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One of the most common questions I get is what products I recommend for my kittens. This page is currently under
construction but this is where I intend to list all the products I recommend.
Litter Boxes:
The Litter Robot
Click HERE to learn more or to order the Litter Robot with a $25 off coupon!
Although the Litter Robot could not be considered inexpensive, it has been a life saver for me! I actually have
several of these and they save me hours each week! If you are a breeder or have a few cats at home it is an absolute
must have. But, even for just one cat, it will definitely save you time and it gets rid of the only downside to having
a cat (the dreaded litter box cleaning/scooping!).
The Litter Robot is an automatic litterbox.
However, it is not "just" an automated litterbox, it is the BEST litterbox, hands down. I have known about the Litter
Robot for a while now but only recently got my first one several months ago. I tried several of the less expensive $100-200
litter boxes first. But, for one reason or another they never worked and one by one they ended up in the garbage along
with my money I had spent on them. The problems ranged from cats not wanting to use them, they weren't big enough for
Ragdolls, the clumps would get thrown out of the box instead of into the waste area, often the scooping mechanism
would get clogged or just not work right and then you end up having to clean the scooping part and that is even worse and
more messy than simply scooping yourself! They were all more trouble than they were worth and ended up in the garbage.
And I tried them ALL!
I have had my first Litter Robot for at least 6 months now. I wanted
to wait a while before I recommended it officially to see if it held up over time, with various cats, etc. It has worked
great! I suppose that is need less to say since I now own 4 of them! The only issue I ever had with the Litter
Robot is that I had 1 cat that didn't want to move all the way into it and ended up peeing out the door. However, this
was only one cat out of 10 or so that used it. So, that probably wouldn't be an issue for you. But, if it is, that
issue was solved by buying the "fence." I actually ended up getting fences for all of them because it also helped keep
the litter inside the box a little bit too.
I will try to answer some questions you might have about
it. First, I typically have these set up so that I have 3 cats using 1 Litter Robot. In that scenario, I need
to change the waste drawer liner every 2-3 days. Of course when I have more cats using it, it needs to be changed more
often and with less cats, less often. So, with only a single cat using the Litter Robot, I would expect you to need
to change it roughly once a week. From needing to scoop 2-3 times a day (which is recommended although I know some people
do it only once per day) to only needing to change a bag out once a week (easily done in less than 30 seconds!), it is a huge
time saver. They even have an option now that connects to your phone and will tell you when the waste drawer is full
and needs changing! And of course the biggest thing is that you don't need to do the yucky scooping over a smelly litterbox
getting up close and personal with your cat's poop and pee yourself.
Also, I know some people don't
like the idea of needing to buy bags/cartridges/etc from the manufacturer. You do not have to with the Litter Robot.
They even say on their site that you can just use standard kitchen garbage bags. However, what I have found works even
better is litter box liners. If you think about it, the waste drawer is basically shaped just like a typical litter
box, so it works out perfectly. And it even allows a little bit more to fit down there before it needs to be replaced
compared to garbage bags or even their own liners.
Of course aside from making things easier and
cleaner on me/you, another reason I absolutely love the Litter Robot, is that every time your cat enters the box, it is 100%
clean! Unless you literally sit by the litter box and clean it 5 or more times per day per cat, you would never be able
to keep it that clean yourself. So, it makes your cat happier and more likely to use the box and keeps your cat cleaner.
There is less chance of them accidentally stepping in something yucky and then spreading their germs/etc all over your house!
If you have a cat that will only use the box if it is clean, then this is an absolute must have. Or if you are a clean
freak or have children and want to make sure your kitty (and therefore your house) is as clean/sanitary as possible,
again this is a must have.
And yes, it does get rid of the smell. People often ask me
what litter I use and the truth is, no litter gets rid of all the smell. The only thing that will get rid of the smell
100% is scooping as soon as your cat uses the litter box. Of course this simply isn't an option unless you are at home
all the time and check the litter box several times per day. But, with the Litter Robot, the "stuff" and therefore the
smell is cleaned away within minutes leaving only clean, fresh litter.
One note is that the cat does
need to be at least 5lbs + to use the Litter Robot automatically. A Ragdoll kitten would typically not be that
size when they first go home but they would get there pretty quickly! And you can still use it in "manual" mode.
In that case it will not clean itself when the cats leave but instead it will do it each time you press the button.
So, for that first month or so until they get big enough to trigger the automated option, it still makes things much easier
for you. Instead of scooping, you simply press a button once or twice a day (or however often you want to).
It still turns a 5-10 minute yucky chore into a 1 second chore and you don't even have to deal with the "mess" at all!
Grooming Supplies:
Metal Comb
For keeping your kitty's coat matt free, you will need to have a metal comb. I recommend getting one of the
antistatic combs. They are a little more expensive than the cheap metal combs you can get but they will literally last
a lifetime! And of course they will keep your kitty's coat from getting static from grooming which can be a problem
certain times of the year.
Also, on a side grooming note,
make sure when you are combing your kitty that you make sure to get their tummy, the rough around their neck, and their belly
along with the main part of their body/back. Ragdolls have a pretty easy care coat, but those are areas that they seem
to have issues reaching themselves for cleaning, so they need a little help. Sometimes I find people just brush the
top/back of their kitty and forget about those areas.
Zoom Groom
In addition to the comb,
you also need to get a Zoom Groom. This will NOT keep your kitties coat matt free (you need the comb for that).
But, it will help get out the shed hair and keep it from getting all over your home. You can find this almost anywhere-pet
stores, Amazon, etc. On a side note, if you get the faux fur covered cat trees I recommend, this also cleans the fur
off the cat tree very well too!
One note about the Zoom
Groom, since it only takes off the shed hair, when you are grooming (especially a kitten) and not getting much, don't be alarmed
or think it is not working. It just means that your kitty isn't shedding much at that time.
Bowls and Feeding Supplies:
Bowls
Of course you will need to get 2-3 bowls for your kitty. You will need one bowl for food, a second one for
water, and a third bowl for canned food if you decide to feed canned food like I recommend. The only acceptable materials for
bowls are stainless steel or glazed ceramic. Definitely do not get plastic. It holds in bacteria even
after being cleaned and can lead to problems such as chin acne, etc in cats.
Stainless steel is a fine option but the bowls
will be very light which means they will be easily pushed all over the floor by your kitty when they try to eat. So,
if you are going to do stainless steel, then you need to get one that has rubber on the bottom to keep it from going anywhere.
This also
brings up another subject-I do not recommend the bowls that come in a two pack with a "holder" of some type to keep them side
by side together. You want your food and water dishes to be completely separate because when they are just an inch
or so apart like in those holders it is common to get food into the water dish.
Glazed ceramic
is also a good option and is what most cat bowls are made out of. All of my bowls that are on the floor are glazed ceramic.
They come in many different sizes, colors, patterns, shapes, etc. Any of them are fine.
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