My family has 4 cats. I know, you're saying "That's a lot of cats." You are darn right that's a lot of cats. Don't get me wrong, I love them, but when they swarm a plate of food I have to admit even I sometimes get a little skeeved. You also have the fact that a cat's digestive system is not dissimilar to a playground merry-go-around, you know the kind they used to have that you could spin really fast and the kids would come flying off in some random direction? When you feed a cat, you're not sure from whence that food will reemerge, but rest assured in one form or another you'll be seeing it again. But at least cats tend to do the majority (a slight majority) of their business in a litter box, and it is toward the maintenance of that aspect of cat efflux that I focus the remainder of this review.
Anyway, I've never minded cat box duties too much, but I recently took a new job where I am travelling more, and the rest of the family tends to "forget" to mind the litter box, so I thought it was time to take advantage of living in the 'teens and get myself a robofied litter box.
I've had some previous exposure to the concept of an automated litter box that was not good. My brother, something like 10 years ago, had one in his bathroom. This was pre-Cat Genie days. It used some type of plastic pellets, and it worked by filling up with water then cycling everything through some type of blender. My god, that thing was a horror. When it started up it was LOUD and violent, and it created a swirling Charybdis of reeking cat excrement whose sole purpose seemed to be to convert the poop into an aerosolized form. I fear that the legacy of my brief time in this contraption's presence is lingering bits of condensated cat feces forever buried in the deepest alveolar sacs of my lungs.
But that was then, and this is THE FUTURE! So I took a chance on The Cat Genie 120 (TWICE as good as the 60, no doubt).
Setup was fairly easy, except for some issues I had around using my washing machine connections. I learned that sometimes, once you unhook a washer hose, you need a brand new hose if you don't want it to leak when you put it back together. Once I figured that out, I was leak-free. My other problem was that the drain hose would not fit down the drain hole along with the washer drain hose. So I got creative and used the rubber end piece intended for use with toilets and was able to squeeze that down the drain hole. This is probably not recommended, but what can I say, I'm the Evel Knievel of cat poop. It's been working fine for me that way, so, assuming absolutely no responsibility if anything bad happens, I'm going to say you should totally do this if you need to.
ProTip: Pay attention to how this thing goes together while you are assembling it. Take a good look at the grinder part especially. It's fairly simple, but at some point you are going to need to take it apart to fix it, so don't let the workings be a mystery to you. You don't want to have to learn on the fly while wading through the swampy waters of Camp Catcrud. Your cat will eat a rubber band or something that will make the round trip and end up wrapped around the Cat Genie's grinder eventually, so be prepared! Knowing is half the battle! The other half is forgetting afterwards.
The engineering on this thing is impressive. The litter bowl rotates, the scoop goes up and down, it fills with cleaning solution and drains, and it dries the litter with a blow dryer. It runs what I am sure was a very extensively developed cycle using these features to scoop the poop, grind it up and flush it, and wash the pellets. It generally works really well. It's not too loud, and it doesn't seem to freak out the cats. And if the thing someday goes all Skynet on you, I don't think it could really do much damage, so sleep easy.
Occasionally the Genie will miss a poo, especially small ones that fall through the scoop. This poo will get baked by the hair dryer and smell bad. However, over subsequent runs these poolets usually get ground up by the Genie's clever use of the scoop and eventually cleared down the drain. I'd suggest having a lizard litter scoop on hand to pluck out little bits if you happen to see any. Aside from this, the thing generally smells OK! Definitely much better than the dual Scoop-Away setup we had going previously. However, if your cat is prone to mud-bottom, the Cat Genie is NOT for you unless you enjoy exponential amplification of your problems.
As others have stated, the litter pellets do get scattered a bit, but I don't find it is tracked around any worse than the Scoop-Away was, and they are much less messy to pick up (and you can put them right back in the box). But do get those higher side walls for the Genie, if not the whole dome. Also, get a decent litter mat that will let you recover the pellets easily, like the "Blackhole" mats you can find here on the big A-Z. Don't be that guy who half-arses it then whines when it doesn't work perfectly. Commit, man (or lady as the case may be).
As far as training the kitties, after a false start, all four cats are on board the Genie train. At least two of them took to it right away, so I tried yanking the old box cold turkey style, but I had a rebel or two in the group who left some protest packages for me. I did not find any liquid rebellion though, so I suspect this was just a token resistance. Regardless, I backtracked a bit and brought back the old Scoop-Away box. I did as others have suggested and gradually replaced the Scoop-Away with Cat Genie Pellets over the course of a week or so (a box of Genie litter had to be sacrificed for the greater good). Then I washed the old box and filled it back up with just Genie pellets. Some of the cats still preferred this old box over the Genie proper. So each morning, I would scoop out all the clean pellets from the Genie and dump in the dirty pellets from the old box and run a wash. Cat pee smells fearsome bad when there's no litter that absorbs it, so this was unpleasant, but such is the price of progress. When my mind is quiet though, sometimes I can still smell it….
