Luuup Litter Box- yay or nay?

divamover

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
1
Purraise
2
Cat lovers: if you are considering the beautiful Luuup litter box with the sifting tray system, steer clear.

1. It apparently only works with one kind of cat litter, so if you don't feel like making your cats get used to new litter AND a new litter box, this product is not for you.

2. You have to use a LOT of litter, and the trays are quite shallow, so if you have a cat who is a kicker, prepare for endless vacuuming or sweeping of cat litter off the floor. Apparently, a cover is "in development," which does not help me now, and which I'm sure will add substantially to the cost of the litter box.

3. Despite their protestations, stuff sticks, and it is very hard to clean. I had more direct contact with cat waste with the Luuup than I ever had with simple scooping.

4. Their policy is no returns and no refunds, UNLESS you are basically returning the package unopened. You won't see that unless you absolutely read all of the fine print deep into the site. Everybody does that, right? Yes, I admit this bit of culpability. But SERIOUSLY.

5. Their customer service is very coy about giving you this bad news.. Lots of run-around to check policies on the website, or the FAQ (again), or offers to have you speak with a rep so they can coach you on how to properly use the system. They are Canadian, so they are infuriatingly nice about it all. But the bottom line is still - you're not getting your money back if you are dissatisfied with the product. It was not a pleasure dealing with this company or their product. Skip it, save your money. This was an expensive mistake that I won't make again.
 

kitlit

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2015
Messages
49
Purraise
1
I have been using the Tidy cats Breeze litterbox for the past 18 months. I use Feline Pine instead of the zeolite pellets. I also use free newspaper in the tray which gets changed and washed daily. I scoop the solid waste as needed. Wet pellets turn to sawdust and filter down to the tray. I thoroughly wash the whole unit twice a week and save the dry litter. This system is well thought out and cat friendly. It is also economical if you make modifications. Of course, Tidy Cats/Purina doesn't like this because it cuts into their profits.
 

marciemax

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Dec 16, 2016
Messages
2
Purraise
1
Agree 100%. Here is a photo of my attempt to sift clean the box less than 24 hours after using it. 

They politely do not return this product. I'm sure the reason it is not available on Amazon.com is that the reviews would kill sales. 

 

kitlit

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2015
Messages
49
Purraise
1
You can try pine pellets such as Feline Pine or equal, but I do highly recommend The Tidy cats Breeze Litter system with some modifications. I ditch the zeolite pellets and use Feline Pine instead. I also don't use the pads in the tray. I simply use free newspaper and wash the tray and change daily.
 

chrystalkay

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Dec 31, 2016
Messages
1
Purraise
1
Here is an honest opinion of the Luup cat box, by someone who has always hated cat boxes.
The Luup is a really good idea and it has some great benefits, but you need to buy one with reasonable expectations.  Buying a Luup will not transform your cat into a top pee-er.  The cat will continue to dig a hole and to burry it afterward.  Consequently, there will be pee balls stuck to the end or side when you sift it.  Do not complain that it does not come out as clean as it is in the demonstration.  It is real cat use and not a demonstration.  The cat pee balls will stick to the slots in the bottom, and wiping them with a piece of toilet paper will undoubtedly push some pee ball into the empty slot when you do this.  Do not blame the Luup when this happens.  It is physics not a deficiency in the design.
Keep a chopstick near where you empty the cat box and after wiping the clods off the bottom sides and ends, use the chopstick to empty the slots.  


Now, if you need to wash the cat box, which I recommend once in a while, you have a fully functional cat box in use while you do and you didn't have to find a box or bag to empty it into to do so. Your cat, if like mine, will be waiting for the clean cat box as soon as you finish lifting off the top one.
For you as well as your cat, you can keep more cat littler in the box and you might want to try different brands of cat littler to see if any help the bottom clumping.  Some are not a 100% clumping litter and the non clumping part will be the sticker.


