Attention All Cat Owners - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2016, 11:14:47 am
content: I just found this one after a friend sent us the link. They are already past their Kickstarter goal but the project is still of interest to all cat owners who need to face the litter tray a couple of times a day.https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/luuup/luuup-litter-box-the-best-cat-litter-box-ever-madeThe one thing I can't figure is how the box deals with large amounts of urine, a leak would be messy.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2016, 01:15:21 pm
content: Hmmmm, we have three house cats and would love a clever cat litter tray. Our cat litter is excellent and works well. I want an automatic cat litter tray though. They are available but still very expensive. They usually work by detecting the presence of the cat entering and exiting the tray using IR beams. A conveyor system moves the poop into a storage pod and the owner empties it once a day rather than whenever a cat uses its tray. My only concern with any system is that it does not smell or encourage bacteria. The tray swap system can be an issue on the smell or bacteria front if the used tray is soiled, not cleaned and placed in the stack.I use a siev scoop for clearing trays. It is no more effort than the tray stacking idea.Just my thoughts on the design.As this is all about cats I wonder if the post will get deleted by the mods? I hope not as it would be good to explore the more electronics related automatic systems that exist, or should exist.A superloo for cats is what we need. It would auto detect, auto empty, macerate and pump to soil pipe.Fraser

author: MrSlack
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2016, 01:25:04 pm
content: I have kids who need an allowance and a WiFi password. More expensive but the tray gets emptied regularly

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2016, 03:16:10 pm
content: @ MrslackBrilliant

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2016, 03:24:46 pm
content: Not sure the tapered side is a good idea - think what would happen if kitty stepped or sat on the edge suddenly....

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2016, 03:50:09 pm
content: Yes, that can be a problem, my cat for some reason often sits with her rear as close to the edge as she can push it .Overall, imho this box would make it not easier but harder to clean - you need more space to manipulate the trays, more physical efforts to shake it, and still requires cleaning if you do not maintain enough litter , in which case wettened litter will get stuck and stick to the slots edges and that may be difficult to clean.

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2016, 04:09:38 pm
content: I don't think the tapered side is an issue. Our present litter trays are of similar construction and in the interests of science I've just tried pressing on the edge in an effort to tip it up. Considerable force was needed, much more than the weight of a cat.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2016, 04:23:54 pm
content: My wife just said I should train our cats to use the conventional human loo !I have seen it done on YouTube but suspect our three cats would end up very wet and miserable

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2016, 04:33:28 pm
content: Quote from: Fraser on February 21, 2016, 04:23:54 pmThis kit will help you. You go gradually from no hole to standard size hole.http://www.citikitty.com/pages/how-citikitty-works

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2016, 04:39:35 pm
content: How does that kit stop all the litter simply ending up in the toilet, blocking the drain?

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2016, 05:21:44 pm
content: Quote from: AndyC_772 on February 21, 2016, 04:39:35 pmIt has a lip around the hole to hold the litter.It can also be used in reversed order to train human to use a litter box.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2016, 05:56:49 pm
content: 😆

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 21, 2016, 09:40:14 pm
content: Quote from: Fraser on February 21, 2016, 05:56:49 pmMy wife is a cat person and this rubbed on this dog person. We had two cats, not at the same time, one from a person that relocated and the other a neighbor cat that used to come to our house and we adopted with their permission. Both were great. We treated them well and in response they were very reasonable and friendly to us, e.g. not giving us a problem when we call them back home from the back yard or when washing them in the tub. I think it's a matter of trust.We used a simple litter box. My wife took care of it but when she was traveling it's was my job picking all those 'clamps'.My wife does watch the TV show My Cat From Hell. The cats there are something else. ;-)

author: Keridos
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 01, 2016, 11:52:19 am
content: This actually is so simple its mindblowing, just need to see if it actually works well enough to produce no leaks. I wouldnt worry about liquids that much, the litter usually is pretty effective at sucking it up.

author: tenthirds
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 01, 2016, 12:55:19 pm
content: Certainly a novel idea...don't know how useful I'd find it. Seems like a messier process than using a scoop -> plastic shopping bag.

author: nanofrog
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2016, 06:52:09 pm
content: Quote from: MrSlack on February 21, 2016, 01:25:04 pmMust be nice to have Minions to do the dirty work.Quote from: Fraser on February 21, 2016, 04:23:54 pmTried it once...So long as the small training pan was placed on the bowl (held a small bit of litter), he'd use it. After it was taken away, the spoiled little snot refused and it was back to normal litter pans.

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2016, 12:54:28 am
content: The video looks great. And if you did this 2-3 times a day, with fresh litter, it would work fine... for a few days. Then change out the litter for fresh, and enjoy another few days of hassle-free cleaning of your litter box 2-3 times per day. Then do a thorough cleaning every week or two to keep up this hassle-free cleaning....Else the whole thing turns into a %$$ sandwich. Top and bottom, which you are supposedly setting on your floor. Maybe the whole thing should just go in a real litter box, and you just toss each disposable tray as you go?This Kickstarter will go nowhere. This lady and son should blow the money and the people who donated should get what they deserve. Maybe someone could go around and slap them on the face. And then offer them the Brooklyn Bridge for $20.00 cash. The first clue is the idea didn't work the first time, and the investor got screwed. The only thing they (hopefully) learned is how to personally make money the second time around, by screwing lots and lots of investors.