September 2022 – Pet Momma

Super Quick Review – Sift Ease

I’ve been searching local pet stores and of course Amazon lately in my quest for the perfect litter box. During one of my Amazon searches, I came across the SiftEase.

Seems like a really interesting product. You don’t need to use any special litter box, but in theory, it should help save time scooping.

Here’s the idea, a big scooping tray, with a bin underneath so that you just pick up your litter box and pour the litter through the sifter. The sifter catches the clumps (clumping litter obviously required) and you throw them away. The bin underneath catches the clean litter and you can just pour that back in the box.

Here’s the giant sifter. It sits on top of the grey bin shown in the first photo. I have to say that I really like the idea of this product. I’ve tried litter boxes with built in sifting devices and I’ve never had much luck with them.

Unfortunately, this product just didn’t work for me. First of all, dumping a litter box into the strainer/sifter is much harder than it seems. I tried to be careful, but litter spilled onto the floor. While I tried to scrape clumps loose in the pan before I dumped it, there were still clumps in the box after I dumped it into the sifter.

Next problem, the holes in the sifter didn’t let all the litter through. Maybe that’s my fault, and I’m sure there are other types of litter that might work better than the OxoCat litter that I prefer, but I have enough issues with litter boxes right now, and I’m not changing my litter.

So I have a sifter full of dirty cat litter. I tried shaking it, but it only helped a little. I had to get my litter scoop and push the litter around in the sifter until I could get most of the clean litter through the slats and dump the clumps. I ended up wasting a lot of litter between the spills on the floor, and the litter that was thrown out because it didn’t sift well.

Finally removed the sifter from the base and dumped the litter back into the box. Time to sweep up the giant mess before I was done. All this hassle, and I only cleaned one box. Four more to go? I don’t think so.

Once I finished sweeping, I cleaned out the SiftEase and folded it back up. I put it back in the box, and told Amazon to come pick it up. This is not a product for me. As much as I hate scooping. This product didn’t save me any time or hassle at all.

I’m going to continue my dreams of having a LitterRobot. There have been many times I’ve been tempted to just spend the money and try one out, but I know I would need at least two of them, and I’m not convinced it would work out for my big Maine Coon, or whichever cat likes to use two boxes to take care of business. I have heard they have a 90 day money back guarantee, so maybe I’ll give it a try one of these days. The joys of cat ownership do not include litter boxes!

Love Cats – HATE Litter Boxes

I’m still battling. I love my cats, but the litter box thing is just, UGH!

Fingers crossed, I think things may be settling in again. They seem to go in circles from OK, to we have a problem. It’s never great. We still have four cats here, our three, plus my son’s cat. As usual, lots of experimenting. I’m trying hard not to overdue the experiments and make things worse.

Litter first – I’ve made a lot of litter changes over the years, and I’m currently using OxoCat regular. It’s a wood based litter, and I’m mostly happy with it. It isn’t at all dusty which I really like. It absorbs smells well, and most importantly, the cats like it. The only downside is that it does spread around on the floors, but for now, I’ll deal with that.

I’ve currently got 5 separate boxes going for the four cats. Two upstairs, three downstairs.

Upstairs I have a standard covered box, and then this new Igloo-looking box I just set up last week called the Petmate Booda Dome.

Upstairs set up:

and the two boxes:

It took the cats a couple of days to give the dome a try. I kept seeing them poking their heads in then quickly backing out. It was day three before any of the cats actually used it, but now it is being used regularly.

My biggest problem lately has been cat poop on the floor. I’ve been switching mats, boxes, cleaning products, etc. Since I set up these two boxes upstairs, the problem hasn’t completely stopped, but it is much better. I was driving myself crazy, cleaning boxes every time I went upstairs, now I’m doing boxes once a day and that’s it. The cats need to figure this out. I won’t say I haven’t found any poop on the floor lately, but it’s down to about once every three or four days. I’m hoping as they continue to adjust to the new dome that we can finally eliminate this problem. I think I have a cat that pees in one box then poops in another. If the second box isn’t available, they poop on the floor rather than doing all their business in one box, you know, like a normal cat!

