Four days probably isn’t long enough to know exactly what this thing will be like over the long term, but it’s enough to say a few things about it.<\/p>\n
There’s not much you can find online about this product. The Stylette website doesn’t even have it listed in its catalogue. That’s a little disturbing, I suppose.<\/p>\n
It’s a PetSmart exclusive, which is also a little disturbing if you really don’t like the big chains. They’re good for your common pets, though.<\/p>\n
Anyway….
\n
\nI finally had to admit last week that Zombi was way too big for her old litterbox — the small Omega Paws RollAway litterbox that can be purchased in stores. It was a good litterbox, while she was still small enough to use it. Simple enough to operate, and it took some of the badness out of the cleaning-the-litterbox chore.<\/p>\n
So, yeah, I needed a new litterbox.<\/p>\n
I could’ve gone for the standard cheap litterpan, but I really do hate cleaning the box. So I’m willing to spend a little more.<\/p>\n
I don’t, however, hate it enough to be willing to spend over a hundred dollars on one of those established brands of self-cleaners: LitterMaid, the Purforma, and the Litter Robot.<\/p>\n
I saw the LitterSweep in some PetSmart mailer a while back, and figured I might as well have a look on the website. It comes in two options: the push-button operated for $59.99, and the fully-automated for $79.99.<\/p>\n
Not bad.<\/p>\n
The lack of reviews online made things a little difficult. I don’t like buying things without hearing about others’ experiences with the product.<\/p>\n
So, let’s talk about the product.<\/p>\n
It’s a fairly attractive litterbox. It’s not strange and boxy and akward looking like the other two sold-in-stores automatics. It’s an open box with an optional sold-seperately hood, if that’s the sort of thing you or your cat wants. The litter-pan-thing itself is round. The rake sits close to the edge of the round pan, and there’s a sort-of rectangular edge where the motor and the waste container is. Mine’s dark and light grey. Very nice.<\/p>\n
The cleaning rake is metal. The rake, the litter pan, the shield that goes over the edges around the pan, and the waste container are all removable for easy cleaning. This seems like a nice feature to me. Being able to remove the dirty things and fully submerse them if you have to, away from all the mechanical components.<\/p>\n
There is a very clear ‘fill line’ all the way around the pan, so you know how much litter to put in. This is important because, from what I understand, the thing operates based on weight sensors. The automatic one, the one I have, runs thirty minutes after the cat uses the box — unless the litter happens to be piled unevenly, or something else is setting off the ‘stand by’ light.<\/p>\n
The thirty minute thing is, apparently, important for the clumping to happen properly. Yes, you have to use clumping litter, and decent clumping litter at that. I’m currently using Tidy Cat, and it seems to be working fine.<\/p>\n
The LitterSweep comes with three or so of the name brand liners you’re supposed to use in the resevoir. I haven’t tried them yet. I’ve been using grocery bags, and they don’t cause any operation problems. This saves a little money on the liners, which aren’t quite as expensive as the liners for other automatic litter boxes, I don’t think, but still hardly worth bothering….<\/p>\n
What complaints have I got….<\/p>\n
Well, there’s the eleven dollar shipping charge, for one. That was a little upsetting.<\/p>\n
I suppose the fact that it’s loud is a little complaint-worthy. I didn’t expect it to be whisper-quiet, though. It’s a mechanical litterbox that plugs into the wall and keeps the litterbox clean without me having to pay much attention to it. I can handle a little motor noise.<\/p>\n
The rake can miss a few things, if they’re very tiny clumps. Also, the way it dumps tends to dump things toward the back of the waste container and not ‘evenly’, so if you don’t change the bag out, it can pile up and things will probably get left on the rake. So you still have to keep things clean.<\/p>\n
So far, I’m pleased with the product. I’ll probably say something more about it later.<\/p>\n
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Four days probably isn’t long enough to know exactly what this thing will be like over the long term, but it’s enough to say a few things about it. There’s not much you can find online about this product. The … Continue reading