a few improvements. The bottom of the pan needs to be made of something more "non-stick" so the rake can get thru some of the larger wet spots and/or the gears need to be made of something stronger to be able to take a stronger motor that can get thru the stuck on clumps (and not strip the gears). Also I would like to see a slightly larger receptacle on the larger models. They are made for a multi cat household but with only one litterbox it fills up pretty fast. With 2 litterboxes it's not too bad though. I would also like to see some sort of hood like other auto litterboxes that I've seen. That tent seems like a nuisance (it looks like it would block the on/off switch and collect litter in the box.)
It arrives broken
Reviewer: Joe Kennedy D.C. 07-03-2004
Yes, it's true. I ordered not one (returned because it arrived broken), but two (it arrived broken) and three (sic). The two tiny arms are pathetic - just waiting to be snapped. If someone ever did get this product right - well, they would have to have at least 2.3% of a cat's IQ.
Not Worth it Anymore!
Reviewer: Anonymous 07-01-2004
I bought my first Littermaid and it lasted 5 years and I thought it was the greatest thing. When it finally broke, I rushed out to buy a new one. What a mistake. I have had 2 of the new ones, (the $99 model) and both have broken within a month. I guess the company decided to get cheap and now the product stinks.
Some pluses, some minuses
Reviewer: Crystal Cummings SC 06-28-2004
I love it, but am really picky about the type of litter. Urine smell is still a factor, as to sit there for any length, the type of litter itself has to be GREAT, i.e. EXPENSIVE.
However, A MUST for the pregnant person who has no one to take over litter duties. I completey adore it for that reason alone
If you have a cat who is rather shy and skittish, I wouldn't recommend this one at all. My brave cat loves it, but my shy one refuses to use it. The crank when it runs the cleaning rake across is rather loud and has been known to even wake the sleeping in the middle of the night.
A problem, not a solution
Reviewer: Harris Elleberg Astoria, NY 06-17-2004
First off, the thing looks like one of those D-Day landing boats. Really good for the decor of any kitchen and handy if your cat plans on invading Normandy any time soon. Second, the sensors seem to have a hard time distinguishing between "cat" and "cat poo." My cat has been raked over several times and, in one frightening incident, spent three days pinned against the box's plastic bulkhead.
It's a good thing I never liked that cat much anyway. B+.
Avoid the hassle
Reviewer: eimiphos Austin, TX 06-08-2004
Forget the LitterMaid...save yourself the hassle and spend the extra money to get a Litter-Robot. One of the happiest days of my life was when I was able to get rid of the LitterMaid and use regular trash bags to line the collector of the Litter-Robot. They're priced a bit higher, but definitely worth the extra money.
The solution to the problem
Reviewer: Anonymous 06-07-2004
When we moved into our new house we had just one cat and one dog. No sooner was the paint dry on the porch when someone dropped off a pair of beautiful kittens. Now,to me, three cats and a dog in a brand new house is a bit much. The solution to the problem was this litter box. When used correctly (don't overfill), the box always looks like a freshly raked sand trap. It was worth every cent. The old cat and the kittens adapted to it in one day with no accidents!!
Buyer Beware
Reviewer: Tyler Hokama Palo Alto, CA 05-27-2004
I have three issues that I would report about this product:
1) With multiple cats, the receptacles can fill pretty quickly. This means that you do have to check in on the system frequently, and sometimes can run into not-so-pleasant 'overflow' situations. Yuck. I had hoped that this would be a good way to spend a 3-day weekend without worrying about litter issues, but it doesn't work for me with 2 cats.
2) Receptacles don't fit. The receptacles used to work pretty nicely to seal off the odor and such. The company has now switched to receptacle lids that just don't fit into the device that I own. They don't sell replacement receptacles that fit the model I bought last year (only one type on their site or in the marketplace), and now have to manually *tape* the receptacle to the lid of the device. Ever put tape, kitty litter, and kitty waste in the same general area? Not ideal. This is my biggest complaint.
3) No service. I have complained about issue #2 several times to the manufacturer and received NO RESPONSE. No apology, no solution recommendations, no way to buy the old receptacles that actually fit.
I do give 2 stars because in all fairness, it used to work okay when the lids fit. Not a perfect product, but it does give the cats a nice clean box consistently when everything actually works (something to think about when they are sitting and standing in your lap all the time).
Great For Picky Cats
Reviewer: Robert I. Hedges Burnsville, MN 05-25-2004
This cat box is a lifesaver. My vet recommended trying this when a Persian of mine started having issues of straying from the box. The vet said that some cats are just extra fastidious and no matter how many times a day a person scoops the box as long as there is anything at all in the box they will refuse to use it.
I was hesitant at first to get this, fearing that the cat would be frightened of the motor and would become even more traumatized by the litter box. With great trepidation, I set the LitterMaid up, and from that moment on, there has never been a single instance of the cat straying from the box to do his business.
Some people say that a motorized cat box is a waste of money, but it is well worth trying if you face a similar dilemma: it can save your sanity and your carpet, and may let some cats stay in loving homes instead of being abandoned or even euthanized.
I am absolutely delighted with the LitterMaid, and have had no problems with it, and at this point mine is over two years old. I highly endorse the LitterMaid system.
Best litter box I've ever had!
Reviewer: whidbeygirl Whidbey Island, WA 05-15-2004
I love Littermaid products. I have 2 large male Meezers, so I bought a reconditioned LM900 Mega box about 3 years ago. I've never had a day's trouble with it over the 3 years, even though both cats use the same box. One cat is very timid and I was afraid he wouldn't use it because of the cleaning mechanism, which is a bit noisy, but he loves the box and so does his brother. Since there is always clean, fresh litter for them, they use it without reservation and I know they are healthier for it. Sure, there's still a little maintenance to perform--I have to scoop out some of the smaller pieces that fall back into the box after the rake, and sometimes my guys will fill up a corner--but I don't have to clean the entire box several times a day and empty the litter every other day or so like I would have to with a conventional box. There's virtually no litter dust or odor, since the box cleans itself and covers the debris every time it's used. I highly recommend Littermaid products to anyone who loves their cats.
