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The least favorite thing about owning a cat is cleaning the litter box and masking the smell to keep your house fresh. Automatic cat boxes can help pet owners maintain a clean cat box without much effort. The Littermaid is one of the most popular automatic cat boxes in the market and aims to make your job easier. But is it worth it?
Let us review the Littermaid LM980 self-cleaning litterbox in detail to find out how well it works and what you can expect from the product.
Littermaid LM980 Review – UPDATED 2022
An excellent choice for multi-cat houses, the Littermaid LM980 is a self-cleaning litterbox perfect for those who want to travel, are pregnant or elderly or have limited mobility. Designed to offer your feline friends sufficient space to be comfortable, this catbox features 50 percent more space as compared to its competitors, allowing more time between cleaning sessions.
The Littermaid LM980 is really simple to use and ideal for your cat to transition from manual to an automated system. The simplistic, classic waste box design of the product suits cats that are not accustomed to big changes. The waste box is quite spacious and caters to multiple cats in the household. It works automatically by detecting the usage by a cat and disposing of the waste into a sealed receptacle. Carbon filters in the waste area ensure your home is always odor-free and fresh.
Pros
- Automatically scoops the litter
- Easy removal of rake for cleaning
- Reduces scooping effort and time
- Larger litter area intended for multi-cat use
- 10-minute delay before the cleaning starts
- Collects waste quickly without any fuss
- Sealed waste receptacle and carbon filters
- Litter ramp cleans the paws to prevent litter trailing
Cons
- The container is too small for households with 3 or more cats
- Motor noise is too loud
- Litterbox is wide but not too deep
- Requires manual cleaning occasionally
- Doesn’t handle soft feces or urine well
The Littermaid LM980 is a great entry-level automatic catbox for those who want to transition to a self-cleaning litter pan. It helps cat owners keep up with the constant maintenance of their catboxes without much hassle. While there is some manual cleaning involved, it makes the job easier and keeps the house odor-free at an affordable price.
Littermaid Self-Cleaning Litter Box
The Littermaid is a rectangular box with a high-wall design that prevents litter-kicking cats from creating a mess in the house. The waste box also features an anti-litter trailing ramp to avoid litter from sticking to the cat paws, preventing any litter from trailing in the house. The self-cleaning design is driven by advanced motion sensors that get activated when the cat enters the box and waits for 10 minutes before starting the cleaning cycle to move the waste into a sealed receptacle.
The delay process enables the litter to clump the feces and gives the cat some time to finish using the bathroom so that it doesn’t enter the box during the cleaning cycle. If the cat re-enters the pan at any time during the delay or cleaning process, the litterbox resets for another 10 minutes before reactivating the cleaning cycle. There is a durable drive mechanism that combs through the litter to catch all the waste clumps.
When the rake reaches the other end, the waste receptacle opens and the waste is disposed of completely, making everything clean for the next use. The unit also has a carbon filter installed in the waste area to absorb excess liquid and eliminate odors of the litter. A safety bar is also put in place to prevent the rake operation in case of a blockage to make sure the cat is always safe.
Littermaid 980 Multi Cat Self Cleaning Litter Box
The Littermaid 980 litterbox is a 17 inches wide cat box with a litter area of 14”x16” to offer more space than other cat boxes in the market. It is one of the biggest self-cleaning litter boxes and suits a household with multiple cats. It is big enough to allow a longer time between manual cleanings. The large size and high walls prevent any overflow of waste and suit bigger cats weighing more than 15lbs. Though it is an automatic litter box, it offers a manual mode that you can activate with a push-button for immediate cleaning.
Priced at about $80, the Littermaid is one of the most cost-effective automatic models in the market. Here is what you get with your purchase:
- A Littermaid 980 self-cleaning litter box
- A rake
- A paw cleaning ramp
- 4 carbon filters
- 4 waste receptacles
- AC adapter
- Scoop and rake cleaner
- Battery back-up
There is some cost involved with this litter box as you will need to replace the disposable receptacles and carbon filters once in a while depending on the usage. You can even reuse the receptacles by wrapping garbage bags around them to avoid wasting too many containers.
Littermaid LM980 Troubleshooting
As the automatic litter box has a large size, you can use it for multi-cat households. However, you should not use it for more than three cats unless you are ready to change the receptacles regularly. The waste compartment is not so big to suit 3+ cats on a weekly basis. Moreover, it is important to ensure that the litter tray is not overfilled as it can lead to rake jamming and need manual effort. Remember to keep litter levels between the two red lines on the side.
In case there is a power outage, the litter box should be reset to ‘off’ mode for some time before starting again. It is also recommended to turn it off during the night as it can make noise and disturb sleep. You should consider keeping the unit away from bedrooms if possible. Make sure you don’t let the sensor to get wet. This can damage the unit’s functionality, even permanently. The box works with all clumping litters. Use the scoop to distribute the litter evenly in the tray.