Last year, our Cat Calendar Contest was a huge success. We received thousands of pictures of adorable cats and narrowed them down to 12 winning photos. If your cat has what it takes to be a calendar cat, we would love to hear from you. Share your pictures with us at LitterRobotKittyContest@gmail.com (limit one photo per cat). The grand prize winner will earn the cover model space on the front of our calendar, and will also win a FREE Litter-Robot™, along with a complimentary copy of the 2012 Litter-Robot™ Kitty Calendar. The 11 runner up winners will each receive a complimentary copy of the 2011 Litter-Robot™ Kitty Calendar, along with bragging rights for being selected as a Litter-Robot™ calendar cat. Deadline for all submissions will be October 31, 2011. Submit your entry to LitterRobotKittyContest@gmail.com

Love your Litter-Robot™? Want to tell your friends and family about it? For a limited time, you can spread the Litter-Robot™ word and automatically be entered into our Refer-A-Friend contest. Contestants will receive the $10 coupon and will be entered into a drawing to win great prizes including Kitty A GoGo™, cat scratch feeders, cat track toys,  hidden litter boxes and a Litter-Robot™!

To enter, click here  and complete the form. Entries received before August 25, 2011 will automatically be entered into the drawing for prizes. Winners will be contacted by e-mail and the winning names will be posted on this blog.

As Memorial Day approaches, Automated Pet Care Products, Inc. would like to hear your story about a special soldier you know past or present. E-mail us your story at  Contest@Litter-Robot.com. The stories will be posted on our blog. One random winner will be chosen to win a new Litter-Robot™. The winner will be announced on May 31, 2011 on our Facebook page at and on our blog.

My father, Loy Hodges, was a WWII veteran who landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day, and was wounded in battle and awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star medal.  We returned to Omaha Beach in Normandy exactly 50 years later.  My dad knelt down, picked up some sand, stood and saluted, and cried like a baby for the men who died that day.  He always told me he wasn’t a hero; he just believed in freedom.
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Dad loved our cats all his life and donated to our local animal shelters.  With infinite patience, he even taught his cat, Major, to walk on a leash like a dog.  After my mother passed away, Dad came to live with me, and I felt blessed to have that time with him.  Of course, he brought his cats, Major and Cali, to live with me and my cat, Boots.  Soon enough they were all sleeping together in Dad’s bed!  With all three cats, that meant a lot of litter scooping in our old-fashioned litter box.  When I traveled for work, scooping was very difficult for Dad at 86 years old.  When we learned about the Litter Robot, we thought it would be a perfect solution— and it was.  I want people to know how the Litter Robot helped make Dad’s senior years much easier, because there’s no way he would have been without his sweet cats!
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Last year, as Dad began to slow down, so did Major (now 17 years old).  Dad moved a chair next to his bed so Major could still climb into bed with him.  Dad passed away a few months ago, and so did Cali.  Major and Boots still live with me, and we miss Dad very much, and I believe we’ll see him again someday.  His cats were even mentioned in his obituary.  He was awarded full military honors at his funeral, and I will always be proud of his military service.  Memorial Day will be even more special for me this year.

My name is Jennifer Simonton and I have been a military wife for about eight years now. It has been a long and hard road for us with a lot of miles in between. I wouldn’t trade it for the world knowing that my husband and myself are part of a bigger picture; “freedom”. A lot of times this seems to taken for granted. We are so privileged to live in a country that gives you a chance to do anything and be anyone we want to be. My husband is my best friend and he always seems to steer me in the right direction. It is hard to be worlds apart at times, but then I remember all that he represents and all that he is doing to ensure our way of life.This is what helps me sleep at night. There is a picture that hangs on our wall that reminds me of this. It says; For those who fight for it, freedom has a meaning the protected will never know. This message is written over a picture of my husband in his desert combat uniform. My husband isn’t the only family member I have in the military. I have my sister,two brother-in-laws, and a nephew. I try to do my part each day to send hope and love to our troops over there fighting for us. My work sends care packages to the single soldiers in Afghanistan . Its something small, but at least it’s something.
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    My Litter-robot stories go back six years ago. My husband decided to buy me cat because he knew I missed my animals from the days on the farm in Colorado. So he went to the shelter and picked out a cat for me. Unfortunately the shelter had a strict rule that they had to meet everyone in the family. So we go to the shelter to chose a cat. Then find out that since both of us work and the cat could possibly be alone for more than fours we had to choose two cats. Of course, my husband already had his picked out. It was the “crazy” one running all over the place in the kitten area. I couldn’t make up my mind between all the cats they had. I got lucky my cat “Peanut” chose me. When I wasn’t looking she jumped up on my shoulder and started bumping me in the head to pet her.
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The next step was getting supplies for our new found friends. We got the basics; cat food, litter box, water and food bowls, etc. Well come to find out my big, tough Army man would rather sell his left arm then smell or change a litter box. So we bought him a gas mask. I wish I had pictures of this tough Army man wearing a gas mask to change a litter box.This wasn’t working very well for either of us so we decided to do some research on automatic litter boxes. Most need special filters,bags, or litter. Can we say “a whole lot of extra money”. Most of them had okay reviews but one thing I found is they often don’t do a complete job and you end having to clean the litter box anyways. Seems like a big waste of time to me for a whole lot of money. That is when we found the Litter-Robot. When it arrived I was surprised at simplicity of it. The cats love it and often play games in it just to set if off; they’re mischievous like that. I wouldn’t trade my Litter-Robot for anything in the world. I cannot smell any odor coming from it, it takes regular litter, and uses regular bags. How could I ask for more. Thank you Litter-Robot you have made my life a lot easier during a stressful time.
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Sincerely,
Jennifer Simonton