The sometime-self-cleaning litter Box
Reviewer: granny123 Steger, Il 05-15-2004
Our littermaid worked fine for a while, as long as our cat's body produced clumpable waste. Then after 3 months the motor stopped working altogether.
this is JUNK get a LITTER-ROBOT instead
Reviewer: princesspurchaser sioux falls, sd 05-10-2004
when i got it i loved it for about 3 days. then it began clogging up and getting disgustingly dirty. NO ONE i've ever met, and i do animal rescue work, has ever kept this and used it. want to get one that really works? go to http://litter-robot.com/ and check out the message board at http://www.litterbox-central.com this was a great resource for me. i was obsessed with fining a solution to the litterbox oder and time it took. litter robot has been a great product for me...for now nearly a year and on the litterbox central forum you can see testimonials from other users who are happy for longer. 3 weeks for this crummy littermaid or a 18mth warrenty and many happy users with the LITTER-ROBOT
Great Idea - Poor Implementation
Reviewer: Anonymous 05-06-2004
I have 3 cats and have had 2 of these overpriced, underfunctioning white elephants. The little bitty receptacles overflow if not emptied every day. The rake gets stuck. The motor burns out. The litter sticks to the bottom. My tom regularly created sparks when he would "hit" the electrics. I'm considering the Performa, but it will be a while before I actually get it - I'm going to find someone who has one and check it out, first. And I noticed there were some "used" Littermates listed. Who in their right mind would buy a used litterbox, no matter how cleaned up??
Please don't waste your money
Reviewer: Bonny So. CA 05-04-2004
I'm really sorry, I tried to give this LitterMaid LM900 a chance, but after having it in our home for about two months now, I really feel that I wasted my money. We have two cats who use the LitterMaid and I am constantly having to monitor this box. I work full-time and do not have time to deal with this. In my opinion, it's worse than a regular cat box with scoopable litter.
Unless you have neat and tidy cats who are also dainty and don't fling cat litter, then you might be ok, but my two cats like to kick the sand around a bit and it gets all over and under the LitterMaid. I even set up the tent and now it's even more difficult to clean the machine, especially the rakes. One of our two cats "goes" in the same spot each time and the litter clumps up in the rakes; I am constantly having to scrape the rakes with the scooper provided because the litter turns to clay on the rakes(I am using the recommended litter), which means I have to unzip the tent to "unclog" the rakes every...single...time.
The plastic collection box needs to be emptied every day, which isn't the problem. The fact that it's a pain in the neck to remove from the LitterMaid is the problem.
I'm sorry to say, we're going back to the regular cat box with scoopable litter.
For the love of God, no
Reviewer: Jonathan S. Haas Redmond, WA 05-02-2004
Nobody enjoys the revolting task of scooping the litter box. The promise of a product that will free us from this disgusting chore is very, very tempting. But the LitterMaid is not the solution.
I've owned two. They clog. The rake gets stuck. The cord gets covered in waste. They're hard to clean. They dump dirty litter on your floor. The waste receptacles are proprietary and (relatively) expensive.
Spend the extra money and buy a Litter Robot. Google it if you need to know where. It's three times the price, but it's worth every penny to get an automatic litterbox that actually works.
Doesn't work half the time
Reviewer: Michael Polich Norman, OK 04-30-2004
This litter box is a good idea, but the bugs still need to be worked out. The litter sticks to the box most of the time, which prevents the rake from cleaning the box. In the end, most of the time I have to still clean out the litter by hand, completely defeating the purpose of even having the thing. In addition, the motor is really loud, and when it encounters an obstacle (i.e. clumped up litter sticking to the box) it makes three passes before finally shutting down and blinking the light that shows me that the box has yet again failed to perform. I even have to shut off the box at night. Otherwise I'll be woken up by the sound of the rake going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Better to wait for the next model, which hopefully will be more advanced than this one.
Not worth the money or trouble
Reviewer: Anonymous 04-28-2004
I bought this thinking it would be a wonderful thing, but their isn't ANYTHING wonderful about it. Within the first week the motor ceased. This is not something I wanted to see after spending over $150 on the thing. They did send another one before we even sent them the wires ( to make sure we are not trying to score another one for free, who the hell would want another?)I find that I am cleaning the thing almost as much as if it weren't self cleaning. Between the rake getting clumped up, the liners overflowing, the urine sticking to the pan,the litter getting all over the floor.....the list could go on. Stick with cleaning the old fashioned way. It is cheaper and less of a hassle.
Great Idea, but .....
Reviewer: Stacey J. Lenz Pequot Lakes, MN 04-26-2004
I agree with the reviews that say you need to get the "litter level" right for the box to work well. Of course, Littermaid's own brand of litter works best, but is really expensive (!), especially if you have two or more cats. The 900 series is meant for mutiple cat use, however - like one reviewer commented, if the cats use the same spot, the rake will empty into the waste receptacle in the same spot and you will have to move the waste around to even it out. Even with the Littermaid litter, the time window of 10 minutes is not enough for it to clump properly. I usually have "chunks" stuck on the rake. One of our cats weighs 17 pounds and is nearly twice the size of most felines. The box is small for him, but he manages. I also find that when the rake does empty into the waste receptacle, there is an area on the sides that litter spills out of and consequently ends up on the floor under the box. Although, I no longer have to "scoop poop", I find that I spend a fair amount of time cleaning the rake and sweeping underneath the pan. On the otherhand, I can not afford the Litter Robot, it is a whopper @$300 +. The Littermaid isn't a bad investment, but may not be as convenient as one would hope. My friend has had the same 600 series for 5 years without a problem.
