LitterMaid Cat Litter Box Review
Yes, this is a review of a kitty litter box. Normally my weblog mostly discusses software development, but I have two cats, and I hate cleaning litter boxes. I found something that works pretty well for me, and the other talk about it on the Web and Usenet that I’ve seen has been pretty negative, so I wanted to offer my experiences.
The box I have is a LitterMaid™ Self-Cleaning Litter Box, Model Number: LM 500; that link takes you to their website. It’s not cheap – they sell it for about $99, I think I paid about $140 Canadian at a pet store here.
Here’s how it works:
- Kitty walks in and does his or her business.
- A timer starts when a sensor in the box senses kitty leave.
- Your clumping litter solidifies kitty’s present into a little rock.
- After the 10 minute timer is up, a plastic bar with a motor in it drives across the box, with a comb extended down into the litter. Normal litter passes through the comb; any clumps are moved forward.
- At the end of the bar’s trip, it twists up, opening a door over the waste bin, and drops whatever it’s sifted out of the box into the bin.
- As the bar retracts, the door closes.
If for some reason the bar can’t complete it’s trip, it will return to it’s home position, and try again. It will do this up to 10 times, and then give up (flashing a red light so you know it needs attention). This is a pretty nice system – the cat always has a clean box, and the stinky stuff is in a covered bin.
But as you can imagine, it doesn’t always work this way. Here are some of the things that I’ve seen go wrong:
- If you put in too much litter (and the amount they tell you to put in is too much), the clumps the bar is trying to push will shovel so much litter in front of it that it will get bogged down at the end of it’s trip and abort.
Solution: Use less litter; never fill it to the limit line they have inside the litter pan. - My cats at least seem to like to pee right in the corner of the box, and sometimes once the litter hardens, this turns the corner of the box into a little cement block. You might not be able to see the block because it’s buried in clean litter.
Solution: Use some sort of scraper (I just use a piece of wooden dowel) to occasionally dislodge all the litter that gets caked onto the pan. This is easy, and doesn’t happen that often anyway (to me, about once a week).
It’s also a loud when it’s running – so when it’s stuck and doing the 10 attempts at getting unstuck, it’s pretty annoying.
They tell you to use the best clumping kitty litter you can find but in experience, the brand of litter that they recommend caused me a lot of problems; right now I’m using the grocery store brand generic clumping litter, and it’s working great. Just make sure it’s clumping. You’ll also use a LOT less litter with this box than a regular one.
It comes with 4 plastic bins that the litter gets dropped into; I empty the bin every week. They sell packages of replacement bins, so I’m not sure if they expect you to just toss it and use a new one every week or not, but I find taking the bin out, emptying it and putting it back isn’t so bad.
They also sell a slightly bigger model, the LM 950, but it’s twice the price. Having a bigger litter box made sense with a traditional box since there was going to be more stuff in the litter but with this box, the litter is always clean. The smaller box is adequate for my two cats so I’d say save the bucks and buy the smaller one. The bigger one also comes with a ramp but my cats can make it to the top of a bookshelf with no ramp, I think they can find their way into a litter box.
You’d think a scary litter box that came to life every now and then would freak the cats out, but they don’t seem to mind it at all. And I know they like having freshly raked litter every time they visit.
Other reviews I’ve seen have ranged from wildly positive to wildly negative; I guess it depends on which irritates you more: Dealing with a traditional litter box, or dealing with the quirks of this mechanical one.
(Here’s a link to someone who’s looking to “overclock” his LitterMaid.. Cool).
October 6th, 2005 at 2:29 am
My sister extended the auto litter box by mounting it on top of a plastic dish tupperware thingy which is about 5 inches deep. She lines it with a plastic bag. This modification requires emptying only once every two weeks for a two cat household.
November 22nd, 2005 at 9:08 am
If you spray the bottom of the litter pan with “Pam” cooking spray or equivelent, litter will not stick and rake will not get stuck.
May 1st, 2006 at 4:23 pm
They have sold about 3 million of the LitterMaids so far and I think that it is a very good product. Quite often buyers will throw out a unit and buy another one when the problem could be fixed in less than a minute. The LitterMaid help desk is no help! And, of course, they want you to purchase new one. To find out how to fix your LitterMaid, purchase the LitterMaid Repair Manual that can be found at http://www.catboxking.com
November 29th, 2006 at 3:45 pm
How do you do a reset on the mechanism? I can turn it off and on and then it will do the cleaning thing, once but not automatically the next time the cat uses the box. I did scrub it good and made sure the sensor was clean, but still it will not automatically initiate the rake. Any ideas?
BTW I use a grocery store plastic bag over the receptacle tub and then just pull it out and tie the handles tight, then toss it in the garbage. I never have to touch the actual litter or tub.
Does anyone have the acutal manual for free or to read?
