Urban Blog

Having a cat is great, well, at least most of the time. It’s a good thing that cats are so darn cute, particularly as kittens. When you take home a kitten or cat, you’re probably not thinking about the endless chores that are ahead of you. Few, if any, household tasks are quite as unpleasant as changing a litter box.

Over the years, countless hucksters have promised to make life easier for weary cat owners but they often fail to deliver. Unfortunately, litter boxes technology and concepts have consistently failed to deliver the goods and provide cat owners with a trouble-free litter box solution.

An innovative litter box solution is one that achieves two goals: first, it is easy-to-use and second, it offers improved sanitation. While there may not yet be the perfect answer to the collect woes of cat owners, there are some good options that can make the universally dreaded job of cleaning a little box just a little easier.

Here are some options to think about:

Solution #1 – A Crowdfunded Solution

Luuup Litter Box is the most successful pet product in the history of crowdfunding raising over $1 million dollars. No doubt the Luump Litter Box can be called innovative and over 14,000 backers on Kickstarter agreed. The product features three slotted trays that allow litter to fall through to the next tray, but the top trays collects the dirty litter.

Rotate the tray and the Luump Litter Box forms a solid surface. The video on the Kickstarter page makes the entire process rather straightforward. If you are looking for a relatively inexpensive litter box solution, the Luump is a pretty good place to begin that search. The Luump is definitely superior to any old-fashion litter box on the market.

Solution #2 – A LitterBox that Works Like a Toilet

Another, fancier and more expensive litter box option for cat, and small dog owners the company claims, is the cleverly named Catolet.

The Catolet hooks directly into your homes cold water supply and functions essentially as a real toilet, albeit one specifically designed for cats. Most of the time no plumber is required to install the Catolet. Once installed the Catolet, which features a conveyor belt like system, removes waste automatically and cleans the conveyor belt. Yes, this is a conveyor belt for cat waste, and readies itself for the next exciting use.

By using a digital sensor, the Catolet knows when your cat has taken a litter box trip and then waits until the cat is well out of the way before beginning the safe flushing process. The litter is flushed down the sewer. This, of course, is awesome just so long as you don’t have any sewer problems. There is even a leakage detection systems that will send an alert to your smart phone, so you can synch up your technology with your potential litter box problems. If you feel as though your kitty needs a little extra privacy a privacy “shelter” is also available.

With the Catolet, you will definitely feel as though your cat has moved into the 21^st Century. Learn more about the Catolet by visiting their website.

Solution #3 – A Litter Reducer

ModKat definitely takes a more low-tech approach than Catolet, but it is effective box for dramatically reducing cat box litter. ModKat takes the concept of having your cat jump into a box with a lid on it to a whole new, and pretty rewarding level. Even a well-behaved cat with perfect litter box manners will track litter onto the floor.

The ModKat has won awards due to both its design and looks. The ModKat features a liner and a lid that locks. This combination makes it very easy to clean. Additionally, the design prevents leaks and thanks to the liners is pretty easy to clean. Three litter tray liners cost around $40 dollars, and the Modkat Litter Box itself costing about $100. There are several colors available and the locking lid is actually dog proof. (If you’ve ever lived with both a dog and a cat, you already know this is a much bigger deal than it sounds!)

Solution #4 – A Indoor/Outdoor Bathroom

In terms of innovative litter box ideas on the horizon, it is tough to beat Katio. Katio is “a litter box that goes in your window, just like an A/C unit.” Currently in the prototype stage, Katio has to win marks for its originality. The Katio is literally hang off the side of your house like an air conditioning unit.

When the Katio hits the market, it will cost about $300, which seems more than reasonable for what it offers. As long as the Katio is 100% secure, doesn’t leak, won’t blow litter into your house and can withstand lots of rain and snow, the product could be a true winner. Imagine having your litter box on the outside of your house. Maybe you’ll opt for getting your cat its own cat bathroom patio.

Solution #5 – The DIY Approach

Finally, if you are the adventurous sort, you can always try to potty-train your cat. This approach isn’t for the faint of heart or for those lacking in patience, but this approach is undoubtedly an innovative one. Many people have successfully achieved this goal, particularly those with very smart kitties.

There are many cat potty training kits on the market, such as the CitiKitty, which if used successfully means never having to empty a litter box again. If you are willing to share a toilet with your cat, or if you have a half-bath that doesn’t get used too often, then potty training your cat might be an option for you.

Inventors realize that dealing with litter boxes are pretty unpleasant. Luckily there are many more options than in past years. If you’ve had enough with empty litter and litter making its way onto your floors, then check out the options highlighted in this article. You and your cat will be glad you did! Hopefully the end result will be that you forget about your cat’s bathroom needs and get back to the more rewarding parts of being a cat owner.