The Truth About Automatic Litter Boxes
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- Опубліковано 1 чер 2024
- Automatic litter boxes: are they really worth the hype? In my decades of experience working with cats - many of whom have litter box issues - I’ve found them to create more problems than they solve. From the risk of potential malfunctions to the dangerous stripping away of your ability to monitor your cat’s health, in my opinion it’s just not worth the risk! As cat guardians, we should avoid making decisions that take the power out of our hands when it comes to our cat’s well-being for the sake of convenience. Have you ever used a self-cleaning litter box? I’d love to hear your thoughts so comment below!
0:00 Intro
1:28 Overview of Litterboxes
1:47 Litter Robot
2:04 Littermaid
2:52 Omega Paw
3:16 Purina Breeze
4:16 Territorial Signposts
6:07 Report Card
7:23 Malfunctions
8:51 Enclosures
10:14 Still Gross
10:44 Embrace the Box
Litter Box Playlist: • LITTER BOX ISSUES
My Favorite Litter: bit.ly/3uUJFoE
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I love this video and respect everything you say, but I want to present an (arguably unique to me) scenario: Accessibility. I have a physical disability. Scooping a litter box is, while not impossible, is difficult for me. I definitely agree with the report card thing. I keep my litter robot on "manual" operation, i.e. I keep it turned off and turn it on once a day to cycle it after I check it. Pushing a button with my crutch is quite easy, so I can turn on the box, let it cycle, and then turn it off again. I can get fecal samples if I need to, and being a tech enthusiast, I recognize and acknowledge the risk of a malfunction while they're in it which is why I only cycle it when I am watching it. But I think a lot of the issue here is pet owners using it as a "out of sight, out of mind" solution rather than an augment to their solution to being able to take care of their cats. They just want to forget about the task, which is where the problem arises. For me, it's made having my cats more accessible to me, and enabled me to have my boys for 12 years with no issues which, combined with what I see as responsible use, makes their lives better by me being able to care for them, and my life better by having them in it.
That's what I do too! I had a couple scares where the robot stopped halfway through a cycle, and the cats couldn't use it. So now I turn it off and then plug it in once or twice a day.
Very well stated and I agree. I’ve had scoop away litter boxes for my cats for decades, and they love and use with no problem. I also have physical disabilities, these auto litter boxes are a Godsend to us folks. Please read my comment I posted to Jackson. Peace
THIS.
I have severe joint pain, which makes it very painful for me to bend over or kneel and scoop the boxes. So I don't scoop nearly as often as I should.
Literally earlier this week I had a fever and inflammation that affected my joints. I was almost completely bedridden due to the pain.
If I'd had some kind of at least semi-automatic system like the rolling one (Which Im now looking into, despite Jackson being very anti everything here) the cats would at least have had one clean box while I was incapacitated.
Running it only once a day is the best honestly.
Especially because if your cat's have a wet poop, you can just scoop it instead of the machine running and getting all gross and not even picking the thing up.
I don't like that the narrative presented here is there is NO reason to ever use an automated box. Someone else in the comments thought that people with disabilities that might affect their ability to regularly scoop boxes was less than 1%.... no.
Its frustrating to see
This. I’m tired of us needing to explain it. Experts constantly forgetting why tons of us need different things.
totally agree!
I work in a vet hospital and one of the clients we see had a litter robot. They brought in their cat because it told him his cat was urinating more often and losing weight. We were able to diagnose this cat with diabetes early based off the litter robots output to the owner!
Wow
I was going to say, while I respect the opinions, and I realize not every solution is right for every cat, the Litter Robot 4 has been a game changer for me. It weighs and allows me to watch my 4 cats who use its weight. I have 4 because my mom passed and left me some additional cats to my one. I have one cat with kidney stone issues and food allergies and such, so I bought the attachment with teh camera so I can see when she uses it (as well as the fact that it knows her by weight and reports) and I can get a fairly descent view of the output if I have any concerns. I can see how often they are going to the box, again due to the weight tracking, and I’ll know if anyone’s weight starts deviating in a significant way faster than I might notice without the daily weight in.
this was how I found out my cat was dehydrated! He kept going back and forth to his Robot, going in and it was cycling but there was nothing TO cycle. I rushed him to the emergency vet, and she was like "yeah he just needed some fluids". His bladder was clear, no UTI. He's been fine since.
I have 3 cats & 1 LR4. I love it so much! My oldest was having bladder/UTI problems & we were able to actually have a record of how often a cat went in it/how often it cycled. Combined with a web cam, we were able to keep such a close eye on him even when we were at work. A traditional box wouldn't have given us any sign that something was wrong
Lol a robot shouldn't have to tell you that, it's pure laziness and instead of checking your animals, you wait for the bot to tell you..sad and pathetic
I had a lung transplant a little over a year ago. One of the things I was told was that I would NEVER be able to scoop a cat litter box again in my life because of the risk of toxoplasmosis, the same reason a pregnant woman can't scoop a litter box. I live alone, so there is no one else in the house to scoop the litter box. Because of this, I've been paying someone to come and scoop the litter boxes (4 of them for 3 cats). This is expensive and I can't afford to have it done more than once a week (fixed income), which I absolutely hate because it needs to be scooped at least once a day. I finally was able to convince my doctor to allow me to open the drawer and close up the bag on an automatic box, as long as I wear an N95 mask, don't take it off until I come upstairs, wear gloves, and wash my hands thoroughly after. He thought that sounded better than only having the litter scooped once a week, for me as well as the cats. I have purchased the litter robot 4 and I must say that all of Jackson's objections are irrelevant to this box. If you really need a sample from a specific cat, the cat can be identified by weight, you'll be notified by the app and can get to it before it starts its cleaning cycle. The waste is always accessible in a drawer. The box is so quiet that I can barely hear it. The cleaning cycle is slow enough that, even if it malfunctioned and didn't stop if the cat got back in, it certainly wouldn't hurt them. And the scent. The waste is in a drawer directly below, so the cats can still smell the scent. For me, assuming my cats will use it, this will be a godsend. Even at its ridiculous price, it will pay for itself in a few months. I've spent about 1,300 this year having someone else scoop once a week and this will be a much better solution for my cats. They deserve clean litter.
Great call on the n95, we all should be doing it, I mean just think about it...
For those who still have to pay, what's a fair price?
An FYI, if you are capable and willing to scoop it yourself, you can safely do so twice a day or no less than once in 24 hours. You can set a timer to help you remember to scoop it.
It takes a *minimum of 24 hours* for Toxoplasma in cat feces to sporulate and become infective. Just make sure you wear gloves and wash your hands right away.
People are much more likely to become infected by eating raw meat and unwashed fruits and vegetables than by handling cat feces.
@anjeellen
I was going to comment surprised cause I've always heard toxoplasmosis as a gotta get stuff in your mouth thing. Like toddlers who get into the box and then fingers in mouth are at high risk kinda thing.
Thanks for the info.
@@anjeellenyou’re literally not op’s doctor. So you should refrain from giving input or advice or telling someone to do something - especially if someone has a medical issue (literally a lung transplant). It’s dangerous and you’re not a doctor.
@@SkyAlawitrue but 0P should ask the doctor about the whole issue of toxoplasmosis not growing within 24 hours because if that's true his current advice is actually making the situation more dangerous if she isn't getting it scooped daily and it's sitting for a week. I hope she sees this and checks with him. Being a pregnant person I'm going to start using a mask and gloves and maybe some kind of gown or something. But I am wondering, I've had cats my entire life and I thought it you had toxoplasmosis ever then it's there for life and you can't keep getting it.
As a cat and fish owner, a gold fish is not a good solution for a lazy owner. Tanks take a lot of maintenance and goldfish in particular are known to get big and produce a lot of poop in the correct conditions. It’s a common mistake for people to put goldfish and bettas into way too small of tanks. Generally, a bigger tank is actually easier to take care of
lol, yep goldfish are serious constant poopers and require a lot of cleaning, and unlike some fish are not limited by tank size... they just keep growing as they get older. there's also the fact, sure you typically don't pet a fish etc, but they can actually be quite interactive with people.
@@kellynnd5361 my Synodontis will let you pet.....just do it carefully because she's got some serious spikes. :)
Saw a ten gallon with three fancy goldfish once and it broke my heart. I would have gone 60 gal minimum. I'm not a goldfish fan though. I like my tropicals.
Spot on! I have had goldfish and love them but from Jackson's comment it appears he has never owned them. They are a lot of work!
@@frederickphelan4810 I've severely curtailed my multi tank syndrome over the past two years and it's so freeing to only have the two now. They are less work now they have been running for a long time, but still at least a couple hours a week.
I’m actually glad I read the comments and see so many ADHD and other people with genuine needs that have found robo boxes beneficial. I just lost my fur baby of 14 years and had felt like a failure as his mom for how ADHD and depression had made me a poor litter keeper for the last several years. Your comments give me hope that I can adopts again when I’m ready and have a way to help me manage.
You are not a failure ! We do the best we can to take care of our fur babies ! We ALL pass back into the divine energy when it’s our time ! So do our fur babies! When you feel you can take loving❤care of another fur baby it will find you ! ❤❤❤❤🍀🍀🍀🍀and a bunch of hugs 🤗🙀👵🏻😱🖖🏼👽🐲👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I appreciate the perspective of folks here with disabilities and various forms of neurodivergence. I also had not previously considered how robot boxes could be a better alternative for some, depending on your needs and lifestyle. I just wanted to say thank you for asking me to see a different viewpoint. ❤
Thank you for taking the time to understand! That's not very common tbh
This is such a kind and thoughtful comment 🤗
Thank you for understanding our point of view on this topic. I have 2 of Litter robot both number 3 and number 4.
Thank you for being such a good sport and open minded😊
I actually feel much more in touch with my cats' health since we got a Litter Robot 4. It weighs them every single time, so I've been able to work on my big guy's weight issues. The app gives me a chart of how often each cat uses it and a chart of their weight over time. It can also be set up to text you when a specific cat uses it if you need to keep an eye on them and there is a clean cycle delay that can be set at 7, 10, or 15 minutes (needs time for clumping) so if I need to check on what a specific cat is doing I can still go look before it's cleaned up. It never starts cycling as soon as a cat gets out. Getting a sample for the vet is super easy, you just open the waste drawer and take some out. The sensors are amazing and it stops cycling as soon as it detects the presence of a cat. It's actually become a bit of an issue, because they like watching the cycle so much it will get interrupted 5 times before it finishes cleaning because they keep sticking their heads in to watch. Like a lot of other commentors have said, I have ADHD and keeping a regular box cleaned daily is a challenge. The Litter Robot has made my cats a lot happier and healthier. It's only ridiculous feature is the light it turns on at night, as if the cats can't see just fine in the dark. Based on the concerns Jackson lists with this type of litter box I actually don't think he's ever seen one in action.
My sister had the litter maid that Jackson's featured, the open top with the rake, and her cat would return to burry her business better several times and delayed the cycle too! lol.
I have a three and we let the cats choose when we got it. We just added it and cleaned the others as usual. We eventually got rid of the other boxes after months of non use.
The cats themselves preferred the death star palace and I even noticed behavior changes. We have two cats and they would use the box right after the other. After we got the robot they started to wait for the cycle to "flush"
I see all the waste when I swap the bags and could easily get a sample from the bin - plus it's pretty easy to notice... Output changes.
humblebrag here but I'm like 83% sure I'm responsible for the weight over time chart lol. The app didn't have that and we wanted to keep track of our cat's weight loss progress. I sent customer service a message saying i loved the product but it would be great if we could see the cat's weight mapped over the course of time and like four days later it was in there.
but yeah I also have ADHD and cleaning the litter box regularly just wasn't happening and it wasn't fair to the cat at all. LB4 has been a godsend and the cat has no issues with it
Totally agree. I've had my robot for years and never a problem except Sophie likes to deliberately set it off to watch it cycle. I can see on the app how often one is in there and check. I especially like that the app works while I'm away. I can see when they use it and when it's full so I can tell the sitter to change the bag.
