Litter Genie Cat Litter Disposal System

Litter disposal systems are a preferable alternative to using free plastic or paper grocery bags for collecting and disposing of cat litter box waste. More important, the easier cleaning of litter box waste can go a long way in helping prevent cystitis, a serious urinary tract condition. Cystitis is also one of the top causes for litter box avoidance in cats, as they relate the pain of urinating with the litter box.

Cystitis Definition:

Cystitis in cats (aka interstitial cystitis) is a lower urinary tract condition related to FLUTD, which can stem from several different causes:

• Infection 
  Infection can be primary, or a result of stones or crystals.
• Crystals in the Urethra or Bladder
  If the urethra (the tube between the bladder and the opening to the outside) is blocked with crystals, urine will back up in the bladder, which is considered a veterinary emergency. If the bladder forms stones next to the ureters (the tube that leads from the kidneys to the bladder), the kidneys will not be able to process the toxins efficiently, the toxins will go into the blood stream, and a cat can die quite quickly. Several years ago, we almost lost our cat, Bubba who was an indoor-outdoor cat. Since he left his excrement outside, we did not observe the symptoms of cystitis, until he became quite lethargic. When we saw the nictitating membrane (aka nictating membrane), we recognized the emergency and took him to our veterinarian immediately, where he remained for over a week.
• Stress
  Although stress may not be a cause, it can certainly exacerbate the cystitis. *Currently, studies are being done to determine if cycsitis in cats is the same disease as interstitial cystitis in humans. Anyone who has ever suffered from this bladder condition will recognize that stress and cystitis can create a full circle, making it difficult to treat.

Cystitis and corresponding FLUTD may be prevented by a change of diet. Either raw or canned food is preferable. If a dry food is recommended by your veterinarian, be sure the cat has a source of fresh, clean water available at all times - preferably with an automatic water fountain.

How to Prevent Litter Box Problems

Under normal conditions, your cat will like to use her litter box. Changes in your cat's litter box behavior can almost always be traced to a medical condition, stress, or something she dislikes about her litter box environment. If your cat suddenly stops using the litter box, don't fall for the fallacy that she is just being stubborn, or that she is "missing the box" out of spite. Fortunately, a little know-how and preventive maintenance can greatly reduce the chance of litter box problems.

But First:

• Never punish or yell at your cat for not using her litter box; that only makes things worse. Likewise, picking up a cat and throwing it in the litter box will only cause more box avoidance.
• Any acute or prolonged signs of litter box difficulties, such as urinating more frequently, avoiding the litter box, or straining, could indicate an urgent medical condition; call your vet right away.

The Perfect Litter Box Environment

• Provide Enough Litter Boxes. The ideal recommended number is one box per cat, and one extra. Since many cats don't like to pee and poop in the same box, I'd recommend having at least two litter boxes for one cat. At times, I've actually had six boxes for three cats.
• Location. Put the litter box in a pleasant location: easy to access, away from noisy or high-traffic areas, out of the dog's and baby's reach. Some cats, especially older or handicapped cats, prefer a litter box on each floor of the house. Beware of putting the litter box directly on soft carpet; for some cats, the adjacent carpet feels like litter. Use a minimum of one litter box per cat.
• Litter. Every cat has a favorite litter - work with your cat to find out her preference. When in doubt, start with an unscented clumping litter. Although the jury's still out on this, if you have a kitten, you may want to avoid clumping litters that contain sodium bentonite. Keep kitty's box filled with about two inches of litter, unless directed otherwise by the package. When changing litters, do it gradually over several days, or fill a second box with the new litter.
• Type of box. Some cats don't care for covered litter boxes. If you use a covered box, remember to scoop and clean often, as odors can be trapped inside. Some cat owners like automatic-cleaning litter boxes, others don't. As with litter, your cat will help guide you in your selection.
• Clean! Scoop clumping litter at least once a day, other litters as directed. Wash the litter box and replace the litter weekly. Use a mild soap and rinse well. An occasional 1-part-in-10 bleach solution is fine if you rinse thoroughly. Stay away from ammonia and citrus-scented or strong-smelling cleaners.
• Routine. Once you and kitty find a system that you're both comfortable with, "stay the course."