December 26th, 2006 at 1:50 pm
Thank you for your website with reviews, I have been on the fence in buying a automated kitty litter box and wanted to know what was working for others. I have printed your trouble shooting advice and will keep handy.
Thanks again!
jm
December 30th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
I haven’t had a good experience with my Littermaid. I had it for 6 months and quit using it after I got tired of the grates clogging. I swear I had to clean it at least twice a week. This could be partly my fault, however, as my cat hasn’t mastered the art of burying it’s waste.
January 31st, 2007 at 1:28 pm
I have had a Littermaid (basic model, the 500 I think) since ’99. It’s on it’s last leg because I dropped it. I have 2 cats, so I bought a second box (the next step up, but I can’t remember the model number). The quality seems to be a little lower than my old one. I’ve had the 2nd box for about 6 months, and it just stopped raking about 1 week ago. I have no idea why, but there it sits, a $99 catbox that is no different than a $12 cat box. Despite this, I have to say, I have had great experience with Littermaid for 8 years. I have heard that they are making their models much more cheaply now, which might explain the problems people seem to be experiencing. I’m not done with Littermaid yet, and I plan to give them another try. I’m not ready to go back to scooping every stinkin’ day just yet.
February 17th, 2007 at 2:35 pm
I found a company on ebay called Slide and Toss. Seems like I paid about $35 for it but its fabulous! It is made for the littermaid cat box and replaces the disposable litter recepticles. You use a bag as a liner. I use the plastic grocery bags. Saves lots of $$$$
March 2nd, 2007 at 9:41 am
I have had my littermaid (mega) for nearly 1 year. We are an 8 cat household as I breed British Shorthairs. Only 1 cat goes outside. My Littermaid has just broken down. I have done all the standard things, i.,e clean, remove rake, etc. Rake operates until it gets to the top – but now won’t return to the back of the tray. HELP, does anyone have any ideas. Also I have been using small waste bin liners in the receptacle tray since purchase. Overall a fab idea and I haven’t lost heart yet- even if I have to buy another one. it has saved me the constant job of ‘poo patrol’!!
March 11th, 2007 at 10:42 am
I bought the Mega Littermaid with the Slide and Toss feature. I purchased it directly from SlideandToss.com. Never have I been so disappointed in a product or a company. The Littermaid box is messy and nasty. Litter gets stuck behind the comb and the comb does not do a good job at all of picking up th litter. The stupid slide and toss product doesn’t fit properly with the machine and I wound up having not only to clean the tines of the comb constantly but also the litter box everyday (just as I did with a regular box), but I discovered a huge pile of litter underneath the box, where the sloppy slide and toss box was supposed to catch all the litter. After less than one week of use, I realized for the $199. I paid, the product was not worth one penny and I’d been had. I then contacted the folks at Slide and Toss to request a return/refund. The person who responded, Jeanne, was unsympathetic to my dislike of the product and suggested I resell the box on eBay or contact Littermaid. Now, why do I have to do that? If hers was a reputable company, she should allow me to return the product, period. She did offer to allow me to return the slide and toss portion (which is her product), and she’d exchange it for the normal litter catchers – all for a mere $20 refund. She claimed hers is a small company without “mortar and brick,” so she couldn’t take the purchase back. Funny, she was able to store it before she shipped it to me. I contacted Littermaid about the product and the misuse of the product by Slide and Toss. As of yet, Littermaid hasn’t responded – it isn’t their problem, they didn’t sell it to me. If I’d bought this item at a local store, it would have gone back with no questions asked, and I would have my money back without all the yucky cat mess or angst. Bottom line: KEEP AWAY FROM THE RIP OFFS AT SLIDEANDTOSS.COM Buy your product at a local store so if you don’t like it, you can return it promptly.
March 26th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Do yourself a favor and buy an Omega Paw. Not electric, but OH SO MUCH BETTER!
May 8th, 2007 at 6:52 pm
This product is Horrible… WILL break and the company DOES NOT care!
May 17th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
First of all, I’m a HUGE fan of the LitterMaid 700 (AKA) LitterMaid Plus. If you have a problem of it not always working, I was told by Customer Service with LitterMaid to press each button at the top of either side of the container where the rake goes up to allow the box to open, press it for about 20-25 seconds and it will reset everything and it starts working properly again. My first LM700 I’ve had now going on 10 years and recently purchased another one for my 3 cat household. I, too, have a Slide-’N-Toss container for my litter, using a plastic grocery store bag & it works just fine – well worth the $$$ … so, all of these nay-sayers – be thankful for what you have and I’m so thankful for my two LM 700′s and look forward to a long relationship with LitterMaid products. Thank you.
