I am moving and im pregnant and have 2 small cats im looking at electric cat boxes I dont want to spend 300 dollars on the genie but i was looking at the lettermaid I just want to make sure I get something thats good, and maybe some advice on when to change/clean the box and change the little boxes the icky litter goes in and t he filter
I had a couple of Litter Maids several years ago and sold them to people with smaller cats. My two boys were around 17 lbs at the time and when they urinated, it made big clumps that the Litter Maid couldn't handle. It would keep going off every ten minutes until I manally scooped it out. I also thought cleaning the rake was really gross.
Someone said a Litter Robot was the way to go, but I have never tried one personally.
I wish you luck with your pregnancy and your kitties.
Your concern is valid and based on fear of toxoplasmosis, however when I was pregnant I had a discussion of this with my Ob and my vet. What I learned is this .. ... toxo is contracted mostly from eating mice. If you cat is an indoor cat, the risks are very slim he/she is a carrier. In addition, if you follow basic hygene when changing the litter the risks also become nill. Use gloves and throw them away, or simply wash your hands well after changing the litter with hot water and antibacterial soap. If you want solid proof that your cat won't harm you unborn baby, have someone else collect some feces (in a ziplock baggie ) take it to a vet and have it tested. That will let you know once and for all if your cat carries toxoplasmosis. If the test is negative, do not let your cat outside during the pregnancy so he/she does not have the option to catch mice and contract this disease.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com You, your cat and your baby will be glad you made a reasonable and cheaper solution! (More money for the baby !!!!)
I assume you are concerned about contracting Toxoplasmosis. Well, I have good news. Toxoplasma spores become infectious 48 hours after they exit a cat's body. Therefore, if you clean the litter box daily, you will not be exposed to the infective spores. Needless to say, you do not need to go out and purchase some fancy electronic cat box.
If you are still worried, wear gloves and a protective mask while cleaning the litter box. After you are finished, wash your hands.
Unless you are fondling your cat's feces and then licking your fingers, your chances of becoming ill are extremely slim.
Edit: You stated that you will not be purchasing a Cat Genie. Let me reinforce this. Many of Cat Genie's reviews are extremely negative. Apparently, many people are receiving Cat Genies with missing or malfunctioning parts. There are dozens of complaints about having clumps of feces and urine jammed in the pipes hooked up to the Cat Genie - I hear it smells godawful. In addition to this, you spend more money with the Cat Genie, than without one. You pay lots of money on water, cartridges, litter crystals, and repairs. It is not worth it.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
Regarding the Littermaid, I would personally not use one. I purchased one several years ago, which I ended up returning, and it was not efficient. The rake would get stopped up and jammed due to large clumps. If it did successfully move the large clumps, it would make them crumble. Since it has difficulty raking small pieces, it would go right over the crumbled pieces. To make this a short story, it was extremely messy and did not do its job. I actually found myself having to do more work just to make sure this damn litter box was clean.
This is why I stick with traditional litter boxes.
Edit: If you are looking for ways to reduce litter odor, I recommend using a mixture of Fresh Step and Feline Pine. Fresh Step is great at concealing odors and it clumps extremely well. Feline Pine smells really good (like fresh pine chips). Feline Pine uses less to clump. Compared to Fresh Step, it creates a nice, thin layer of litter around feces and urine. Feline Pine is expensive though, and it does not conceal odors well. This is why I mix it with Fresh Step. This mixture conquers odors and uses little litter when clumping.
pets question and answers,www.5d2d.com
As a final note, I own nine indoor cats and I use two litter boxes, which I empty two to three times a day. If I can have a fresh, clean house (with seven more cats than you), I think you can, too.
Dont worry about buying an expensive litter box .... get the dad to clean it lol ... if you are cleaning the box ... wear a face mask thingy
