Customer Reviews

CatMouse Electronic Litter Box Odor Eliminator - CATMOUSECATMOUSE

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I have to admit that I kind of doubted the proclaimed efficacy of the Catmouse, but bought one anyway, thinking I had to do SOMEthing, and it couldn't hurt to try, right? Well...I am very pleasantly surprised. I have two cats, neither of whom like to cover their "poo", and...with the Catmouse...the odor is GONE! I love it and would recommend it to anybody having to deal with cat odors.

Also...just fyi...I have a friend who bought one at the same time I did, but hers didn't seem to do the trick as mine did. So, she called the company directly, and they told her to return it to them, at their expense, and that they would replace it with another one. She did, she got the new one, and that one works great. Great product; VERY accommodating company.

Just fyi...The following paragraph is an addendum to the first part of my review and is a response to a recent review of the product.

I would like to address the claim made in one of the reviews that ozone is unsafe. This is absolutely NOT TRUE. I did much research on this and found that those who speak out against small amounts of naturally occurring ozone are the same types who told us for 20 years that Aspertame is preferable to raw sugar, that margarine is preferable to butter and that any holistic approach to medicine is bogus. My two "babies" are the most important little beings in the world to me; I would not jeopardize their health for ANYthing. I am absolutely, without a doubt, confident that the Catmouse is safe and poses NO hazard to their lungs or any other part of their bodies.

The cons: Each unit is bigger than I expected, but the size is still manageable. I can tuck each one out of sight easily, but I still prefer they were battery-operated, so I don't have to hide the cord.

The pros: This product really works. I plugged one in about four feet from the most popular litter box in the house (and my biggest problem area) and within half an hour, the area was odor free!

All these rave reviews about this product. You know what they say: if it sounds to good to be true....
I have two 12 week old kittens. One of those litter box covers that look like a cabinet. I buy the premium litter that breaks the bank. I clean the box TWICE a day. Having this thing hung over the box has made NO DIFFERNCE. It states that the ordor will be gone within 12 hours..... IT'S BEEN A WEEK! Complete waste of money. If I didn't throw the box out that it came in I'd send it back. May make a great paperweight.

As G. Wright points out, this is an ozone generator, and effectively everything about ozone is dangerous to humans and animals. Even in small quantities. The EPA is a particularly good source: [...]

This review is a heads-up for others: see the reviewers here with over-the-top positive reviews of this product? Look at a couple other websites selling this; they pop up over and over and over again, with the same usernames, all saying essentially the same thing. It utterly *reeks* of a guerrilla advertising campaign.

I had so hoped that this would work in our 3-cat family. Unfortunately, this did not happen. I cannot tell that it makes any difference in controlling litter box odors.

Sad that they now resort to such deceptive advertising to sell this thing. They claim the only byproduct is oxygen, which of course is to make the person buying it think it is safe. The fact is that this device produces a form of oxygen called Ozone, which will kill bacteria and odors, but at the levels needed to do this it also damages the lungs of animals. But do not believe me, read this warning from the EPA. [...]

A quick blurb about me: I'm an engineer, once worked for the government (you will see why I mentioned it later), and am recently adopted 2 kittens - who can clear a room when they use the litter box!

Firstly, this product works. It's almost like magic at how it keeps down the odors. I had a before-and-after smell test (I gave it 2 hours). I bought my product and it works like a charm! I keep it on high setting on my kittens' litter box and don't think any more about it.

HOWEVER, I was reading some of the reviews here and there were alot of raves and rants about the product. Particularly there appears to be a discussion regarding the SAFETY of this product, which is what the rest of this review will talk about. I never looked into air purifiers until now, and never thought of an ozone producting purifier, of which the concept is very innovative. But not without some dangers.

So everyone probably has some idea of Ozone (the O3 molecule): it's in the atmosphere, but it's good...right? The answer is that it depends. The natural role of Ozone is to protect us from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun. When you see pictures of the Earth from orbit and you see that beautiful blue hue or halo around it - that's ozone! But to understand how it interacts with us directly is also important.

***Incoming nerd stuff - hang in there - this is important!***
Ozone is an unstable molecule. Just about any atmospheric molecule (AKA odors, pollutants, etc) that passes by the O3 molecule steals an oxygen molecule, leaving O2 and stabilizing the passing atmospheric molecule. A couple decades back the government issued the Montreal Protocol Act in an effort to stem the loss of ozone caused by cloroflourocarbons (CFCs) caused by evaporating refrigerants. When people say "We're depleting the Ozone layer!!" they are referring to the molecular interaction that reduces O3 to an O2 molecule and thus removing a molecule from its UV-deflecting role. In nature it's produced from phenomena such as lightning strikes and is freely ventilated in the air currents. Ozone is lighter than air, so it slowly migrates up to the top of our atmospheric layer where it serves to protect us from Utraviolet radiation. So Ozone is good, "up there."