May 24th, 2007 at 10:25 am
I recently purchased a new Litter Maid LME9000 for our new and also first cat. The unit has been functioning perfect from day one. Prior to purchasing, I did some research and read a lot of articles about Automatic Litter Boxes and came to the conclusion that most of the problems that most individuals were experiencing were caused by individuals not following the instructions carefully. Although my unit was not purchased on-line, I am considering the slide and toss container however, I have found that plastic garbage bags work fine in the standard receiver recepticals. All you have to do is trim some of the extra plastic off of the bag. My recommendation is for new owners to be careful when assembling the unit not to snap any parts off during assembly and not to overfill the unit. Also try some cooking oil on the rake as it sounds like a viable solution to some problems. But most of all “FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS”. I’m sure that you’ll be satisfied.
June 20th, 2007 at 7:08 pm
I bought my Littermaid Last summer when Wally World had it on sale for $60. I Love it and have never had any problems until today. I came home and discovered the comb bar had been stuck at the waste bin and would not go back to the “done” position even though I turned it off and on. I am not fond of cleaning the poop box but I am also very cheap so I wasn’t about to go buy a new one, so I took it apart (partially) to see what made it tick and also to see if there was a way to fix it. First I took the comb bar off (leaving the return wire attached) and cleaned off all the gears, then I turned it upside down to shake out any stray litter my little beasties may have kicked up inside and cleaned everything (this includes scraping out the dirt from each individual gear shaft along the track). I put it back together and…nothing happened. So I turned it over one more time and noticed the sensors were clogged. I used and Xacto knife to carefully remove the dirt and crap, wiped it clean w/ soap-n-water and PRESTO, It works again. This task was not for the faint of heart since I now have have more litter in my hair (and other places) than the box itself but the point is, I should have kept the maintenance up on it but have not because I really hate going near “the Box” unless it’s time to empty the tray. Yes it’s not perfect but it does a better job cleaning the box than my husband. I saw a litter box on TV one night that hooks up to your toilet and uses little PVC pellets instead of Clay litter and would like to know if anyone has any feedback on that product, if my current littermaid ever dies for good I would like to purchase that one. The only thing better than the littermaid at this point would be if the cats learned how to use the people toilet and flush when they were done.
July 6th, 2007 at 10:34 pm
I first bought the Littermaid Elite Mega, it broke in less than 3months. I took it back to the retailer and got a refund. Took the refund went to PetCo and bought the LM700. WHAT A DIFFERENCE. It is MUCH better. The prongs are sturdy plastic, it doesn’t get clogged or blocked as easily as the tin prongs did in the Mega Elite. And for those of you that bought the Slide-’N-Toss liners…News Flash…You can buy a role of small scented trash liners at your local Family Dollar or Walmart and they work GREAT in the bins. I have 2 cats and a kitten, so I change the liner daily and the plastic bin every week or two depending on how dirty the lid gets, the bin never gets dirty because of the scented liners. I do highly recommend this product.
July 17th, 2007 at 10:20 am
my unit just quit but the light is on. no clogs.
Any help avail?
tERRY
July 19th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
Terry – same exact situation here – bought the LitterMaid Elite Mega on July 4, 2007 from Petco.com. The unit stopped working on July 17th too! Green light on but the mechanical cleaning arm is apparently locked in its starting position. Tried cleaning the sensors, cleaning the tracks, cleaning the gears, etc. but to no avail. Just e-mailed the LitterMaid folks for assistance. Maybe this explains why Petco.com was selling the unit online for $149 (with free shipping) when other retailers were asking for $199? !
July 20th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
I’ve had 3 LitterMaids over 10 years and they’ve worked great for 2 indoor cats! I would never go back to using a regular litter box again. I do have a problem with my 2 cats “using the same corner and the used litter bunches up on one side of the container. So I have to empty it a little more often. My newest LitterMaid I had a problem with it when it quit after about a month. But I called customer service and they told me how to fix it by pressing the two buttons like Beth in May 2007 did. It’s been working ever since. Today the rake was “stuck” over the litter collector container. I took the cover off the “D” box by the battery compartment and looked in and saw a metal prong like thing and pushed on it a little and it started working again. But if it didn’t start working I would have called customer service. I thought they were very helpful the last time I called.
July 27th, 2007 at 11:15 am
im on my third one in five years. the life of the littermaid is short. for the cost its not worth it. if you can spend $100 to $200 every 12 to 18 months to replace it then it might be worth. basic cat box $3 12 bags $4 changing the bag once a week $16 a year. so for $19 a year you can do the same thing. i for one will not waste anymore money on this over priced piece of junk.
August 7th, 2007 at 11:45 am
1st day out of the box, the motor burned out and litter turned to cement, what a lovely end to a much too exhausting day
September 23rd, 2007 at 7:30 am
the littermaid box is a waste of money, it leave half the contents back in the box, smells and does not clean..the cats use it and then refuse to use it unless it is cleaned about every two day, I called littermaid and told them the box was not working , they could care less, the box was 169 dollars at petsmart, it is a total waste of your money , do not buy this item, elite mega style.
September 30th, 2007 at 7:16 pm
CAT PROBLEMSin the litterbox has been a way of life for me with my 6 cats.