Also, a tip.  Use a larger trashcan in the room where you empty the box. One that opens as wide as a kitchen can, not one of those cutesy little bathroom ones.  Put a kitchen trash bag in the trash can on top of the trash in it.  Spread the bag ends over the sides of the TC. empty the Luup and put the toilet paper used to clear the clumps in the trash with the rest. then twist the bag neck and lay over the side on one end of the trash can. This can be lifted out or kept on the inside of the trash can for the next day and tied and thrown out when it hs a few days of clumps in it.  Having just one cat, I don't need to throw it out but once a week.  I tuck the twisted end of the clump bag under the edge of the trash can liner already in the can. This keeps it closed and out of the can so I can open it the next morning, lift it slightly from anything that has been put in the day before and open it to the edge of the can.  

The Luup in a great innovation to the regular catbox, it is not purrfect but it is a great improvement over what we had before.  Don't complain that it has not changed your cat, it was meant to change the way you clean the litter box, and it does allow you the luxury of washing it every day if you want to without all the extreme mess and problems of doing so before.

Thanks Luup!  I will never go back to the old cat boxes again!
 

babyhuffman

TCS Member
Adult Cat
Joined
Aug 7, 2016
Messages
161
Purraise
62
Location
Michigan
Yet another great reason not to buy yet another litter box when the one you have works just fine. Better to save your money to rescue another cat and share the love with the cat instead of the frustration with the box.
 

marmoto

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Jan 2, 2017
Messages
2
Purraise
1
I bought this through the Kickstart campaign and am extremely disappointed. I thought, particularly after all the delays that it would be a really good product. I didn't know about the different type of cat litter that is recommended until reading the comments on this site, but I have always used World's Best Cat Litter and the urine soaked litter  sticks to the slats and sides of the box. I have to get a chopstick to get it out from the slats  but even that takes awhile. I have had all the litter fall through to the bottom on several occasions when I was cleaning the boxes.  It is a complete mess. I hesitate to sell it on eBay as it doesn't seem fair to pass such a defective product on to someone else. 
 

kitlit

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2015
Messages
49
Purraise
1
I would try the Tidy cats Breeze Litter system which is a well thought out design. Just ditch the zeolite pellets and use Feline Pine or equal. I also line the tray with newspaper and a dash of baking soda and wash and change daily. I totally wash the system twice a week but save the litter into a small lined wastebasket and reinstall and only add fresh litter as needed
 
Last edited:

harrie kd

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
7
Purraise
1
yay or nay, or maybe just meh?

i got my two luuups in the first round and was quite impressed at the start. i was using the lavender world's best cat litter, which i had been using for years with great success. however, around the same time i moved to a new apartment with hardwood flooring, and came to realize just how much it tracked in my apt, and even worse, how much dust that litter creates - it was making my allergies really bad. also it was really sticking to the luuups badly so i figured i'd tinker a bit and find a better litter.

i have been through several and none have not tracked or made dust (or both!) and the boxes... well they still work, and i like them ok but they are a bit of a kerfuffle. it's a question of scraping them with the normal scoop to loosen the stuck bits, bashing them a bit to get the stuff stuck in the slats out, then tipping sifting and tipping the waste. honestly i find changing the entire litter once in a while easier than just the sifting. 

i might go back to a normal one - partly because i want to try yesterday's news litter as i've heard it tracks least and has least dust
 

urbanocelet

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
2
Purraise
2
I created an account here just to vent about this litter box. YUUUUUGE nay for me. Reasons I hate the Luuup litter box:

-My cat likes to dig before doing his thing, which causes him to hit the bottom of the tray when he pees. The pee gets stuck in the slots of the tray, and it's impossible to thoroughly clean out. Even if that doesn't happen, you have to wash the tray every time you change the order of the trays or you'll have dirty, waste spattered trays nesting together. 

-The instructions say to turn the top tray 180 degrees. That's irrelevant if you wash the tray. What you have to do is walk back from where you thoroughly washed the gross tray with urine stuck in the cracks (for me that involves sticking a tool in the crevices, then wiping down with a paper towel, then rinsing the whole thing in the laundry tub with as little litter on it as possible so as not to clog the drain) and eyeball which direction it should go, because there's no way you held the tray in the same direction while washing it. You turned it around and around to clean it, then lined it up in the same direction as the top tray, then stuck it on the bottom. 

