The Facts About an Automatic Litter Box

Posted by Bob Newman

Many pet owners jump at a chance to make it simpler to care for their cats.  Clever businesses typically seize on this opportunity to design a product that generates profits instead of results.  This is one of the reasons why cat owners should use discretion when shopping for a self cleaning litter box.

Automatic litter boxes, while an interesting concept, usually do not meet each of the promises which are made on the packaging.  In fact, quite a few of these litter boxes fall well short of expectations if the environment is not exactly perfect.  On that note, let’s take a look at many of the drawbacks to having a self cleaning litter box.

Every automatic litter box must use a scoopable cat litter.  If the right cat litter is not utilized, the cleaning cycle of the litter box will not be effective at all.  Clumping cat litter is more costly then standard cat litter.  In addition to this, most clumping cat litter brands can produce quite a bit of dust that may contain sodium bentonite.  This is unhealthy for any animal or human to be exposed to and is the leading compound that forces cat litter to clump.

Most automatic cat litter boxes require that they be placed near an outlet so that the electrical cord can be plugged in and the cleaning cycle powered.  This can be an inconvenience in itself, but what happens if the electricity goes out?  Fortunately nearly all automatic litter boxes offer a battery backup.  However, the cleaning cycle tends to be less powerful and large clumps may be difficult to be dispensed of.

A large percentage of the self cleaning litter boxes on the market utilize a raking system to dispose of the clumped cat litter.  While this may sound good, reality has established that the rake system is flawed and can cause a significant mess if a cat has loose stool.  In many situations, just removing the rake to clean can be difficult.  And if the rake is not properly cleaned right away, the mess only gets worse and extremely difficult to clean.

When browsing over the functions of self cleaning litter boxes, think about how the manufacturer wants to present the box and how it will likely operate.  In some situations, cat owners will find that an automatic litter box just is not as convenient as they had hoped for.  Granted, scooping a litter box manually is not fun, but fussing with a dirty litter box to remove the rake is more difficult and has caused a many cat owners to throw out an expensive litter box for a standard box.

The primary consideration for purchasing a litter box must always include matching the size of the litter box to each cat.  A cat must be able to comfortably get in and out of the litter box.  Any litter box which requires jumping is simply too big for the cat.  If the litter box is too short for the cat, pet owners will find out fast when the mess is not contained within the box.

As cat owners, we really want the best for our furry friends.  A clean and functional litter box helps them to remain happy and healthy.  But before thinking about the convenience of an automatic litter box, first consider how these litter boxes will function in the real world.  A large number of cat owners have found out that spending more does not always offer an easier to clean litter box.

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