Not worth the trouble and money!
Reviewer: Anonymous 04-19-2004
I spent two months trying to get it right. Which brand of "recommended" litter won't stick to the rake? How much is just enough litter? (use too much and the rake can't return to its starting position and will keep repeating its cycle) How often should I add another cup of litter? My 2 cats went in the same location in the pan, so the receptacle overflowed after one day. Also, the rake would pull the clump and litter away and then they would urinate on a pan without litter! Not a good smell! This did not liberate me from cleaning the box, I was dealing with litter box issues twice as often!(...) PS: Don't bother with the privacy tent. It wraps UNDER the tray, so when litter misses the receptacle it is trapped in the tent and you can't easily get it out. What a pain.
It's So Much Better Than You Think!
Reviewer: M. Geng Lawrenceville, NJ 04-16-2004
I had to write this because of the negative reviews I've seen on Amazon. Anyone who can't figure out how to keep it from getting jammed, frankly isn't qualified to be handling electronic products of any sort. Everyone will have to balance the amount of litter they use right from the beginning. Too much and the rake jams. Too little, and the poop sticks! Not rocket science, but I guess it takes all kinds...
I'm not going to address anyone's review who bought a refurbished product. That method speaks for itself.
There is honestly nothing else I have ever bought that I've been so excited to tell friends about. I don't have to empty the thing more than every 10+ days! I put it in a spot in my basement where I don't hear it, or think about it at all. Since day one, after nearly a year, I have NEVER dealt with it getting stuck.
I have to believe that anyone who's had those problems in the past is either playing with a short deck, or is feeding their cats something un-natural.
Buy this thing today!
OK, but not worth it
Reviewer: debren27 San Diego, CA 04-15-2004
I had a LitterMaid for years. My first one (small) broke in about 8 months, so they sent me a new one - the Mega! I had good luck with their customer service, unlike most people.
But after a while I realized I was spending way too much time scraping off the rake and the bottom, and getting woken up too much when it jammed and just ran back and forth.
I decided I needed a change, so I did a bunch of research and changed both my litterbox and litter.
The best automatic litterbox currently available is the Litter Robot (www.litter-robot.com). It's very expensive but very low maintenance. Check out the comments at www.litterbox-central.com (yes, seriously!).
Please don't buy a LitterMaid; either stick with a cheap normal litterbox, or spend a little extra to do it right with a Litter Robot.
This Product isn't Worth the Crap it Moves!
Reviewer: kelaniz North Carolina 04-13-2004
Bought a factory refurbished one despite the legendary dubious quality on these things. It was the BIG model and I have one little cat. It worked fine for 5 months, then it started missing 50% of the cat's visits. I took it apart and cleaned it thoroughly, again it worked fine for a month. Then it just stopped raking at all. I called customer service, who tried to tell me that the amount of time you left the device unplugged from power made a difference in the "level of reset" it goes through. For example, unplugging it for 2-3 minutes made it do something different than unplugging it for 10+ minutes.
Whatever.
I left it unplugged for a week, it never worked again. The customer service rep told me "your best option is to just go buy a new one!" I can see how the company makes their money now.
THIS IS A GREAT IDEA, BUT A LOW-QUALITY PRODUCT
OLDER MODELS REPORTEDLY WORK SEVERAL YEARS
NEW MODELS WORK A FEW MONTHS - THEN DIE
BEWARE REFURB MODELS - You will see dealers selling *HUNDREDS* of these as refurbished items. That should be your first warning. These things don't last.
You can save your money and just use the Crystals litter with your cat, or buy one of the $9.99 toilet training kits at any pet store and avoid litter altogether. DO NOT get suckered in by these junky items!
complete junk
Reviewer: medbiker Los Angeles 04-13-2004
, April 13, 2004
Reviewer: Fred Field "medbiker" (Los Angeles
I have NEVER had the serious problems others are mentioning
Reviewer: Anonymous 04-11-2004
It works great for me and my 4 cats. Have had the same unit for 4 years.
Good CLUMPING litter is a MUST
Not over filling is a second MUST
I have never had problems with broke rakes, sensors dying out etc.
I dont know why it seems to be such extremes in the reviews. Not sure why some are having such problems with their units.
Horrible Product - Very Disappointed
Reviewer: Anonymous 04-09-2004
I was so excited to finally buy the Litter Maid LM700. I set it up, read the instructions, and said GOODBYE to my old litter box. The next morning when I checked on the Litter Maid it had already stopped working and was in a "stuck" position. Cat byproduct hadn't sufficiently balled up and was sticking to bottom of pan as well as the rake. I cleaned up the product and reset the box. This continued for four days. I thought maybe I put to much litter, so I dumped some out and reset. No luck. On the sixth day, I checked the box and the rake was laying in the middle of the box on its side in the litter. I have no idea how it jumped off the track! Then in the litter I found two different parts that have totally snapped off the rake. Very disappointing and more work than old litterbox. Did as instructions told me to and called Customer Service. They advised me to take the used product back into store for exchange or refund. After reading all the reviews I have decided to take a refund and wait for a better product to be made!
Great...when it works
Reviewer: Anonymous 04-09-2004
My first LM worked *absolutely great* for 5 months, with 5 cats (4 of which do their business outside as well) - I was very happy. Then the sensor went on it. They sent me a new one, #2 broke in 2 weeks. The side of the rake broke and it came off the track. It had A LOT more trouble raking than my first. Never had a problem with the first one, but the #2 replacement I noticed right away had a much quieter motor, and when I questioned the company about if there had been a change in the motor, they just sent me a standard 'fix it' list. My husband fixed this one with parts from LM #1. They sent me a new one again, so #3 and now with two LM in use, so less stress on each of them. The brand new #3 broke at the side again! My husband fixed this one himself with leftover parts from #1. Now the power has gone on this one, so the fourth malfunction. So we are left with one working box (the #2 fixed by us) and I have never overfilled them and do use spray on the bottom. I love them when they work and don't break! I am now looking into toilet training my cats, since I am waiting for the inevitable malfunction unfortunately. But the customer service in sending me new boxes has been great, will have to send for another one unless the power starts working on it somehow.
