Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

tldr; Three stars for non-breezy litter issues. In fairness, these same issues apply to the non-hooded version, but they're still problems. Find me a great pellet solution and it's five stars. Average: four. I erred on the side of length for those of us who want more details. I've started to write this review a number of times, but never hit 'submit.' It's a hard product to review, because most parts are great, and the critical part needs negotiating. In general (between the 2 available models) this system is a fabulous idea. My cats much prefer hooded litter boxes, so I was pleased when Purina finally introduced this version. It's well made of sturdy plastic. It's a ... uh, breeze, to put together. I can remove the hood and put it back on easily, and the securing part hasn't gotten looser or broken yet (I'd have to work hard to break it). The hinged hood that allows the opening to swing up without having to take the top off makes cleaning much, much easier compared to litter boxes with solid hoods (my former go-to for years). Overall, the box has a lower profile, yet my big, rough-and-tumble, cat has no problem fitting inside. To assemble, put a "diaper" pad in the lower tray to catch the urine that flows over the stone-like, pellet "litter." (Amazon brand pads are every bit as good and are cheaper.) Expect to go through at least two pads a week. The tray easily slides. Put the slatted-litter-holder on top, then the hood atop that, attaching it on both sides. The set comes with a scoop that fits unobtrusively on the side. I can't manage the lifting and crouching to clean out clay-filled, heavier litter boxes anymore, so this is like a dream come true. Because I can just swivel the hood open, I am far more inclined to clean it daily, which helps keep odors down. The biggest problem is the pellet litter you're supposed to use with the system. It's made from a non-porous, heavy, tube shaped, stone-like material. Each piece is about 3/4 of an inch. (Some people worry the pieces can pose a choking hazard to cats.) The idea is urine flows over the pellets, through the slats, onto the absorbent pad underneath, and as long as you change the pad frequently, you greatly reduce odor. Poop sits on the top so you can simply scoop it out and dispose of it (I use a small, hooded trash can). In theory, you don't need a deep layer of pellets (and boy, are they heavy and expensive!), and you only need to replace them about once a month. They look attractive in the system. Beyond that, they're a big headache. The pellets may not soak up urine, but they do get coated with it, and the only way to deal with that is to rinse them off. This leaves you with a litter tray full of slow-drying, wet pellets. Or you don't rinse them, and the urine odor builds up and you change the pellets more often. Poop doesn't just slip and slide off the pellets. Even if your cat produces properly formed, properly soft stools, you are simply going to throw away all the pellets that stick to it. If your cat is a coverer, then you lose even more pellets. My bag just doesn't last a month. Because you don't have many pellets in the tray, you've got nothing to push against to make sure all the stool makes it onto the scoop. So 1/2 the poop drops back into the litter (pick it up again) or you use the side of the tray, which sorta works, but you'll want to clean the sides to remove smears. Where the litter part of the system really lets you down is when your cat develops a case of diarrhea or gets wormed. You're dealing with slush, in these situations, and the pellets truly don't work. Some slush will slip over the pellets and onto the urine pad. Some slush will stick to the slats. Most of the slush stays on top of and between the pellets. You can't leave soiled pellets in the tray. Forget the odor, forget the smearing on slats and sides, you may be trying to get rid of worms and would prefer not to reinfect your cat (unlikely, but it can happen). When I've been left with this situation, I take the litter tray to the tub, use the hand-held shower head to rinse everything, return the tray and set a fan nearby in the hopes they'll dry faster. Nope. This part isn't a breeze. As for dust problems, none. The pellets I got have absolutely no fragrance (which I preferred). However, one cat grab the pellets and tosses them out. So I still wind up inadvertently stepping on something. And with diarrhea, my two, both neurotic coverers, simply can't avoid tracking some. I've since tried farm-store pine pellet animal bedding. It absolutely works better than the stone pellets, and it's "greener." The wet ones break down into sawdust and sift down to your urine tray. It's not a huge loss when the pine pellets stick to any variety of stool ... I can get a 40lb bag for $5.00 locally. The piney smell doesn't last as long for me as it seems to for some people, but for that price I don't even mind changing the whole litter tray once a week. Trouble is, one of my cats finds the pine pellets unworthy of consideration. I'm looking for another solution for the picky cat. I'm about to try Yesterday's News, also by Purina, much less expensive than the stones and still "green." If I could just find a good pellet solution, I'd be giving this system five stars. Guess how many fingers I have crossed right now?