Even the most ridiculous features are used by some, haha. My 18 year old cat has terrible low light vision. It helps her a lot with moving around.
As someone with ADHD who struggles to remember daily chores, it has been a lifesaver. No more worrying about forgetting, and finding a mess.
Automatic litter boxes are a godsend to people with disabilities. I suffered a serious back injury just over 3 years ago with the result I can't bend down for long or lift. I'm also 67 years old. My adult son suffers from arthritis. We have 2 automated litter boxes - a Litter Robot 3 and a Puramax. Both are excellent. We did have 11 cats but now we're down to 9 as we lost 2 to old age. One was 22, the other who we lost 2 months ago was 18. We still have his brother. All our cats took to the automated boxes like ducks to water. Even though the boxes clean themselves, the scent of the cats is still there. We can't smell it but they can. The globe comes off for easy deep cleaning.
When we had normal litter boxes, 8 plus an Omega Paws, no matter how often the litter was changed and the boxes washed, you could smell cats. By the way, all our cats are neutered, spayed, chipped and are indoor cats. My friend came to visit after we got the automated boxes. She lives a distance away and due to work commitments doesn't get the chance to visit often. First thing she said was "Oh! I can't smell your cats".
Our cats really like the boxes BUT we found they do not like scented litter. For a while, that's all we could get but there is now an unscented version of the usual brand we buy which works extremely well with the robots. They like that. I didn't like the scented type either. Our LR3 is in our livingroom and it's set to go off 15 minutes after the cat has used it, giving us time for a look at their business so you can see if there's a problem. The Puramax is in my son's room as he had 2 very elderly half-Bengals, it was one of those we lost a couple of months ago. The Puramax records the cat's weight (you can set it to monitor more than one cat) and records how many times the cat uses the box - useful in older cats as excessive/less peeing can be a sign of kidney failure or some other illness such as diabetes.
We did have a malfunction with the LR3 earlier in the year. No cat was injured or spooked - the box just refused to work and for a few days became a "normal" litter box. Whisker, who make them were excellent - their customer service is first class and the necessary replacement part (sensor) was with us within 3 days.
As for ambushing. Two of our cats don't like each other. They'll tolerate each other for a few days then one will look at the other the wrong way and we get a hissing match. Shady took a delight in ambushing Lucky when we had the open litter trays and we did have a problem with inappropriate elimination. The LR3 solved that. Even if Shady tries to ambush, all he can do is jump on top of it which doesn't bother Lucky.
We did wonder how our ex stray/semi-feral would get on with it but we needn't have worried. He took to it no problem at all but he is funny. The other cats use it and Oscar has to inspect it to see if they've covered their poop properly. If not, he does it for them. He is such a clean boy, if he were human he would definitely be houseproud. He adapted really well to being an indoor cat only and is my son's shadow - follows him everywhere.
One thing to add about the Omega Paws is, athough it is OK, you do need quite a bit of space to roll it and wet litter tends to clump in the corners. It's probably OK for someone with only one or two cats but more than that, no. We don't have it now.
Because we have a lot of cats using the LR3, we have to empty the drawer at least once a day but that is easy. Just tie up the bag and replace with a clean one. The Puramax needs the drawer emptying less often as there is only one, sometimes two cats that use it. In both of these boxes, the used litter is contained so no smells escape. I personally love these boxes (wouldn't buy the knock-offs though) and so do our cats which is the most important thing.
Lots of good info here!
My health has been declining lately, and my cat boxes have suffered for it. I could never justify the cost of an automatic box before, but now it's looking like it'll be a necessity to get something to make changing the boxes easier.
What is the brand of unscented litter you buy that works well with your LR3?
I've had a litter robot 3 for 3 years, and it is an absolute dream. I have experienced none of Jackson's theoretical problems. The poop doesn't disappear, you take that bag out of the drawer every three or four days and check on your cat's health. It's never broken down or hurt a cat. It's a breeze to clean, actually. I have two cats, none of that being cornered or anything stuff is a problem. All it means is that my cats have a clean experience every time they enter the litter box. I've seen a lot of cats suffer from infrequent scoops. This guarantees none of that.
While I agree that some automatic litter boxes like the rake-style ones can be much more work than just a normal litter box, the Litter Robot 4 has indeed been a life changer for me. I've tested the safety features and there have been 1 or 2 hiccups, but when something doesn't work right the litter box will not spin even if you manually tell it to cycle, it will not. I have 2 cats and with a normal litter box, you can't tell which waste is which cat, or at least I can't. The litter robot weighs your cats, tells you exactly when your cats go, and how often, it differentiates between different weights. It has also helped to save me money on litter, I don't use nearly as much litter as I did with a normal box.
When I brought the litter robot both of my cats left the normal box immediately and I left the normal box next to the robot for about a week just to be sure. It is heavily dependent on your cat and your situation, but for me, I will not be going back to a normal litter box. Cleaning it once a week and being able to still get fresh stool samples, up-to-date weigh-ins for each cat, and much less smell, I can confidently say that it is worth it for me.
100%. Not only is it safe and clean but will notify you when a fresh turd is available.
What litter do you use?
Literally the best thing i ever bought.
I couldn’t have written my feelings about my Litter robot 4 better! I agree whole heartedly. You can still see the poo and pee just as well as when scooping a normal box when you empty the waste drawer
@@blackpaw3776 I have the subscription for the Whisker Litter, i get charged roughly $50 every 3 months for 2 20lbs bags and it is the perfect amount for my 2 cats.
Figuring out how much and how often if you want to go with the subscription did take some trial and error though.
I finally caved and got a litter robot during COVID. At the time I had no idea my lack of ability to keep my house clean let alone the litterbox clean was due to having ADHD. Scooping has ALWAYS been my biggest struggle as a pet owner. It made a huge difference in both my mental health and my cats'. They were happy to finally have something that stayed constantly clean. The website advised it may take a week or two for cat's to adjust but all three of mine were using it exclusively by the end of day two even with their original boxes available. My biggest indicator of their approval was when we moved cross-country and I had to go back to a traditional litterbox for a few weeks while we waited for our stuff to be delivered. They had been locked in a room all day while the movers did their thing with a traditional box. The first thing I unpacked and set up was the litter robot. All 3 of them used it twice before it had a chance cycle once.
Outside of that, I saved the cost of the box in the first year in litter alone. I'm not having to do full changes of three boxes twice a week any more. I don't feel the need to get light weight litter which is more expensive because I have to cart so much of it in at a time. While I do understand the risks of not catching urinary/digestive issues ahead of time, it's a trade of for the sanity of everyone in the house.
Hands down yes. Freaking yes and yes and yes
This is me, we are we!!! Yessss.
Also when you dump the bag every few days if you were concerned you could always look at the litter clumps.. A litter clump is a litter clump whether you scoop it or not so I don't really see the "report card" he mentions as a benefit. Also being able to automatically monitor weight and amount of times in the litterbox.. this in my opinion is a big benefit.. and if I'm worried about something I could deep dive in the clumps :(
ME! Thankfully my GIANT Great Pyrenees is more of a go with the flow fluff ball and prefers to stay outside- even when I offer for him to come in during the REALLY hot days! BUT my 5.5 REALLY wants a cat. I’m looking into the auto or even trying my luck at slowly getting them to go on the actual toilet. My ADHD is a HUGE barrier when it will come to scooping. Especially those persons who just. Don’t. Get. It. Because you TELLING me I should just do this, this, and this? Yeahhhh thinks for the info. I know. 😅
@@biancanior9208 for real "just do it" tf you on about? This ain't a Nike commercial 🤣
As ADHDers, it's hard for us to be consistent about things, so we have a Litter Robot to help with the scooping. Our cat loves it! She refuses to go if it's full and not cycling, and will come complain to the managers until we get it rotating again. It may not be for everyone but for these neurodivergents it's a godsend
Same here but with asd. It helps me out
Same.
Plus I've got joint pain on top of it. Doing a task is hard enough on it's own. If the task is going to cause me physical pain while doing it, its even harder
for me as ADHDer on medication I enjoy the daily scooping routine, I listen to an audiobook while doing box by box and it somehow makes it a very mind relaxing task by that; because I cant just simply take a break without reason it is very helpful to me, also gets some movement to the body after long hours of computer work and exhausting amounts of focussing.
For my ADHD head, it's better to have the daily scoop- I Know with an autobox I'd forget to clean it regularly and end up with a terrible nasty mess. I've tied the scoop to his nightly feed/ my bedtime routine, so at least there I'm consistent. Different solutions for different people!
I have ADHD as well as back pain & it is hard for me to clean the litter boxes regularly. I'm considering a Littermaid style box. I'm hoping it can help me go slightly longer between cleanings to save my back. Just emptying a waste receptacle would take less time and keep me from having to hurt my back.
Last month, I noticed one of my cats using a litter box downstairs, and she seemed to be hanging out in there a little longer than I would expect. I didn’t think much about that, but it registered. A little while later I was upstairs, and again, same cat got in a litter box, where I could see her and was there for quite a while. I noticed that she did not bury when she left. I went over and took a look, and there was nothing there. I decided I would call the vet in the morning.
When I spoke to our vets, office manager the next morning, I explained what I’d seen. And she said, “they will do that! They’ll do that in front of you where you can see them when they’ve got a problem. That’s how they let you know they need help“ and we made plans for her to get seen that day. Less than five minutes later, she did the same thing (the cat, not the office manager). In the litter box, crouched there for about five minutes with no output. After she got out, I went and scooped her up, and told her that I got it, and she was going to go see the vet and we were going to fix what was wrong. And she looked so relieved.
Sure enough, she had an angry little UTI that took some strong meds to knock out. Office manager reiterated what she had said before, that cats will make a point of using the litter box to communicate with you. I’m willing to take her word on that, because she’s seen a lot more sick kitties than i have or will. I am so impressed that my cat was able to figure out a way to let me know that she was having trouble peeing.
It probably helped that I scooped my boxes multiple times a day. Because I do it frequently, I have a pretty good idea of what’s going on. I hit the boxes when I wake up, check them again before I leave for work, clean them when I get home, and then again before I go to bed. The whole routine probably takes about 10 minutes a day. I keep a quart yogurt container with a lid next to the boxes, and a scoop. If I’m walking past and see a box has been used, I scoop and pop the clump into the yogurt container and put the lid on. If there’s not much there and I’m busy, I can just leave the container right there. Otherwise, I take the container outside and dump it into a covered trashcan, and that gets taken out with the household trash a couple of times a week.
They definitely know my role as tender of the litter boxes, and frequently wait until I’ve scooped to hop in and use it. It would appear that they prefer a clean litter box. I am happy to oblige them, because I never forget that they’re doing me a favor by using the litter box. And whenever I see them in action, I make a point of saying thank you.
Honestly, although non-cat people might find this weird, our litter box rituals are part of our relationship and communication. And without them, my cat could have been dangerously ill before I knew about it.
A large amount of communication done by my cats is through going to place and back to me then back to the place where the problem is to tell me something is up. My older boy, who is neutered, ended up urinating with blood, we had to take him to the vets bc well, duh. But when we watched him, he kept going to his water, drinking as much as he could, then back to the litter box. It was really interesting to see him KNOW the problem he was having but struggling to fix it. Some antibiotics and the switch to wet food w/ no grains completely changed any issues he had. He's a much happier cat now. :)
I had thought about getting one of those litterboxes but the price put me off, I am glad that this video came along too. I know changing certain things can really throw off cats, my younger girl right now is adjusting to the fact I had to throw out her old carboard box and replace it with a fresh one. She greatly dislikes it when I change things like that but sometimes I kinda just have to. Anyway, I rambled. Cats are so smart.
