LitterMaid Multi-Cat Automatic Self-Cleaning Litter Box Review

LitterMaid Multi-Cat Self Cleaning Litter Box Review

Star rating: 2.9 | LitterMaid Multi-Cat Automatic cat litter box automatically rakes the waste, depositing it in a waste compartment each time your cat uses the litter box.

After your cat uses the LitterMaid litter box, a dual motion sensor activates and after 10 minutes, the unit starts its cleaning cycle. A special rake collects the clumps and as it moves forward the waste compartment opens to receive the clumps and then closes and seals the waste.

The LitterMaid Multi-Cat self-cleaning litter box operates on low voltage and it can be powered with AC adapter or 8 AA batteries (batteries are not included).

WHAT COMES WITH THE UNIT

⇒ Main unit and ramp
⇒ 8 waste receptacles
⇒ 8 Charcoal Filters
⇒ 1 Scoop and Rake Cleaner
⇒ AC Adapter

FEATURES

• Self-cleaning litter box helps keep the litter box clean
• Automatically starts a cleaning cycle 10 minutes after your cat uses it.
• Extra 10 minutes delay if a cat re-enters the litter box.
• Plastic rake to avoid stuck waste
• Rake pushes litter clumps into a waste compartment with a carbon filter to control odors.
• The litter pan holds 50% more litter than the previous version
• Designed for large cats and multi-cat households
• New quieter and more powerful motor
• Model: LM-86579
• Dimensions: 27″ L X 17.7″ W X 9.8″ H

HOW IT WORKS

The cat uses the litter box and once your pet leaves the unit, a dual motion sensor activates, and 10 minutes later a rake starts pushing the clump towards the waste compartment. As the rake moves forward it lifts the clumps, sifting the clean litter and finally depositing the litter clumps into the waste receptacle which opens to receive the waste. As the rake starts moving back into position the compartment closes and keeps the waste sealed with a carbon filter inside to control odors.

If a cat re-enters the litter box during the countdown period, the machine will reset for a 10 extra minutes delay once the cat leaves the litter box.

WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF LITTERMAID MULTI-CAT?

The following advantages and disadvantages of the Littermaid multi-cat will help you to decide with more information:

PROS

• A larger capacity litter pan makes it suitable for two small to medium cats or one large cat (a little larger than medium size).
• Ramp to reduce litter tracking
• Automatically cleans the litter box 10 minutes after the cat uses it.
• Reset mechanism in case a cat re-enters the litter box while in a 10-minute countdown.
• More powerful motor and is a little quieter than previous versions
• The carbon filter helps to control odors
• The unit can be disassembled for easy cleaning and disposal of dirty litter.

CONS

• The rake does not scrape the bottom of the unit to collect waste stuck on the bottom.
• The power switch could be deactivated if cats steps on it.
• Litter spillage when rake deposits the clumps into the waste compartment.
• The litter level is low so you have to change or pour litter more often
• Rake sometimes gets stuck and does not move (litter accumulated on waste compartment area or rake area).
• This version does not come with a sleep timer
• Not very strong construction around waste compartment (you can get the Litter Works that adds a much bigger capacity to collect waste and is very simple to dispose of, check a full review here.)
• Waste stuck on the rake, but much less than previous versions

TIPS & TRICKS

• To prevent waste from sticking at the bottom of the tray, you can lightly coat the pan with “Rust-Oleum NeverWet”. The pan is detachable and it does not have electronic pieces in it.
• To make the unit run smoothly you can put 3M silicon spray with a soft cloth on rails and rake tines.
• Replace the plastic waste compartment with a PERMA-lid and this way you can use any trash bag instead of buying plastic receptacles (you can see a video of how it works on YouTube).
• You have to use hard-clumping litter like Natures Miracle, if not, when the rake pushes the clumps it breaks them into small pieces and some of them will fall from the rake thus, they won’t be dropped into the waste compartment.
• To maintain the automatic litter box make sure to empty and entirely clean the unit at least once a month.
• Make sure to fill the pan with the exact amount of litter indicated if pouring too much litter or too little will cause the unit to malfunction.

Note: by cleaning the unit often and filling the exact amount of litter the motor will perform properly without stressing the mechanism.

CONCLUSION

Littermaid MultiCat automatic litter box helps you to keep the cat litter box cleaner than a regular litter box. It’s important to mention that you have to follow the instructions religiously to get a device that really works for you and also you have to apply some minor adjustments to get the best performance.

This is not a unit that you will unpack, set up, and forget, it needs maintenance. If you keep the unit clean, plus applying the “tips”, this automatic litter box will help you keep your cat litter box clean. Ideally, you need to keep an eye on the litter box at least once a day. With two cats you may need to change the litter every 3 or 4 days. With one cat, approximately every week. You need to pour clean litter as needed.

It’s important to mention that according to customer reviews, 60% of customers are satisfied with this automatic litter box while 40% are not. To check the latest price of this unit, visit Chewy here.

BOTTOM LINE

√ I would recommend this unit:

• For small cats
• If you strictly follow the instructions that come with the unit
• If you apply the “tips” to make the unit work flawlessly
• If you can keep an eye on it at least once a day

x This unit might not be suitable:

• For large cats or for more than 2 cats
• Cats that urinate excessively
• Cats that tend to urinate too much in corners
• If you are not willing to do adjustments to make the unit work better
• If you can’t check on the litter box to clear some areas of litter