I would like to honor my father, Armand Levesque as well as his father, Armand Levesque.  On my mother’s side I would like to honor the tallest man i’ve ever know (standing 5’1”) Joseph Dazzo.  He passed away peacefully on November 30, 2010 and was placed at Arlington National Cemetery.

Mr. Dazzo was born on June 16, 1919 in Staten Island, New York.  He was retired from the U.S. Army serving during World War II and Korean Conflict. He served in three invasions which included North Africa, Sicily and Normandy (Omaha Beach) and five battles Algeria, French Morocco, Tunisia, Northern France, Rhineland Ardennes, and the Battle of the Bulge. Joseph was a life member of the forty & eight Voiture 380, Past Commander of The American Legion Post 10, member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7589, member of the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge 1380 and a member of the Society of the First Infantry Division.

Hello, my name is Fabiana.  I served as a Navy Seabee for 8 years.  This Memorial Day I am thinking about the bravery and tenacity of Marvin G. Shields, the only Navy Seabee to ever receive the Medal of Honor.

Here is a part of his Medal of Honor citation…

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving with United States Navy Seabee Team 1104 at Dong Xoai, Republic of Vietnam, on 10 June 1965. Although wounded when the compound of Detachment A-342, 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, came under intense fire from an estimated reinforced Viet Cong regiment employing machine gun, heavy weapons and small arms, Shields continued to resupply his fellow Americans with needed ammunition and to return the enemy fire for a period of approximately three hours, at which time the Viet Cong launched a massive attack at close range with flame throwers, hand grenades and small-arms fire. Wounded a second time during this attack, Shields nevertheless assisted in carrying a more critically wounded man to safety, and then resumed firing at the enemy for four more hours. When the Commander asked for a volunteer to accompany him in an attempt to knock out an enemy machine gun emplacement which was endangering the lives of all personnel in the compound because of the accuracy of its fire, Shields unhesitatingly volunteered for this extremely hazardous mission. Proceeding toward their objective with a 3.5- inch rocket launcher, they succeeded in destroying the enemy machine gun emplacement, thus undoubtedly saving the lives of many of their fellow servicemen in the compound. Shields was mortally wounded by hostile fire while returning to his defensive position. His heroic initiative and great personal valor in the face of intense enemy fire sustain and enhance the finest tradition of the United States Naval Service.

Thank you!
-Fabiana

I would like to honor my father, a retired Lieutenant Commander named Tim Crowley who served for 21 years in the United States Navy. I’m not honoring him as my father, but as a good role-model, a shipmate who served in the Vietnam war, and a future teacher of our proud and strong Navy (HOOYAH!)
As I am a “grown-up” now, I joined the United States Navy Reserves as a Master-at-Arms (military police) to give a good chance to finally make my father proud of something I did. My father had the rarest form of cancer, stomach cancer and was terribly sick. He went though chemotherapy for one year and had a feeding tube inside him most of that year. The surgeons had to remove his stomach and make part of his large intestine into a mini stomach. My father has recovered now but is still very sick and is struggling with everyday occurrences.
I honor him because of how strong and committed he was for our country serving as a surface warfare officer as executive officer at a couple bases and for many ships.
Having to go through 21 years of training future sailors to raising a crazy daughter (myself) and plowing through a deadly cancer is a lot for one person to take. Not many people have the courage and ability to take on what Lt. Commander Crowley did. For that, I have to say God bless my father and God bless America.
Thank you for your time,
USNR MASN Karen Sakai

I will be honoring my father, Don Phillips, on Memorial Day.  He served during WWII in the Army Core of Engineers.  He was pulled from MIT half way through his college training to serve as an Engineer.  He was stationed in the Pacific and finished his WWII time in Japan during the reconstruction.  Although he never saw fighting on the front he still recalls the loss of many fellow soldiers and is still changed to this day.  He continued in the reserves and retired a Lt. Colonel.  My father later graduated from MIT and went on with his life including being strong and loving husband and father of four.  All of us are honored to know him and love him dearly.  I will remember my father this Memorial Day and will be talking to him and telling him as well if God wills.
My father is the proud owner of new shelter kitty who entertains him hourly with her antics.
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Devoted daughter,
Gail Theiler