Fido and Fluffy can be techie, too
By Athima Chansanchai
MSNBC
March. 19, 2008

The Litter-Robot
Cat owners have long sought alternatives to the traditional kitty litter. It’s a daily job many wish they didn’t have to do as often.

That’s where Litter-Robot ($329) can help (www.litter-robot.com). This 1950s, space-age looking device is in an enclosed globe with a little step leading into it, and it helps keep the smell and kitty litter from being tracked all over the house.

It works by rotating the globe around after the cat has done its business, and dropping the clumped waste into a drawer that’s built into the base.

No more scooping, no more chance of a rake breaking and getting caught in the stuff — and no more daily emptying. Litter-Robot president Brad Baxter, whose company is based in Pontiac, Mich., came up with the idea almost a decade ago.

“I had inherited a couple of cats and I had difficulty with one of the cats that didn’t use it — cat litter — frequently,” he said. “I thought about making it more automated.”

He knows some people might balk at paying so much for something that really doesn’t take much to do every day. But he says, people said the same thing about washing machines when they first came out — who thought they’d be paying that much money to wash clothes?

“Once you’ve experienced efficiency of an appliance that really works, it makes a lot of sense to switch to that,” Baxter said.

More stuff for pet projects
The Arizona Republic
By Linda Vachata
Mar. 1, 2008

Magic litter box: Litter Robot II by Automated Pet Care Products Inc. is an automatic, self-cleaning litter box with a clever sifting process that cleans after each use. Waste is deposited in a large-capacity drawer lined with a kitchen garbage bag (no special bags to buy). Cost: $329 in black or beige. Details: litter-robot.com.

Litter box heaven – Technology offers scoop alternatives
Colorado Springs Gazette
By Andy Wineke and Willow Welter
October 20, 2007

PICK OF THE LITTER (CLEANERS)

LITTER-ROBOT

Price: $299
Rating: 4 stars (out of 4)

Information: litter-robot.com. This is the top of the line when it comes to mechanized litter boxes that use ordinary scooping litter. It looks like the litter box on the Death Star — a black plastic sphere with a menacing air (there’s a white version, too).

How it works: The mechanical stuff resides in the base. The sphere contains a metal grate and a rubber pouch. After the cat enters, the Litter-Robot waits eight minutes; then motors in the base begin to rotate the sphere. The litter goes through the grate and into the pouch. The waste is trapped on the grate and dumps through a hatch on the globe as it turns. A garbage bag catches the waste. Empty by pulling out a drawer on the base.

Pluses: It works. Very little mess — although I had to add a carpet to trap the litter our cat tracked out; reliable; easy to clean; relatively quiet.

Minuses: Pricey. Bulky. A hassle to add litter into the globe. Not smell-proof — you’ll be emptying it long before it’s full. Training — it took some effort to get my cat, Joe, to use it.

Bottom line: As close to litter box bliss as I’ve seen.

Robot-Advice.com
Spetember 2007

The Litter-Robot is a reliable, low maintenance automatic self cleaning cat litter box. It fees you from the chore of litter box scooping. Ideal for multiple cats – up to four cats per unit.

Cats like a clean litter box. The robot uses a weight-activated sensor to detect the presence of the animal. After seven minutes, a clean cycle starts with the slow rotation of the globe in a counter-clockwise direction. The Litter-Robot patented litter sifting process removes waste clumps from the litter, leaving a clean litter bed for your cats, every time.

The rotation of the globe sifts and separates clumps from the clean clumping litter and deposits all waste in a large drawer, which can be lined using any standard kitchen garbage bag. There is no rake mechanism that can get jammed or clogged or that needs frequent cleaning and maintenance. The globe then returns to its home position with a clean, level bed of litter ready for the next use.

The Litter-Robot accommodates a wide variety of litters, not just the premium clumping clay litters. Litter Crystals, Pearls, and bio-degradable litters such as World’s Best Cat Litter work well in the Litter-Robot.

The large waste drawer holds several days worth of waste. You can leave town for a short business trip without having to worry about your cat’s litter box.

The waste drawer was designed to prevent mold growth, eliminating that typical cat box smell. However, the manufacturer recommends that you empty the waste drawer at least once a week.

The Litter-Robot works with inexpensive standard 8 and 13 gallon kitchen garbage bags – those larger grocery bags work very well, too.

The spacious globe provides a large litter bed area for your cat. The Litter-Robot accommodates cats up to 15 lbs, but according to our customers larger cats have adapted to the Litter-Robot without problems. Unfortunately cats that weigh less than 5 pounds should not use it.

The Litter Robot 2 was designed for quality, and to give you reliable, trouble-free service with very little maintenance. Solid construction and industrial-grade components ensure a long life, maybe even the nine lives of your cat. The device should last the nine lives of your cat.

Litter-Robot review by Franny Syufy on About.com – Guide to Cats
January 6, 2005

“…. this small machine performs a heavy-duty job, with a minimum amount of human involvement. I give it five stars, my highest rating, and do not hesitate to recommend it to cat wranglers who hate litter box chores.”

Read the entire review on About.com

MrGadget.com
November 6, 2003

Litter Robot, ….. by Automated Pet Care Products at www.litter-robot.com . Maybe it’s just me, but it reminds me of Kenny’s head (from South Park). This is a high tech, high quality litter box like no other. What is it you hate about your cat’s litter box? The smell? The mess? The inconvenience? Well fahgetaboutit with, ta dah, the amazing Litter Robot. Large capacity for all cats, they easily learn to hop in and use it. The mechanism is fool-proof and never misses. Their stuff goes into the bottom, ready for disposal and easy cleaning. No smell. No mold. This is an ingenious product. Believe it or not, Litter Robot was designed and is built right here in the good ol’ USA. Still not sold? See the full story . They’ve got it all figured out, as far as cost vs. benefit, and, you know what? It makes sense! Buy from the manufacturer.

NBC Today: Budget Gifts
Corey Greenberg
Television review and BestStuff.com
December 3, 2002

One of my obsessions is the perfect self-cleaning cat litter box. We’ve got two cats, so my dream is a litter box I never have to clean. I’ve tried them all and up till now the best one I’ve found has been the $200 LitterMaid Mega. Still, the LitterMaid isn’t perfect — it can get clogged up, and cleaning it every week or so is a chore I’d rather not have to deal with. So my new hot ticket for cat owners is the new Litter-Robot by Automated Pet Care Products. Built like a tank, the Litter-Robot is truly the Cadillac of cat waste disposal. It looks like a high-tech igloo and comes in either bone or black, and our two cats took to it right away. Employing a clever rotating motor assembly and sifting grate, the Litter-Robot completely automates the litter cleaning process — the only thing you have to do is empty the bag-lined tray once a week. ……. the Litter-Robot isn’t the cheapest cat gadget on the market. But if you’ve got a cat lover on your Xmas list, they’ll be forever in your debt when you present them with this life-changing miracle of technology. My highest recommendation!