I don't care how they work or how much they cost. I just want one.-- Ander, Jul 26 2000 LitterMaid http://www.littermaid.com/Baked, apparantly. I don't have a cat. [hippo, Jul 26 2000, last modified Oct 21 2004] Another one! This is obviously a hot market. http://www.whatever....com/litter_box.htmBaked, apparantly. I don't have a cat. [hippo, Jul 26 2000, last modified Oct 21 2004] And another! http://www.hammache...m&cat=&pcat=&pcont=Baked, apparantly. I don't have a cat. [hippo]Cheap Litter Pearls http://www.petmeister.com/itm00529.htmThing1, por vous. Same bag in my local pet store is 29$. I may start using this. [hippo, Jul 26 2000, last modified Oct 21 2004] (?) Cheap Litter Pearls http://www.petmeister.com/itm00529.htmThing1, por vous. Same bag in my local pet store is 29$. I may start using this. [StarChaser, Jul 26 2000, last modified Oct 05 2004] How to Toilet Train Your Cat : 21 Days to a Litter-Free Home http://www.amazon.c...102-7094596-3777725There's also a ton of links on the Internet describing a similar procedure. [dgeiser13, Jul 26 2000, last modified Oct 21 2004] (?) Ha!Flushing Litter Boxes http://www.litterfr...om/selfwashing.html [DrCurry, Aug 23 2002, last modified Oct 21 2004] The one from Hammacher Schlemmer is the LitterMaid. (I don't think HS have very many exclusive products, they're just a fancy catalog.)
We own a LitterMaid. It's a remarkable feat of engineering; it works ... mostly. It would probably work better for a household with fewer cats.
I haven't tried the rollover box. There's also a box that's a set of overlapping trays; to clean the box you just lift the top tray out, throw away its contents (turds), and replace it at the bottom of the stack. (I'm not sure specifically how it works...)-- egnor, Jul 26 2000 Egnor: I've got one of those, and it works...mostly. If you put in about twice the recommended litter amount, it works pretty good. My cats seem to dig down mostly to the bottom before piddling, so the clumping litter welds itself to the slots, and you have to clear them with something first.-- StarChaser, Jul 27 2000 (Getting offtopic...) Have you tried the relatively new silica gel-based litter with it? It's sold as "Litter Pearls" or "Litter Secret"; I think Tidy Cat is coming out with their own version shortly. It doesn't clump, so it might work better. We use it in our LitterMaid...-- egnor, Jul 27 2000 Have seen it and played with the test thing in the store. <bottle of ammonia water, spray into box filled with 'litter pearls', wait a moment, no smell and no wet.> Does that actually work? If it does, I'll try it...although I think the 'pearls' are too big for the slots in my litter pan...-- StarChaser, Jul 27 2000 (First, I'm impressed at how simple the process was to sign up here!)
I had two LitterMaids. They kept destroying themselves -- the electric cable attached to the moving comb would get unhooked, and wrapped in the teeth, and it would literally pull itself apart. This happened once, I got a replacement, and it happened again. LitterMaids were $200 when I bought the first, but are around $100 now.
Then I found cat tray liners (Tidy Cat, I think) which were 10 to a box and 9 of them had almost like fishnet holes through them. Put them down, then the litter, and every couple days just pull the top one up, shake it, and dispose. Worked great. These run $3-4 per box.
However, one day I ran out of them and was shopping for more but couldn't find them. In desperation, I decided to try the "rollover box" that egnor mentioned. It works GREAT, slightly more difficult than Tidy Cat but it is completely paid for and never needs new parts. Rotate the trays once every couple days, and toss the litter and wash it out with the hose once a month. It cost $10.
I've also tried the Litter Pearls, which fit throught the "rollover box" slots. I had only bought one bag, when I couldn't find anything else, and haven't bought them again -- but perhaps I will next time I shop.
One trick which y'all might find helpful: keep a pair of "work gloves" near the litter box, and wear them while rotating the trays. Helps keep you a bit more healthy.-- Thing 1, Jul 27 2000 Of course we could all train our cats to use the toilet. You're supposed to be able to do that, you know. I think they can even learn to flush. They probably wouldn't remember to get a new roll when they use the last of the paper, though.-- Ander, Oct 13 2000 They don't, they just unroll it all over the floor. Hard to rip one piece loose with no opposable thumbs...-- StarChaser, Oct 15 2000 On a completely unrelated topic...for you Cat Owners out there I highly recommend the book Catwatching by Desmond Morris (The Naked Ape). A very good read!-- dgeiser13, Oct 16 2000 Oh don't be silly. The book is "Why Cats Paint: A Theory of Feline Aesthetics", and is listed as shipping within 24 hours. (Although you might want to check your local bargain tables everywhere.)
I'd give a link, but this is so way off-topic that I'd expect these links to be deleted as soon as the idea's owner comes back from the cat-litter induced coma...-- jutta, Oct 16 2000 random, halfbakery