-Unless you keep your litter box near your kitchen garbage, you probably have a trash can that's too small to dump clumps into. I wrestle a plastic bag around the edges of the tray and spill loose litter (there's always some loose litter, doesn't matter how much you shake) while attempting to copy the instructional video. Now I just scoop like I would with a regular tray. 

-If you accidentally line up the trays wrong, because maybe you one day you were in an immense hurry and rushed to switch the trays and didn't notice it was sitting wrong, you are left with a ton of litter on the floor. I put a garbage bag under the box just as a liner in case I do this again. 

-The sides aren't high enough. Maybe there are cats who don't kick litter out of their boxes, but I've yet to meet one. 

My favorite litter box is a cheap storage bin with a circle cut out of the lid. It's big, contains the mess, and cheap.  
 

urbanocelet

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
2
Purraise
2
After reading some more of the reviews, I thought I'd add:

-I'm not going to experiment with buying different litter to make a supposedly easier product work like it's advertised. Defeats the purpose of saving time. 

-I'm also not purchasing a new trash can for same reason.

-My cat likes to use the bottom two trays while I'm cleaning the top one, despite the fact that there are two other litter boxes he could use. Two trays don't keep the litter from falling through the slats. I'm sure he does this to taunt me.
 

kitlit

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2015
Messages
49
Purraise
1
I would really encourage you to try the Tidy Cats Breeze Litterbox system. Just ditch the zeolite pellets and use Feline Pine or equal. I also use free newspaper in the tray and wash and change it daily. No cat should have to be subjected to digging in an unsanitary litterbox or smelling urine. This system works well if you scoop and sift several times a day,clean the tray daily and totally clean the unit twice a week or more often if your cat has loose stools. Baking soda and a cheap antibacterial or white vinegar are great products for cleaning and sanitizing.
 

kitlit

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2015
Messages
49
Purraise
1
The Tidy Cats Breeze Litterbox used with Feline Pine pellets or equal is a great system. I used to use puppy training pads in the tray, but now I just use free newspaper with a sprinkle of baking soda. I change and wash the tray daily and totally wash the unit twice a week. This system is so sanitary! The cats are not stepping in urine or feces if you sift and lift out solid waste daily. The pine pellets turn to sawdust and will degrade in the landfill. I really love this modified system and my cats do too.you will also save a ton of money.
 
Last edited:

kiptrea

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Jan 18, 2017
Messages
1
Purraise
2
I jumped on the Kickstarter band wagon and after only 4 weeks of using the Luup I went back to my old litter box.  I tried 4 different brands of cat litter and tried varying amounts of litter in the box and the clumps of urine always stuck to the sides or the bottom of the tray, which meant I had to use a scoop and utensil  to clean between the bottom slats every time I sifted the litter.  If the moist litter sticks to the bottom you have to clean it out or the slats won't line up properly and you'll have a big mess.  It ended up taking more time and being more of a hassle than just using my regular old litter box.  I contacted the company for advise and they suggested trying a different litter and making sure to use lots of little in the box, which I had already tried.  (and which I thought was funny because in their promotional video they don't have very much litter in their box!)  My Luup is now collecting dust in the garage until spring when I have a garage sale!  Save your money and stick to your current litter box.  Cleaning the litter box is just part of the deal when you get a cat, a few minutes a day isn't too much for our little fur babies to ask I guess!  
 

thescarletfox

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Jan 28, 2017
Messages
7
Purraise
1
I have two cats and Luup has worked really well for me. Sometimes there is a sticky pee. But if I put enough litter in it, I will not find sticky pees or poos very often. I feel like if you have a problem with ur cat digging too deep and sticking to the bottom you would have the same problem with any other litter box. I enjoy it, my cats use it well. But I guess it depends on each cats bathroom habits
 

kitlit

TCS Member
Young Cat
Joined
Jul 2, 2015
Messages
49
Purraise
1
I have used The Tidy Cats Breeze System for the last 18 months. I use Feline Pine instead of the zeolite pellets and free newspaper in the tray. It is hygienic, economical, cat friendly and minimal impact on the landfill. I clean and replace the newpaper in the tray daily and totally clean the unit twice a week in the shower.
 
