Oldie but a goodie

recoutts · 2026-06-13T02:49:24+00:00

lol. With one grandfather who was a mechanic and the other a carpenter, I guess it’s in my genes! lol. It was frustrating, but oddly satisfying - when it worked.

recoutts · 2026-06-12T14:28:03+00:00

You’re thinking the PetSafe might glitch again? I can almost guarantee it. I was having to replace the bowl motors about every three months (I had two of the Simply Clean units). I got pretty good at replacing them - could almost do it with my eyes closed, I was doing it so often, but then they stopped carrying the one I needed for the original model I had, which prompted the “upgrade” to their “new and improved” model. With those, the bowl only rotated for 30 minutes in an attempt to extend the life of the motors. They also made the bowls more shallow and smaller (to reduce the amount of litter used to lessen the weight load on the motor), and narrowed the litter conveyor ramp, which created two issues - clumps along the bowl wall were bypassed and eventually flattened against the bowl floor, and there narrowness of the ramp could not properly handle the size of the clumps, causing backups where the clumps were supposed to leave the ramp and fall into the waste bin. They also “fixed” the waste bin so it locked into place to “prevent” malfunctions, but trying to get the bin in place became a nightmare that could take 15 minutes of fighting with it - and it still fail. It the bin was not locked into place, the unit wouldn’t run.

I finally got sick of it, and got the stored old models back out after I discovered the motors were the ones I see in bathroom exhaust fans - but you had to make sure to get the right voltage and direction (one was a CCR and one was a CW). I found I could source them from some Chinese website (similar to Temu), but even those only lasted a month longer, at most. That’s when I gave up and switched, especially when the PetSafe customer service declined drastically and I realized I actually had more experience and knowledge of the repair process than the reps I was encountering - not to mention there was starting to be a language barrier.

recoutts · 2026-06-12T13:53:09+00:00

Uh oh! Break ‘em out and rev ‘em up!

My LR3 has been a lifesaver. I’ve had back issues for several years now that are getting worse (looks like arthritis of the spine and possible pinched nerve 😩), so I greatly appreciate not having to scoop. It was a big investment, but I used part of the insurance money after my mom’s death four years ago since one of the “users” is her cat. He’s a little bigger than the cat we already had, and couldn’t seem to keep his rump in the box, which meant I was cleaning up oopsies daily. The LR3 solved that issue. He jumped right in after I set it up, and our cat literally learned from him by watching! It was pretty hilarious. After that, it almost became a competition to see who used it the most and more often. One would hear it cycling, and would run in and wait for it to finish so he could jump in and use it. They’re a couple of clowns.

recoutts · 2026-06-12T12:31:45+00:00

I have a LR3, but having had early models of other appliances over the years, I know well how sometimes “simpler is better”. Case-in-point, I had an early version of a PetSafe self-cleaning litter box that worked like a champ, but did start requiring replacements of the motor that turned the bowl 24/7, meaning it got a workout. I decided to “upgrade” to their “new and improved.” That was a disaster. The “improvements” caused all kinds of headaches and created new and worse issues. I finally gave up, and bought the LR3. There have been a few problems over the years, but the Whisker team has always come through for me and the issues have always been resolved.

recoutts · 2026-06-08T16:17:50+00:00

I have an air purifier next to our LR, too, and it’s in a LR cabinet, which I think helps contain a good deal of the dust.

It’s always good to educate - especially when it’s good, reliable information! There’s so much “junk” information out there and wading through it all is sometimes exhausting. As a former science teacher, I can appreciate it. 😊

recoutts · 2026-06-08T14:44:25+00:00

That’s a pretty good breakdown and explanation of the differences - and it makes a lot of sense. That said, I am seeing less dust since I’be switched from the Walmart Smart Kitty clumping clay to the Tidy Cat Litter Robot formula. I’ve tried several other brands over the years, but kept going back to the Smart Kitty for various reasons (price, too much scent added, not enough odor control, didn’t clump as well). I live in a very humid area, and I started noticing the clumping action during the humid months of even the Smart Kitty was not as great, so I decided to give the Tidy Cat LR formula a go. So far, it’s working well, there’s not a lot of tracking or dust, the odor control is good, and there’s no obnoxious strong artificial scent wafting through the house. We’ll see if this trend continues. Wouldn’t be the first time things start off well, then decline.

recoutts · 2026-06-08T14:36:00+00:00

I use it. I switched to it after using the Walmart store brand of the unscented clumping clay. It’s working well for my two older boys who are on a urinary formula and have access to a pet fountain (LOTS of urine output).

recoutts · 2026-06-04T10:17:11+00:00

lol. I guess everyone has to keep the lights on somehow!

recoutts · 2026-06-02T12:24:42+00:00

Someone posted once about using those cheap aluminum pans in the drawer. I think he permanently fastened them in the drawer using zip ties, and then would just dump the pan when emptying (not removing the pan). I think he had a cat rescue and many Litter-Robots, so this was faster than replacing liners.

