Cat Genie - Automatic Flushing Litter Box

Looks kinda cool! I watched a video of the cleaning cycle on youtube, at DOUBLE SPEED! 10 minutes!!! Gosh, would be easier just scooping...

Can pets get any more spoiled? Cats have their own high tech toilets now? IT'S A CAT!

can humans use it?

I just don't know what to think anymore...I feel so confused by all the technology...

I love this product. I was a Beta Tester and now am a production unit owner and haven't had any problem with the CatGenie yet. It does exactly what they say it will do and more. I never touch the litter! About as close to perfect as you can get with none of the problems of the "Raking" automatic litter boxes. Highly recommended.

Just received our Genie... love it - fits right next to the toilet, easy to setup, looks nice... no problems there. BUT, we didn't follow the directions about letting the cats get used to it (because with the other auto catbox our cats immediately jumped in and used it)... you must follow the directions - leave your current box available, let it fill up (uch!) and then they will look for clean litter. Hopefully our cats will go through this process easily and we'll be all set. If not, we'll have one for sale! Will be sad though!

It'll really help my cousin hoo has 2 use plastic bags 2 clean it.

This devise should never, NEVER be used. Cats have a disease that is deadly to sea life (We are amune to it). By flushing their waste down the toilet, the disease is carried to the sea and it has been determined to be the cause of many sea otter deaths. Please, please to not flush your cat's waste down the toilet.

Sea Otter deaths? I think the problem is dumping into the ocean in general rather then a few cat turds amoung a pipe full of human waste.

" By flushing their waste down the toilet, the disease is carried to the sea and it has been determined to be the cause of many sea otter deaths. Please, please to not flush your cat's waste down the toilet." Complety WRONG!!!!!! What you are concerned about is Toxoplasmosis and it comes from feral and outdoor cats. The stupid law in NOT FLUSHING! Additioannly, most cats have had toxo exposure, VERY COMMON, and once they are exposed they can only shed oocycts 1X in there life and do it for 14 days. lso, if oyu have an indoor cat and feed it regular food (not raw) you will not have any issues. In fact, landfills may be worse becasue of the rodents, ferals and dogs that hang out in them. Do not run around with partial info and attack things you know nothing about! You want ot help otters, the biggest problem is storm drains with the toxo, and oiland chemicals that are getting into the ocean. Ask the experts at UC Davis.

I spend $200 on a "automatic litter box" I still had to deal with the litter and the incoveniences this machine brought. Like getting stuck in the middle of cleaning... I can go on forever. I saw this product and it is worth every penny, no more litter or litter dust all over the house, by the way is litter dust safe to inhale????
In the long run this will pay for it self 4 year warranty can't beat that. The "automatic litter box" one year waranty. not worth it¡
I give this product "Two Thumbs Up" like I said worth every penny.

Comment to the guest on May 5.
Hello your human waste is probably even worst than the cats...
If you are so concern about the otters and the sea you should dig a hole in the ground to get rid of your own waste....
I am sure that the users of this wonderful product have indoor cats so....

>>Can pets get any more spoiled? Cats have their own high tech toilets now? IT'S A CAT!

Clay litters (the kind most commonly used) are NOT good for either you or your kitty. The dust isn't just dust, it's clay particulate dust. It gets into your kitty's and your lungs where it can and does get moist, as well as getting into the kitty's digestive system when they clean themselves, which in turn can cause some serious gastro-blockage. The scoopable is even worse, since it's SUPPOSED to clump up. A product like this (with it's washable granuales) or even using natural litter (newpaper, cedar, pine, etc) is much healthier.

As for those people talking about the spoiling of cats...come ON! It's NOT the cats that are getting spoiled, it's the people. We wouldn't have to scoop bodily wastes anymore...or wash the litter box (if you don't already use plastic bags...which is another environmental concern). And as for the length of time it takes, so freakin' what?! It means that I don't have to possibly come into contact with bodily waste, don't have to even THINK about the kitty litter box, and my kitties would always have a clean clean clean place to do their eliminating business.