I use 3 regular litter boxes and clean them each twice a day. I do wonder if just 1 littermaid will do the trick in my case. I might give it a shot
October 3rd, 2007 at 2:13 pm
I’ve had two littermaid boxes. Initially I loved them, and so did my six cats – they came running whenever they heard the motor! But both boxes broke down within a few months. I threw one box out, then thought better of it – on the internet I found a manual that claimed to provide full instructions for repairing these gadgets, which I purchased. I couldn’t follow the directions, but I took the manual and the non-functioning littermaid box to a local repairman who did get the box up and running again.
Fast-forward two months: I still have the repaired littermaid box, but I’ve gotten into the habit of never plugging it in! That’s right – for a couple of reasons, I find it easier just to scoop out the dirt myself: I do a better job than the prongs do, and this way I don’t have to keep cleaning the prongs when they get dirty.
So why do I even keep the littermaid box? Because my cats love it! Maybe it’s the shape of the box, or the depth, or the little ramp – but although I have several other conventional boxes in the house, all 6 of my guys INSIST on using the littermaid!
October 18th, 2007 at 2:40 pm
Thought I would share a problem and solution with the LitterMaid Mega Elite.
The rake mechanism just stopped at the end of the track. If I unplugged it and plugged it back in the motor turned on for a second then turn off (stuck at the end of the track).
Figured out there are two switches at either end on one of the tracks. One switch in the back turns off the rake mechanism motor. The switch in the front reverses the motor to send it back. My problem was that the switch in the back was stuck. This caused the rake mechanism to go to the front and just stop.
I had the whole thing apart, but I know I could have just jiggled the switch to fix the thing.
November 1st, 2007 at 10:13 pm
I have just purchased my third Litter Maid. The first one I bought better than 3 years ago and it just wore out with 2 cats using it. I felt that was pretty reasonable for the amount of use it got. The second one I purchased I had to return to the store after a couple of weeks because it just ran and ran after use. It didn’t stop unless I turned the unit off. I would take it apart clean out evey possible nook and cranny and it still did it. Wally world took it back and gave me a refund as they didn’t have anymore units in stock. I waited several months before I finally found new units on the shelf and guess what! Yep got it home the cats used it once and yep..the same thing…runs and runs and runs. I tried to call customer service when I got home from work..but living in Mountain time zone they were already closed. Will try again at work, but was wondering if anyone here has had a similar experience and if so how did you manage to fix it?
November 5th, 2007 at 10:24 am
After 10 years of success with the basic littermaids my hubby decided to buy me the Mega Elite. What a mess and waste! The tray is more like a plate than a bowl so all the litter in front of the clump gets pushed into the bin. I have to change the waste receptacle every two to three days and most of that is litter not waste. It also dumps over on to the floor and gets caught between the receptacle and the tray so tons of litter end up under the box. Waste gets caught behind the metal rake.
Avoid the MEGA ELITE model….it’s messy and wasteful!
All LitterMaid will do for me is send me the same model again….like that’s going to change anything!!!!! It’s the design not the function, but they just don’t get it!!!
Will admit that I loved the old regular ones I had years ago….they worked efficiently!
November 9th, 2007 at 11:25 pm
I hated the MEGA ELITE they sent me a replacement of the older model. My cats used to love it but now they refuse to use and pee on it/next to it. I’m going to try the PAM spray, maybe it will quit clogging constantly
November 19th, 2007 at 8:09 pm
I’ve had my Littermaid Plus (I believe one of the first popular ones to first come out) for 5+ years, and, while at the time a lot of $ was spent, it has worked without a problem until now. I didn’t always take good care of it for the year before last, due to my uncle being allergic to my cat and having to keep her up in the attic where we couldn’t plug it in, so I’m very much to blame for the problems, I’m sure, it has still worked just fine the past year. My problem is probably something simple and easy to fix, so I’m not going to go out and buy something else unless I have to, and if I do, I will most certainly buy another littermaid.
I’ve been reading about the repair manual a lot of people are talking about, so I may give that a try, but I think my main problem is I had mistaken another power cord for my littermaid powercord, and it’s not powerful enough to do the job. My husband and I just moved, so once we find the right one we’ll see what happens!
November 26th, 2007 at 3:13 pm
If you ever need to replace your littermaid call the company and you will get a MUCH better deal then you can get online or locally. I got mine for 69.00 and that included the shipping and that was for the 700 plus. My husband go the wild hair to clean it good and proper so now it is not working and I called and found out there is a reset button but if that doesn’t fix it, it will cost me 72.85 now to replace it and that includes the shipping. You might have to wait for your call to be answered but I think saving 30.00 dollars and having it delivered to me so I don’t have to go out and drag the kids out shopping is well worth it. The phone number is 1-800-738-0245. I really love this product I happen to think it is one of the all time best inventions. We have 3 cats and no ordor and basically no work.