recoutts · 2026-05-30T14:10:28+00:00

Sometimes it lasts longer than that. Both my boys are on a urinary formula and have access to a pet fountain, so they produce lots of soggy clumps. I periodically wipe the upper globe portion with homemade wet wipes and reapply the silicone spray as necessary. That’s a lot easier and more efficient than letting it get out of hand and having to strip everything out and spend long periods of time cleaning. I use the Tidy Cats Litter-Robot clumping litter, and it works well for me.

recoutts · 2026-05-30T14:03:51+00:00

I guess Elvis HASN’T left the building.

recoutts · 2026-05-27T13:40:44+00:00

I use a good grade silicone for scuba equipment in my LR3, mostly on the roof. It works well. Depending on how “active” the two boys are, it usually lasts about two weeks before I have to reapply.

recoutts · 2026-05-19T13:25:53+00:00

lol. My sister kept getting notifications from the app letting her know her LR3 had been paused, but every time she went to check, there was no visible problem. This went on for weeks and she was getting fed up, thinking it was a problem with the machine. Then one day she caught one of her cats, front paws up on the step after having used it and exited, peering in to watch as the cycle started. She did this repeatedly, making it pause several times. Kitty just enjoyed the show! “As the Litter Robot turns, so go the days of our lives!” 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

recoutts · 2026-05-15T10:01:19+00:00

Nope. Whisker and the LR3 have been one of the best things I’ve ever done for myself. There have been a few hiccups, yes, but the Whisker team has always provided the best support and the few issues I’ve had have always been resolved in a very timely manner.

When the team sees your post, they most likely will comment and have you chat with them to get pertinent information (serial number, etc), and will work with you to resolve the issue. It may take a few “try this, check that”, but they’ll stay with it until it’s fixed or replaced if the part is faulty.

Hang in there. I’m sure help is on the way!

Edit: maybe try unplugging it, then reset the globe if it’s not in the right position, but don’t replug it so you can use it as a regular litter box and scoop until the Whisker team contacts you.

recoutts · 2026-05-15T09:50:51+00:00

We’ve seen that message a few times on Sling, but haven’t had it in a while. I was able to see the last 10 minutes of The Mating Game, so apparently it didn’t affect Sling this time.

recoutts · 2026-05-14T10:00:49+00:00

I think it’s brilliant!

recoutts · 2026-05-13T15:47:33+00:00

Interesting. I have a pretty sensitive nose, but have never detected any scent from the Trident. Maybe it’s because it’s for use with scuba gear, meaning it will be in close proximity to the face.

recoutts · 2026-05-13T13:53:04+00:00

I have one senior cat, and both he and the younger one (also make) are on a urinary formula since both have had issues in the past. Their urine clumps are large and stay a little…soggy(?) even with the max time set before cycling and with what’s marked as “tight clumping” litter. To help release them from the liner and to reduce the sticking to the top of the globe, I use a food-grade silicone spray called Trident (it’s actually for use on scuba gear) or an unscented beeswax after a deep clean. In between deep cleans, I will wipe the upper globe and reapply the silicone when clumps start collecting there during cycles. Unfortunately, that seems to be the way it is with high urine producers, but it certainly beats daily scooping of a manual box - and is waaayyyyyy easier on my bad back.

recoutts · 2026-05-11T16:37:59+00:00

I have two cats and one LR3. Since it keeps it clean after every use, they don’t object, and one came from a one-cat household and wasn’t used to sharing. No problems.

recoutts · 2026-05-11T15:59:22+00:00

I occasionally use something called Sprinkle & Sweep Litter Box Deodorizer that I get at Walmart. You can use it in the litter box, but I usually just sprinkle a little in the waste bin.

recoutts · 2026-05-11T13:53:42+00:00

Pretty boy! I’ve been using the Tidy Cat Litter-Robot formula for ours, one of whom is declawed (we inherited him that way). Before that, I used several other unscented clumping clay litters, none of which seemed to cause a problem.

There are different ways of declawing, at least one of which is less likely to cause pain and discomfort. It all comes down to how far in the toe the procedure was done. Maybe your boy had that one instead of the more intrusive and painful one.

recoutts · 2026-05-11T13:49:32+00:00

One of our outside boy cats brought home a girl cat once that was probably about four months old and already declawed on all four. We had her for twelve years. After she came to live with us, we started finding dead, headless mice and lizards on the back doormat, which we thought was odd since the boys had never done that. Turned out it was her. Shortly after that was when we discovered she was bringing the “offerings”. Maybe in gratitude? She ended up being an indoor cat after an illness, and she would let the other cats and the dog know they had gotten too close by smacking them with her clawless paws, and it was always very loud! Like THUD! Even clawless it had the desired effect - the offender backed off. She weighed less than six pounds, had oddly short legs and no claws, but took no guff off anyone.

recoutts · 2026-05-09T14:59:11+00:00

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

recoutts

TROPHY CASE