In regards to the toxoplasmosis. This product (as well as any other self-cleaning litter boxes...though those still put you in a position of possibily coming into contact with bodily waste) would be perfect for any family with cats...or anyone trying to start one. See, pregnant women and people with impaired immune systems are STILL at risk of catching toxoplasmosis from their kitty's bodily waste. It is recommended that pregnant women and people with impaired immune systems do NOT change the kitty litter. This doesn't mean don't touch the kitty pee/poop, it means not to change it at all because there is the hightened risk of them getting ill.

I don't have one of these, I have a self-cleaner and one that I have to clean (which is the one I'm currently useing...the self-cleaner is away in storage), but I would LOVE to have one. The price tag is a little steep, but when you factor in NOT having to buy new kitty litter (some of which is a potential health risk) and NOT having to manually scoop, dump, and potentially come into contact with bodily waste I think that it's a win-win. Throw in the extra long warrantee and it's just about golden. It really DOES sound like a good investment for you and your kitty's health.

Just got one for my cats, works like a charm and they took to it right away. It's worth every penny to not have to scoop the box anymore.

I just wish they would make these kinds of products for bigger cats. My cat weighs 30lbs and would NEVER be able to use this. I had another self cleaning box when he was a kitten and when he got bigger he outgrew it. He also learned to use the actual toilet until he got too big for that, too. Currently, my kitty litter consists of a big plastic bin inside a raised box I built myself out of MDF with an entrance on one side. If they made an EXTRA LARGE version for really big cats I'd probably buy it.

OMG. i love this new cat genie. brilliant, just brilliant. worth every penny. now i don't have any embarassing cat litter boxes when guests visit. i hate dog poop and don't understand how dog owners deal with it. this new invention seperates me from dealing with my cat poop. p.s. at least a cat is smart enough to use a box and cover it up. just go buy a cat genie and be happy.

"I just wish they would make these kinds of products for bigger cats. My cat weighs 30lbs and would NEVER be able to use this." -- I have two Maine Coons, one a 20 pounder and the second one between 25 and 30 pounds, he's huge! I bought the Cat Genie (I have 5 cats) and I love it! The first one to jump in it, without any hesitation was the heavier of my cats. It is great to go to bed without any litter residues all over the place (they ALL sleep with me); it's a wonderful product, big enough for the Gardfield in your family. Go ahead and buy it, you wont regret it, after all you have 90 days to return it if it doesn't work out for you. I truly recommended, the best money I have ever spend.

30 min for a cat box to clean?! Water and cats do not mix, I have 3 cats if this cleans everytime a cat goes in the box...it would be spending half the day filled with water. And my cats would not go into it.
I'll stick with my Litter maid.

I have two levels in my house and three cats. We bought the cat genie and put it on the main level. We\'ve always had a regular litter box on both floors, so it turned out to be a MUST to buy a second cat genie. We set up each box to run twice a day, not at the same time of course, but alternate the scheduled cleanings so there is always a clean dry box for them to use. This is NOT like the litter maid, it doesn\'t run every time your cat uses it. i had the litter maid, not much different than scooping yourself, because you still have the nasty clay litter and the stink that inevitably eminates from the resevoir its dumped into. This gadget is to spoil the owner, not the cats. Though it is nice for them to always have a clean, non clay litter place to go. WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!!

@K.L.: Its not filled with water, it dries the litter itself after its done with cleaning!!

I liked that very much, I hope to buy one when my finances get better.

How does this hook up to the waterline? The water line is already going to my toilet...

Omg...COOL!! I wish my cat could have that, she would love to have that in our house hold. But really, cats are spoiled way to much, but i'm sure i can make an exception it there is no scooping involved...

@Cat Owner: It comes with a T-connector to put on your toilet or washing machine water line. All the information is on their website. http://www.catgenie.com/ (see http://www.catgenie.com/about-catgenie/1-how-it-works/)

Keep in mind it uses a proprietary cleaning solution cartridge, and while the litter does not require changing it does have to be topped up every so often (you'll see in the video, some of the litter is lost with the solid waste). The Cat Genie site sells a 6 month refill kit (litter + solution) for around $60. At $10/mo it's comparable to maintaining a normal automatic litter box, but the refill isn't something you can get at the local Wal-Mart/Target/Whatever (yet). I would like to see an "open source" version which uses readily available refill materials.