Downstairs, I’ve gone to three boxes. It honestly seems like too much, and I’m hoping to go back to two soon. Just trying out options.

The two open boxes are cement mixing trays from the hardware store. They have become my favorite litter boxes because they are cheap, usually about $8 each, and the inside edges are rounded so they are super easy to clean. With these trays being so inexpensive, I replace them every 4-5 months when they get stinky and I don’t have to worry about scrubbing them. They are also nice and big for my Maine Coon.

The covered box is a fairly new addition. I’m not sure it is necessary, but the cats are using all the boxes, so it works for now. The covered box is definitely the one being used the least. In the next week or so, I may get rid of the covered box and just go back to the two trays for downstairs. We’ll see how it goes!

Did you notice the plastic sheeting around the back? That’s my latest creation for trying to deal with cat urine. No matter what I do, no matter what type of box I use, there is always cat urine somewhere around the boxes. I think my boy cats don’t always hit the box. The plastic sheeting makes it super easy to wipe things up, and keeps the walls and floor from being damaged.

As always, I’m looking for feedback on the LitterRobot. Should I make the plunge? Is it worth the money?

September is Responsible Dog Ownership Month – ZuluTails Info

I’m not sure I’ve heard of “Responsible Dog Owner Month” before, but apparently that is what September is now. What do you think makes a responsible dog owner?

To me, it’s making sure your dog has everything it needs including food, water, exercise, proper vet care, training, and attention. Did I miss anything?

I received an article from ZuluTails, that I planned to skim and file, but it’s actually an interesting product. It’s a company that helps track your pet if they are lost. This one is only $19.99 per year for the first pet, with discounts for multiple pets. Seems pretty reasonable to me.

Many people have microchipped their pets these days, which is great, but you need a vet or shelter to read the microchip. Data can also be hard to update with a microchip service, so pet parents may move and forget that their pet’s chip lists an old address.

ZuluTails provides a collar or tag with a code called UPI – Universal Pet Identifier. Their embroidered collar has the ZuluTails website and the unique UPI for your pet. The tags come with the same information as the collar, but they also add a QR code that can be scanned with a phone if someone finds your pet.

If your pet is lost and someone finds it, they just go to the website and type in your pets UPI, or scan the QR code, and they can enter their contact info so that you are alerted they have your pet and then you can contact each other to get the pet home safely.

The thing I like about this system is there aren’t delays with getting vets, police, or shelters involved. It seems like this system would help get a lost pet back to its owners really quickly.

Here’s some more information directly from ZuluTails:

We have moved beyond the electronic age and now live in the virtual realm- and the pet industry is no exception. It’s crucial that we covet our personal and private information (PII) since perpetrators, phishing tactics and automated exploitations are always lurking, taking advantage of situations when we are distracted and motivated by emotion to care for our loved ones and our pets.

Health, safety and security are a top priority when it comes to owning a pet, and innovative company ZuluTails is revolutionizing the industry and celebrating responsible dog (and pet) ownership!

Cyber Security Expert, U.S. Navy Veteran and Founder of ZuluTails™(An official “Software As A Service” company and Pet Insight’s 2022 Vanguard Award for Best ID Tag) Pamela Fusco is on a mission to offer solutions for pet safety and owner security!

“The American Humane Association estimates over 10 million dogs and cats are lost in the U.S. alone each year, of which 85% of dogs and 98% of cats without an ID are NOT reunited with their families. Safety, security and privacy are essential when it comes to owning a pet”, says Fusco.

As a cybersecurity professional and a Cryptologist, Pamela’s expertise spans globally; leading special operations for national intelligence, advising U.S. White House and Fortune 500 corporations. She was imminently qualified to create ZuluTails, the newest disruptor in the Pet market that has changed the playing field with the first Smart Pet ID and technology that instantly and securely connects you with your pet. Unlike microchips, ZuluTails offers 24-hour perPETual global on-demand access, granting you the flexibility to update and modify your information and your pet’s without having to depend on any third parties or call centers.

What do you think makes a responsible dog/pet owner? Do you use a pet tag to ID your pet and help if it is lost?