When I had to board a cat with health problems at the vets, I took in a box of comfort items for her. “And this is her favorite scrap of fabric to play with, and this is her favorite crumpled up piece of paper…“
And they packed up her things at the end of the week, those things were in her box.
We’re so lucky.🥰@@xXxNecroDancerxXx
Thank you so much for your post! This has inspired me to be more attentive to my cats toilet habits going forward just in case ♥️ 🤗😽
Lol i agree about the ritual part. I cat-sit for my parents because they can’t hang out with them, and after feeding one of them poops and they all take their seats in their special spots and watch me as I clean their litter box 😂
Fantastic insight!
Quick two-cents, I am a Robo-Litter owner (3 to be exact) and it's been game changing for me. I previously had a bad habit of forgetting to clean daily (ADHD and depression) and since buying them I keep that habit in check. A lot of other Robo owners point out other perks, but I do love the Robo-Litter. Though the report card thing is concerning, I try and watch for behavior changes if I can and I watch them use the little quiet often.
This is why I got one. I (embarrassingly) always went way too long before scooping
This is why I'm considering investing too. I currently have unmanaged AuDHD and go way too long between cleaning cause I forget, then the cats start peeing around the house. I want my cats to have somewhere clean
As a litter robot owner myself, I LOVE it and so do my cats. I respect your opinion completely but I love mine. I will admit the price is steep and not for everyone for sure
I want to adopt a cat from a shelter, but I am immunocompromised and can't change a litter box. Hearing about your experience is wonderful. Now I feel confident I can give a sweet cat a forever home. Thank you.
Yeah, one of my biggest issues is the price. I get the accessibility of it, but that price is super unfair to those who would benefit from the litter robot.
If you get the name brand ones like litter robot it does seem steep initially but overtime it will pay for itself I feel + people with disabilities will be free from the burden for the most part of actions that could aggravate those said disabilities, and for some is something that can't be put a price on.
I have automatic feeders set at a certain time and never have to look at it till it runs low. Water Fountain that only needs to be changed once in about a week. And the litter box is roughly 7-14 days depends on the reservoir that holds the feces. And the automatic box I got cost only 400 dollars had it for 3 months already and I feel it's long paid for itself. And the cat seems to be fine with it too.
I have 3 cats and a Litter Robot 3. They all use it fine and as someone with chronic pain issues, I appreciate not having to bend to scoop daily. Given their price though, I definitely don’t think everyone needs one or should be made to feel like it’s a ‘must have’ or like you’re doing your cats a disservice by not having one.
I totally understand someone with disability or chronic pain having one.
You bend to scoop? I just kneel on the floor. Good luck with the back pain though, that must be hard :c
Jackson, I really respect your opinions on things, so I am definitely thinking through everything you said here carefully, BUT I will say I don’t feel like this video was very balanced. I would like to see you do a follow up discussing both the negatives AND the positives that some of us mention in the comments. For example: for people with physical and mental disabilities, for pregnant women, the benefits for cats in having a more hygienic experience than they were getting before (let’s face it, not everybody actually scoops the box everyday like they should), and the ability to monitor frequency and weight. Also, I’m still more than willing to look through that poop bin every couple of days before I take it outside 💩😻
have to agree with you. I like Jackson Galaxy but this seems very one sided. To add:
Just because you don't scoop it doesn't mean you can't take a look at the bin every day. It tells you when your cat has used it and you can see after or while it is cleaning. I know my cat's schedule and the litter robot tells you how often she goes every day (so i can tell if she did not use it enough or too much). My cat is verrrrrry picky and wants a clean litter box ALL THE TIME. She will meow to clean it like she needs to use it and then walks away after it's cleaned. Not everyone is home all the time to clean enough times, even with two litter boxes. And if you need to be away from home for a couple days and want someone to check up on your cats, not everyone can/will be able to clean the litter boxes. (On one of the survey's litter robot mentioned being able to tell you if your cat peed or pooped, so i think that is in the works for the app)
The scent marking...are you not cleaning a regular litter box to remove the waste? The litter robot does the same, just more frequently, and it stores the waste in the bin. I'm 100% sure cats can smell it there since i smell it when i open it and when it cycles. Also, litter robot still misses cleaning very small fine poops, so those still stay there like a regular litter box. I use a napkin and throw it away when i see it.
Malfunctioning...yes but for me it malfunctioned the "good" way. My first litter robot 4 (early build) at the 1 year mark started thinking my cat was sometimes trying to go into the litter robot while it was cleaning. It was a sensor that was too sensitive and was replaced; might have needed to clean the sensor but it was still under warranty so why not get a replacement especially since it was an early build. My cat does like to see while it is cleaning, she really tries but the little robot every single time stops. She puts her paws on the step and tries to sneak her head in and it stops. She gets frustrated and walks away (so damn cute every time). My cat actually went to use the litter robot a second time a minute before the cleaning was going to start and the litter robot knew my cat was in there and did not clean. I don't know about other automatic litter robots but this one seems very focused on safety (multiple weight and laser sensors).
Size: Some are small and enclosed. Litter Robot 3 was small and i did not think my cat would use it. Litter Robot 4 is larger/more open. It did take like a month for my cat to use it but she is always slow to change so that was a given. I do wish it was like 6 inches bigger but it's enough for her to walk around; like 3 of her can fit in it.
I will say, not all automatic litter boxes are the same. 100% do research on the issues and if you can live with those issues. I've had my one for 18 months and only issue was the sensor being too sensitive. You are giving up some things but also gaining some things (trade offs). It does have it's flaws like deep cleaning is a pain but that's like 2x a year (regular cleaning more often).
I agree! I have 4 boxes and 3 cats. One of the boxes is automatic. I usually scoop the boxes everyday, but sometimes I can't be perfect and it gives me peace of mind knowing that there's 1 box that is "fresh" for them. I have other reasons why I like my automatic box, but accessibility is one of them.
Agree!
I totally love Jackson and his videos, but this one is lacking a bit.
UA-camr OneManFiveCats reviewed several different automated litter boxes by actually using the boxes on his cats and documenting the results with video. The Litter Box 4 did great!
Also, The University of Arizona
Health Sciences just posted a study on Toxoplasma. They believe that "A third of the world population, or ten percent, is infected withToxoplasma." It can be dangerous for those who are inffected to handle cat litter.
It can also be dangerous for pregnant women to handle cat litter.
I'm not infected with Toxoplasma, and I'm not pregnant, but I am disabled and it's not just difficult for me to use my hands, it's painful
@@mrbear0007
Awesome comment! Lots of good info!
I'm thinking of getting a litter robot for my grandmother. She lives alone and is losing her memory so she thinks that she's scooped the box even when she hasn't. I can only get over there once a week to scoop. I've added an additional litter box and that helps but a reliable electronic litter box would be ideal. I only hesitate because I'm not 100 percent sold on the reliability.
The comments are very enlightening and show why some folks might choose to get an automatic littler box. I was especially interested that auto litter boxes can be placed in manual mode. Cat lovers are a diverse group with different needs, just like our kitty companions--all good food for thought. Thanks Jackson for the information! Your videos have helped so many people be better cat parents--you're my go-to source for kitty information.
I have to DISAGREE with you 100%. Having a litter robot replace our plain old litter box has been life-changing for me. I mean life changing as in I no longer need to scoop every day or get my face within 12 inches of cat pee in cat poop. It is a huge relief, and nice to be able to have it not be required multiple times a day. Now I do make it a point to still take a look at what’s happening there and check in on it regularly. I’ve also added a video camera that watches the litter box area and will send a notification on my phone as soon as a cat is using it, so if there is some problem that needs to be watched, I can see which cat is going in and immediately check it before it gets tumbled into the poop receptacle area.
Having a Litter Robot was the best $700 I spent this decade, bar none.
Same experience with ours after almost 4 years. It's worked out great for everyone including the cats.
Same applies here I have LR 3 & LR 4 going on 5 yrs. Best money I’ve spent and my cats has a preference of which one they go to first. My 2 girls like the 4 best and my boy usually goes to the 3 first.
Seriously! I have only heard people say that the Litter Robot was worth the investment. They say it's pricey, but worth it. I definitely agree!
The poop doesn’t just disappear. It falls into a drawer. You can exam it twice a day in the drawer. You can also set the machine to manual. That way you control when it cleans and you can exam the poops that way and ensure it doesn’t scare your cat. Additionally, you can keep a traditional litter box around just in case your cat doesn’t want to use the litter robot.
Exactly. One of my guys can't use automated boxes because he has digestion problems (checking the waste isn't the problem, he just overwhelms it during a flare up), but Litter Robots, at least, are excellent and I'd absolutely be using one if we could. That Breeze one inparticular is similar to a box we had for a diabetic cat years ago. The difference was instead of pee pads it had a plastic container. That was excellent for keeping an eye on his urine output, but the box was kind of wierd and the other cats wouldn't go for it (he liked it though).
I can't speak to the others, but as far as cost goes, Litter Robots are expensive, but all of the major consumable parts (litter, bags) aren't brand specific. Any scoopable litter works and the bags are standard kitchen trash bags. I also used significantly less litter with the robot (probably in the neighborhood of 1/4 to 1/2 more with the standard box).
Freak accidents can always happen, but I don't see how it would be a reasonable concern that they would get trapped or injured. Perhaps a kitten (instructions warn to go manual for lighter animals) or an elderly cat with mobility issues. Litter Robots have several safety faults that prevent the box from rotating if a cat is inside. More often than not, in my experiance, anything that trips one defaults in the box freezing until a human can correct it. This can be anything from a weight in the globe (cat) to something impeding the rotation, to the cats tripping the sensor too many times in sucession (tends to happen when the box is new). The mechanisms in the Robot are really simple, there's not a lot to go wrong.
They're also extremely slow and have a countdown that starts after the last cat leaves, so even if they were inside, they'd just jump out.
Really the only legit complaint is the covered box thing. Some cats don't like covered boxes and that's something to take into account. I don't really understand the 'bonding' arguement either. The Robot allowed me to keep thier boxes as clean as they possibly could be while freeing up my time to acutally interact with them. It's like saying you spend time with your kids by cleaning the toilet.
One last thing that wasn't brought up is how good these boxes can be for disabled and elderly people. Dad's got one for his single cat. He's not really capable of scooping litter or lifting bags of the stuff into a traditional box. The robot is a game changer for both of them.
Really good idea! Maybe I’ll set my litter robot 4 to manual and see how that goes.
That's what I was going to say
@@user-io5yo9ro6u I just manually tell it to clean in the morning, after work and before I go to bed. Sometimes if I notice the cat left a particularly smell one I clean it one more time.
@@vultar9999 Great post. See mine above, I touch on many things you have particularly people with disabilities and/or the elderly. My 9 cats love their automated boxes and no more "accidents" - except when we had to use scented litter which they don't like. Most didn't mind but we had a couple who didn't like the scented type but are fine with unscented which is becoming more readily available now here in the UK.