Then I took away the old box. But I sweetened the deal with my secret weapon: Precious Cat Ultra Litter Attractant. The irony of that name is oppressive. This is oregano looking stuff that smells like dirt and makes the kitty feel like they are getting away with peeing on your houseplant. Of course they love that, and the stuff worked like a charm in helping the holdouts overcome their remaining Genie reservations. The oregano is very fine, so it gets washed away in the cleaning cycle. I sprinkled this on after each cleaning ("BAM!") for about a week, and that was that.
The Cat Genie is now granting all the cat's "wishes" full time. I've got the box running in "cat activated mode," which means it runs automatically 30 minutes after a cat visits it. This has worked really well, and I am sure has given the cats a healthy sense of empowerment. I haven't had to deal directly with cat scat for a couple weeks now, except sometimes I still go in to watch the Genie do its magic, because it is pretty cool. Also, one of my cats has taken to signing melancholy cat tunes while using it. I'm not sure what's up with that, but I'm going to just assume that she finds the futuristic litterbox experience artistically inspiring in some way.
So far I have had one clogging incident. It took a while to clear, but if the same thing happened again I think I could fix it much more quickly. There was a big clump of litter pellets stuck at the Genie end of the drain tube. I think that clump may have been my fault, as at the time I was transferring very wet pellets from the "training box" over to the Genie, and I may have made some clumps that didn't fall through the scoop as normal. So I will warily spot the Cat Genie that one.
In summary, I can see how if things go wrong you could have a pretty disgusting disaster to deal with, and I am sure this will happen eventually (and I will dub it "Catrina"), but on balance I'm very glad I got this. I am a fan! Cat Genie is #1 for #2! And #1! We don't have the hover-boards we were supposed to by now, but I'm sure I would just hurt myself badly on them anyway. What we did get is the Cat Genie, and I'll take it. I hope it will continue to function as it has been for years to come. Same goes for the cats. And for me for that matter.
I'll report back in a month or so on whether our cat whiz Elysium has endured. Everything depends on how well this thing continues to function over time. EVERYTHING!
UPDATE: In the month since I wrote this review, I've had one further clogging incident. As foretold by prophecy, one of the kitties ate a ribbon that wound itself around the grinder. However, now that I know my way around the Genie's innards, I was able to fix it up in under 10 minutes.
I have also put the Genie to the ultimate test of a week-long family vacation. We had a kindly neighbor checking in and a backup litter box on standby, but the Genie was left in charge of cat waste management. It ran completely autonomously for a week with no problems at all. Thanks, Cat Genie!
UPDATE #2: OK, I think I know what might be the source of at least one commonly reported unhappiness with the Cat Genie. The good news (I guess) is that this is self-inflicted.
After a while, you'll lose some of the granules from the bowl. You'll buy a nice fresh box o' granules and you will go to add some. And you'll think "OK, I'll just put in a little bit...now I'll just add a little more for luck." STOP RIGHT THERE! There appears to be a very delicate balance between the volume of granules in the bowl and the effectiveness of the drying cycle. If you go over the original quantity of granules, even by a little bit, they won't dry. And when they don't dry, the scoop will deposit a big wet wad of them unto the grinder, and you will be blessed with an almighty clog.
UPDATE #3: The Cat Genie has been working so well for our 4 cats that we decided to get another one. "Another Cat Genie, or another CAT?" you snigger. Well keep on laughing, because the answer is BOTH. When you foster litters of kittens and their mothers for a local shelter, things just happen, OK? But there is also a rationality behind the decision. If you figure that we were fostering 2-3 litters of 3-7 kittens for 3-4 months each a year, in addition to our permanent cats, it actually works out to considerably fewer cats per day (cpd) to just keep one more cat and stop fostering. So that's what we did. But I have to admit I would never have considered it if I was scooping up after 5 cats. The CatGenie enabled this to happen. I love you and I hate you so much CatGenie.
ANYWAY, the kitten took right to the Genie with the help of a small footstool to help her climb in. However, we realized that a 5:1 cat to Cat Genie (c/CG) ratio was pushing it, so I bought another one. This time, installation was a snap, because I am an experienced robot litter professional now. CatGenie #2 went into the guest bathroom that shares a wall with the laundry room. This one is attached to the sink faucet line (after drilling a neat little hole in the side of the cabinet) and drains into the toilet. I bought the full dome for this one, so the cats now have the option of top-up or top-down bodily functions, much like an incontinent frat boy with a Cadillac convertible. So consider this repeat purchase a strong endorsement of Cat Genie, and a cautionary tale of feline excess madness.
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From the manufacturer
Acts Like a Cat Box. Cleans Like an Appliance. Flushes Like a Toilet.