Last edited:

linden

TCS Member
Kitten
Joined
Feb 10, 2017
Messages
1
Purraise
1
:bigmouth:

I have 3 cats. Right after the product arrived, I ended up hospitalized for nearly 6 weeks with two surgeries and septicemia included. I was too weak and on home health care for another 4 weeks after arriving home. When able, I eagerly opened the new litter box and after carefully reading instructions put it into use. My cats seem to find it necessary to pee on top of each other creating a pretty large mass. This cat box to me is a total failure, with the slots nearly constantly clogged with pee cI have 3 cats. Right after the product arrived, I ended up hospitalized for nearly 6 weeks with two surgeries and septicemia included. I was too weak and on home health care for another 4 weeks after arriving home. When able, I eagerly opened the new litter box and after carefully reading instructions put it into use. My cats seem to find it necessary to pee on top of each other creating a pretty large mass. This cat box to me is a total failure, with the slots nearly constantly clogged with pee clumps. It does do feces well. I hate this cat box it is totally a failure for my home. Thank god I did not throw my previous one away and just stored it on my screen porch temporarily. I am retired on a teeny income and I sure did not have $ to waste. Especially now with upwards of $150,000 of doctor and hospital bills. I will be happy to review anywhere I can to warn others of the inherent problems of this designlumps. It does do feces well. I hate this cat box it is totally a failure for my home. Thank god I did not throw my previous one away and just stored it on my screen porch temporarily. I am retired on a teeny income and I sure did not have $ to waste. Especially now with upwards of $150,000 of doctor and hospital bills. I will be happy to review anywhere I can to warn others of the inherent problems of this design



Nay!Nay!
 

Margret

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 17, 2014
Messages
6,497
Purraise
8,927
Location
Littleton, CO


I have 3 cats. Right after the product arrived, I ended up hospitalized for nearly 6 weeks with two surgeries and septicemia included. I was too weak and on home health care for another 4 weeks after arriving home. When able, I eagerly opened the new litter box and after carefully reading instructions put it into use. My cats seem to find it necessary to pee on top of each other creating a pretty large mass. This cat box to me is a total failure, with the slots nearly constantly clogged with pee cI have 3 cats. Right after the product arrived, I ended up hospitalized for nearly 6 weeks with two surgeries and septicemia included. I was too weak and on home health care for another 4 weeks after arriving home. When able, I eagerly opened the new litter box and after carefully reading instructions put it into use. My cats seem to find it necessary to pee on top of each other creating a pretty large mass. This cat box to me is a total failure, with the slots nearly constantly clogged with pee clumps. It does do feces well. I hate this cat box it is totally a failure for my home. Thank god I did not throw my previous one away and just stored it on my screen porch temporarily. I am retired on a teeny income and I sure did not have $ to waste. Especially now with upwards of $150,000 of doctor and hospital bills. I will be happy to review anywhere I can to warn others of the inherent problems of this designlumps. It does do feces well. I hate this cat box it is totally a failure for my home. Thank god I did not throw my previous one away and just stored it on my screen porch temporarily. I am retired on a teeny income and I sure did not have $ to waste. Especially now with upwards of $150,000 of doctor and hospital bills. I will be happy to review anywhere I can to warn others of the inherent problems of this design



Nay!Nay!
Welcome to The Cat Site, @Linden.  We're very glad to have you here, and I'm sorry to hear about your illness.  I hope you're doing better now, and we look forward to having you as a member of our community for a long time to come.

Margret
 

Margret

TCS Member
Top Cat
Joined
Jul 17, 2014
Messages
6,497
Purraise
8,927
Location
Littleton, CO
Are you guys aware that we now have over 10 members on TCS who appear to have joined specifically so they could review the LUUP, and haven't posted anything other than their reviews?  It seems that this thread is one of the first things that turns up when you do a Google search on "luup litter box reviews."



I hope a few of them will stick around and actually become part of the community. 


Margret
 
Top