Here is my view on this matter. Use whatever litterbox you want for your cats. Just be aware of the advantages and disadvantages of each one and let's not judge others on how they take care of their cats
Exactly! 💯
For a multicat household when I have an autobox compared to the standard the cats prefer the auto so much. Mostly because it flushes their brother’s bathroom usage before they need it and makes them feel cleaner. This is much faster than I would be able to scoop and prepare it for them while I work. Also I think the argument of scent soaker is null and void here, any litter box is a scent soaker and I have been more prone to keep the auto box in a main area because of outlet needs and size. It still gives them ownership and smells like them same as a standard litter box because the almond rocas are stored in it until it’s cleaned so it smells like them plenty. Also I clean the tray every day or two and can see inside from across the room, I’d still see medical warnings in their excrement or box habits, just as well as a standard box. It may not be an open air poppy field of cat clumps displayed in the wind, but my constant vigilance for my cat’s health hasn’t faltered. However my knees do feel younger without scooping every 8 hours, and my house smells better. Literally it’s wins all around, and your arguments are very circumstantial for this one Jackson.
My husband told me he was getting a robot litter box fof Christmas. Im personally grateful as itll provide accessiblity to me. I had open heary surgery and a stroke this year and its made it harder for us to stay on top of cleaning the litterbox between not being able to bend down without dizzy spells or just busy with doctors appointments. Thus is something that will be immensely helpful and i wish that had been considered more for those with health issues or in old age
My main problem is the absolutely ridiculous prices on some of them.
That’s the biggest con I’ve got on my litter Robot 3&4 models. They are very pricey but I realize there are some even more expensive. But the box type for around 40 bucks you can get a nice one. But for those with health issues that makes it hard to scoop litter boxes they are worth every penny. So we can take care of our Fids(furry kids).
I have a litter robot knock off called Meowant. It is about half the price, and while I have never had the actual litter robot, I feel it is just as good. I really felt reticent about spending $350 on a litter box, but it was well worth it. I must say. The cats love it. Even the one that refused to go in the litter box at all her entire life uses this litter box.
Your main problem is the financial cost incurred by you, and not the optimal wellbeing and safety of your cats?
@@brothermayihavesomeloops7048 not everyone has 700 bucks to throw around. Would you rather they put their cats out on the street? Or just scoop their litter by hand?
I got mine from an outlet store that sells returned items. An elspet smart litterbox. I got it for 170$ and it was crazy cheap and so worth it
I personally really like the Breeze cat box system, because it's actually 100% dust free. I have an old cat with a sensitive respiratory system and I've found she does really good with this system. The litter and pads don't cost much more than your typical high end grass litters and it's easier. You can also see more clearly if there's blood in the urine or actually get a urine sample if needed.
I also work as a cat sitter and this is my favorite system outside home as well. Typical litter almost always has dust that puffs up when you touch it. It's so it's nice when I don't have to deal with that. Automatic litter boxes are great for this as well. I have no issues scooping 10 boxes a day, but it is nice when I come across boxes that don't have that offensive cloud of urine flavored dust. Or worse, perfume scented, with an underlayer of urine.
I use Okocat, which is exceedingly low dust. I won't say 100%, but I have a reactive respiratory condition and one of my cats has asthma, so dust and chemicals are a big concern. Breeze didn't work for me because my cats at the time simply needed a bigger box than their large one, plus the pellets are rather hard.
@@fuzzypumpkin7743 isn't it great that there's such a wide variety of litter boxes to suit everyone's needs.
Gone are the days of dust and litter bits. Maybe it’s because I’m older, but now I scoop immediately after she goes. I also think it’s nice to keep it in the bathroom so it contains both of our scents, which might make it more comfortable for her? The grim task is cleaning it part by part each month. But I think that makes it feel cleaner than a regular litter box with clay.
We use the Breeze system as well. And because I have so many cats, I check the pads often. I see blood in the pads easier than I saw it in the regular boxes. Same with the pop. I know to check out my babies to see who's acting differently. And have caught things early because of it.
@@TheOriana2000 exactly. I had to get a urine sample for the vet at home and it was so much easier with the Breeze system. I just didn't put a pad in the bottom and checked it often.
I used the Breeze system with my cats, not because I didn't want to scoop but because I could not find a litter than did not emit a cloud of litter dust every time I changed the litter. It became a health issue for me.
Yeah no. Love ya Jackson, but I've been a cat owner for 40 years. I've been using litter robot for 12 years. My LR2 finally died after more than 10 years and i was loathe to spend for the 4 which cost twice as much as my LR2. So I went back to a regular box for several months, using pretty litter. While I appreciated the color feature letting me know that my cats' pee was healthy, I was hating my life with the stinky scooping which I'm prone to fall behind on, not to mention the high cost of the litter. I finally gave up and splurged for the LR4 and i could not be happier. What a great upgrade! Using the app, I can see how often the cats are using the box and what they weigh each time. Because they are about a pound apart, I can tell who is who. At one point I noticed my girl was using the box twice as much as normal which told me she was having a tummy issue. I cut out the treats and gave her her regular food only and she went back to her usual twice a day. Being able to monitor their usage and weight history makes me feel like I have a super power and insight into their health. My house never stinks and they always have a clean box. I'll never go back to scooping a regular box. Ever.
My two cats actually loved it. After they were done, when they heard it start cycling, they would run in just to watch it. They really liked it!
Mine do the same with their scoop away litter boxes
Mine like to watch the Littermaid rake as well. One cat will occasionally bop the rake as it moves.
My cats like watching the boxes cycle too!
I catch my cats doing it too. One of my females was watching sister go and it was like hurry up sis I want to go. So she watched it cycle then got in it next. Lol they wait in line for it. My 3 is used by my boy.
I have a litter robot 3 and 4, I started looking into them because due to being disabled, there were days where I would just be either completely unable to scoop the litter, or it would come at the cost of my own health. I care deeply about my cats, and didn't want them to suffer with a full/messy box whenever I couldn't leave bed. I looked into every solution I could think of, bags to just grab the bag and go, and every model you listed here and more, I settled on the litter robot 3, despite its steep costs, with the warranty that if it didn't work I would get refunded. I was VERY nervous, especially due to most of the points you made here, but it ended up being such a huge success I have a 4 as well now.
As for the cats being scared of it: All three LOVE watching it spin, and when I refill it with litter they all get excited to be the first to scent mark it. We actually had an issue where they would intentionally bypass the sensors to "ride" it as it spun, which is thankfully not as much of an issue in the 4. They've since settled for just all gathering to watch it spin now, and the pinch sensor has only been activated due to mess as opposed to a cat actually being stuck, they've had no issues with that thank goodness.
Health issues are honestly still my primary concern, but the app DOES help track which cat used it recently due to weight tracking, and the one minor health issue it was easy to track down which cat needed TLC, this of course may vary by household, but all my cats are pretty unique weights. This is the only factor that I wish was a bit less concerning, but I still feel the pros outweigh the cons.
Malfunctions was also a big concern, as again, being disabled, if the thing stops working, I'm really up a creek without a paddle, but both have been extremely reliable. Minor issues are usually solved with simply deep cleaning the machine, and the one major error the support team was extremely helpful, offering either the parts and a guide to fix it, or to have us send it in and they would do the work, my gf had zero issues fixing it herself on her next good day. We dug out the trusty box during this brief outage, and honestly my cats reaction is why we ended up getting the 4 as well. They were SO upset the 3 was broken, and hated going back to Ol' Reliable. It was honestly a shock! So now we have 2, so even if one breaks there is a backup. Of course, if the power is out we can use a traditional box even if the cats are unhappy, because even I'm not crazy enough to buy the battery backups for them even if they do exist.
This also goes into the enclosures issue, because when given the choice they 100% choose the robot over a standard box, maybe my cats are just weird in that regard, as I've heard a lot of the opposite, but if it works for them at the end of the day I'm just happy they're happy. The grossness factor was NEVER the issue for me, so every so often on my good days scrubbing it out is 100% worth it for knowing that my cats have clean litter and are comfortable going when they need to. I do agree with your points, and know my experience is certainly not the norm, but you did ask for us to comment!
If you read this far sir, I do want you to know you have been a huge influence to help me keep my cats as happy as they make me. I remember back when you first started making a name for yourself, and your knowledge has helped me live with my furry companions in as much peace and harmony as possible. Please keep up the good work, even if its telling me what I'm doing is not the best :)
I have a litter robot 2 and had a litter robot 3. The Robot 3 died and the 2 is still going fine. We had to order our LR2 from Japan and at some point later another company bought out LR. They changed the design to make them prettier, but in doing so made the LR3 opening smaller which made my larger cat refuse to use it and shit on the floor. They also obviously have less quality requirements or it wouldn't have died at such a steeper price.
And if you are disabled then I don't know how you can't scoop a litter box, but you can somehow manage to take it apart and clean it completely. That makes no sense at all and makes me think if there is a robot here, it's you.
Thank you for the excellent review. 😘 I am 73 and have started having some shocking hip pain, so I will keep this in mind. I could always have the regular box available, too, so the three can make up their own minds,
I have good days and bad days is the simplest answer. My bad days outnumber the good but when I do have a good day I try to do what I can, such as taking apart and cleaning my robots. On my bad days I may not be able to leave my bed other than for the most basic needs. I use technology to help make sure that even on those days my animals are fed and watered and have entertainment even if I can't play with them.
I never got to try a 2, so I can't speak for the 3 being worse, but I do think the 4 is my favorite because it has a much deeper drawer and better cat sensors. @@melissas4874
I'm glad I was able to help! Like I said, it may vary based on your cats, but it's been a gamechanger for me. If it helps the 4 has a much deeper drawer so I only need to change the bag once a week or so (I use trash bags not the expensive ones from their site) and I need to do a deep clean every month or so. If you only have 1 or 2 cats you can easily wait longer between these. the app also allows you to reset it/cycle manually from your phone. Its not a perfect solution by any means, as highlighted in the video, but I wish you the best of luck whichever route you go :)@@sleepycalico
Agreed. My physical health has started to rapidly decline.
Last week I got sick with a fever and the inflammation got to all my joints and I could barely leave my bed. But the cats still deserve to have a clean box to use.
Never in my lifetime-I’m 62-has any electrical appliance I owned overreacted or done something unexpected when it broke. It just slowed or jammed and then stopped working altogether. Considering the very basic moving parts required to make a device like this work, I am certain that is how it would break down. Like a watch that needs a new battery-it doesn’t start running faster or backwards, it slows to a stop.
We have 2 cats and 1 Litter Robot. The older cat doesn't like it, so he has his own box. The young ginger cat loves the robot. On multiple occasions, I have had to stop him from jumping in and going for a ride. He loves to watch it while it's running. For that reason I have it set to manual. Who would have thought this thing would be a source of entertainment?
I don't have a Litter Maid, but I think they're cool. When I first saw one, I thought, "automatic Zen garden." 😂
My Litter Robot 3 is absolutely the best thing that's ever happened to us as cat owners. My wife "allows" me to be the litter disposal person, and having to scoop at least two times per day (as you should) was a chore and pain in my back. Now I change a bag once a week, MUCH less work than what I did before. BEST INVENTION EVER
Sounds like your wife wanted a cat but didn't want to take care of it. You took up the slack but it doesn't interest you either. None of this is a good review of a product. It is a commentary on why you should not have a cat.
best invention ever until the very issues this video goes over actually happens
I have to ask, what prevents the smell of the pee and fecal matter?