December 29th, 2007 at 11:34 am
My Littermaid (basic model) has served my 2 cats perfectly for over three years. Occasional need to manually scoop out the back corner or clean the rake is far less trouble than daily scooping of a traditional litter box. I wouldn’t go back to that, ever. If and when my Littermaid ceases to operate, I will buy another! Purchase price of $125. divided by 3+ years of effective service for 2 cats ………… you do the math!!
January 10th, 2008 at 3:41 am
I purchased a Littermaid at Wal-Mart. I have always wanted one and I was just tired of cleaning the boxes. Anyway, this was about two weeks ago and it seemed to be working fine. Then one day the motor will not stop raking. I changed the litter, brushed the rollers, cleaned the sensors. The manual states if there is a clump that will not clear it will run for 5 times. Mine just keeps going and going. I am not sure where to go from here. Anyone have this same issue? I am nervous that I just spent 100 on something that I have now read so many complaints about, including poor customer service.
Thanks,
January 14th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
After years of using the Littermaid and complaining about the cost of receptacles, I did something about it!
I invented a retainer that secures a plastic shopping bag inside the receptacle. Waste goes into the plastic bag, which easily removes for disposal – the receptacle stays clean and never needs changing. Can save people $$hundreds and makes emptying the box a cinch.
Selling on ebay for about $7. Search for “Littermaid Receptacles” or “Littermaid Bags”.
January 23rd, 2008 at 9:33 pm
As noted by another Michael on January 10, our new Littermaid also will not stop raking. The manual doesn’t mention that problem! Help!
January 27th, 2008 at 11:48 pm
What a piece of junk, it is so NOT worth the money!
January 29th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
I just bought my new littermaid today, turned it on, and it would not stop raking, just like the other two people! I let it run for about 5 min but it just kept raking. I thought the problem might have been too much litter; however I removed ALL of the litter and it still would not stop. What the heck is up? I was going to call customer service but I heard that they were less than helpful. Any personal experience that could help?
February 3rd, 2008 at 11:20 am
I have a ew littermaid that is 1 week old. It has broken already! This is my third in two years. The littermaid quality is getting worse with each new machine and I’ve finally had enough of this product. There are too many problems with the litermaid and it just isn’t worth the hassle.
February 5th, 2008 at 1:16 am
We had the “endless loop” issue once. Upon inspection I found a small poop and the end of the track that kept the arm from completing it’s trip. I removed it and it was OK – at least until one od the cats peed again and made a clump that the arm got stuck on, made a lot of noise for five minutes and then quit with its light flashing until I came to manually scoop it out again.
We’ve tried Pam and different kinds of litter, but I still have to scoop it manually at least once a day. If anyone has a good solution to this, let me know.
February 10th, 2008 at 9:01 am
We have one cat. After reviewing the comments on your site, we decided to take the plunge and to purchase a LitterMaid. After one week, it developed a mind of its own, sweeping two, three, four times and sometimes continuously until one of us turns it off. The original purpose of purchasing this unit was to ensure cleanliness while we were away on trips. Now, it is more of a hazard to our cat if we leave it on. I consider it a $100.00 pooper-scooper. I would definitely not buy another one as it far from replacing the conventional litter box.
February 13th, 2008 at 11:31 pm
I’ve owned the SAME littermaid 9000 for almost 3 years now. I bought it new on ebay with the stand and all. it came with the free box of “bags”. after the box ran out I thought to get some more. BUT then I realized that the small kitchen trash bags (with scent) would roll around and fit the box. Low and behold CHEAPER replacement bags, holds alot more litter, and I only have to dump the whole bag about every 3 weeks andI have 2 cats.
The first issue I had with it was that it wold not stop the cleaning. I checked the front sensor, and adjusted it just ever so slightly so that it was not touching the contacts near constantly. Worked for 3 years. The second issue I had with mine was it just stopped cleaning. I took the lid off of it, and looked at the sensors, and guess what. A little bit of litter was blocking the sensor. I removed it, and the unit has worked fine.
The third issue I had with mine. See above issue#2. Except this was the rear sensor. Repeated application and had same results.
Fourth issue, some times the rake keeps going and going, as it is getting stuck. My male cat likes to pee in the same spot over and over again, and makes concrete. easy fix, use the scooper to dislodge it, and run the sweeper rake, and it is fine again.
Fifth and final issue. Where the original “trays” go often times cat litter gets stuck there. Well my initial purchase of the stand for the LM has the precut hole for the chute. I then took clear silicone and siliconed the heck out of it so that it made a good seal. Now instead of little bits of litter getting trapped there and eventually getting under the box, or falling to the floor, it either falls back into the box, or down the chute. No muss, no fuss.
I think I have certainly earned back the money I paid for mine, with a little bit of propper care your LM should last you a good long time. So far 3 years and 2 cats and still going strong.
