My Litter Robot arrived:

http://www.litter-robot.com/

I got the grey (recycled plastic) model, with the extended sized globe
because Nipsy is a big cat (15+ lbs and just large). The purpose is to
try to convince the Significant Other that we can take in a fourth cat
(Scooter). Finding a better litter solution is a key to this plan.

I set it up in the bathtub next to the existing large open top
litterbox. Espy was immediately curious while Marlo and Nipsy were
afraid of it. As recommended, I put in some catnip and no litter so
they get used to it being there.

After a few days, I put litter into it. Espy gave it the first shot.
Nipsy and Marlo were not interested. As suggested, I began leaving the
regular litterbox dirty. Marlo relented and used the robot. You aren't
supposed to leave it on self-cleaning until they get used to it, so I
still only turn it on manually once a day.

Yesterday was heartbreaking. I came in after work and the whole house
stunk of cat piss. Something has to give. So I dumped the litterbox
and took it away. A little while later, Nipsy comes into the bathroom,
looks for the old litterbox, and then at the robot. He stuck his head
in, then backed away. Tried again, backed away. Then he began pawing
at the little bit of litter on the floor of the tub where the box used
to be. He just sat there whining.

So I picked him up and showed him the inside of the robot but did not
try to push him in it - that is not recommended. I finally gave up,
and took an old litterbox and put it there. That one is much smaller
than the big one, and is covered. In fact, it is much more like the
litterrobot than the old litterbox.

My hope is that Nipsy will get used to going into an enclosed and
smaller space then he is used to. If I can get the big wuss to use the
robot, then we move it somewhere else, like the computer room. The SO
wants to use the basement - that might work out if we don't have to
clean it twice a day like we currently do with the box.

The best part of all this is that I have a surveilance camera over the
litterbox area, left over from when I had to make sure that Espy
didn't get blocked, so I can review the motion detected recordings and
see what has been going on. Otherwise I'd have no idea how the
progress is going.

If your cat isn't a wuss, and your budget allows you to even think
about spending $300+ on a litterbox, it does seem to work well thus
far.

On Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:18:48 GMT, Netmask <netm...@catlover.com>
wrote:

Not really. It IS overpriced, but is also very clever. The slow motion
sifiting does seem to keep the dust down - which is a big thing to me.
And, once I put it on automatic, it should provide a clean setting for
each cat to settle in for a bit. That means I can, maybe, get Scooter
in the house.

Having viewed some of the surveilance recordings, I see that Marlo is
actually using it most. Espy, given the choice, went back to the
little box. Nipsy, the wuss, uses the box.

I've changed the angle of the robot so the cats can enter directly
from the bathtub side. That bypasses the step, which I think is how it
knows to turn on. Not a good idea in the long run, but making it easy
for the cats to enter should spur them to greater efforts.

If you're curious, look here:

http://72.229.187.145:81

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