Plus you use a LOT less litter. I agree I wouldn't trade mine. And for the possibility of hurting your kitty...I've seen several times where one has tried to go in mid cycle and it's stopped every time. And I can see that and every time they use it on the app. Helps keep track of how often they're using it as well as graph charts showing usage by month
@@nadeannichols3660 the tray is under the robot. Once it goes back to normal position the opening is closed and the tray itself has a filter. Regular litter boxes can smell if you have a cat like mine who can't be bothered burying anything
We switched from box to robot and its made us a lot MORE aware of our cats litter habits because we get a notice on the phone with her weight every time she goes. Honestly my wife and i both struggle with executive dysfunction issues and so, while it hasn't been a perfect solution, its been a game changer for actually having clean litter. The main problem we had was that the default setup wasn't good for our old cat and we needed to get a ramp for her to get in and out. In the time it took us to do that she started peeing elsewhere and.... seems to have learned that this is an effective way of protesting her displeasure and she will sometimes now get mad, get out attention and pee. Other times, I see her getting ready to do it, I look sternly at her and point to the hallway, and she immediately marches to the liter robot. A couple of times, she even begged for treats till I gave in, sniffed them, then went off to use the liter robot before coming back to the treats.
I have Secondary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis and it became near impossible to bend over to scoop the litter box without me falling into the litter box. My way of handling the problem is to keep the litter box, which was already in the bathroom, closer to the toilet so I can sit on the toilet and pull the litter box close to me with my cane. It's so much easier for me to bend over from a seated position to scoop, change litter, clean the box, etc. When I'm finished, I just push the box back into place. It's tricky doing this from my wheelchair and when I tried using a folding chair that I kept in the bathroom, I couldn't get up. I have bars on both sides of my toilet so getting up is no problem. I have an old cane that is metal with a flat, hard plastic handle that's easy to clean beside my toilet solely for pulling and pushing the litter box. This also saves me from having to use my Life Alert so the Firemen or Paramedics can lift me out of the litter box to get me back into my wheelchair! Yeah, that's happened. Makes caring for my sweetheart easier and keeps me from worrying about being unable to do everything to make his life happy.
I love the breeze system! I get cheap wood pellets elsewhere for like $8 20kg, and it lasts for a year. And it’s non toxic so it’s great and I save a lot of money
Longtime Litter-Robot user here. As much as I love the LR there's really nothing more perfect than a traditional litter box, like Jackson says, (in theory). That being said, people and cats are all different. I'll explain. For years we struggled to find the right litter box. Our cat is a high pee-er and nothing was high enough. NOTHING. So we tried covered boxes, boxes that have an extended upward wall, bins from the hardware store. The problem was they all had grooves and seams or they just weren't tall enough. Pee would either leak through the seams or it was impossible to scrape the pee clumps out of the bends and folds and corners. That's when we tried Litter-Robot. It was a game changer. I could easily wipe the inside wall. We do also keep a traditional top-entry box which is seamless and high sided. Yes, it's technically covered, but again, no one makes a 15 inch tall seamless uncovered litter box. All this being said, there are options for automated boxes, like cycling manually. I think people either understand the importance of monitoring their cat's litter box habits or they don't. Someone who has a traditional litter box doesn't necessarily scoop or monitor daily. I hear my cats shuffling litter in the LR. I often run to go look at what they did. Automation doesn't have to mean you're disconnected. PEOPLE make the decision on whether to be disconnected to their cat's litter box habits or not. Also, many factors make it more difficult to monitor your cat's habits, like having multiple cats! But really, where is that 15 inch tall litter box? I'd buy it, Jackson.
All I can tell you is our 4 cats use our 3 Litter Robots with no problem (the 3 strays who came in off the street, I set up the travel litter box for them first, thinking I would have to get them used to the robots, but they automatically started using the robots with no prompting from me), the dilute torbie used to LOVE watching it rotate, and the void still LOOOOOOOOVES watching it rotate -- as soon as that thing starts, he will run up from wherever he is in the house to watch the show. Not saying every cat house must have them or that every cat will use them, just that our cats use them with no issue, they haven't hurt my cats at all, and they empty the waste while I'm at work, running errands, etc. so they have a fresh box every time. I will die on the hill of defending the Litter Robot as a positive.
THANK YOU I legitimately thought I was the only one defending litter robots, plus Jackson has a pretty gross mind set when it comes to litter robots, he thinks you don't have to do anything. In reality all it does is makes us take out the dirty litter and that's all it does
❤😂
Your just trying to defend the fact your to lazy to clean the litter box, and if thats not it your trying to defend the fact you spent @$799.00 on a litter box company with a terrible warranty and terrible customer service. The litter robot is 100% terrible. THANKYOU JACKSON FOR SPEAKING THE TRUTH!!! I bought a litter robot and they denied my refund when the sensor wouldnt work snd they needed me to pay for shipping to send it back! Ive seen so many terrible reviews in person and online
@@Su-jk5veall the box does is roll your cats feces around it over and over leaving the outsides full of nastiness that we know your not gonna clean, and the integrated system and app in the litter box 4 is a joke other than the knowing how much your cat weighs and when there going, which lets be real you aren’t checking if you cant even clean your cats box
I love ours, too! The phone app makes it easier than ever to track my cats health!
I just have to say that I own a litter robot, and it’s been an absolute godsend for me and both of my cats. I can understand why there is dislike for the automated ones, but as someone with my busy life, plus a chronic condition that plagues me on and off, this thing has helped so much!
Also, while I love my cats, I very much cannot stand my house smelling like cats. My litter robot has helped with that drastically, and even helps with being able to have my loved ones with mild allergies to cats come to my house.
Again, I do understand why people would be against the automated ones, and yes my litter robot was expensive, it was worth it. Plus, I can get non-name brand filters for MUCH cheaper and I use small trash bags for the liners instead of name brand.
We have found ours really helpful for accessibility too.
In terms of the Breeze brand, I don’t think grouping it in with the other automatic boxes is really fair. I have two of the Breeze litter box systems and absolutely love them. They’re easier to clean and don’t track through the house at all because of them being pellets. I would even wager to say it’s better seeing the pee on a pad rather than clumped up so that you can see if there is any blood or anything and as far as the poop goes, that’s also pretty clearly seen as well.
I agree. I have 4 of them and I wouldn’t use anything else. You have no smell either. People are shocked I have 3 cats in my house. Nothing automated about it either. Plus you can clean the pellets by soaking in salt water drain rinse and put out in the sun to recharge the pellets. So you save money as well. I’ve even convinced my aunts to switch from sand to pellets. They also love it.
I have the Breeze as well and got it because I had a diabetic cat that peed so much that it was the only option. She would pee so much that the litter became a muddy mess with one use. With the Breeze, it kept her clean and happy. We adopted another cat, and she adapted right away to it. I also like that I can see if there are any concerns when I clean the box. Easy to clean.
Came looking for this comment. I agree with you 100%. Only thing Jackson said that would actually be a negative for the beeeze is the enclosure bit but i only have one cat so its not a big deal for us, plus you can take it off if you want.
@@ErinAsianLover97 in addition to taking off the lid, they actually make one that is lidless as well. that’s the one i have
@@karlahartson4074 oh wow i didn’t know about cleaning the pellets
i’ll have to try that, how long do you let them soak for?
I had a cat that used the dead area under a pine tree in our yard. From the first time he went outside he never used a litter box again and would meow to go even in winter, dashing through snow to get to his tree, and dashing straight back. He didn't really care about being outside for the most part, just didn't want to use a box.
ideal
You had a catdog? Body of a cat but the mind of a dog lol
lol 😅 that’s too funny and so catlike 😂
Our cat is the exact opposite - he'll be outside all afternoon then come in and go straight to the litter tray. 😅
what i love the most about your videos is the comment section! i recently adopted 2 cats so not only i can learn from you but the people sharing their experiences. what a beautiful community ❤️
I LOOOOOOOVE the Breeze system by Purina. I've never been averse to scooping. In fact, my quest to avoid that stale smell from litter that gradually takes over almost all cat homes has always driven me to scoop constantly. But clay seems to be the main cause of that smell, so scooping frequently doesn't matter
Enter my attempts with all the non-clay litters. Any type of shaving is gross. The larger particle (wood) products don't have any major downsides but just seem kinda pointless. And I felt like I had to choose between dumping the whole batch when plenty was still fresh or sorting through
What I used for a long time were the VERY fine products made from things like cassava. They absorbed smell much better than anything else. And the tracking wasn't gross like with shavings. But those tiny particles end up getting everywhere
So I tried the Breeze. No urine smell.. NONE. Doesn't mask feces smell as well as some others, but I'm cool with that bc I'd rather smell it and scoop it. Basically no tracking issue. My cat can get very enthusiastic about burying, so occasionally a handful of pellets escape. But unlike shavings or ground _______ they stay right there and can easily be returned to the box. Scooping poop takes no time at all. And instead of scooping urine clumps you replace a pee pad once per week. (I suggest rotating it midweek if your cat doesn't rotate where they pee.) You see the poops just like any other manual box. And the pad would exhibit any concerning urine issues MUCH more clearly than all other options Dave those clear crystals
I can't endorse it enough. Best at preventing smells and best at preventing tracking
Something you, Jackson, are perhaps overlooking, is that many of us cat owners have been cat parents to multiple and ongoing feline families for most of our lives, many of us initiating our love for cats in early childhood. I am one such person. I cannot imagine not having feline family members living with me, or how desolate I would feel without their companionship. But I am no longer a young woman and many of the natural consequences of living/aging are starting to be evidenced in my abilities to care for both myself and my cats. Cleaning the litters boxes (I have 3 boxes for 4 cats) is rapidly becoming a task my body is having more and more difficulty with, meaning the boxes get cleaned less often, making both myself and my cats unhappy. Lucky for me, they are good cats, patient with their aging momma, and they (so far) have not sought out alternative locations to do their business. I do not yet own or use an automatic litter box, viewing your video is part of my research as to whether or not to make that transition, but I have to say your rather casual dismissal of folks not wanting to clean more tradition litter boxes with the suggestion to "get a gold fish" is both insulting and hurtful to those of us struggling to hold our feline families together under ever increasing challenges, both physical and financial. And while of course ALL of us want to do what is best for our feline companions, we also have to think of ourselves, as their primary caregivers. Reducing the chance of pain or injury to ourselves by simplifying and automating (to some degree) the reality of dealing with cat waste, allows us to maintain our relationships with our cats that much longer, benefiting both ourselves and our cats.
There will come a time, I am certain, when I will no longer be able to care for my feline family, whether that be thru my death or increasing fraility. That time has not yet come, and if by purchasing an automated litter box extends my ability to cherish my cats, I'm going to take it. Not everyone is as young and strong as you are, Jackson, and you won't be young and strong forever, either. Someday in your future you will be, as many of us are, facing the reality of either giving up your family (and having goldfish instead) or making the hard compromises, again both financially and physically, to keep your family together for as long as you can. Your comments in this video were, in my opinion, not very well thought thru, which is a bit of a disappointment, as I have always enjoyed most of your other videos. However, seeing this video and reading thru the comments did tip me over the edge in whether or not to buy an automated litter box. I'm off to Amazon...
Same, my grandma had hip surgery and we bought her a litter robot for her 2 cats, according to the video she need to embrace the litter box and suck it up the pain or we take turns drive to her house to clean the litter box.
He is delusional, one day when he is old or become unfit will realise how handy this tools are.
Actually, one thing people overlook that's pretty important is making sure the box is BIG ENOUGH for your cat. My friend was having issues with his cat pooping outside of the box and I looked at his pretty large cat and his tiny litter box and solved that problem for him immediately. My cats are big - the rescue said their mom was a small (undernourished and pregnant) Maine Coon. They're short haired but one is 16lbs and his brother is pretty much 20 lbs. I also have one "normally" sized cat. The best box for them has been a plain and simple cement mixing tub from a hardware store. It's BIG, cheap, they can turn around in it and there is far less poop that falls over the side of the box. I wish it had a high backed corner like the one Jackson G shows in his video, but my big boys need a BIG box. They do have a covered box indoors upstairs (their main two boxes are in the guest bathroom of the sunroom) but definitely prefer the open box.