The Cat Genie is really great; works as advertised. One of our two cats will not pee in it (uses a rug nearby) but otherwise he uses it. The only major problem we have is that it really stinks when it is drying! For some reason when it cleans several solids are broken up and remain in the bowl, when the drying starts they are "toasted" and REALLY stink. Any others have that problem?

This doesn't spoil your cat, it spoils the human. I purchased one for my cats and have had only one issue and tech support straightened that out right away. My cats love it and so do I, just picked up another. What a great product. I also recomend the cat genie dome, it helps keep the granules in the pan.

PLEASE people......learn to spell!!!!! An intelligent comment still sounds STOOPID when it\'s written as if a preschooler did it!!!

It looks like the Cat Genie is an amazing product. I really want to get one for my two cats!! I have one cat who is about 18-20 lbs. and the other one is like thirteen lbs. Would the Genie be big enough for my bigger cat? If so I would totally buy, after the cost goes down, hopefully. I will be saving my money for sure! If anyone knows where to get one considerably cheaper than the website or Petco, please let me know!! Thanks!!

Hey,
I have 4 cats. I have purchased many electric litter boxes including Litter Maid. My cats end up killing the boxes within a year. The ad said that 3 average cats (what are they calling average?? one of my cats is a big 19lb. blue point Hemilian) I am seriously considering this....could I get away with one, or should i buy two??

Love to know if there is somewhere to get this thing a bit cheaper. It's just what I've been looking for and my Jasper would probably love it too. Sometimes I travel and this would work perfect, I wouldn't have to have someone else come and clean the darned cat box. My daughter saw this on an infomercial and I HAD to look it up, she's the one stuck cleaning when I'm gone.

Has anyone with more than 2 cats used this?

I have six cats. Yes, I said 6!

I currently have 5 litter boxes that I have to scoop twice a day. But that's not my problem. My problem is that one of my cats is resorting to the bath tub if the litter box is not to her standards.

Could this be the solution?

Any advice will be great! Thanks!

to "critter sitter"
i was GONNA let your smug, condescending comment go W/O validating it with a respose BUT...

PLEASE critter sitter... Learn your grammar!!!!! Even snobs who have an over-inflated image of themselves sound STOOPID when their comment ENDS IN A PREPOSITIONAL PHRASE...

What's that old saying about glass houses?...

now, on to the pet question...

how could people's experiences with this product be so varied (ive checked other sites as well)?

comments range from "best money spent" to "biggest waste of $"

how is THAT supposed to help me decide whether to buy or not to buy?

i have a 17 pound cali whose waste smells minimally... what do you think?
Is this product for me?

To the person who said: It's just a cat. Heck. It's for the owner to have a 100% clean litter box. For the house to not have a kitty litter smell.

We've had it for a year, and love it. It always looks and smells clean. Sure, there are supplies, but they cost no more than good kitty litter. Even if you only have one cycle set for overnight, the unit looks clean during the day as all liquid drains to a holding tank and kitty covers everything else. I just wonder where the Cat Genie was 20, 30 or 40 years ago. I have to dig up all those cats and show them what they missed!

The thing is, the cat genie is a very simple item. It just took someone with the idea to come up with it.

interesting product, and it fills a need. i just wonder how useful it will be when western society implodes and we can't get the supplies anymore.

I have been doing quite a bit of reading about the Cat Genie and I think that the varied opinions have to do with some improvements that they have made to the product. From what I understand, there were a couple of issues that the company has resolved. Some of the bowls were warped due to a problem in packaging which caused some kind of a problem (sorry, my memory is failing me as to what the exact problem it caused was) and then there was some other issue that caused not all of the solid waste to go away, hence the smell when it was drying. From what I have read, a quick call to customer service and they send you a corrected CatGenie. Everything I have read says that the customer service is really wonderful. I am saving my money for one of these (to spoil myself - not the cats). We have rescued several kittens lately and with 5 cats in the house, I can't seem to scoop regular litterboxes fast enough. Therefore, I am often cleaning up messes from the floor and the bathroom rug.

can anyone compare this to the litter robot product?