Piece of Crap
Reviewer: Stimpy Los Osos, CA 04-03-2004
Please notice that the cat has to step over it feces, because the litter is dragged towards the front of the machine. How hard would it have been to design it so the litter was pushed to the back if the unit instead? Terrible to clean, god help you if you happen to "let it go" a bit, which is the very idea behind this loser. We do have two big rural cats, A 12 and 20 pounder, & they are hard on any litter box set up, but really, this thing is a terrible design, poorly executed...
Worth it for the labor-saving
Reviewer: Stimpy East Point, GA 04-03-2004
Got one for use with my three cats. It works well enough but you DO need to use the right clumping litter. I found a generic brand at my warehouse club that seems to work really, really well. I tried a major name brand first and there's just no comparison: the cheaper no-name warehouse litter in a bucket beats it handsdown.
At first my cats had no issues with the automatic cleaning cycle. They took to the new box like ducks to water. One cat even started sleeping on the ramp. But after about two months, a second cat started getting spooked at the moving rake and the cat who uses to sleep on the ramp has now picked up on the spook (cats being collectively paranoid and all) and both of them have started attacking the box. They do still use it but go nuts when it starts running. This is discouraging given the initial success. We are going to cycle it manually for a while in the hopes they get over it.
Functionally, I agree with some of the other comments. Manually cleaning the rake and pan bottom can be a pain and the disposable litter tray throws litter in my face too. Litter also seems to leak out around the tray edges and spill on the floor more than I'd like. Still, it's not as much of a mess as a regular litter box. Overall, I give it a thumbs up. It does work, it does do at least 90% of the litter cleaning work for you, and odor control seems much better.
They don't hold up
Reviewer: Anonymous 04-02-2004
I bought two of the large sized LitterMaids for my three cats. On one of the Littermaids the rake froze at the end of the track (over the waste receptacle) and never moved again. That one I threw out. On the other LitterMaid the electric eye that triggers a cleaning cycle after the cat enters the box failed. That one I still have, but have to trigger manually by turning the power on and off. You must buy premium litter or the rake does not have enough power to move the litter. My Littermaids were worth while for the short (less than 1 year) time the functioned correctly, but I would not recommend them due to poor reliability.
Don't waste your money!
Reviewer: hcltroubles AR 04-02-2004
I couldn't wait to get one of these. I had one indoor only cat when I finally got one.
This is more work than a regular litter box. Litter gets stuck in the grate, to the bottom of the box, ect.(and I did use "premium litter"). I would line the box that the litter scooped in with plastic bags to try to make it easier to dump. That didn't work. No matter what I tried it usually threw some dirty litter in my face!
Half the time it would just scoop over the litter and do no more than just break it up or stick in the grate. The other half it wouldn't get the dirty litter at all it would just rack over it.
It some how managed to get a lot of litter (dirty and clean) in the floor.
It is very bulky to try to handle and clean. After I would clean it best I could (I use bleach cleaner and alcohol) it would still stink to high heaven!
After about 2 months, it just up and quit!
I went back to a normal litter box. I also got another cat and the regular litter box smells much better and is much easier to clean with two cats than the Litter Maid was with one.
LitterScam
Reviewer: Anonymous 04-02-2004
I took a chance and purchased the almighty littermaid a while ago. To my dismay I have found this product to be a futile investment. After two weeks of improper cleaning and extensive spreading of litter from my 3 cats outside of the box, I could not take it anymore. The main problem would have to be the motors lack of power and the exposed adapter wire for it. My cats while taking care of business inadvertently scratched and shredded the power line that leads into the motor. Without much effort the overpriced littermaid became a rather large and stank filled paper weight. I would not and will not purchase or suggest other people to purchase this expensive and disheartening product.
Just... Follow... These... Instructions...
Reviewer: Anonymous 04-01-2004
Okay, I just wasted an hour of my life reading complaints from disgruntled owners. Box gets dirty, large cats poop too much and gum up the works, litter doesn't clump, yada yada yada.
I've had three cats use my (one) Littermaid. One is eight pounds, one is ten pounds, the other was 23 pounds (Maine Coon). The last cat was as large as a small dog (medium one if you count the fur) and pooped like one, albeit into the cat box. I've had my Littermaid for 4 years now and have had no problems.
I don't use any special cat litter (Tidy Cats at the moment; clumping of course) and I check the box every second or third day. When the disposal container fills I remove it, dump it and replace it. Yes, I'm stingy. Occasionally it gets grungy and I dump them, but in 4 years I've only bought one extra set of the cannisters.
The rakes on my box don't get clogged up, and I've never had to clean them. I've emptied the box completely and cleaned it thoroughly a few times (when I've relocated) but other than that no other effort expended.
There are no odors. Literally. I've had the cat box in my own room, next to my computer workstation, in the kitchen one time, etc. There simply is no noticable odor.
There is some litter spray on the floor next to the box (the ramp helps a lot actually; never tried the tent -- looked stupid to me) but that happens with any cat box. Keep a small broom next to it and as you go by in the morning or night brush it up, as you would with any cat box.
One of my cats does its business in one spot every time and its just not a problem. Every other day or so take a second and peer into the recepticle and if its filling unevenly use a traditional cat scoop tool and even it out. (...) Enjoy!
