LitterMaid LM900 self-cleaning cat litter box works best with premium clay based cat litter. Your cat must be in front of the sensor for 5 seconds then it will automatically cycle 10 minutes after your cat leaves the litter box, raking the waste into a disposable container, where it and odors are sealed away.

Automatically rakes waste into sealable container 10 minutes after use

Large capacity: ideal for large- and multiple-cat households

Plugs into wall socket or operates with eight D-cell batteries (not included)

Paw cleaning ramp and 12 reusable/disposable waster containers included

29 inches long, 8-7/8 inches high, 16-3/4 inches wide

Average Customer Review: ( 781 customer reviews )
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There are a few tricks to make use of the Littermaid easier and less expensive.

1. Re-use the Waste Recepticles! Also, I found that using just one tended to be messy when trying to clean out the residual damp litter. So now I use 2 at a time. I keep the empty "dirty" one covered off to the side with a SMALL amount of Arm & Hammer carpet deoderizer sprinkled inside, and when it comes time to empty the bin, I "sweep" the old (now dry) one with the included brush, and switch it with the (just emptied) damp one. Works like a charm.

2. DON'T empty waste bins directly into your trash! I put mine into the kitchen trash, and this smells up the room something awful whenever you open the lid. I dump the bin contents into a small (3 gallon) plastic trash bag, and also put the "sweepings" from the dry bin into the same bag. (The old deoderizer goes with it and helps subdue the smell.) The bag is a bit oversized for this, but that gives you plenty of extra bag to twist & knot.

3. Replacement rakes ARE available directly from Littermaid. You won't find them in the parts/accessories section of their website. You have to call them. However, they're pretty cheap ... Over the course of 4 years, the rake has broken on me three times, so it's a good idea to have a couple spare ones on hand.

All-in-all, it works out quite well. I highly recommend the Littermaid (Mega size). The smell, (even in the same room as the litter box), is MUCH better. If your cat is skittish about it, give it some time. It's worth it.

150 of 153 found the following review helpful:

It's a helping tool, not a replacement for you!Nov 30, 2003
By Saki mom "Song"
I usually don't write reviews but after reading these, I have to say my piece. This is a wonderful product. It's certainly not perfect. I would like it to be less noisy and have an adjustable wait time to allow for larger messes to clump harder. 10 min. sometimes is just not enough. I've had mine for 2 years with no breakage or slowing down. But I CLEAN mine now and then. I use the brush it came with and actually brush out the litter. Every 3 months, I take it apart, and soak the pan in warm soapy water and wipe the dust off. It's a MACHINE. It needs some care. I would do the same to a "manual" litter box too because it gets disgusting otherwise. If your machine is making several passes, it's stuck. READ the manual. This machine is like having an extra person who helps you. It keeps my cat happy and me happy. My husband is happy because the house never smells like we own a cat. Our guests are always surprised when they see the cat. The receptacles are expensive, but if you have one cat they do not need to be emptied for 5-7 days. Then, empty it and reuse it a couple more times. Because the litter clumps, it's not really that messy. I dump it if it becomes smelly. You can also put down a layer of baking soda in the empty bin first and that helps prolong its use. The machine can not replace the love and attention you give your cat, but it's worth $100.00 to have the job of scraping waste handed over to a roboting comb. I recommend this product to smart people.

187 of 197 found the following review helpful:

Free to do other things besides scoop the cat boxDec 10, 2003

I agree with other reviewers who indicate that the time window of 10 minutes is too short for the litter to clump hard enough, the pan is too shallow and the thing is a chore to clean when the time comes.

However, it is a nice convenience to have when you live with two cats and don't want to spend your time monitoring the litter box. And, the cats seem to enjoy watching the rake go back and forth.

Littermaid does have their own brand of litter which works better than any of the premium litters available. It has a funky smell but our cats don't seem to mind. The bags are small and a bit pricey. It is worth not having to clean muck off of the rake and it does track less. I have only found it stocked at Target so far.

Unfortunately, I am hunting for a replacement since our old one stopped working AGAIN. The first time it was under warranty and they replaced it, but it is completely dead again after only 8 months of use. The motor most likely burned out as the power indicator [red light] is lit.