To the poster talking about the otters . . . Do you know ANYTHING about wastewater treatment?? First, If you have a Septic Tank (which is OK with Cat Genie), no problems because the waste goes to no natural water source. (Except maybe groundwater??) Second, if you are on a Municipal Sewer grid, the waste waster is TREATED and purified before being returned to the natural water source. The water leaving most Municipal Wastewater Treatment facilities is over 99% pure. SO. . . Before you start passing your Save the World nonsense, PLEASE get the facts. NO GOVERNMENT IS DUMPING RAW SEWAGE INTO THE OCEAN!! Come On!

You guys who are freaking out about the toxoplasmosis. Okay, no I haven\'t check out the seat otter action, but cats are not the only source of toxoplasmosis. We are NOT immune to it. *MOST* people who have cats all their lives have already been exposed and have built up an immunity to it, like you would with most diseases. If you\'re immune to it, then you at one point had it, stop flushing your own crap. The effects of the disease are particularly devastating to fetuses-- pregnant women are advised to wear gloves while cleaning litter boxes and while gardening and to wash vegetables very, very well. My guess is a cat that\'s using an indoor flushable kittybox is not doing that much venturing outdoors where is where they often pick it up through digging in the dirt and hunting small animals. Cat\'s don\'t just naturally carry toxoplasmosis. If they\'re worried about toxoplasmosis getting into the ocean through flushing cat waste, shouldn\'t they also be worried about it getting into groundwater and ocean water due to the fact that it is present in most soil? How about throwing away vegetable remains? I\'d be more worried about pollutants making their way into storms drains and from industrial processes.


As for the poster who said it\'s just a cat-- this kind of box is more of a luxury for the owner, not the damn cat. Litter boxes are nasty and cleaning them is a huge pain.


Does anyone know how much replacement litter and cleaner is? Could one box service 4 cats? Any way to hook two boxes up to one toilet?

What about the price on the dome?

I saw a video of a cat going crazy during the cleaning process-- is the cleaning chemical toxic at all? Is there something to stop the box from starting it\'s cleaning cycle while a cat is in it?

*sea otter action. :)

I bought this thing, and I love it. There are some drawbacks of course but when you weigh them against the positives, the machine is worth the money. I use it for three cats, and I run it about twice a day. The litter gets EVERYWHERE, and its a pain to clean, sometimes the scooper won't get all of the solids and you are left with small peices, and when it dries ... the smell is a horrible musky smell, out side of those three negitives, its easy to use, it saves time, saves money, and there is never an issue of a dirty litter box. I run it when my kitties are asleep. It took about a week for them to get used to it. ( it would have taken less time but my roomate has the bedroom next to the bathroom and he moved the old litter box while it was getting "really dirty") if in the event the box gets too gross for someone to take, they can just push a button and problem solved. It is worth the money, and if you order through the company they can offer a three month payment plan which makes paying for it easy. I am going to order the dome soon in hopes that it cuts down on plastic granules all over my house. Other than that... a great concept, and a great product

I have a VERY small bathroom, the only place to put this would be in the walkway. Is there any other way this can be hooked up? We only have this one very small bathroom but I'd love to purchase this product.

I have three bathrooms and not one of them is large enough for the Cat Genie.

The Litter Robot is the best alternative as it doesn't have any rakes to get nasty. Check out the customer reviews on Amazon about the LitterMaid and you definitely won't buy one. Other self cleaning litter boxes may be cheaper to buy than the Litter-Robot but make sure that you figure the cost of supplies. The Scoop Free will cost you an additional $180 per year for litter trays.

The Litter Robot has a cool sifting method. Check it out:

www.litter-robot.com/litter-robot-demonstration.aspx

Actually, the poster who originally mentioned the harm to Sea Otters was correct. California recently passed a law requiring all kitty litters to print a statement on their packaging encouraging consumers to send litter to landfills rather than flush it. Cat litter carries the parasite T. gondii, which survives sewage treatment and ends up in the ocean.

Otters pick up T. gondii by eating filter feeders, such as clams or mussels, which capture the parasite. The parasite is deadly to the otters.