Waste of money
Reviewer: Brian K. Carvell Esq. Connecticut 04-01-2004
This product is the biggest waste of money ever. I advise all who are considering buying the product to NOT do so.
My fiancee and I are both professionals, and we also have 2 cats (Buckley & Gnecco). We bought this to make life easier...it has not.
This product requires far more cleaning (and more often) than an ordinary litter box, the litter that you can keep in the box is too shallow, the motor on the rake is too weak, "waste" constantly sticks to the rake and the bottom of the box.
Overall, a useless piece of crap that costs a good amount of money and doesn't live up to the promises it makes in the advertisements.
DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT!
No more sifting and scooping!
Reviewer: Nerd Mom Richardson, TX 03-23-2004
Well, at least not much sifting and scooping. My cats have been using the LitterMaid for a couple of weeks now and I have removed the old stinky litterbox from the room. I had very little difficulty training the cats to use the new box; I just followed the simple instructions that came with the Littermaid. The only difficulty I had in getting the cats accustomed to the new box was a teenager who thought it hillarious to yell boo at a cat as it watched the box clean itself. Needless to say, that cat took a little longer getting used to the LitterMaid and the teenager got the privelege of cleaning the old box.
Just as it advertises, 10 minutes after use, the "sifter" runs from one end of the box to the other, lifting the clumps and depositting them in the container at the end. A few times it had a little difficulty with a very large clump and I heard it reverse and try again several times before successfully completing the trip. I do have a problem with litter being dumped on the floor, either by an energetic cat or the sifter pushing litter in front of a clump and over the edge.
Don't start thinking this will reduce how often you have to deal with a litter box. You still have to empty the container daily, add/rearrange the litter daily and probably vacuum frequently. It misses the really small clumps so you'll have to sift once in a while. However, it only takes a minute to do these tasks and it really keeps down the smell. In addition, your kitties are using a much cleaner litter box which is better for them!
Better motor PLEASE!
Reviewer: Katherine Wappingers Falls, NY 03-22-2004
We had a larger size LitterMaid for our two cats and it worked OK for about a month. Granted, the time between the cats using the box and the rake going didn't leave enough time for total clumping (my cats didn't like the LitterMaid litter and neither did I so we stuck with Fresh Step), and the litter was never deep enough (the little "max pour" line was shallow I'm assuming to compensate for the weak rake motor). Then a month later, the rake started sounding like it was having problems moving (that strained motor kind of sound), and then the sensor stopped working so I had to flip the switch manually when the cats went, and then the rake would rake and then get stuck, go back, try again, and just stop working all together. I thought maybe I just wasn't flipping the switch soon enough, but I tried it with clean litter and it did the same thing. One day it just didn't work at all and I threw it away. I talked to a friend of mine who is a vet tech, and her LitterMaids (all three of them) have worn out as well, as have many of her patient's LitterMaids.
The LitterMaid is a great concept, which is why I bought one. However it has a lot of things that need to be perfected before I'll ever consider buying one again.
WHAT A PIECE OF JUNK!
Reviewer: elizabeth_farleymetzger Tempe, AZ 03-17-2004
There needs to be "negative stars" for these reviews, because this thing deserves them!
I had wanted one of these for *years* and finally broke down and bought one.
I should have saved my money! I did buy the "best, most expensive, hardest clumping" litter and still spent more time screwing with cat litter than I had before I bought this thing.
Litter has to be deep enough for the urine to form a ball *before* it hits bottom. The Littermaid isn't deep enough (I suppose because their motor burns out if litter is deep). The clump sticks to the bottom and you have to scrape it off manually. 2 or 3 times a day.
So I went out and bought the silicone spray like the manual recommended, to coat the bottom of the pan. That helped somewhat, but after a couple of days it was starting to stick again.
Then, tonight, SIX DAYS after I bought it, I came home to find the rake broken and lying sideways in the litter! One of the guides was snapped off. It won't work at all!
In the last 6 days I spent more time messing with the litter box than I'd spent in the year before that! And probably spent more money on the box than I spent for litter for a couple of years, too!
NOW, of course, I have read the consumer reports about all the problems with this product and how bad the company's customer service is. Apparently the older ones worked better, since there are people who say their first one worked for several years.
I wish I'd saved my money!! Save yours!!
I've had mine for four years, and I love it!
Reviewer: Anonymous 03-17-2004
It does require attention every few days, or even every other day, but don't most appliances? When I was running it with three cats, one of whom was ill, it needed daily attention. However, that attention consists merely of mainly making sure the litter level is okay and seeing if the disposable tray needs emptying. I say emptying because I reuse the trays several times before tossing them. (I line them with plastic bags from the grocery store, as another reviewer has already mentioned). When my older cat, Zeus, was sick and urinating a great deal, I would also need to take a litter scoop and scrape the bottom of the pan daily to get rid of the clumps that stuck, and then just turn the unit off and on again to make the rakes do their thing and remove those clumps.
When I had the three cats, before I got the LitterMaid I felt like I was on constant litter patrol, and if I didn't completely change the litter every other day, I had a smelly house. With the LitterMaid, my house never has that catty odor. In fact, people are often surprised that I had three cats.
Well, poor Zeus passed away in May, so now we have two kitties, and I don't have any trouble at all with clumps sticking. I did have to exeriment early on to find the best clumping litter for the machine. (I use Fresh Step). And yes, washing the entire unit can be a pain, but this only has to be done a few times a year if you occasionally just wipe the unit with a damp cloth.
I would imagine that those who are having trouble with the motor burning out are overfilling the pan and making it work too hard. You use much less litter than you do with a traditional pan. If you overfill and the rakes can't get through, the motor will run constantly trying to clean the pan and eventually it will overheat. That's happened to me a few times when some other family member wanted to be helpful and then added too much litter. I found that when I unplugged the unit and let it rest for a few days, it then worked fine when I plugged it back in. Also, I keep my unit in my laundry room and once I had a flood and the motor got wet and stopped working. A few days later, after it had thoroughly dried out, it was as good as new. Getting rid of all that wet litter was horrendous, but that would have been the case with a traditional pan as well.