Your argument is the only one I agree with. I don't think the litter robots are big enough for a large cat. I don't think I'd be able to keep a ragdoll.
@@FirstnameLastnames I thought about one of those as a supplemental box for the upstairs one, which they just don't use as much, but in the end I think it would be too small for them. my one cat would probably love it though - he's super into all things technology: vacuums, tvs, the Roku, lol. I don't know why but he's a bit of a tech bro lol.
I agree with what you are saying....I always have big cats and Chewy has large-cat boxes but someone suggested using big roasting pans, which is flatter and wider.
That's one of my main issues with the spinny ones, they're a neat idea as the tech improves, but they're TINY. My girl isn't very big, but she's one of those cats that once her feet touch litter she's like "yup, I'm in it" with a normal box at least I can put down a washable potty pad for when she doesn't climb in all the way, with the platforms on the robots it wouldn't really be an option
@@mukakruda8474 yeah, as much as a litter robot sounds like a dream in some ways, I can totally see my 16 lb cat, Jack, just pooping right over the edge because he's the same way: feet are in litter so I'm good.
Here's my take:
I have 4 cats and they all LOVE the litter robot 4. I'm a bit of a crazy cat lady so I did my research when buying because obviously the cats' health and using the box is my top priority.
Scooping wasn't my issue, I don't mind that at all. The number one problem I had was two of my four cats didn't cover their business after they went. The litter box was in my laundry room straight off the kitchen and no one wants to smell that while eating. Ever since getting the litter robot we've had much less smell issues. We also got an air purifier to put in the room with it and man that has made all the difference with litter box smells.
Also, I have a golden retriever who would love to go mining for poo if given the chance. So the robot has eliminated that issue.
The clumps of poo and pee drop down into a waste drawer under the robot, and I do take a quick look at it every time I empty it to make sure nothing looks wrong health-wise. I agree with some of the other comments that you can set the box to not cycle automatically if you're worried about a cat being scared, although mine love to sit and watch it cycle. My cats are all fairly young, my mom has an 8 year old cat who would not use the robot she had for years.
The front of the box is very open, so no way to surprise them there. I also believe they can still smell their own smells because the pee and poo are just right below the box, open to the air every time it cycles. Plus the litter also holds some of that odor even after being sifted through.
I also keep two regular old litter boxes downstairs in my home for them to use if they choose, but those usually only have a few clumps to scoop every day, they all prefer the robot.
My advice for anyone considering a robot is to just be a responsible cat parent, know your cats. Take a peek at the clumps for health issues, and keep a plain litter box for them to choose what they'd like to use.
Just on a side note, if your cat's poop is super smelly, you might want to think about their diet. The more natural and the less fillers are in the food, the less it stinks. A raw meat diet actually makes their poop have very little smell at all, AND they poop a lot less often.
I'm glad I'm not the only one with a cat who thinks the litter robot cycling is absolutely mesmerizing to watch. He gets very excited when I cycle it
Never understood why dogs eat shit 🤮 sooo disgusting
Great content as always. I’m using the Breeze (it goes by a different name where I live). Actually the system allows you to observe pee much easier since it’s visible on the pad. Some vets recommended it to those owners whose cats have urinary issues as you can tell right away if there’s blood. With the hard pallets you can look at the poops much easier as well. To me it’s a perfect solution. Odor free. No tracking. Having to change the litter once a month. Could be a bit of a problem when the cat stool softens but it rare happens with my cats. 😅
There are work-arounds for all of these issues (with the exception of the enclosed space) with the Litter Robot. And I get plenty of time to check out my kitties’ business before the unit cycles, and I can again check it in the drawer. The cleaning is a pain, but manual litterboxes need cleaned, too. My two boy kitties love to watch the machine work, and not all of my litterboxes are “hidden away” (one is in the middle of the back room in the basement, one is in my craft room, and one is right in the living room, and not in some corner). Even after the box scoops, the litter still contains my kitties’ scents. I appreciate the points in this video, but I honestly feel like my Litter Robots have made me a better cat mom. I still use traditional litterboxes when needed, like in quarantine situations, or when my baby boy was healing from major surgery, but otherwise, I really do think that the machines have made not just my life better, but my cats’ as well.
I just got a litter robot 4 last month and it has been amazing. I feel like with the App I’m actually MORE involved in their health since I can know how often they are going and their weight trends. Also, if you do want to check their poop it’s not that big a deal to just look through the bag before tying it up. The 4 is big enough that my 11 pound boy fits just fine and it’s fairly open. I feel like the litter robot gives them a more hygienic experience (yes, you should still periodically wipe it down and do a deep cleaning every few months!) every time they go than we were realistically ever able to provide. We are also planning on starting a family and it will help when I am pregnant and not able to be around their waste. I’m certainly interested in what Jackson has to say, but I can’t imagine myself going back to a normal box. 🤷🏻♀️
Thank you so much of tell people what you ACTUALLY do with a litter robot, plus I knew that you just take out the waste when tying up the bag, I also was concerned if I was about to check on how many times my cat would use a litter robot that's why I even checked if you were able to check their pooping habits too
This is so helpful. Does it get goopy inside? Like you know when you scoop litter how sometimes it’s like all sticky and you have to bang the scooper against the side to get it off-have you experienced that with the Robot, or does it stay pretty clean? I’m so on the fence! Thank you! 😊
Our big male Maine Coon fits in the Litter Tobot 4 just fine
I heard the same thing from some other users
@@2bfamos we have 2 for our 20lb Maine coon & it doesn't get goopy inside - more like fine litter dust, but it doesn't get on your cat. The app lets you know what the ideal litter level is as well. We use Elsey's premium clumping litter so I wipe down the inside of the globe with a dry cloth once a week.
I used The Breeze for my uncontrolled diabetic cat, Bumble. He was peeing so much while we were trying to get his insulin under control. He was becoming increasingly dirty and was already having a hard time cleaning himself, and the amount of scooping was really hard to maintain, and my poor boy was struggling with litter on him etc. The Breeze helped with that a lot. I wouldn't use it as the standard cat box; I would and did just use traditional cat box and litter. But The Breeze was very useful in this medical situation. I personally don't feel comfy using any automated boxes, etc, for the reasons you say in this video.
Love your videos!! I started watching your videos months back when I rescued my kitten, your videos have helped me so much that I am proud to say I have a happy, confident kitty! I even trained her to sit, come to her name when called and she comes on walks with me and my dog. Anyone who adds a cat to their family should definitely binge watch Jackson’s videos. Soo much information to give your cat an awesome life!
Hi Jackson! My boy cat Rocket had a urinary blockage and I noticed by cleaning his litter box and saw blood. When we went to the vet they said it could have become fatal! I will stick to just scooping every day.
Interestingly, you'd still be able to see it if you used a litter robot - you'd see it when taking the bag of litter out.
The same thing happened to my cat. He needed major surgery. Thank God he came through it. He's just technically a she. If you know you know 😊.
@@LifeDIYyou'd see it when you emptied the drawer 4 or 5 days later, not the same day it happened.
@@LifeDIYscooping daily is better in my opinion. People here are saying they check the robot once a week.... I mean, can your cat wait that long? (I also scoop twice a day, but I'm weird)
@@bethpottschmidt1967nah, you should still check your litter robot drawer every day. that's what i do lol
I have two Litter Robot 4s for my 3 cats. They actually prefer it to a manual box. Also, the waste doesn't go away. Your still have to empty the drawer and you can look at it any time you want.
Honestly unless you only have one cat it's very difficult to tell who is doing what in the box unless you are in the room or put a camera on it. If you're going to go that route you might as well use the automatic litter box.
Thisssss
Ours have a weight sensor that tells us which one is using. AND we do have a camera system to see who's using
Yes, we have 4 cats. Two will use our automatic box. One uses it exclusively, one uses it and the standard box, and the third only uses the standard box. I can tell who is using it by weight. But I have no idea how much or often they use the manual box.
Alright, but even if you can discover who used it at which time, you can't say which poop is whom's, since they're all mixed up, right? The temporary solution for our common boxes here was to get a top camera, so we can backtrack from the poop position who did what.
I understand that the waste doesn't go away, but waiting three days to find out someone is doing stuff a bit runny and only then try to dig who did it... It's kinda complex.
That all said, I'm very tempted to get a Litter Robot, after all those positive comments. Sadly, I don't live in the USA :(
I respect and believe your knowledge is fair and good. All cat owners should take heart with this info. I was gifted a litter robot. At first I flat out didn’t want it because I felt the same way as Jackson. So, gave my cats the option of each for a month and as a pet owner with responsibilities I made sure to keep all those things in mind. My cats prefer the litter robot over covered or uncovered regular litter boxes. Now for them having their smell in the litter box I am sorry but I do think with their strong smellers they can still smell their scent in the box. I also dump their drawer daily and observe their waste. I would be able to see if there were “red flags” in their waste. If I need to capture a little to take to the vet I shut it off so I can collect before it dumps. Now the whole malfunction thing could be an issue that arises. “Knock on wood”. Lol. My cats all are smaller cats and will use the box at the same time sometimes. The box is set in a way the dogs cannot get into it. I just want others to think things through if they choose automated because Jackson’s reasons are very valid. I only went with the robot because they chose it over the other boxes. I don’t mind scooping. Lol
Same. My cat had a litter maid since she was a kitten and the way it worked is that it was on a timer and if it did ever go off with her in it ( pretty sure she figured out the intervals) it was uncovered so she could jump out, plus that thing was slow so she could clear it before it ever got close and I was able to see what “her business” looked like.
I´ve just got an PetSnowy and it took 1 day for our 2 cats transit from the normal box to it, and I´m loving it so far. The app differentiates our cats by their weight, so we know how many times each one used the box and for how long. One of my cats is experiencing gastro issues, so when he´s doing his business I open the top lid and check it out. If needed to take a stool sample, I can simply remove it before the automatic clean cycle or even disable it. The top benefits for me is cancelling the smell and saving scooping time, plus less litter mess around. I think that´s ideal for indoor only cats
This is great advice to keep as the standard BUT if you have sudden schedule problems or physical/mental health issues I feel like having a constantly clean litter box is a net positive for the cat's long term health rather than having a constantly dirty box while checking for rare instances of digestive/urinary issues. Cost /benefit should be weighed.
I have the ScoopFree 🎶automated🎶 box and you could easily turn it off to have a standard scoopable box, and ONLY turn it on if you are unable to scoop that day. I also check the receptacle regularly, and turn it off if I suspect any issues...Whats the difference for example, if you power off the box, let the cat use it like a regular litter box, then just before you would scoop normally, poke around with the shovel to check the report card, then turn on the box and send all the poop conveniently once a day to the receptacle. Sometimes its these small changes that could be the difference between a cat being in a loving home or not being adopted ☹️.
I see other people mentioning this also but I’ll chime in - while I completely understand what you’re saying, the Litter Robot has been amazing for me as someone with a disability. When the chronic pain and fatigue was killing me and the box hadn’t been scooped recently, I felt just awful. My good boy would still use it and never had an accident outside of it, but I was filled with guilt, honestly! I do still have to clean the LR, and we still have to empty the drawer once a week so it doesn’t take away all the work, which is fine. Heck, even the smell is not necessarily that much better. But on a daily basis, I know my little one has a clean toilet to go in every time, no matter what kind of day my body is having. That makes it worth it to me :)
Agreed!
That's understandable
Exactly, disabled here too!