See the following website for additional information. http://nothoney.wordpress.com/2007/04/15/flushing-cat-litter-kills-sea-otters/

If you have ever thought your old litter box could use its very own room, now you can put it in its very own house. The Litter House is a fully enclosed litter box that adds warmth and charm to any room in your home. The Litter House assembles in minutes with no tools required. A unique all around lip reduces litter andmessy spills. The ½ inch walk way collects litter from your cat’s paws. It even includes an odor blocking charcoal filter in the chimney. The Litter House has handles disguised as gable vents making litter scooping simple. Reusing spilt litter has never been easier. Your order even includes three window style options Hearts, Fun, and Modern design stickers. The Litter House has 12 plastic pieces that simply click together. Assembly instructions are provided. The overall house size in inches is 25L x 17W x 25H. Pan Area in inches 16.5W x 17L x 6H. The Litter House a fully enclosed unique and antique litter box you will be proud to own.

I like this product and I thank you Dan Dykens for the www.litterhouse.com link. The LitterHouse looks cool.
Rod

Has anyone know if this will work with small dogs. I'm considering litter training a shih tzu.

I think the Cat Genie offers an interesting alternative but I'm wondering that the monthly cost is especially when you are buying a proprietary solution and have to replace the granules with some regularity.

I love the cat genie, but 2 of the 4 cats wouldn\'t use it. And we had a heck of a time getting a 3rd to use it. My 16 year old cat took right to it, but the younger 9month old kitties didn\'t. The 4th cat was 16 as well, but she doesn\'t count, she was.. touched.

Anyhow, to answer the last guy, I now have 2 cats and run it twice a day. A cartridge lasts for a month that way and it costs 14 bucks, 11 if you find them on sale. I would suggest getting the catGenie paws it saves all the cat litter when it\'s kicked out and there\'s so much less mess. Pretty much what you spend on litter a month.

I have had the Cat Genie for about a year and a half. I only have one cat, but I would have to say it is the best investment I have made! Before this I used that Auto Rake Litter box. While better then having to use the scoop, it was still messy and required regular cleaning and supplies!

In the year and a half I have had the cat genie I have only had to spend about 30 min cleaning it 2 times! It is a pretty easy cleaning process you should do every 6 months. Other then that every 60 days I have to put a new cartridge in and every 4 months I add about 1/2 a box of granules.

With only one cat I set the Cat Genie to run once a day at 11AM when I am almost never home. We can no go on vacation and not worry about having someone change the litter... we just have a neighbor kid come and check on water and food, but they do not have to clean the box! I have never come home and smelled the cat! The cat does not track litter all over the house.

I can not say enough about this unit! I also purchased the dome. This is great because you do not have to see the box at all! It just looks like a little Kitty House in the laundry room!

Here are the only downsides and my wish list for changes as I see them:

1. Cartridge Costs $12 and no generic... but with one cat it will last 2 months, so $6 a month to not change litter is worth it!
2. On occasion the scoop may miss some fecal matter... when the unit gets to the dry cycle... it will stink.. but the smell passes when the unit stops drying, and it will catch that in the next cycle.
3. The cartridge will beep when low on solution. It will continue to beep until you clear the alarm. I use to have the unit run at night, but when it would go low I would wake up at 3AM to the beep! Now I switched it to day and eliminated this problem.
4. The unit can only be set to clean 1, 2, 3, or 4 times a day... I would like a feature where you could set it to clean 2, 3, or 4, times a day, but if the cat does not use the box... it would skip that cleaning. That being said once a day seems to work well for one cat.
5. The granules do find their way all over the house.. the GeniePaws do help. that being said I would rather find a couple granules around the house then have cat litter tracked around the house!

I can not recommend this unit enough. If something happened to my unit I would buy another one in a second. Even listing the issues… they are all much less then any other option I looked at!

I have a very small bathroom, too. I'm thinking of drilling a hole through the wall to the walk-in closet to run the tubes through. The Genie will be in the closet but still empty into the toilet. Or, I may put it in the garage where I'll have to add a kitty door. Either way, I'm going to take advantage of their 90-day free trial to see if I like it. Thanks to all who made previous comments.