DO NOT BUY
Reviewer: Anonymous 03-16-2004
I bought one of these litter boxes a year ago, and quickly it became more of a hassle than it was worth. The comb jams more than it works. I found that I was cleaning this box more often than I was cleaning a regular box. The comb would get litter built up in it causing it to try to scoop all the litter into the compartment, causing a jam. The next problem I was having was the litter would get in the gear on the side of the box, causing the comb to jam. The litter box was so noisy that my cat would attack the box, and end up using the nearest plant as her litter box. This product suffers from many design flaws. The ramp broke after the first week. Note: I followed all the directions that came with the litter box, and still went through two of them before throwing this product away, and buying an oversized litter box.
Terrific Product!
Reviewer: Anonymous 03-15-2004
I couldn't live without my 2 LitterMaids. I have had the same 2 LitterMaids for 5+ years, as my only litterboxes, without any problems. I have 3 cats, and could never imagine going back to a life of raking the litterbox. My 4th kitty moved to a new home and refused to go until she had a LitterMaid, she was so used to always having a fresh box. ALL of my cats LOVE a clean litter box -- this is the solution to constant cleaning of the box!!! The bottom of the LitterMaids also unclip for cleaning,which is really nice.
Advice: Don't fill to the fill line, keep the litter about halfway to that line. You may have to add a tiny bit of litter more often but your LitterMaid will run without a hitch (don't worry if the bottom of the LitterMaid has a spot that isn't totally covered in litter). If you use too much litter, the rake will get stuck and make a loud clicking noise, and won't do its job. I also use inexpensive premium clumping litter (about $10 per 40 lbs), which keeps everything functioning well.
I have three Cats!
Reviewer: C. Luster Burke, VA 03-12-2004
Give me a break, I have three cats. This thing is a godsend. I can't believe people complaining about it breaking down in a few months or it being overloaded. Read the manual is all I can say. I have bought about four of these units. I started buying them when they first came out and they cost about $200 plus shipping. They have vastly improved the durability and features, and the cost has dropped dramatically. If you adhere to the rules of not over filling it with litter and checking the receptacle box daily you will find it works very well.
I will admit with three cats I don't usually get them to last much past two years, but the cats health and my sanity are in great debt to LitterMaid. It is well worth the money for me not to have to clean a litter box out at least three times a day. I have also noticed the cats are cleaner and the smell is much better. If your cats tend to urinate in one spot you may want to take a litter rake and loosen it once in awhile. A large accumulation hardened to the plastic bottom could cause problems with it raking properly. Any time that has happened I could hear the box repeatedly trying to rake the litter. I just went in, unplugged the power, and took a scoop to the clumps. It always worked fine after I plugged it back in. Seldom as that occurs, I don't mind a bit.
I usually dump the receptacle box contents into a plastic bag every couple days and throw it in the trash. That allows me to stretch the use of the plastic receptacle boxes they include when you buy it. When I replace my unit about every two years I usually have receptacle boxes left over. Should you use them more than me you can buy more at pet stores like Petco. The last set I got included air filters for the receptacle boxes. The odors were always greatly reduced before since the receptacle box encloses what is raked out of the litter box. Now with an air freshener I don't notice even a hint of the smell you get with a standard litter box. You can even remove the bottom easily and rinse it out with water.
I'm sorry if I find it hard to believe all those that have rated this negatively. My own experience with these over the last eight- years and four LitterMaids tells me that perhaps they overfilled them or neglected to check them. You can't have the same attitude of using a regular litter box. Many people fill their regular litter box up so they can slide for awhile without raking it. You can't do that with a LitterMaid. A half to three quarters of an inch of litter is plenty. And it is best to use litter like Arm & Hammer Multi-Cat clumping litter. We have used it without any trouble for years. Then you just pour in a little more every day or two. Follow those rules and it should work fine for at least a couple years.
Be sure you buy a model that is appropriate to the number of cats in your household. You can't expect to have three cats use the cheapest model and then not have any problems. We always buy the heavy duty model since we have three cats. It would have been well worth if I paid two hundred dollars and it had only lasted a year. My boxes have lasted two years so I figure the cleaniliness and me getting a break from all the litter box cleaning is well worth the cost.
Don't Buy Save Money and Time and Buy Throw Away Litter
Reviewer: stacy altamonte springs, FL 03-12-2004
I bought this litter box on the advice of family and as soon as my cat first used it I knew it was going to be a hassle, the litter sticks to the comb and it is a hassle to clean them I had to use Qtips to get them clean... and then a year after purchasing it the combs stopped working... I called litter maid and they said it wasn't covered because my year warranty had expired a month earlier my husband who has a electronic and engineering degree tried to fix it but some of the parts would have been to expensive to buy so we ended up having to throw it away. Save Your Money and Buy Throw Away Litter and a $2.00 Litter Tray!
A waste of time and money
Reviewer: kokomo Doylestown, PA 03-12-2004
It's time to kiss $200 (and Litter Maid) goodbye.
We bought one and it seemed to do the job so after a week we bought a second one. BIG MISTAKE.
One machine broke and the rake just flopped around and couldn't scoop. We were able to get a replacement - but it is still in the carton - because the other litter box is always jamming. And they sent the wrong model (a cheaper one).
One of our three cats tends to pee on one side of the box and the clump is getting stuck to the bottom of the pan. We can only imagine that the urine goes down the side of the pan, under the litter, and then clumps and sticks - constantly. We tried EVERY recommendation in reviews to try and stop the sticking.