Litter Genie Cat Litter Disposal System

Pros:

1. Litter Genie^TM has a smaller footprint than the Petmate Litter Locker Plus, which I previously reviewed reviewed.
2. The price is right; compared again with the Litter Locker, the initial unit is priced at $15 - approximately one quarter of the going price for the Litter Locker.
3. Built-in carrying handles front and back, enable the user to carry the Litter Locker from room to room, as needed.
4. I could detect absolutely no odor with the top lid closed, even if waste was in the top holder and not yet dumped below. The Litter Genie website refers to these odor-free properties as "five-layer refill bags with built-in odor barrier technology"
5. The Litter Genie was relatively easy to assemble, taking me less than five minutes.

Cons

1. As with many products today, the accessories (in the case of Litter Genie, the refill cartridge), quickly add up to many times the original cost of the entire unit.
2. The "child-safe" built-in bag cutter doesn't work well. I ended up having to use scissors to cut the end of the bag all the way through.

Description

• What's In The Box
  The Litter Genie Unit with a built-in scoop holder, a litter scoop, and the standard Litter Genie refill cartridge, containg 14 feet of the refill bag material.
• Size and Weight:
  The unit measures 9.5 X 8.5 X 17 Inches Tall, and weighs 3.3. pounds (empty, I presume).
• Comes in two colors: white or silver.
• The Litter Genie website claims that one refill cartridge can last up to two months for one cat.
  The refill cartridge is said to be 30% longer than the standard cartridge that comes in the box with the Litter Genie.

Litter Genie Plus VS Litter Locker Plus

It is impossible to keep from comparing the Litter Genie with the earlier Petmate Litter Locker Plus. The beauty of the Litter Genie is that its developers observed the problems inherent with the mechanical workings of the Litter Locker bag-changing system, and created a much simpler way of exchanging the filled bag with a new, empty one.

The process is so simple, even a child can do it. One Amazon.com reviewer said her eight year old child was able to read the instructions and change the bag in five minutes, about the same time it took me. Go figure.

The Instructions Which Accompany the Litter Locker

1. "Pull the refill's plastic tab and remove the outer rim."
2. "Pull about one foot of the plastic film out of the refill. Then push down the film through the center of the rim and tie a knot at the bottom"
3. "Open the lid and funnel and sit the refill on top of the unit. Pull the handle and push the film through the pail."
4. Close the funnel -- it's designed to fit snugly into the refill -- and close the lid."

Worked for me, and the product does indeed keep the whole house free of obvious "cat odor."

In Contrast, the Litter Locker Plus

Frankly, my experiences with the original Litter Locker eventually became so frustrating that I ended up dumping it altogether. First, the replacement bag cartridges became overly expensive. Worse, the cost was exacerbated by the fact that turning the handle just wrapped the bag around and around the interior handle itself. The problem apparently had to do with the direction in which the replacement bag was originally threaded around the handle, but I was never able to figure it out, despite studying all the diagrams over and over.

After reading other reviews on Amazon complaining of the same problem, I finally found one review which suggested simply eliminating the handle entirely, thus allowing the bag to unfold straight down to the bottom of the tank. The problem with this approach was that if I forgot to tie off and cut the bag soon enough, it became too full and heavy, causing the bag to break open and spill. After about the third time this happened, I put all the parts back in and gave the Litter Locker to a friend who does cat rescue. I wish her luck with that product!

The Bottom Line

Would I encourage a friend to purchase the Litter Genie? Well, while writing this review, I purchased a second unit for my bedroom, which I share with Jenny.

I'll soon purchase another one for the large litter box which is shared by our three male cats. I consider my own purchase of three of the same product to be the highest recommendation I can give.

Source: By Franny Syufy, About.com Guide