I appreciate all of your comments. I am still unclear on one point. Can the Cat Genie scoop and flush solid waste without going through the complete wash cycle? If it can separate these functions, then I am sold. I have four cats, two of which are very particular about voiding only after I have removed soil. I have four regular litter pans and scoop at least 4 times a day. I have been looking for a self-cleaning litter system and have pretty much narrowed it down to the genie or scoop free based on the overall positive rater reviews they have received.

NO it will not scoop without going through the full cycle. My guess is that if it did it would clog the impeller with too much cat poo! When it runs the impeller turns on before any waste is sent to it. If it scooped all the poo up and did not run, I think it would get clogged all the time.

I do not know if you shop at COSTCO, but they have it at COSTCO.COM at a great price. PLUS if you do not like it... you can return it any time to a COSTCO store... i will bet you money you will not return it!

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11238629&;search=cat%20genie&Mo=0&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=cat%20genie&Ntt=cat%20genie&No=0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

I have been researching the Cat Genie and the Litter Robot pretty heavily. I have a week of travel coming up and I am actively looking for a solution.

From what I have read of the Cat Genie it\'s not all it\'s cracked up to be. The concept is amazing but the quality isn\'t there yet. Maybe Maytag needs to make one for us. I would probably pay $600 if I could rely on it and it would last me 10 years.

Cat Genie points I don\'t see anyone mentioning:
1. It doesn\'t flush your toilet for you when it drains into the bowl. This can cause an odor issue in your bathroom until you come home and manually flush. Now if you\'re one of the few fortunate households left that has a stay at home spouse (Husband or Wife) I suppose this wouldn\'t be an issue. But unfortunately myself and my wife are both working and this could cause a problem for us.

2. The cycle does not run after each time your cat(s) do their business, and since you have plastic kitty litter, you have no odor absorbtion or cover up until your daily cycle is kicked off. I called CatGenie to ask about the odor between cleaning cycles and they confirmed that odor will be present until the cycle is performed. They mentioned there is a newer model coming out that can run after each kitty \"drop off\". However the cost of the cleaning solution I think would add up quickly.

3. I have read about a lot of performance issues with the Cat Genie. Now to be fair I think any product you get will have issues without some care and maintenance. The goal is to eliminate the daily scooping work and replace it with a shorter monthly maintenance. With that being said I wanted to share some key points I read in reviews across a plethera of websites.

A. Long Hair cats equal long hair solids. Long hair seems to clog the liquefying mechanism often. This requires cleaning. Down side like a clogged toilet you can\'t drain the liquefide solids prior to disassemblying and cleaning. Even if that happened only 3 times a year I think it would be a deal breaker for me.

b. There seems to be a larger enough percentage of units failing right out the gate or within the first 4 months. My goal is to find a unit that will last 1-2 years without breaking. Most of the dates of the reviews were late 2007 time frame. The 2 year warranty seems to be a commitment to the product but if I have to be constantly shipping it back to them and will be enduring continual costs and loss of time.

To conclude at this time I think I am going to decide against the CatGenie but watch them closely to see what they might come out with next.

Wishful Cat Lover

To respond to your post:

1. It does not flush, but you can hook it up to your laundry. Also if you can not do that you can run the hose into the bowl and down the back of the toilet. Then the CatGenie will run right into the sewer with no need to flush. Here is a detailed explanation on how it would work:

http://www.instructables.com/id/CatGenie--How-To-Use-Less-Water-and-Keep-The-Toil/

2. No the cycle does not run each time it is used. I have one cat and I had been running it 2 times a day. I switched to 1 time a day about 3 months ago and that seems to work fine. Maybe my cats S**T dose not stink, but I notice no smell from the box. I have the dome and that may help, but there is no cat smell in my home... unlike the days when we had a traditional litter box or the auto rake one.

3. Performance Issues: I have had mine for almost 2 years now and I have only had one issue and it was my fault because I did not do the full cleaning at the 6 month mark like I should have. Then I ran into a problem with the unit not going through the cycle. I called customer service and they knew right away the electronic eye was dirty and needed to be cleaned. I cleaned the whole unit in about 15 min and it has worked flawlessly since then.

I had a lot of the same concerns before I purchased this unit. I still say it was one of the best purchases I have ever made! I am about to leave on a business trip for 5 days to Asia... and I know I do not have to worry about having someone come and change the litter or clean up! It will all be done on its own!