I will give the replacement box away and throw away the used one. Maybe the next owner's cat will pee right in the middle.
It's back to the old-fangled poop and scoop box.
Waste of money
Reviewer: clmilovic Livermore, CA 03-09-2004
I have admit this is a great idea, again underline/capitalize the word IDEA. Bought my first one back in 2001, i was so happy not having to worry about scooping up little every day and just changing the plastic sealed box, but after 5-6 months the motor DIED!!!
We bought a second one couple months ago, thinking they might've improved the product... oh so wrong... first of all the motor wasnt strong enough to comb thru the litter, so we put half the required/suggested amount, still the comb would get stuck not even half way thru. Got a third box thinking this one was just deffective, same old story, the last two didnt even make it to the 5-6 month mark, didnt even make the 2 day mark!
Great concept for a litter box, and thats about it. Dont waste your money.
Not too many cats
Reviewer: Anonymous 02-29-2004
The biggest issue I had with these is that if you have more than 2 cats, it gets jammed up. One cat goes, then the next one goes to cover up the first one - usually this happens before the unit rakes, then the next one goes to cover up the 2nd one - again before the unit rakes. When this happens there is too much to rake for the power of the motor and it jams up.
Mostly a good deal
Reviewer: tululaluna abingdon, md 02-29-2004
I have two cats that use this box. Like another reviewer wrote, she likes to go in the same spot, so one side of the disposable tray fills up faster, therefore the lid doesn't shut all the way.
Another problem I have with this is the lid to the tray doesn't attach to the unit. There are these little clippy things, but they don't hold the lid AT ALL! I just use tape to hold it in, but it's still irritating.
I've had this for about 6 months. It just started making a squeaky sound as the rake is pulled back into the unit, and a couple of times it has continued to run, three or four cycles in a row.
Litter is all over the floor. I've tried the tent, but it makes cleaning it more difficult. I would suggest a carpeted room, not one with hardwood floors;)
Overall, it keeps the box clean and I do like it very much. I just think for the price, some things should be improved upon.
Ok for one cat, good for travelers
Reviewer: Joanna Daneman Middletown, DE 02-24-2004
While this box does what it's advertised to do (rake litter and remove the lumps), it should be used with some cautions:
1. Two cats? Well, not ours. They need two boxes, maybe three. The vet says X+1 box for the cats you have, to avoid spraying and fighting. We find this to be true.
2. The litter is not able to be put in very deep in this box, and you have to be careful what kind you use.
3. The little plastic container for the uh, lumps, fills up and you need to replace it often. They are a bit costly.
For ONE cat, if you go away for say an overnight and have a food dispenser and water fountain, can work to keep the box sanitary. And for finicky cats (we have one) who refuse to use the box unless it's cleaned EACH TIME (yes, this cat turns up his nose unless you are on 24 hour litterbox patrol) well, for this kind of cat, the LitterMaid is excellent.
YOU MUST follow the directions exactly or it will jam, and that's not fun to clean. So I recommend it for one cat, or if you are able to, get a couple of them for multiple cats.
Follow the directions
Reviewer: Anonymous 02-15-2004
If I had the option I would put 10 stars, I have had a litterMaid for 6 years. You will rip that thing out of my cold dead hands, only. I have had no problem filling to the line, ever. I also have only one cat. If you use the cheep "clumping litter" the clumps are not hard enough. If you use "Arm & Hammer clumping" or "Scoop Away Clumping", or any that boasts super hard clumps, you will have no problem. Anyone having a problem is using the wrong litter in the machine and only needs to try with a different brand of super clump litter. Scoop Away W/ Crystals" is my favorite. To save on the plastic poop-storage trays, I line the plastic storage tray with the grocery T Shirt bags. I stuff them in with the handles flopped over the left & right sides and tuck the front & back edges of the bag between the poop tray and the LitterMade machine. When full I lift up on the handles of the bag, tie & dospose. Then I put another bag and add a little litter w/ a scoop I keep in there. Thus, important to me, my fingers never touch anything soiled.
Also there is NEVER a cat smell even in the closet where the LitterMade is housed (which is the space under the stairs & on the first floor of the house). The lack of smell is comented on by all who visit my house. At which point I rave about the LitterMade & recomend checking out this web site.
Follow the directions and you will fall in love with this health saving & time saving device.
Definitely worth mentioning again
Reviewer: logicgirl 02-13-2004
I have 3 cats and have owned the same littermaid for almost 5 years now.
Premium litter is a must (I prefer Arm and Hammer super clump). 10 minuets is more than enough unless your cat has a problem with diarrehea. If that is the case, the cat should be seen by a vet to check for worms or other parasites.
Dont fill to the fill line, but rather below it.
Since cats do scratch at litter, litter will fly, but I use the littermaid tent and it keeps in confined within.
On occation you may have to use some sort of scraping instrument to loosen waste that has harded to the rake.
Compared to other manual litter boxes the LitteMaid is far less work if you want to have clean litter for your cats.
I find, with 3 cats, that I have to empty out the waste box only 3 times a week, as compared to regular litter boxes where you must (if you want clean litter for your cats) manually remove waste 1-2x a day.
HORRIBLE!
Reviewer: Anonymous 02-07-2004
DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!! I had this for all of six months with my two cats. It was impossible to keep clean. Litter was everywhere, it didn't matter that I had the ramp. It also scared my normally sedate and happy cat because of the unusual configuration. I used the litter they recommended and it stuck everywhere! Between the tines, on the sides and to the bottom of the pan! I could never get it clean and I ended up dumping it every week and taking to cleaning it outside. After six months of washing it down with water and pine-sol that I needed to use to get rid of the embedded urine smell, it burned out the motor. It's easier to keep a normal litter box clean with liners, and just dump the litter ever few days. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!