Both of our cats are between 9 and 12 pounds each and the LM900 works well for them. I may go with the LM950 this time, though.

60 of 61 found the following review helpful:

Good Investment For the Busy Cat OwnerMay 30, 2003

I received a LitterMaid as an early birthday present a few days ago on the 26th. Four days later, it's still working fine. I did have my concerns, though, when I got it, like would my cats pee on it and have it fritz on the first day? (They did; it didn't.) But there are some advantages to having it, as I've listed below:

1) It "rakes" the box itself, so you'll always have a clean, Zen garden-like litter box. This is the biggest plus to the LitterMaid, especially if you have a meticulous cat and are too busy/lazy to clean a litter box on a daily basis.
2) It's relatively easy to clean because of all the removable parts, like the rake, tray, and "paw cleaning" ramp. You'll want to wear gloves for this job.
3) It's already assembled and virtually foolproof. It's almost impossible for your cat to be harmed by it, though they do recommend only healthy adult cats use it, not geriatric cats or young kittens that can't get in or out of the box.

Although the LitterMaid is great (I'd recommend it), don't expect it to be the perfect alternative to the regular litter box. It has its drawbacks, like:

1) It takes 10 minutes to activate the rake. Believe me, when your cat leaves something stinky in there, you're not going to wait 10 minutes. It's much quicker to either use a scooper or reset the power so it'll automatically start up again.
2) It requires more cleaning than a regular litter box because of all the corners, etc. I find myself cleaning it every day, whether it's just to sweep/vacuum on or around it, wipe up messes, or empty the waste receptacle bin. But then, I have six cats. I'm constantly having to do that anyway. (Note: It does come with a small cleaning brush, but it's not really good for much, just brushing off little bits of litter.)
3) (This goes with #2.) Sometimes the rake will get clogged, and the tray will have clumps adhering to it. One solution: After removing and cleaning the rake and tray, spray them lightly with a silicon spray or baby oil to help prevent clumping.
4) It can be operated by eight D-cell batteries. Though this isn't really a drawback (especially in the event of a power outage), it's better--and less expensive--to just use the AC adapter provided. But if you are going to use batteries, I'd recommend rechargeable ones. It's cheaper in the long-run.
5) It's a little noisy. It sounds a lot like a paper shredder and woke me up a few times. I've gotten used to it by now though.

As with any machine, you should read the instructions first, though most of the rules are just common sense sort of things. Here are a couple important notes, though the last two aren't in the instruction manual:

1) Only use premium clumping litters, like the four brands they list: LitterMaid Premium Clumping Litter, Arm & Hammer Super Scoop, Fresh Step, or Ever Clean. Do NOT use crystal or pearl-like litters.
2) The main case (the exoskeleton of the litter box) can NOT be immersed in water.
3) Don't buy new waste receptacles. Your litter box will come with several bins--they can be reused. You can either use a plastic bag inside of them for easier disposal, or just wash out the receptacles when necessary. However, they are rather flimsy and can't handle too much bending or they'll break, so you may need to purchase replacements later on.
4) As with all litter boxes, place the LitterMaid on a hard surface (not carpet), in case of accidents.

Overall, I'm very happy with this product. It's held up to six cats so far, and they actually prefer using it over the regular litter boxes (though I'm still keeping those), probably because 1) it's entertaining, and 2) it's always clean. Although I really enjoy it, it's not a necessary item for all cat owners. Some people will prefer the old method, particularly if you only have a few cats; but for those who don't have a lot of time--or don't want to spend their time cleaning litter boxes--the LitterMaid is certainly worth your money. However, I'd recommend shopping around first. You can definitely find a better price.

65 of 67 found the following review helpful:

LM900 Mega Shines!Apr 18, 2006
By Cynthia Raxter
I have 5 cats. Once I had 5 litter boxes to scoop twice a day. 2 Booda boxes, 2 extra large pans, and a 3-part sifter pan (which I did not like as it dropped used litter all over after you sifted). My life has been transformed by a Litter Maid Mega automatic litter box. All five cats use the same box now.

