Tell me about your litter box

I have one cat who pees over the edge of every regular litter box. We use a Rubbermaid container with high sides. She can't pee over the side of that plus it cuts way down on how much litter they kick out of the box during the turd burial ritual.

Honestly what stopped the tracking of litter for me was switching litter. I switched to crystal litter and the tracking has become almost zero. I buy the cheapest litter box they sell at Petsmart.

We use a big busboy tub - you know like the table clearers at restaurants use? It's heavy duty so doesn't collapse when it's time to dump the litter, and the sides are high enough to keep the sloppy pee-ers contained.

Get the Tidy Cats Breeze litter box. CHANGED MY LIFE (seriously). I told my husband it is in the top 5 best purchases I've made in the last year. You can read the reviews on Amazon, and Petsmart and Walmart sell it. Lots of good tips on Amazon and if you do a quick google. My cat didn't transition until I took the old one away. I've been using it about 6 months now and would never go back.

I have tried every type of litter tracking pad, I had a covered cat box (the Omega Paw rolling self-cleaning), etc etc. Nothing beats the Breeze. A few pellets get kicked out a day (and my cat is a kicker), I just pick them up and toss them back in.

The smell is almost non-existent (and it definitely existed with regular litter), and it is so easy to stay on top of. I scoop once a day and the pad gets replaced once a week (twice a week with 2 cats). I flip the pad with the tray around once a week since my cat pees in the same spot every time.  It is maybe $4 - $5 more a month than I was spending on litter and worth every dang penny. Pellets are changed out once a month, and I wash the box out completely (not gross at all, it is so clean) - at first I was skeptical that small bag was enough for a month but it totally is. Bonus, no more heavy litter. 

As far as if they change the box and stop making it, there are knock-off brands of the pads that are widely available and the pellets are made of something that you can get elsewhere in a little different format. I forget what I found in my research, but lots of people use different non-absorbent pellets with the box. I'm not worried about it, look at the following on Amazon and there are tons of loyal users. Hell, if they ever stop making it, I'll try to buy the patent and market it myself, it is that good. 

So, for sure, there is a little more "immediate" poop smell. Not that much more though (I could always smell it from a covered box anyway, I work from home and sit about 20 feet from where the box is in a different room), and a few thoughts: 

1. The pellets have a drying effect on the poo. I don't really get how they work but I guess they work kind of like silica pellets where they remove moisture. It seems like the poo is dried out and non-smelly within 30 - 45 minutes. No lingering odor - if he goes overnight, in the morning when I go in that area there is no smell. 

2. If their poo is really REALLY smelly beyond that length of time, might have something to do with their food. 

3. The box is so dang easy to use, I find myself cleaning it more often. I keep cheap sandwich baggies near the box and scoop any time I go by the room and there is poo. I would never do that with the old box because I found it to be such a hassle - there was litter on the floor, it was heavy, the urine clumps stuck to the box, it just felt like a PITA. With this box, I'm in and out in 10 seconds. 

I put the baggies in a Litter Genie next to the box, that works pretty well too (in the baggies only, didn't work well when I scooped and put the poo directly in the genie). 

I have always found the litter box to be a massive hassle, smell, and mess - my cat is 11 years old. With the Breeze box, it is now a total non-issue. Even on Day 7 of the pad, I never worry about if my house smells, if litter got kicked all over, etc. 

we have three cats so we have two (large) litter boxes with clumping clay litter. Our cats are all female, but since we got the third cat, one of our other cats has issues with spraying / peeing right at the edge of the box or out the opening of the box...

because of that, I bought LARGE covered boxes by the brand Nature's Miracle-- the plastic is non-stick and the way the hood snaps onto the base helps hold liquid (from spraying) inside the box. The litter box:  Nature's Miracle hooded litter box

The two boxes are next to each other on a HUGE litter mat to help with any spraying she might do out the doorway of the box (the mat and boxes were kinda expensive, but they've paid for themselves, as far as I'm concerned.  The litter mat: litter mat (24" x 30")

And, I go through a lot of Nature's Miracle and paper towels to neutralize / clean up her messes.
(annoying as she is, she's ours, so we- well, I- take care of her messes).