I am interested in the cat genie. I have used other electric litter boxes and mt 2 cats burned up the moter after 4 months. My questions is I have a 30lb. cat and a 13lb. cat. Would my 30lb. cat be able to fit the cat genie? He can't use a regular litter box.

There's a review comparing the Cat Genie to the Littermaid (another automatic cat litter box) at: http://www.liveautomatic.com/reviews/34-home-item-reviews/44-automatic-litter-boxes-review

They hook it into a drain in the basement, makes more sense to me than over the edge of a toilet, plus it's out of the way then...

Hello All,

I just recently stumbled onto this website, but I have a few questions regarding the Cat Genie. It sounds like it could be wonderful! I know regular clumping litter is bad for human and cat health alike, both the silica and the clay found in it. I am currently switching to pine for environmental reasons. However, pine does not solve the problem of still having to scoop and clean. I am hesitant to use a product where I do not know the exact contents of the cleaning solution. I have been removing all cleaning chemicals from my house to reduce pollution, and now use vinegar and baking soda for everything. I would like to know what is in the solution, if it is biodegradable, etc, so I can determine its pollution potential, and whether or not I will buy the Genie at all. They state that the pellets are biodegradable (more information here would still be welcome), and its great not to have to use plastic bags for scoopings where both will sit in the landfill forever.
But, it also seems wasteful to me to use so much solution to dissolve the solid waste. I would be perfectly happy to simply dump a collection container with the solid waste every few days, because the litter would still be scooped and cleaned regularly. I agree, toxoplasmosis is a concern to sea wildlife. However to be fair, there are so many chemicals and hormones in our drinking water...after it has been through treatment...that I think we should look at the big picture altogether. These human-made compounds are having detrimental impacts all over the world that need to be addressed as well as toxoplasmosis. I do not have an answer even for myself on how to accomplish this, but being aware is the first step.
All that being said, I really do want to be convinced that using this cat genie will be a wonderful way to improve quality of living for both me and my cats, but not at the detriment of the environment. So, if anyone knows where to look or has the information about what is really in these solutions, I would find the information very helpful in my quest to provide my cats with clean, healthy litter, and I wouldn\'t mind taking a back seat in the cleaning of their box either.
Thanks for any help!

Cat Genie is really great! It has had its ups and downs with getting jammed but over all it has been a blessing. Im sure as they keep tweaking it, it will become even better. Best thing is to figure out your cats cycle and set the timer around them or if you can hit the button to clean after they go thats best since it takes more work when the poop hardens lol.

I have 5 cats and worry that it will be too much waste for the genie to handle.
How often can you set the auto clean and does anyone else use one for a lot of cats?

Talk about odor. If the Cat Genie only runs a cylce once or twice a day, what does the room smell like? I wouldn't want all the cat waste sitting around for hours smelling up the house waiting for the next cleaning cycle. What reaction does the cat have when it comes back to a dirty litter box? I imagine this is a real big problem for folks who have multiple cats. The Litter Robot cleans itself after every cycle. Check it out at www.Litter-Robot.com.

I have had the cat Genie for about a year and a half and I have never smelled any cat waste. I only have one cat and originally ran the unit 2 times a day. About 6 months ago I switched to once a day and I have no odor issues. Before when I had a traditional litter box I could smell it the moment I walked in the door... now I smell nothing.

From most all of these comments, it sounds like the Cat Genie\'s positive attributes far outweigh any drawbacks, so I\'d like to try it. I have one big problem/question though, that might make the Genie not work so well for me... I have a largish male cat who, although he has been neutered, has a habit of standing up and \"spray peeing\" on the back wall of my current hooded regular litter box that uses pine litter. So, I have this method that I have to tape the cat pan liner up high in the back so that he pees on the plastic liner and not on the back of the litter box hood. That saves me some extra cleaning, but is time consuming and not environmentally friendly. Since it looks like the Cat Genie only \"washes\" the litter bowl part and the scoop thing looks like it is open in the back - even if I get the Genie hood attachment, I\'m afraid it looks as though my boy cat who stands up when peeing will spray all over the area that does not necessarily get washed every time. Is that correct and does anyone who currently has the genie have a cat with this issue or have any suggestions about whether or not this would cause a problem or how to get around it? Thanks!