I use the Breeze system for the kidney stone cat. It helps keep track of blood in her urine. I use a regular box for the others. I also have one who will go on puppy pads at random points in time so I always keep one of those down too. I tried keeping one box per cat plus one, but they only use two of them so that's what works for me. One thing I have discovered recently is adding a scoop of bokashi bran to the litter (maybe 1/4-1/3 C per box)...it's amazing at keeping the ammonia smell at bay.
I use the Breeze too. It makes it easy for urine samples. Just take out the pad and there is your sample.
Agreed! Love the Breeze system!
So nice not having litter all over the floors!
I bet it's in no way easy to be a celebrity in the animal space and the way I think you approach being an expert is so humble and just trying to help. I'm glad to be learning from you
One of my cats literally sits next to the box and watches me scoop the clumps. For me, it's another sweet moment for us to bond 😊
My cat sits next to the box when it turns on to clean and looks at it 😅
You are delusional if you think that your cat can even comprehend what you are doing.
@StealthBlackHand You're delusional if you think they can't. Although for me it always seemed like my cat was "inspecting" me do it... but in reality, she was waiting for me to leave so she could use the nice now clean box.
@@katwyldour old girl that we lost last year was the same. She was a diva, and very picky about her litter box. And if it wasn't up to her standards, she'd find the softest thing in the house to pee on to let us know. It actually got to be routine in our house, scoop the first box and by the time you get the other two done, go scoop the first one again before you put it up.
We haven't played with any of the automatic boxes; both of our cats now are fine with the boxes and litter as and where they are, so we're not gonna mess with a good thing. One thing I will advocate for, for those of us on the backside of the digital divide, is the Litter Genie. It's great. One of ours likes to make a nice stinky mess right after she gets dinner (which is often while we're trying to eat). Go do a quick scoop, pull the trap door, and the smell is banished to the bottom of the pail. We tie the bag off weekly to take it out to the garbage, and each "refill" of bag plastic lasts a couple months. So much better than used grocery bags and having to take it to the outside garbage can every day, like we were before. Reloading the bag cartridge is the only time you actually have to handle anything remotely yucky, and even then it's just the top of the "funnel"you drop the scooping into. We give it a quick wipe with a Lysol wipe before handling it, and then wash up afterwards, and it's fine.
@@scotts7630so sorry for laughing 😂 but your princess diva did not play when it came to her potty. So sorry for your loss. She sounded like she was a loving baby.
The report card is so important. a few months ago I noticed my little guy was having bright yellow pee and sadly even though we got him to the vet early they never figured out was was wrong with him but if not for knowing I would have lost him a lot sooner. Knowing gave us a couple of months we may not have had. Never automated for me, scooping a little poop is a small price for the happiness they bring.
The Litter Robot 4 has a manual cycle setting and different timer settings as well, 3, 7, 15, 25, and 30 minutes so it's not like the waste is lost forever once it's been sifted... Just open up the waste bin. It also reads your cat's weight and you can also mount a camera if you really want to keep an eye on their health. It's a life changer for those with disabilities.
They never figured out what was wrong w them & they passed away ? That’s terrible … I’d wonder for the rest of my life what actually happened or caused it
@@S1LV3R_11 No answers :( he was only 20 months old they didn't seem to try very hard. test wait a week, test wait, meanwhile he got sicker and they just gave him antibiotics. Finally by the time I got him to see a second vet ( wait times here are awful ) it was too late. he did every test he could and still no answers. Best he could say is probably cancer. the day before this his normal vet said no indication of cancer. i feel like it was incompetence that killed him.
@@kaleya3d484 ugh this is how it is when people try to check on their health as well . I’ve felt unwell for years & am only 24 & Drs say everything is fine … like CLEARLY it’s not or I wouldn’t feel like this . Incompetence seems to be the majority now .
Jackson, I took your word for the longest time and scooped because I prefer to monitor my cats closely. *however* the thing that changed my mind was watching reviews for automatic robots to help my friends research and the reviewer who made the video saying their cats *prefer* the automatic litter box even when offered a manual litter box.
I don't mind scooping but actually hearing that and the reviewer pointing out it always offered his cats clean litter and buying my own, I can tell you now: when given the option they will choose to use it and often even prefer it themselves. I've left out multiple manual litter boxes too and they don't use the automatic one exclusively like the reviewer's but they definitely prefer it.
I think even aside from humans' preference of simplicity on this one, we can listen to cats here. if we want to force them to go to the bathroom in our house, they deserve the right to always have a clean bathroom if they want one. and an automatic litter box offers that.
one of the main reasons I bought it is because even with 4 litter boxes in my house, my oldest was bullying her two baby siblings and this has managed to immediately reduce litter box resource tension even when I took out a litter box. also the open litter box thing? I talked to another behavioral specialist who works for a rescue in Boston, and who is in a graduate program about animal behavior, and the actual evidence based research iis out on that. mine all seemed to prefer one of the open top high side ones and one of the hooded ones equally, what they cared about *more* is the type of litter in the box.
also, I had set up the open litter box in places where I thought it would help the kittens escape because of your advice but both times my oldest cat cornered a kitten in the open litter box and even pushed one into her own poo. the hooded and top entry ones tho? they couldn't escape but my oldest also wouldn't risk actually going inside to put herself at a disadvantage and eventually left.
I respect your opinion but sometimes your very strong opinions aren't founded on evidence and even goes against it, and that concerns me. we can't just have strong opinions, we need to take the cats' cues on it too.
Agreed. Jackson is normally pretty on the ball, but this video is all Cons and no Pros when there are a fair number of Pros to be mentioned, and a lot of the Cons have solutions you can take if you'reworried.
It definitely feels like bias here.
He actually shows a lot of bias without evidence. See his videos about speech buttons and food choice.
I rescued a cat that was thrown out a car.2 mths after enjoying her, I found out she was pregnant a few weeks later, and she gave birth to 5 babies. Watching the young mom take care of her babies, cleaning their behinds, and teaching them to use the litter box. It's been 5 years, and not one of them have ever missed the box.its a good-sized box that was purchased at Home Depot. Many times when I'm cleaning the box one or 2 will jump in a go. I totally agree with no lid boxes, and cleaning the box is a job I do several times a day. I'm disabled and I still manage to get it done. I did have all the cat's spayed neutered. They are happy cats, and I'm really glad she has no side affects from the abuse she went through.
I'm disabled and my litter robot has changed my life. I had several other brands, but most were crap. This one really does make my life a whole lot easier.
So, I mentioned it on your short the other day & I'll mention it here. You cover 2 points for exactly why I bought a litter robot.. first off, it monitors how often she goes.. she did have a UTI once - the vet told me one of the symptoms is frequent urination. I'm not home all day to monitor when she pees... The robot charts it & compares it for you. If she starts using it more, it tells me & then I can follow up on it. 2nd point.. you mention when cleaning to look for consistency or blood.. you still have to clean out the robot.. it gets done every 5 or 6 days, so I can still see those issues. If it's runny poop, it'll probably be costing the inside of the robot...
I bought it firstly to monitor my cats health (bathroom wise) which you suggested was not a perk of automation...
Yeah, I cantsay I agree with Jackson on this one. Most of the problems mentioned either aren't actually problems or have aolutions to them
5 or 6 days? One of my cats once had a medical emergency that I monitored for one single day before we went to the vet. The vet told me that one more day would have meant a weekend-long hospital stay and surgery.
@@brothermayihavesomeloops7048 Did you NOT read my comment... the litter robot tells me how many times she goes.. If she happened to go 6 times instead of 4 times, I'd go check... I wouldn't wait the week.. That is why I bought it, cause I'm not home all day like some people are.. so, the robot monitors & lets me know... simple.. very very simple...
I believe it also tracks their weight, which is another major indicator of potential health issues.
@@DLJaspah mine does not, I have the 3. The 4 does though and of course that came out about a month after I got mine. Lol
I absolutely agree with you, Jackson. I had this box that had a sifting system and it never wanted to clean. The idea of the rolling one seemed neat- until I recalled back to that sifting box
Along with the many comments below on top of it's great in keeping the litter clean, it also cuts WAY DOWN on the DUST Here!! I LOVE THAT!! So easy it tells which cat went in (by their weight one is very small) though my small one doesn't look like she's loosing weight, she is. I stepped on the scale with her (I wouldn't of if not for the box) and sure enough it's down. She's elderly that happens, she'll be at the vets soon!
Litter Robot 4 is a 10/10; cats love it, and I've had no issues at all.
I switched over because I have a small apartment that's hard to ventilate, and now I come home to a clean-smelling apartment.
They can still dig, bury, and do everything they need.
As a counterpoint to your evidence point, I can set the timer to be half an hour. It texts me when they use it, and I can actually go and look at it.
For safety and reliability, this is the only one I'd recommend. If there is any issue at all, it will not move. if there is even cat hair on the sensor(which happens sometimes) it won't cycle. This is especially helpful for scent, they often wait for the bottom to open up, stick their head in to smell, and it will stop cycling until they are done.
Cleaning the machine is a bit of a process. However, it's better than scooping every morning and night and smelling, and litter all over the floor. It disassembles easily and it is kind of gross sometimes, but it only takes an hour once a month.
It might not be for everyone or every cat, but this is definitely the best option, especially if you have a cat that needs a perfectly clean box to not use the floor, then it will always be clean, even if you step out to go to the store etc.
People do take a litter box for granted. It is interesting that domestic cats have adapted. We had a student from Saudi Arabia living with us and he was just amazed that our cat “had his own toilet” in the house. He was so cute, declaring that “this is an awesome cat!” I explained that cats in the US are generally expected to use a litter box. I guess Saudi cats are mostly indoor-outdoor.
I had an indoor outdoor cat and mother in law has one now.
Not just Saudi Arabia, when I lived in the UK it was almost weird to keep my Cat as an entirely indoor cat.
@@AngryVet44 I've heard it's also illegal in the UK to have an indoor only cat, am I wrong?
@@despina7278 It’s not illegal, but it’s not the norm.
WAy cool. I really appriciate your videos and insight. Makes all the difference as we have started fostering kitties. We have two of our own but our friend runs a rescue and desperately needed more foster parents. So, We stepped up and wow was it a learning curve. So rewarding though and we learn and grow everyday. Wonderful resource. Thank you
I love my Litter Robot 3! Best purchase I've made for my cats by a long shot!
I am disabled and for me, my Litter Robot 4 is a godsend and my (3) cats are absolutely great with it. I know it’s not ideal, but for some situations like mine, it makes things FAR more manageable.
We do have a regular box too but when we need a fecal we quarantine the cat for a few hours. Again, not ideal but it works for us.
I have a Litter Robot 4 and I freakin' LOVE IT~~!! Had it for about 2 years with no complaints. I did manual scooping for my 4 cats for over 10 years so.. I feel like I deserve the break lol. I love you Jackson.. but I think it's silly to suggest that because I (someone without children who views my 4 cats AS my children) should consider getting something like a goldfish? Because I'd like to save my back from all the bending and lifting. Slightly rude? lol
I've had fish. They also have their share of cleaning and maintenance. Algae buildup, temperature control, oxygenation, etc.
I haven't watched the video and I'm not going to because of his narrow minded thinking on this subject but...a goldfish? He seriously said that? 🙄 That is so rude and like the other person in here said, fish take a LOT of care and regulation. My family had a 200 gallon fish tank when I was growing up and it constantly needed cleaning, skimming, refreshing, pH balancing, etc. How rude of Jackson.
Thank you Jackson for this video. Very timely as I've been exploring boxes other than "the box". I'm keeping "the box"! Merry Christmas!