Years ago, I tried one of the litter boxes that had gravel and slats-- they pooped on the rocks and it dried, and when they peed it went thru the slats in the rocks and soaked into a pee pad underneath, which you then threw away. It worked great-- till the first time I cleaned the rocks. They didn't like the soap / cleaner I used, and didn't want to use it any more after that.  So, I switched back to a covered box with clumping litter.


ETA: I also had cats who have 'litter brand issues' so I would never try switching litter brands any more; that's why I got the largest boxes I could find.   That Breeze box?? I can tell just by looking at it that the sides aren't tall enough for our litter thrower-- she'd have those pellets all over the floor in no time. With our cats, we need boxes with a lid over the entire thing.  My previous vet told me she used a large tall-sided Rubbermaid container, too-- with a shower curtain around it, to contain any spraying. I only wish we had the space for something like that in our laundry room! But I really like the non-stick plastic the Nature's Miracle box is made from.

Ewww, true - if you have a cat with potty issues, might not be the right choice. Luckily I haven't had to deal with that... actually, ever. Man, knock on wood, huh? That sucks, sounds like it wasn't the right box for you with the pieces! 

I find it incredibly easy to clean once a month, the hardest part for me is poking the 4 - 5 broken pellet pieces out of the grid - need something pointy. Everything comes across and I'm able to completely wash it down in about 8 - 10 minutes. It is 3 parts - the "guard" around the edge, the main piece, and the tray. I have a cheap scrub brush I use only on that, and otherwise just water/multi-purpose cleaner/natures miracle. I wipe down the tray once a week when I change the pad but it really doesn't need it, it is just to be extra careful. 

I did have one time I think I let the pad go 10 days (can't remember why - traveling maybe?), and that was too long. 

Oh, other bonus - I had to collect a urine sample when my cat was having some testing done, and I just took the pad out and the tray collected the sample - easily poured it out of a corner into a jar. A little gross, but when is collecting a urine sample not gross? 

I had a cat who was very large. Not fat, just a big guy and even the largest litter boxes he'd hang out of. I bought a rubbermaid tub, cut a hole in the end of it and put the lid back on. It works great. Make sure you put the hole up pretty high. My husband didn't do that at first and he let himself hang out the end too much. We use wood burning pellets (they are just like feline pine but much cheaper). I pay $5 for a 40 pound bag that lasts about 6 weeks for 2 cats. I change it about ever 5 days. If you go that route, be sure to get hardwood pellets.

We bought the cat genie. Pricey? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely, and I even managed to get our then 17 yo male cat to make the switch using their recommendations. Plus they have *outstanding* customer service and warranty service. Love it. Will never go back. My dh was not on board at first, but when it clogged up and was not running properly (due to my improper cleaning method, not the fault of the box), he said "If they can't or won't fix it, just order a new one".

No one ever knows we have a cat, including our real estate agent and his photographer. They are trained to know that and they were both totally shocked. It's the best thing ever.

Cat Genie

I have four cats, so five litter boxes, like the one above.  Not only does it help to keep the litter in the box, but it also cuts down on the odor a bit, and I don't have to see the mess until I take the lid off to clean.  I do put a regular litter box in the bottom of the container since they are usually molded plastic with furrows or ridges.  Having the separate litter box inside makes clean-up easier.  

this.... I can't say enough good things about this system. NO CAT PEE smell..... ZERO
I also flip the pads since kitty pees at front of box.

Thanks--I am going to mention this to him (his cats are older so I am not sure they will adjust)  it could save him a lot of work 

Does anyone know if the Breeze system is available in Canada? After following this thread I checked on the Petsmart.ca website and don't see it there. Y'all had me convinced to try it, but I will be bummed if it's not on the market here.

another one who cut a hole in a big rubbermaid storage container(well I bought the cheaper brand instead of rubbermaid , sterelite or something like that).. works great. no way was I paying $20 for a covered cat box when the *rubbermaid* box was $5