YES some times I have to clean the rakes on the scooper, but wow, that is not much of anything. changing the litter bag once every 3 weeks PRICELESS. Having a house that does not stink of litter all the time, EVEN BETTER. For those of you whom had had the above issues, before you call the LM products (and no I am NOT endorsing them), try some of my solutions, and see if they work for you. ESPECIALLY the chute part. My cats love their litter box, to the point of when it starts running, they come running to watch it do its job. As far as it being a “hazard” to your cat, because of some of your issues like constantly running, if my solutions do not work for you, then turn it off, get a hammer and have fun.
July 28th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
I bought my litter maid elite less than a month ago and my messy cats threw litter everywhere, so I invested another $40 in the cabana cover. You have to completely un-assemble the cover to add new litter, unless you want to climb in it yourself. I just took the whole thing apart to try to clean the prongs off and 30 mins and alot of cursing later I discovered all the poop under and around the box I could not get to because of the cover. I cleaned it out, reassembled it and spent another 30 mins trying to get the cover back on. After all this it broke while I was trying to put the poop catcher back in. I am presently trying to glue the plastic piece back on because I refuse to believe I have wasted $140 on a cat box, when the $12 “old fashion” one was perfectly fine.
August 5th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
I have an LM900 that I have had for about 5 months. A couple of days ago, it stopped raking. If I turn the switch on and off, it will rake once. But it will not rake automatically after the cats have been in the box. I have read about two buttons that can be pressed to reset the machine. But I can’t find them. Can anyone describe where these two buttons are? Thanks
August 6th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
Hi,
Just bought a Litermaid plus. Well it went once and got stuck at the end, never returning. I have looked for buttons, I have none. It is extremely simple but it has not even been used once. It just will not return to the original placement.
I am tempted to just take it back!
August 17th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
I bought a LitterMaid plus at a yard sale. It worked great for a couple of months, then the adapter burned out. (I went on vacation and someone was looking after my cats and did not keep an eye on the litter box). What is the voltage on the adapter? I cannot find the specs anywhere on the item. Thanks
August 31st, 2008 at 4:22 pm
I now have my second replacement LitterMaid cat box. Even though I have had two to stop working, the company has been good about replacing it. Twice the racking mechanism got into a continuous loop. The helpdesk people were very helpful and kind considering how much trouble I gave them over the replacement not working but for 1 month and stopping. I got the replacement in the mail in no time. So even though my experience with the box have not all been positive the company does seem to stand behind its product. But, I do agree with another comment that was posted, the new boxes are not as well designed or the quality of the earlier models. I hate to say it but if this one breaks I will seek out another style as my daughter did. I have three cats and they seem to be rather typical with their experiences in the box. They pee in one corner and they can’t remember to dig a hole now that there is a buzzing monster about to get them once they finish. All in all it is better then the old method. I will share a bit of humor. When I first got the original LitterMaid in 1998, my male cats just watched it for two days before they would get in, my girl kitty didn’t seem to mind it at all, she just hopped in soiled it and claimed it immediately. They guys came around and now, many years later they have no problem with the noise but one of the male cats watches it until it racks before he leave the room. I guess he is like me, he wonders if it is going to break again. Mechanical cat boxes are the way to go in the 21st century; I just hope they will beef up the design so they are more durable within multiple cat households.
September 28th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
The litter is constantly caking up into mud at the bottom of the box insteading of clumping and I’m using a premium litter.
October 5th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Hello, I am a pet owner(multi-cat) who has struggled with littermaids, both the standard and the elite.
After struggling with 3 litter maids and having 2 different models (elite and standard) burn out and replaced (still in warranty), I have finally modified the litter maid(all models).
It is something that most folks can do at home.
The modification for litter maid , all models is quick, simple, and eliminates many of the issues that current littermaid owners have.
You can read more about it at
http://marmay.net/littermaid1.html
Special pricing and a free bonus will be offered to anyone signing up before internet publication(you will be notifed when the ebook is available).
My ebook will be a nominal fee when released(to help pay for animal rescue and website etc. costs).
Signing up to be notified includes a bonus(no purchase necessary) when you sign up for the exclusive notification (no spamming I promise) prior to public release.
The bonus ebook is entitled:
‘Having a constantly spring fresh yard even when you have goats, pigs, cows and elephants and of course cats and dogs’.
My bonus mini-ebook is fast reading and offers folks a quick and inexpensive way to deal with pet odor issues outside.
I use this all the time and have used it for years.
These tried and proven methods resolve the issue of outdoor pet odors, quickly and inexpensively.
This is a new offer.
The litter maid ebook along with the bonus will be available very soon(expected release date this month) to those that sign up for the notification.
I have been using my modified littermaids for a while now with no problems.
It is unreal how great a littermaid can be when it is modified(my cats love it).
