Advice—October 2007

Dear Sparkle,
My human just got one of those “automatic” litter boxes and I’m not sure I like it. It’s oversized, but the actual part with the litter is smaller than my old box. And the thing is spooky—I’ll use it and then a little while later, the contraption starts moving! It’s kind of scary. I do have to say that I like the fact that it gets rid of the waste far more quickly than my human did. Sometimes she wouldn’t scoop my litter box all day, and it was really disgusting. Since she doesn’t have to scoop anymore, she’s acting like this thing is best idea ever. To be honest, I’m a little peeved that she’s so pleased with it. It’s not like she’s the one who has to actually use it. Do you think I should just accept this new litter box, even though it doesn’t really benefit me, or should I show my human how annoyed I am with her for disrupting my routine?
Signed,
Creeped Out

Dear Creeped Out,
I know all about those automatic litter boxes—we have one here too. I don’t use it if I can help it—my human has provided me with an old fashioned box that is much nicer, and in a better location, too. Why should I use something just because it’s a convenience for my human? That said, the fact that the automatic litter box is self-cleaning does benefit you, not just your human. One thing you have to understand about humans—you can’t change them. Of course, in a perfect world, your human would be standing there, waiting to scoop out the litter box every time you used it. But let’s face it, that’s not gonna happen. This automatic litter box, however, will scoop a few minutes after you’ve been there. So just because your human worships this new thing, don’t immediately write it off. If I were you, I would carefully weigh both the good and the bad of the automatic litter box. That way, you can make a wise decision on whether to accept it or not. Trust me, if you decide you don’t like it after all and let your human know that in no uncertain terms, she will be very, very quick in replacing it with something more acceptable.