I use plastic grocery sacks to line the storage container. I put in about 4-5 at once. About once every two days, I just pull the full one out and tie it closed, dress over the litter and make sure the rake is clean. They give you a tool to clean the rake. I use a regular litter rake to make sure any used litter is scraped loose from the bottom of the pan. (One of my boys uses the same spot for every urine break. The litter in that corner sticks to the bottom of the pan.) This whole process takes about 5 minutes.

About once a month, I Dust Buster the mechanical parts and use a bathroom wipe as needed. I have always used disposable blue plastic-lined bed pads under litter boxes so any accidents are easy to take care of. You can get them in the Depends aisle at the drug store -- or search for "underpads" here at Amazon. Accidents are few and far between with the LitterMaid as the sides are very high. I had one dear sweet princess that would, at times, stand in the box with her back-end over the storage container. Until she passed away we just didn't use a lid. The Littermaid even kept her from peeing on the floor.

I clean the whole box about twice a year. The bottom pan pops off. I spray it with bathroom cleaner -- Scrubbing Bubbles -- let it sit a bit and then rinse it with a garden hose. I vacumm the upper (mechanical) part of the pan and then wipe it off with a bathroom cleaning wipe. (The rake will unscrew from the motorized arm and I could soak it in a bucket of Clorox water - but this is a litter box and I am not that fastidious.) All this takes about 20 minutes. Make sure all the parts are bone dry before reloading with new litter.

Some people have had problems with the automatic mechanism jamming, etc. The trick is to not overfill the litter pan. Keep the level between the two red marks. I used a ruler and a red Sharpie to extended the "FULL" mark all the way across the pan so it was easier to tell where the "DO NOT GO ABOVE THIS LINE" was. Secondly you have to use premimum litter.

I have had best results with "Scoop Away" litter. Scoop Away worked better than Tidy Cat Scoop or Arm and Hammer Scooping litter -- the granules seemed to be a bit larger so clumps did not get dense and stick to the rake. I have never tried the Littermaid litter. I have never tried or needed to use silicon spray or Pam cooking spray.

Even though the Scoop Away litter costs more than a store brand, it last longer with the LitterMaid. Because the waste is scooped automatically 10 minutes after the cat uses the box, the litter stays cleaner. Even with 5 cats, we use 7 pound bucket of litter every 2 months or so.

I don't think the sound is too obnoxious -- much quieter than a washing machine or vaccumm -- about equal to a dishwasher. I have the box in the laundry room next to the kitchen. If I hear it working, I say, "Thank God."

To get your cats to accept it very fast: set it up with litter beside your present box, but leave it unplugged. Manually scoop it for a day or so. Be diligent. Don't scoop the old box at all. Then, plug the Littermaid in, and turn on the switch on to rake, and off when done. Do this for a day or so. Then start leaving the switch on for a few hours and off for a few hours. If the cats go in the Littermaid while the switch is off, go turn it on after they are done and admire their progress. Continue to keep the Littermaid clean all week and leave the old box smelly. The cats naturally prefer a clean box.

I had 18, 19 and 20 year old cats, feral cats, shy cats and nervous cats all learn to use the box in one week with no problems. I laugh -- one cat I have insists on coming back inside to use the Littermaid. He was a neighbors cat and disappeared when he was a year old. He returned a year later and adopted me. He spent a year in the woods, but, by hokies, he is going to use his own special, automatic poopy-scooper box now.

If you have a cat that is terrorized by a dominant cat and you use two litter boxes -- you may want to leave the scaredy cat his "safe zone" box in place. When I first got the Littermaid, the cats used 5 boxes in different locations around the house. At first I left 3 of them in place. They got less and less use, so I decommissioned one after another -- probably over 6-8 months. Now we just have the Littermaid. I have used the same LM900 Mega since March of 2004.

With one cat it may not be worth the financial investment to have an auto poopy-scooper ($100-150 US). It has added an hour to my life every day -- plus added to my cats' health and well-being so it was well worth it for me.

Best of luck to you and your kittens!


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