November 26th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
I have the best solution for all of your littermaid problems. The bonus is that you will never again have to deal with their less than helpful customer ‘service’ agents. Buy a Breeze system! It works great. There is no odor. You can actually clean the thing! The one positive thing I did get from my littermaid was the idea to spray all with silicone spray when new. This will help you keep everything sparkling. I got mine at Target though the website does not yet mentionthem as a source.
November 26th, 2008 at 4:34 pm
Traded my filthy stinky LM for a Breeze system. What a relief!
January 21st, 2009 at 10:53 am
I had noticed our LM Mega Elite was not raking. I reset the power and the motor would only make a sound for about 1/2 second, there were no blinking lights just the green indicator. After reading here (thanks for the many comments) I took the cover off and looked at the limit switches. The one at the entrance of the box had a piece of litter between the lever and the button of the microswitch. Got it out, reassembled everything and now it works as before.
I purchased the kit from Lazer Art for using plastic grocery bags. It works okay, and actually as advertised. Problem is that I don’t think the opening is as large as it should be, I have many of the same problems as mentioned above. I have to change the bags every 2 or 3 days and this thing is just plain messy, cat litter all over the place. I use a powdered scent (Glade Clean Linen or Arm & Hammer Pet Fresh Odor Eliminator) to sprinkle on the litter every time I change a bag. It helps to keep the smell down.
The clock on our unit resets after about 5 minutes, so it’s worthless. I don’t mind the unit running at night, we can’t hear it.
Overall, I’m not real happy with the Littermaid. I hate cat litter boxes but they are a necessary evil if you own a cat. A Bissel Spotlifter is also a necessary evil to take care of the surprises your cat likes to occasionally leave on your carpet.
March 17th, 2009 at 9:58 am
Use the littermaid brand litter..that works the best. I used others and it stuck to the bottom even with silicone spraying the surface. The littermaid brand litter is lighter and will not clog the bar as easily. I have 2 mega units for two 18lb cats and have very litter trouble with the units. Must clean every so often but no problem to speak of. I did have a unit break after purchase but called the company and they sent out quickly a second unit no problem. I would recommend littermaid automatic cat units for cat owners that are realistic…everything we purchase takes some sort of maintenance. Keep it clean and it will operate reliably. My boxes are now 5+ years old now. Will buy again if they break.
June 9th, 2009 at 5:51 pm
Thanks everyone for all the input.. I couldnt find the “buttons” that people kept speaking about.. finally found them.. The “buttons” are in the very front of the track and the very end of the track. Just cleaned them and pushed them a few times and we are back in no cleaning the cat box business
June 13th, 2009 at 1:48 pm
I have come full circle with the the whole Litter Made problem. After purchasing two of these over priced “automatic” litter boxes that turned into manual litter boxes, I was greatly relieved by throwing them both in the garbage! The rakes always clogged with litter because cat pee turns litter into concrete in seconds! Forget using Pam to keep the thing slick, that only encourages insects to check out the litter box. I also had to have at least a 6″ perimeter for kicked litter. Ah, the joys of kitty life! I would not trade Tiger or Dot for those lousy litter boxes that happened to scare them on occasion.
July 24th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
If the rake stops working, just push the two white reset buttons located at the front of each track. I love the internet. Just saved myself $100 for a new machine. Thanks all.
September 3rd, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Never buy a Littermaid unit. Customer service is the worst. They do not know what they are talking about anf ask for parts to be returned that are impossible to get to without destroying the litter box. This was out 3rd Littermaid box. I will never buy another.
September 8th, 2009 at 11:03 am
I have had the same problem with my new littermaid and finally found a cat litter that doesn’t turn to cement when kitty pees. I also cleaned it and sprayed it with furniture polish (on bottom of pan). I have changed to Pro Pets Fresh Results all natural clumping cat litter. Walmart has it, it is in a purple bag. I am not real kean on the scent (natural pine) but it works and I have not had any more problems with it not cleaning out clumps.
November 3rd, 2009 at 6:28 pm
I am on my second LitterMaid. Both work great as long as you do what the instructions tell you to do. Also don’t get frustrated if you can’t fix the problem; call the help desk. First one was a basic unit that I gave away when Mr. Kitty passed (age 17) because I thought that was the end of it. Never had a problem with that unit other than periodic cleaning. However, got a new kitten and a new Littermaid. This one (LM9000MW) has way more features than are needed; should have gotten just the basic unit again, but it was the only one that was in stock. It got stuck in the housed position with both the green and red lights flashing. User manual does not show this condition or talk about limit switches or any of that stuff so I called them 1-800-738-0245. Lady on the phone walked me through checking the end-of-travel limit switch (For this model flip the top of the unit upside down. While holding it upside down with the controls closest to you, the switch is at end of the left hand travel track where the dump box is). The limit switch is a little metal lever. Had some litter clogging it. After removing the clog, the reset consisted of pushing the lever 10 times. Then she had me push the motor emergency stop bar, which is a white rod running along the back of the motor unit, 10 times. Plugged it back in and now we’re scooping again!! Biggest problem with this new unit is training my wife that more is not better (litter wise, that is) and that all litter is not created equal. When they say don’t over fill it, they mean it. The unit will not dump properly nor will it go to the house position or clean properly. Also, must have clumping litter. Fresh step for multiple cats (notice it does not say “clumping” on the box) doesn’t clump!!! With clumping litter, all is well. All in all, only problems with the new fancy box is cock pit error on the part of us humans (or are we just staff for the kitten?). Following the instructions actually works!!
