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boodieTaken from mailing list
A couple of weeks ago, I succumbed to an ill-begotten urge to purchase
an electric cat box.
That's right, an electric cat box. You heard right.
Here's the concept: the cat box is equipped with a disposable container,
a sensor, a timer & a mechanized "rake". When the cat makes a 'deposit",
the sensor recognizes the event, the timer allows a respectful interval
to elapse, and the rake then drags itself through the cat litter and
deposits the waste in the disposable container. Every few days, one
replaces the disposable container and the kitty litter chores are done.
Now, just to get this out of the way, yes, it was expensive. $80 for
this bit of frivolity, but I figured I was darn well worth it.
It did, however, present a bit of a learning curve for the kitties, who
had been used to one sort of litter; the new kitty box required
clump-able litter. This stuff is rather like sand, but when in contact
with litter, a clump is formed. Initially, however, Ling thought it was
some sort of a spa: he leaped into the litter box and rolled around in
it like he was trying to cover every atom of his fur with litter. He
then promptly curled up in the box and took a nap.
Not to be daunted by this, however, I decided to help the cats to learn
the true purpose of the electric litter pan. Being a nurse - and a
resourceful one at that - I produced a small urine sample in a
disposable dixie cup and poured this in the pan to the amazement of the
kitty crew. They stared transfixed at the lump as it coalesced there,
and watched in total awe as the mechanical arm drug the rake through the
litter and deposited my sample into the disposable bin. Thereafter, the
cats were totally enthralled by this new device and quickly began to use
the pan exclusively. We rarely saw them after that. If by chance their
attention spans waned before the raking process started, they would run
from any portion of the house after hearing the motor begin and stare in
rapt glee as the evidence of their potty habits vanished into the bin.
And yes, you are correct, there IS more to this tale.
The "rake" is attached to the mechanical arm that powers it back & forth
through the litter by means of a snap-in attachment that, after the
second "sweep", neither snapped in nor attached on one side of the box.
At first this was a fairly minor irritation, but over time, it became
more and more of an issue.
Initially, small bits of cat litter were gently deposited on the other
side of the bin, i.e. on the floor outside of the box. Soon the level of
enthusiasm generated by the rake escalated, however. And now we had a
new form of entertainment for the feline family members:
The great American shit toss.
Yes indeed, soon the rake began to drag so badly on one side of the box
that it would lag well behind the rest of the process until rounding the
corner to (allegedly) deposit the turds in the bin. As a result, it
became the kitty litter equivalent of Babe Ruth.
The cats were endlessly fascinated by this new permutation. They
determined ONLY to poop on that side of the box, and to poop in petite
amounts. I think they were taking bets on distance before this whole sad
event concluded.
And they are in DEEP mourning now that we switched back to the old
manual system.
[By Sue Roth - 12/19/02]
A couple of weeks ago, I succumbed to an ill-begotten urge to purchase
an electric cat box.
That's right, an electric cat box. You heard right.
Here's the concept: the cat box is equipped with a disposable container,
a sensor, a timer & a mechanized "rake". When the cat makes a 'deposit",
the sensor recognizes the event, the timer allows a respectful interval
to elapse, and the rake then drags itself through the cat litter and
deposits the waste in the disposable container. Every few days, one
replaces the disposable container and the kitty litter chores are done.
Now, just to get this out of the way, yes, it was expensive. $80 for
this bit of frivolity, but I figured I was darn well worth it.
It did, however, present a bit of a learning curve for the kitties, who
had been used to one sort of litter; the new kitty box required
clump-able litter. This stuff is rather like sand, but when in contact
with litter, a clump is formed. Initially, however, Ling thought it was
some sort of a spa: he leaped into the litter box and rolled around in
it like he was trying to cover every atom of his fur with litter. He
then promptly curled up in the box and took a nap.
Not to be daunted by this, however, I decided to help the cats to learn
the true purpose of the electric litter pan. Being a nurse - and a
resourceful one at that - I produced a small urine sample in a
disposable dixie cup and poured this in the pan to the amazement of the
kitty crew. They stared transfixed at the lump as it coalesced there,
and watched in total awe as the mechanical arm drug the rake through the
litter and deposited my sample into the disposable bin. Thereafter, the
cats were totally enthralled by this new device and quickly began to use
the pan exclusively. We rarely saw them after that. If by chance their
attention spans waned before the raking process started, they would run
from any portion of the house after hearing the motor begin and stare in
rapt glee as the evidence of their potty habits vanished into the bin.
And yes, you are correct, there IS more to this tale.
The "rake" is attached to the mechanical arm that powers it back & forth
through the litter by means of a snap-in attachment that, after the
second "sweep", neither snapped in nor attached on one side of the box.
At first this was a fairly minor irritation, but over time, it became
more and more of an issue.
Initially, small bits of cat litter were gently deposited on the other
side of the bin, i.e. on the floor outside of the box. Soon the level of
enthusiasm generated by the rake escalated, however. And now we had a
new form of entertainment for the feline family members:
The great American shit toss.
Yes indeed, soon the rake began to drag so badly on one side of the box
that it would lag well behind the rest of the process until rounding the
corner to (allegedly) deposit the turds in the bin. As a result, it
became the kitty litter equivalent of Babe Ruth.
The cats were endlessly fascinated by this new permutation. They
determined ONLY to poop on that side of the box, and to poop in petite
amounts. I think they were taking bets on distance before this whole sad
event concluded.
And they are in DEEP mourning now that we switched back to the old
manual system.
[By Sue Roth - 12/19/02]
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no subject
no subject
Date: 2003-01-16 04:27 am (UTC)and you know what I could see MY cats doing the same thing.. with no problem at all
no subject
Date: 2003-01-15 09:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-01-16 04:31 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-01-15 10:50 pm (UTC)I've fallen... and I can't get up...
...cus I'm laughing to darn hard.
Thankyou for that. That is five minutes I DON'T regret spending on reading a livejournal entry.
You have just made my day boodie.
thankyou again.
x Suebix
no subject
Date: 2003-01-16 04:32 am (UTC)a giggle is good for you