I love you man. You have been a part of my childhood and now that I find you here on UA-cam, you’re teaching me a lot to prepare for my first cat 🙏🏼 thank you 🤍
I have two seven month old kittens. I have 5 litter boxes scattered all over my house. I have a breeze and four regular plastic container with different types of litter in them to see which they like best. The kittens like to pee in the breeze. I like it also because it gives me a report card of what their urine looks like, if it has blood in it etc, because of the pad. The kittens use all of them. CATS ARE THE GREATEST. 😻😻😻
I have to say my Litter Robot has been a great add since I bought it 2 years ago. Very few issues. Clean up is easy, poop bag replacement is easy and with 2 cats I don't need to change the bag for 5 or 6 days making it an asset when I'm travelling. I still have a manual litter box upstairs which my cats also use so I can always check that one for health issues.
Hi Jackson, my wife and I recently discovered your tv show My Cat from Hell... and we are currently bingeing on it. As proud owners of 4 rescued cats, you'd think that you know all there is to know about cats... we were wrong. We learn a lot from you and we wanted to thank you for that. All the best Sir!!
The best litter box I have ever had was a cheap bin from walmart. Works very effectively without the pet aisle markup of being labeled ‘litter’ box
Most of our litter boxes were Walmart "dish pans". We have a couple of the more typical cat boxes now as well because we have a petite girl who *will not* use a deep box
I agree. We had one for our kitty's and he ended up going outside. Back to regular box and have no problem. We even caught a UTI because of his yowls in using it. He's an old man of 18 and we have to watch him carefully to make sure his last few months/years are as comfortable as we can make it. In fact, it may be much appreciated to hear your take on senior cat behaviors. His have changed drastically over the last two years and all the vet says is that he's getting old, like we didn't know that already. Thanks for your informative videos.
Outside is always best.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! As a veterinary nurse, I can tell you the convenience of automatic litterboxes simply does not/cannot outweigh the real downside of not being able to correctly and promptly monitor their output (quality, quantity, etc.). It's often important to see exactly what's come out when it comes out, and once the litter has been raked, it has a real tendency to hide or cover up important characteristics (blood, mucus, etc.). If a guardian is really on top of things and monitors regularly, I believe there's less likelihood that things can be missed. BUT, if not, medical situations like a blocked male cat (which can be life threatening and is very common) can get out of hand quickly. It's not really a big deal to scoop boxes.
YES YES YES YES YES THANKYOU SO MUCH WE NEED MORE PEOPLE LIKE YOU:))))
The last sentence is all you needed... it really isn't that big of a deal to scoop a litter box. It takes me longer to do my human business than it does for me to clean up my beloved feline's business. She's worth the time and effort.
You can literally just look at the poop from the auto box.
If you are disabled, it is a big deal to scoop litter. You people just have no empathy, or maybe you believe that disabled folks shouldn't have pets like you normal people.
@@PearlMagnolia It's more physically demanding to clean out the automatic litter boxes. The amount of poop is exactly the same and it's the same distance from the ground (meaning you still have to crouch/bend over) only now you're dealing with a big stupid machine on top of everything. With a scoop you're actually doing LESS work because it's LESS weight and FEWER steps. Automatic litter boxes don't actually automate anything, they just put the problem off for a little bit
Great review. TFP. Wasn't expecting such a proper explanation of the options. cheers
LOL - wouldn’t trade our litter robot 4 for anything - our cats love and it just works
Re: the report card section. I'm not sure how a regular litter box is reallyyyyy all that different in terms of monitoring your cat's health. Cats bury their poop/pee immediately; the automatic box sifts it after a few minutes. Either way, you need to be sitting right there to notice if anything is wrong regardless of which litterbox you have.
And even so, you can look at the poop when you remove it from the machine anyway, just as you could when you scoop. The poop just doesn't magically disappear into thin air 😂
I have always used just and open box for my cats. It's really no trouble to take care of it and keep a nice environment fear free for the cats. You are so right.
Absolutely Jackson !! Thanksforputting this out there.
Thank you for this! I was wondering about one of these litter robots and this is the best answer.
Love my Litter Robot 4. Lost my previous cat when she was unknowingly sick and lost weight (she was so fluffy it was hard to tell) and I love that the LR4 lets me know the current weight of each of my cats. As others have said I fee like I'm more in tune to my cats litter box habits.
Jackson I agree with you 100%. I never liked the idea of automated litterboxes & didn't want to scare my kitty by trying one. Boxes an excellent way to keep an eye on your kitty's health. I adopted 2 4-year old kitties last April. One of them had been taken to the vet due to inappropriate elimination. I thought it was due to stress in her environment & was able to resolve the issue with multiple boxes & a fine grained litter. Last Saturday I found drops of blood in my tub & a box full of urine w/ blood. Off to the vet! Less than a week later w/ prescription diet and urinalysis she's on the mend! Use litterboxes folks!
You do realize that with automatic litterboxes you can inspect everything your cat does. Their stuff doesn't just magically vanish!
@@PearlMagnolia Yes, I know. That still doesn't take away the idea that an automated litterbox would scare my cats. Plus any risk of malfunction. Just a couple reasons I wouldn't use them, which is a personal choice.
The same thing happened to my cat! The vet told me if I didn't notice it when I did my cat would have died. If someone had an automatic box and didn't empty that compartment 1-2 times daily like you should with scooping a regular litterbox, they could definitely miss those health signs that you mentioned and result in a sick or dead animal.
I agree. Manually scooping litter daily is how I knew that our oldest girl wasn’t pooping. Being highly connected to their care allows you to best monitor their health. Digestive issues are frequently a life threatening situation. I don’t even like to split the task with my husband. If we do, we let the other person know that the cat has pooped, if it was a good poop, and we regularly discuss if they are peeing enough. Same with our dogs. It is very important in our opinion. No different from having a baby in diapers. If they have bad poops you know what foods upset their tummies. Anyone saying they could still inspect the poop in the bin is not being intellectually honest. You are not digging into the mess. If you are, then what’s the freaking point? We scoop twice a day. Anyone can do that, just make it part of your routine.
These people don’t care about their cats. They act like they know better, but they’re all literally admitting to it being easier for them. Yes. We know. That doesn’t make it good for the cats.
Not anyone can scoop twice a day. If youre pregnant, you shouldn't be scooping at all, but if you live alone you have to anyway. People with disabilities might not be able to scoop twice a day - I sure can't.
Just because it makes someone's life easier, doesn't mean they dont care.
Pine pellets, a good pellet scooper and twice a week dumping works well for my one cat. I do want to get a sifting box at some point, but its simple and cheap enough to just dump twice a week and scoop the poo. The pellets do not stick to the box and wash away nicely. I buy it for $5 per 20lb (and that's only because I can't store the larger, even cheaper bags)
Of course I want to listen to you! your advice has been most beneficial to my cat and our relationship! Thank you SAH!
I used to use automatic litter boxes. They are great at keeping odors down. My new fur babies didn’t like them and the cost of litter went through the roof so no big deal getting rid of them. My guys prefer Nature’s Miracle corn cob litter. Yes I have to scoop twice a day but at least I don’t have to deal with loads of perfumes and the litter doesn’t hurt their paws.
I kinda inherited my daughters cat... long story ... but her cat arrived broken.
She doesn't use the liter box like a normal cat. She literally perches on the edge while hanging over it. She doesn't cover it but she does scratch any area around it like she's pretending to cover it... ie: the wall, the dryer, the washer... like I said she arrived broken.
Now... where I live, trying to find quality, unscented liter is almost impossible. I've never notice any smell until I scoop but you'd never know I have a cat at my house.
I won't even get into her issue and freak outs about noises!
My cat likes to perch on the side as well and it's not uncommon for the poop to land on the floor. And she also does that crazy scratching thing like she's trying to cover but not always successful. I'm quite happy when it lands in the box and gets covered! LOL
We love our litter robots. Doesn't completely remove the litter from the room so the scent stays. Honestly I don't think we could have as many cats if we didn't have a few litter robots.
That's a convenience for you!
@@MP-rb8bw Sure is.
I have the robot litter box and so far I've had no problems, but I got it since I felt bad if my cats had a dirty litter box for whatever reason. Now they have an always relatively clean option. I don't like dirty bathrooms, I'm sure they're the same.
I've been on a cat litter journey for years. Having a clean litterbox was always a struggle. I always wanted to provide my cats with a tidy litterbox at least 95% of the time, but I could never make it a reality. My two cats had a clean and tidy litterbox maybe 75% of the time when I was really on it. When I wasn't on it, that wasn't the case.
Litter has been a point of frustration between my husband and me the entire time. Finally, I came across a great and very in-depth video about a bunch of automatic litter boxes and their pros and cons. I ended up settling on a Litter Robot 4 because of its safety features, design, and the history of the company. I was worried that our cats wouldn't use it and I worried about whether I'd catch health problems and if they'd get scared of the litter box. But they started using it pretty much immediately. It seemed clear to me that they really appreciated having a clean box.
They'd both stick around to watch it cycle their poops, and my girl cat would try to whack the box over and over, interrupting the cycle like 5 times in a row. But, she kept using it enthusiastically... and while before, sometimes she would poop outside the litterbox, seemingly because it wasn't clean enough, she never does any more. Even when it stops cycling for a few uses because it wants human intervention, she's still happy to use it. Now, they do get a clean box 95% of the time. They preferred it so much that we went ahead and swapped the other litter box too. And these weren't cheap decisions, but they were definitely definitely worth it! After some months, they've finally grown desensitized to the cycling routine and generally will let it be. But I have no worries that it will hurt them and definitely none that it will turn on with them inside it.
I got the Litter Robot 4. I love it. My kitty is definitely more on the adventurous side, so she was more than happy to explore (actually she interrupted a clean multiple times at the beginning because she was so excited by the movement). After a little bit of curiosity, she went back to treating it like a bathroom. I need to empty the tray once a week, and clean every other week. It's not too difficult. I also use less litter. Also if I am away for more than a day, it's nice to know she has a clean litter box at all times. I can see how it's not for every cat, but it is a huge hit in this house
Im pretty much set on paying off my student loans first. The litter robot 4 looks amazing.
It is and you can even check their litter habits as well even their weight
I used to have an automatic box similar to the littermaid and when my older cat started having irregular bathroom times (he has allergies and kidney disease that are now under control), I realized a simple litterbox made more sense for so many reasons that you mentioned:
1. I could keep track of his poops and address issues faster!!
2. It seemed easier for the cats in general (the other box had a hood over it and they’d kind of climb in)
3. It’s way easier to clean, the automatic litterbox had so many unreachable nooks that would just never get clean and accumulate litter or pee or poop. And if my cat had loose poop, the rake would just make a bigger mess.
4. The mechanism of the automatic litterbox started getting finicky! The rake would get stuck or the little piece that moved to cover poop stopped working so poop was just pushed against a corner of the box.
Also, health-monitoring litter for urinary issues personally really helped me, since my cat’s kidney disease symptoms are relatively under control, but it gives me insight on his pee that makes me feel better and up-to-date. :)
We use a blue box, large with Pretty Litter. Poop hardens, easily scooped, pee you stir and after about 3-4 weeks, change, clean thoroughly and repeat. Easy, never smells, never gooey! Great combo!!!❤
I use the breeze box but instead of the clay pellets, I use kiln-dried pine pellets from the farm supply store. I get about 40 lbs of pellets for $7 and one bag lasts me nearly 6 months. I like it because the urines-soaked pellets turn to sawdust and drop through the slats at the bottom. I scoop poops daily and change out the puppy pad and sawdust underneath every 5 days or so. I find that it's a good compromise for my situation as it requires less physical effort (I have mobility issues) while keeping the box fresh for my cat for longer. Plus it's WAY cheaper than any other litter solution I've looked into.
My friend used my leftover walnut pellets in my Breeze system once, and made a huge mess of everything. It totally clogged up the slats.