However, studies in the last decade have shown the O3 molecule in high concentrations is an oxygen displacer, meaning the normal amount of oxygen you should be taking in with each breath is diminished. If enough is diminished it's lights out, ie. unconciousness. Of course long enough in an O2 depleted area death eventually follows. High, sustained, and lethal concentrations are near impossible to find naturally because it's produced outside where it's constantly mixed with the air. Man-made Ozone producers could be placed in an enclosed space like an stagnant room in a house, which then makes it dangerous. Because of it's possibility for misuse, the government (EPA) has taken the stance that it WILL NOT approve the use of any indoor intentional ozone producing air purifiers. It's an EPA(dot)gov article.

Whoa - so it's bad!? Well, in small enough concentrations, it's not going to kill anyone. Given the nature of ozone, it will eventually transform into oxygen within an hour or two, scrubbing most odors and pollutants with it. The CatMouse product generates a small enough amount of ozone where it won't knock anyone out unless they're in an unventilated, enclosed space (btw you can smell ozone, it smells like bleach). Read the CatMouse manual - they tell you explicitly that you have to put it in a ventilated area and make sure the litter box isn't enclosed. However, what caused me to take pause when reading their manual was when they started touting how it's safe and insinuates it's approved by the Federal Government. They even had the gall to publish the following in their book:

(from the CatMouse instruction book):
"The CatMouse emits Oxyions [their trademarked lingo for ozone] at the same levels as fresh country air. Actually, even fresh clean country air (not polluted city air) can often naturally contain twice the [ozone] levels as CatMouse produces or government regulations typically allow. Opening your windows to let fresh, clean air into your home could, therefore exceed regulatory limits! Ridiculous? Yes, once you know the facts. Remember these are the same regulatory government agencies that convinced you to eat Transfats for decades, not realizing they were up to eight times more likely to clog your arteries that natural butter! Hence the famous comedy line, "I'm from the government and I'm here to help!" Their cure is often more harmful than the problem...no thanks, big, corporate lobbyists!"
(end of exerpt)

This was the paragraph in the manual that gave me pause. Okay, remember these guys are pitching their product for you to buy. In doing so, they're trying to discredit government regulations, and portray ozone as being totally safe. Then elsewhere in the manual they still say you "must" make sure you open the entrance to kitty's hooded litter box if you place their product on the top of it without explaining why. The exerpt above is a very misleading statement, because these guys don't want you to pass on their product knowing potential safety hazards.

Don't get me wrong, they have a fantastic product, but there is some dangers however small they may be in using this product. I don't like their false advertising - they just needed to speak the truth and let their product speak for itself. Their statement saying country fresh air is twice the amount of what CatMouse generates and passes government regulations ignores the fact that you've just opened a window into your house to let that air in. The EPA warns against ozone producing products in enclosed spaces. When you open your window, you're VENTILATING your house.

In summary, Ozone is dangerous when you're trapped in an enclosed space with a high concentration of it. You will smell it, pass out, and die from lack of oxygen. This product works great, and I keep it on my hooded cat litter box in a room with a window slightly open and a ceiling fan on low (this is being overly conservative btw). I'm considering getting a second one to combat odors that waft into the connecting hallway. I'd recommend you try this product knowing the dangers and now having a clearer understanding of the hazards that may occur. Just remember to keep your area a little ventilated. Being caring owners by making time to read up on products before you purchase, you probably already do that!

Warning: Please read the US EPA fact sheet concerning Ozone Generators before purchasing this product!

In researching this product I thought it would be wise to obtain an independent third party evaluation of ozone generators.

Amazon automatically deletes links in reviews so I cannot post a direct link to the EPA website. Google "US EPA" then click on "US Environmental Protection Agency". At the US EPA site search for "Ozone Generators" and read the article "Ozone Generators that are Sold as Air Cleaners".

Please do this before you purchase this item. There are health risks you should be aware of. Here is an excerpt:
"Some vendors suggest that these devices have been approved by the federal government for use in occupied spaces. To the contrary, NO agency of the federal government has approved these devices for use in occupied spaces. Because of these claims, and because ozone can cause health problems at high concentrations, several federal government agencies have worked in consultation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to produce this public information document."

Always be aware of any product that receives too many highly positive reviews when there are many severely contrasting reviews (i.e. 1 star and 5 stars). Then you'll know something's probably not right.

I purchased the CatMouse device based on favorable reviews listed on amazon.com. I can add my favorable reaction to the other reviews. It has so far performed up to expectations, and I am glad I purchased it. I would recommend it to others and would purchase another if the need arises.

This is the best product I have ever purchased to resolve cat box/litter related issues. I cannot believe how well this product works to eliminate cat box odors. I have it on the high setting, placed within 4 feet and above the cat box. The bedroom and attached bath (where cat box is) have absolutely no odor at all. I am amazed.