I've had a catgenie since October 2007. Overall, the device is worth the money. I have it hooked up in the laundry room where it flushes into the stack pipe used by the washing machine. Both of my cats (one 10lb and one 15lb) use it without issue. I do not have the dome as I thought it would be too enclosed for my larger cat.

All this greatness does come with challenges. Many people talk about the smaller bits of poo that can remain after a cycle and they do smell pretty bad during the drying cycle. But it only happens every so often.

The litter goes EVERYWHERE. If you install this in your bathroom, buy the hood and be prepared to sweep your bathroom daily. The nice part is you can sweep the litter back into the catgenie. I'm still trying to engineer a way to enclose the catgenie so that the litter that comes out of the box is contained. Catgenie sells these mats now which help, but litter is still all over my laundry room.

You need to clean the catgenie every 4 to 6 months. When you take it apart, it can be quite disgusting. Wear gloves and I use a spray bottle of a little bleach and hot water. Some times I have to clean the water sensor inbetween cleanings as it can get dirty and cause the unit to fail. I've also noticed that the catgenie seems to "eat" the litter and large quantities end up inside the appliance. That litter causes you to "top off the litter" more often than I think I should.

Keep extra cleaning supplies on hand and order them from amazon.com. For some reason, catgenie is not able to ship products same day. It takes them two days to ship an order whereas amazon.com ships same day and products are usually a buck cheaper.

Bottom line, the little bit of maintenance that comes with the catgenie is FAR BETTER than what I had to do with a standard litter box. Well worth the cash.

Oh - and if you have a dog that likes to eat poop, find a way to keep them out of the room where the cat genie is. When they eat the poop, they eat the litter which costs $$$.

Hey the cat genie is really awesome. As long as your just take care of it and do the basic maintenance and keep and eye you will be fine.
Check out http://www.catgenielitterbox.com/ for a rebate as well.


Good luck!

Very innovative. However, shows lack of focus on our environment. Another way to waste precious water. We have waterless toilets, composting toilets, toilets that use waste water from the bathroom sink, bath tub etc. The amount of water required by this product may be small but multiply by millions of cats - there you have it.

It\'s also not just what it costs to purchase the product but what it costs you to use it - the expense of continuously reordering parts or supplies necessary for the operation of the product.

Also, it\'s a fact that it is very unsanitary to flush a \"human\" toilet with the lid up. An improvement on this product would be an automatic cover during flushing to prevent toxic cat germs from swirling around our bathrooms contaminating everything.

There also seems to be a debate as to whether or not cat feces in our sewage is detrimental to the environment. I do not have enough factual information in that area to make a logical decision. I would rather err on the side of caution than caste fate to the wind only to find out I was wrong and inflicted even more negative impact on our already environment.

Littermaid seems the most sanitary, ecological and cost-effective solution to cat waste disposal mechanisms. A little creativeness will enable one to \"go a whole month\" without having to give the cat box attention. Place the litterbox up on a raised surface, leaving the opening to the waste receptacle over a container lined with a plastic grocery bag (I would double it) or trash bag. Transforming an old wooden side table by cutting an opening in it to go underneath the waste receptacle is practicle and \"easy on the eyes\". If you don\'t mind the expense there are products designed especially for this that have a very professional appearance. I place my litterboxes out of eyesight from visitors anyway - no one knows where the litterboxes are since they\'re so efficient they do not smell.

This is not to specifically promote LitterMaid over another product as I also use \'manual\' litterboxes as well since I have so many cats. If I find a litterbox that is more (or just as) cost effective and \"green\" I will give that product a spin.

I\'ve seen people who place their litterbox in a spare shower or bathtub. This helps cut down on tracking & simplifies cleaning and sanitation.

My daughter has a cat and NO litter box, cat toilet - whatever. He sits at the door, just like a dog, to signal that it\'s time for a nature break and doesn\'t soil the house if left there all day while they\'re at work. THAT\'s the easiest, least expensive & most ecological of ANY product on the market but still has it\'s drawbacks as the soil around your home gets contaminated with all these \"things\" aforementioned.