Among Friends

[Puzzle Piece]

Two boxes - one cat.  

One box is always available.  The other box is only available durijng waking hours as it's locked at night for security reasons.  

[Oznell]

@FranandZoe ,  3 cats, 3 littler boxes.  They all used to be in the basement.  But our oldest cat, Sibyl, who is 19, started very uncharacteristically to have accidents outside of the box.

We were stumped, until we figured out her arthritis was making going up and down stairs a problem.  So we moved her box to this main floor that she lives on, and suddenly, no more accidents.

That was a relief to us, and to little Sibyl!

[Kitty Galore]

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@Oznell wrote:

@FranandZoe ,  3 cats, 3 littler boxes.  They all used to be in the basement.  But our oldest cat, Sibyl, who is 19, started very uncharacteristically to have accidents outside of the box.

We were stumped, until we figured out her arthritis was making going up and down stairs a problem.  So we moved her box to this main floor that she lives on, and suddenly, no more accidents.

That was a relief to us, and to little Sibyl!

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@Oznell  thankfully you were able to figure out what was causing the accidents and move it for her.   Our Bailee who is no longer with us now had terrible arthritis plus became blind , he was very old 22   .   He would have accidents all the time as he couldn't get to the litter box quick enough and nit being able to see made it very difficult. We would put those pet pee pads all around the litter box and mostly was caught on them .  

[geezerette]

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@Citrine1 wrote:

Well, I don't have anything to add as I'm a dog owner, but I read this thread with interest!  

Growing up, my family had one cat and one litter box.  It was in the basement and the cat knew he had to go downstairs to do his business.  It was a three story house.  I guess my parents weren't aware that a litter box should be on every floor!

Wow, I just looked at the litter robot.  Holy smokes, that thing is expensive!!

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@Citrine1 

We had a cat when I was a kid and I don't think we even had a litter box in the house!  The cat got put outside at night and only by my crying and wheedling that my father let me bring him in the house during the day.

[Hoovermom]

Litter Robot 4 is the way to go...........so easy and no messes.  Best thing ever for cats.

[Citrine1]

@geezerette   Yes, times were different and pets were treated differently when we were growing up.  I often wonder if "outdoor" cats would even use a litter box.

When I was down the shore recently, I saw a young couple walking their cat outside on a leash.  I chatted with them briefly because it was something you don't normally see.  They said they started training her to walk on a leash and do her business outside when she was a kitten.  

[Icegoddess]

Re Litter Robot.  My husband is obsessed about them, but I don't want one, at least for now.  They do take up a fair amount of space (not an issue), and you also need an outlet to plug it into (also not the issue).  

However, I really think Queso would never use it.  He doesn't like going through holes.  We have a plexiglass panel that used to have a kitty door in it for the cats to get into the unheated sunroom where the litter boxes are, but Queso would never use it, even after we added heat to the room and removed the ktity door.  Houdini, our blind cat has no problem going through it.  I tried everything trying to get Queso to go through that hole.  He will now use it but only if I block his way to go through the door to get to Houdini's food which he finds yummier than his uber expensive prescription food.  

I have a total of 3 litter boxes for 2 cats per the recommendation others have mentioned, but I did have 3 for 3 cats before Sambo died since I don't have room for a 4th box.  They mostly just use 2 of the boxes though.  Two of the boxes are larger and have high backs.  Queso, in his old age, has begun peeing against the back of the box.  He starts out going normally, but raises up as he's going.  Another cat I had before, Hadji, did the same thing as he got older although he died fairly young.  

I'm not sure how well the Litter Robot would work for a cat peeing against the back of the unit rather than down into the litter.  In the litter box, the clump sticks to the back of the litter box.  

As a result of the peeing issue and it sometimes missing the box, my husband built a large "pan", so to speak, that I put stick-on tiles in and all the litter boxes are in that pan.  I've also added wee wee pads to catch any overspray.  Lots of wee wee pads, but it makes clean-up a little easier since it also catches some of the stray litter. 

[Lucky Charm]

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@FranandZoe wrote:

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@Lucky Charm wrote:

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@FranandZoe wrote:

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@Lucky Charm wrote:

We have two cats and a Litter Robot, no litter 'boxes'.  

Makes things so much easier.

I don't think I could have cats any more, if I had to do the litter box thing every day.  (Been there, done that.)

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@Lucky Charm Not familiar with Litter Robot - have to  check.  I've been doing the litter box literally my whole life - doesn't bother me.

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You have to have some room for it.  I'd say about 3'x3'x3'.

Our house is rather small, two story, actually one an a half story.  I didn't want litter boxes on the main floor and we had a space in a long hall closet upstairs that the water heater is in.  So we went for it. 

Our daughter had one and once I saw how easy it was to deal with--I was sold.  Worth every penny.

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@Lucky Charm   Mine are in my bedroom and spare  room and downstairs in the laundry room.  I'll check out that Litter Robot thanks.  Did your cats take to it right away?

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@FranandZoe 

Yes, they took to it Day 1.

These were feral cats, mother and daughter.  Never in a house, wouldn't even let your near them to feed them when they were still outside.  Afraid of their own shadow.  (Still are!)

We had only used the covered litter boxes with other cats.  They take up a lot of space, too.  Even wild cats will take to a litter box, I guess by instinct.  And our skittish ones did right away.

But they still needed to be tended to every day and once I saw how the Litter Robot worked, I was on it!

We set it up (and prayed!) I sat in another room for about an hour and watched them each taking turns walking up the steps and bobbing their heads looking at it (do all cats do that?) from the outside and the mother cat tried it first.  The rest is history.

It was a miracle because I hear of people saying their cats will take to a paper bag or box and make it their home immediately---not our cats.  Deathly afraid of things like that.  

[Zoe]

Five cats. 4 litter boxes & 1 Litter Robot. 

One of our boys goes on the back of the Litter Robot and sometimes on the grate. So, yes, litter can clump on that spot when it rotates to dump the business in the drawer. We just go in at night to make sure it doesn't stay adhered to the back/seam/grate. Just scrape it down with the scoop into the bottom & cycle. 

We clean the inside of our LR globe and drawer every 7-10 days and take the full thing apart once a quarter to clean/scrub.

LRs can be great, except for two parts: you can only use clay litter with them (or they will void your warranty) -- and if you get a lemon, it's a PAIN. Our first one was a lemon, went back SIX TIMES in one year for repair. They finally replaced the base outright and have never had another problem since.

Our other litter boxes are all seamless stainless steel with a "top" that makes the sides taller (for those who sprinkle high -- like the boy who goes on the back of the LR). But the top and front are completely open. SO EASY to clean! 

[srgtdj]

2 large Ragamuffin cats (20 7 15 lbs) and 2 litttter boxes...never has been a problem.  I do keep the boxes very clean and scoop many times throughout the day so there iis rarely a messy litter box for them to step into