November 21st, 2009 at 6:45 am
Bought the LME 9000 model yesterday and have problems already with it. The rake works up to the end pushing the clumps towards the waste container, but does’nt seem to lift up the waste sufficiently to drop it into the container. The lid does not open very high and all of the waste falls back into the tray or gets squashed in between. Is there a extra part to buy that i can attach to the container so there is no small gap?.Another thing have i bought the wrong size? I have two british short haired kittens,both small for their breed, any idea if i should have got the 550 model?
HELP
Vale London
November 28th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Bought a LME9000MB today, put it together and it constantly stays in the cleaning cycle, have tried reset and cleaning to no avail, can anyone help and the help desk is closed
December 19th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
Thanks Glen for the instructions on what to do when both lights are blinking! That happened to my LME9000 today (15 months old). The instructions did not help for this problem. It is Saturday and Customer Service is closed for the weekend. I am about to leave for Christmas and did not want to leave a non-functioning box and was worried I was going to have to buy a new one. Your instructions saved the day, not to mention a bunch of money I don’t have after finishing my Christmas shopping! I did not see the lever you mentioned and I have a black bar instead of a white bar. But I jiggled everything at least 10 times and now it is working again. Why can’t Littermaid post those instructions in the manual or on their web site?
While I am here, if anybody from Littermaid reads this, can you put the controls on the FRONT of the next model? They are not accessible when the box is in a Kitty Cabana and it is a pain to pull the box out and then put it back in. It does not slide very easily.
December 19th, 2009 at 1:52 pm
P.S. – I have found that using the litter crystals works best. I burned up motors in two Petmate automated boxes with the clumping litter sticking to the pan. With the crystals you will have to manually scoop out yellow crystals periodically but even with two 18-19 lb cats (they are HUGE, not fat!) I find I only need to scoop it about every other day. It still beats the manual litter boxes!
January 16th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Our Littermaid works great, would highly recommend to anyone thinking about purshasing.
January 30th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
I purchased the basic model of the Littermaid when my 2 cats were just kittens. It worked flawlessly for 3 years. When the rake stopped working I thought it would be nice to step up and purchase a larger model which I did the end of November. What a disappointment! Instead of the solid model I had, this “Mega Elite” Littermaid was poorly made. The plastic was so flimsy, that when I lifted it up to clean under, I had to use two hands on each side to keep it from folding into itself. I went from a strong metal rake in the basic model to a plastic rake in the “elite” model. Waste never collected on the metal rake! My basic model never scopped the litter and waste onto the floor. What a mess the “elite” model makes! Long story short, after 64 days of use, the “elite” model has died and I am on my way to Petsmart for a refund. Not sure what to do at this point. I must say, I became completely spoiled with only having to deal with the ltter pan once a week. Come on Littermaid…I know you can do it!
March 1st, 2010 at 4:47 am
Proper garbage disposal does not depend on the bins but in your action. It is about how you use it carefully and maintained it properly. In doing so, there are some things that you have to understand that it is a unit merely designed to break various types of waste, including those products that might clogged the drains in the sink. Formation of bacteria can be easily found if clogged system occurs which greatly implicate the health of the people at home. To avoid this kind of problem, consider cleaning the garbage disposal system for a minimum of at least once weekly.
March 8th, 2010 at 11:42 am
I HAVE A SELF CLEANING LITTERMAID. I WAS WONDERING CAN YOU USE NON CLUMPING LITTER IN IT BECAUSE I DIDNT USE IT YET? IF SO WHAT IS THE BEST LITTER TO USE BECAUSE I BUY THE CHEAP NON CLUMPING? IF YOU HAVE TO USE THE CLUMPING LITTER WHAT IS THE CHEAPEST TO BUY? THANKYOU
June 25th, 2010 at 12:51 am
I just want to give a big compliment to Melissa who posted almost one year ago on this board. She was the only one who actually pointed out that the exact location of the Littermaid Elite Mega’s reset buttons (I’m especially referring to the front reset button). I had always known there was a reset button on the back of the track, but it was Melissa who finally told me that there is also a reset button on the front of the track! Took me over an hour until I finally stumbled on it. So to sum it up: for the Littermaid Elite Mega, press the forward reset button repeatedly if its stuck in the home position. Press the rear track reset button if its stuck in the front (dumping) position.