Worth the $ if you hate cleaning cat poop
Reviewer: Anonymous 02-07-2004
We bought the LM900 after purchasing an older refurbished model that died after a few months. DON'T BUY A REFURBISHED MODEL, there is no warrenty.
We have two cats (not yet a year old), and they aclimated quite well to the litter maid. One of the cats has a life time disorder of inflammetory bowel disease, which means diarreah if he doesn't get his medicine every day. Beleive you me, the Litter Maid was the answer to our prayers as opposed to cleaning liquid poop clumps EVERY DAY. Sure, you have to scrape the bottom of the pan every few days because the rake doesn't scrape all the way to the bottom, and sometimes the rake gets gummed up and you have to scrape it off every once and while, but it sure beats scooping poop!
Waste of space
Reviewer: Teacozy Broken Arrow, OK 02-06-2004
I bought this product one day when I was tired of yelling at my children to clean the cat box. What a waste of money! We didn't have an electrical outlet close enough to the floor to plug the thing in so we had to use batteries which we went through alarmingly quickly. More litter was deposited on the floor than in the receptacle and every surface above the litter line got disgusting. To make it worse, there are a million little cracks and crevices, not even including the tines, that make cleaning the darn thing a time consuming chore. Even using hard clumping litter, lots of gunk got left in pan so we had to sift anyway! Don't waste your money!
Poor Performance
Reviewer: Linde Crawford Morgantown, WV 02-06-2004
What a mess. Litter just gets everywhere...it gets stuck in the back, up on the sides and falls underneath the entire unit in various places. You need to run it frequently and it doesn't always get all the clumps. The containers for the clumps are flimsy at best.I wouldn't recommend this unless you want to sit by it all the time moving debris away from the back and sides.
DON'T DO IT!!!!
Reviewer: Anonymous Pennsylvania 02-26-2006
Ok, so when this product FIRST came on the market, it was WONDERFUL! The money paid was well worth it.Too bad for all of us that the future models are ALL TERRIBLE!!
The first machine we had for four years and with three Siamese using it, it was worked hard. When it died, of course we bought another. That lasted 2 WEEKS! The motor died. Returned that one, got another. ONE MONTH later, SAME THING. With NO help a all from Littermaid after a dozen phone calls, we went and exchanged THAT one for another. That was 4 months ago and is now DEAD.
How can this company continue to sell these thing without having to answer for the sub-standard machine?
The last one we had didnt even rake the litter. It just sort of skimmed over the top. WE ended up constantly cleaning the thing.
SAVE YOUR MONEY!
Not worth it
Reviewer: Anonymous 03-07-2006
You just end up scooping whats left over anyway; the clumps end up falling apart. A gigantic pain when you do go to change the whole box. My dad used to have one and went back to manual scooping.
It's a Great Invention
Reviewer: Bobbi sunny Florida 06-14-2006
I've used this litter box for 5 years now and am completely happy with it. The first one I had broke within a year and the company happily and promptly replaced it. I do find that it's VERY important to use the proper litter. The cheap stuff just doesn't hack it. I always come back to Scoop Away. The clumps stay together in a hard packet which is important to stay on the rake. My cat is not a small kitty. She's a 14.6 lb. chubbo who always piddles on the same side, so's I have to rearrange the clumps in the plastic container and respread the litter. Even so, I wouldn't live happily in a 4th floor condo without the Littermaid.
For those who don't like changing the receptables....
Reviewer: Eric Minneapolis, Minnesota 09-01-2006
Here's a tip. Buy a large rubbermaid tub, the size of the entire littermaid. (We have two cats and like to empty our litter box every two months or so).
Take an exacto knife and cut 3 sides out of the bottom of one of the receptacles, so that if you put something into it, it would flip open, and drop it. Put it into your LitterMaid, set the whole thing on top of the RubberMaid tub, and with a Sharpie, trace out the outline of the opening in the receptable on the lid of the RubberMaid tub.
Remove the LitterMaid, and carefully, using the exacto knife, cut a rectangular opening slightly larger than the outlined space into the top of the RubberMaid tub.
Using a large 55 gallon trash bag (I recommend heavy duty industrial strength as it can get quite heavy and you don't want to drop a month's worth of dirty litter when you empty it), line the RubberMaid tub and put the lid back on. You can put baking soda or Carpet fresh in if you wish, then set the LitterMaid on top.
When the LitterMaid empties, voila, the trap door in the bottom of the receptacle will open, and the litter will drop through into the much larger RubberMaid tub letting you go 4-6 weeks or longer (we have 2 cats) before things start to smell and you have to change the litter! All you need to do is add litter on a regular basis.
LitterMaid-Major work needed on general funtion
Reviewer: Jamaica Singletary Orlando, FL 12-03-2007
Although I think this LitterMaid is a great idea, the product itself could use some work. This will be the second one that I will be retiring, unfortunately it will be headed to the trash a mere 8 months after purchase. The new improved Deluxe Elite model was never able to consistently handle the waste of my large cat. I was constantly having to scoop the waste myself and when not doing that I was disassembling the machine in order to clean the rake and the smears of poop and clumped urine left when the machine actually worked. In addition I have to pick litter and dried urine out of the air filtration vents. The plastic liners never staid in place. Litter was always being dumped in the space between the edge of the box and the liner. The lid never opened high enough, meaning the clumped urine and poop was always getting smashed on the lid.
For the R&D dept: Start paying more attention to the general function of the product and then you can work on adding the bells and whistles like ionic air filtration systems and privacy tents.
But even after all the difficulty I am not yet ready to give up on the automatic litterbox. The convenience that it provided, when it worked, always made the troubles seem not so insurmountable. Although I will never purchase a LitterMaid again, the LitterRobot will arrive shortly. I have yet to read a complaint about the LitterRobot. If that does not work I'm moving on to the Litter Genie. Last resort is toilet training the cat!
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