With CatGenie, your cats have an automatic cat box that's more hygienic than your own bathroom. CatGenie not only flushes away waste, it also washes and hot-air dries itself clean after every use. All you do is tell CatGenie when to clean itself (choose between automatic or manual modes).
CatGenie requires NO LITTER, only cat-approved, septic-safe Washable Granules that never need changing. When kitty goes, liquids drain through the non-absorbing Washable Granules. CatGenie scoops and liquefies the solids for safe and easy disposal down the laundry drain or toilet then cleans and hot-air dries the Washable Granules, all for your cat's comfort.
CatGenie delivers a scooped, washed and hot-air dried cat box after every use.
More Than Self Scooping
- Litter Free
- Washes with SaniSolution and Water
- Hot-Air Dries Granules
- Automatically Scoops, Washes, Flushes, Dries after every use
- Easy DIY Installation
How It Works: The CatGenie Cleaning Cycle
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SCOOPSWhen the cleaning starts, your CatGenie removes any solids for immediate disposal. |
WASHESUsing water and cat-safe, veterinarian-approved SaniSolution, your CatGenie washes, scrubs, scours and purifies the Washable Granules and cat area clean as new. |
FLUSHESCatGenie liquifies solids and flushes all waste out of your home for good. No nasty clumps or dirty litter to clean out. No heavy bags or containers of contaminated litter to smell or carry. |
DRIESCatGenie uses hot air to thoroughly dry granules at the end of each cycle, leaving them completely dry for the next use. |
Installation is Simple.
Your CatGenie comes with everything you need for installation and no plumber is needed.
The best location for your CatGenie cat box is the Laundry/Utility Room or a Bathroom.
DIY installation takes less than 15 minutes for most users.
Your CatGenie Will Need:
- Fresh water from a cold water supply line that connects to a washing machine, sink or toilet.
- A laundry drain or toilet for cat waste removal.
- An electrical outlet.
Simple DIY Setup: No Plumber Needed
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One-Time, Easy DIY SetupConnect to a cold water line using the supplied T-Adaptor, share drainage with toilet or washing machine and plug into a 120-volt AC electric outlet. |
Bathroom OptionIn a bathroom setup, the drain hook secures under the toilet seat to allow waste to drain into the toilet. Cold water is shared with the toilet. |
Laundry Room OptionIn a laundry room set up, the GenieHose is inserted into the washing machine drain pipe and cold water line is shared with washing machine. |
3 Cleaning Cycle OptionsChoose from three options to start cleaning: 1. Press Start button to start cleaning anytime. 2. Use Time Activation mode to select times to automatically clean each day. 3. Use Cat Activation mode to automatically clean after each use. |
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I purchased this after looking at it popping up in my Facebook ads for several weeks. I was initially turned off by the price, because it seemed significantly expensive. I ultimately chose to go with the unit based solely on my dislike for cleaning the litter box (I am generally the only one in my house that does it). I was worried that the cats might not take to the unit, however after reading the information from the acclimation guides I decided I could likely get past this.Upon receiving the CatGenie, which came several days ahead of the quoted lead time, I unpacked it immediately. and set it up with just the sidewalls installed surrounding the bowl. I purchase the unit with the full dome and door, but in an effort to get the cats acclimated I have the dome and door off. Considering there is no significant cast off of the "litter" I may not end up using them. The sidewalls provide enough protection against knocking material out. I had a mat from my old litter box that I used in front which catches the minimal loss.Setup was easy with the included connections. I had a floor drain in my basement where I used to have a shower that I opted to drain the unit into. I raised the tubing behind the unit approximately a foot and attached it to the wall with a clamp. The fresh water line I used the included connector and attached it to the line from the stationary tub. Upon starting the unit initially I turned off the automatic cleaning cycles, and ran a manual cycle to see how it operated and to ensure I had set the unit up correctly. It ran through the first time with no issues.I opted to remove the old litter box upon installing the CatGenie, and monitor the situation. My two cats both immediately started using the unit, and for the first few days I manually ran the cleaning cycles to ensure the cats would not get spooked by the operation. A couple days in one of the cats came down during a cleaning cycle and sat there watching it so I chose that as the opportunity to enable the "cat activation" mode, since this would ultimately double the lifespan of the cleaning cartridges. The cats have used it without issue since this point, and seem to be enjoying that they always have a clean area.The scent of the fresh scent cartridge was fairly strong, and my wife is sensitive to smells so we did end up ordering the scent free cartridges to use a few days after getting the machine. I ordered through amazon, and did not have the option to choose to get a scent free cartridge with the machine. After changing the cartridge it took a couple cleaning cycles but the smell from the original one is gone.Ultimately since installing, I have not had any odor from the basement where the litter box used to generate a significant amount before. Even better, I don't have to clean the litter box at all. As soon as the cats go the box cleans 10 minutes after and the waste is just gone. I am exceptionally happy with the purchase, and honestly wish I had not waited as long as I did.
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