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Hyperlynx posted:I just got a Litter Robot 4. The idea was to make my place smell less like cat box, but the thing reeks. Yes but also empty it every 2ish days because there’s no litter trapping scents in the liner
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Dec 25, 2023 08:19
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Hyperlynx posted:I just got a Litter Robot 4. The idea was to make my place smell less like cat box, but the thing reeks. What are you using for litter, and what do you have the cycle time set to? While LR sells "OdorTrap" packs that you can put where the charcoal filter goes, as well as inside where the tray goes (in the little recess next to where the tray slides in, not in the tray), they are literally just rebranded Fresh Wave odor packs. Using those can help as well. Also I like to empty the tray every few days and not wait until it gets full; depending on how quickly it takes to get full, letting the waste just sit there in the tray can cause it to get moldy from the moisture. If you're going to empty the tray on a regular basis, you might as well invest in my previously suggested 500 count 10 gallon wastebasket liner from Costco because it is dirty cheap compared to the "official" tray liner bags.
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Dec 25, 2023 08:38
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We had rain storms this week, and I swore I sporadically heard a cat crying, couldn't quite place if it was in my bushes, near a neighbor'a door or inside. It didn't help I only heard the crying at night. Last night I was able to use treats and my voice to lure it to a spot where I could see it, and the cat is definitely a kitten. Besides the storms a ton of folks walk their dogs often off leash in the area so this wasn't a safe place to leave it outside and they've been on their own for a few days. They absolutely adore my voice and the sight of other cats, but they're still pretty freaked out by a big human. I'd say they're at least 6 to 8 weeks old since it's still a tiny thing but eating solid food and using a litterbox. No collar. Since I found them technically 2 hours before Christmas Eve it's going to be a minute before I can take them to a vet, so they're living in quarantine in my bathroom with food water and their own box. They tolerate me more now, but they're not exactly ready to curl up in my lap. Treats got them to at least sniff my hand and tolerate being near me as long as I don't move and they have a clear path of escape or shelter. I have enough room for 3 cats, and had 3 until my oldest died about a month ago, but I wasn't planning on adopting a new cat. We'll see if I'm just providing some temporary fostering or a forever home after I get them to a vet. Right now based on seeing each other behind barriers the kitten adores my other cats and purrs and comes over to them, one of my cats is just as curious and while confused by the stranger doesn't seem to mind them. My other cat is not happy about her guest. Your reward for reading or scrolling past all that: Kitten in the bed my cats have ignored for nearly a year.
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Dec 25, 2023 08:45
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Aw man. I was really hoping to just be able to empty it when it's full rather than constantly use up liners. That said if I do have to empty it frequently I've got some biodegradable bags that I think will fit. Then I wouldn't feel so bad about all the plastic waste...HamburgerTownUSA posted:What are you using for litter, and what do you have the cycle time set to? I'm not yet automating when the LR runs, because my cats are still getting used to it. I'm also not sure I can actually connect to the drat thing, so I'll probably be using whatever the default is. quote:While LR sells "OdorTrap" packs that you can put where the charcoal filter goes, as well as inside where the tray goes (in the little recess next to where the tray slides in, not in the tray), they are literally just rebranded Fresh Wave odor packs. Using those can help as well. Well, I guess I'll get some filters and see how I go.
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Dec 25, 2023 09:44
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I just use regular sized garbage bags as liners in the LR4. I’ve never used their proprietary bags and it works fine
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Dec 25, 2023 10:20
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Coolness Averted posted:I have enough room for 3 cats, and had 3 until my oldest died about a month ago, but I wasn't planning on adopting a new cat. We'll see if I'm just providing some temporary fostering or a forever home after I get them to a vet. IIRC it's easiest to add a new cat to an established cat home if the new arrival is a kitten. Everything is new to them so they don't get as much stress from the different environment/flatmates, and your existing cats won't feel as threatened as they might by a new adult. So if you do end up keeping her, all that would be a plus. In fountain chat, I had to take out one that I had by the fridge that had a smooth top that water rolled out from because one of my cats would stand up on top of it and make the water escape out the side. Came home one day to find the entire hallway carpet wet  Replaced it with one of those Catit flower models and haven't had any further issues.
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Dec 25, 2023 11:23
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My cats work together to push over lighter fountains so they’ve got a heavy miaustore one made out of earthenware
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Dec 25, 2023 12:19
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Chronojam posted:My cat scoops water out of the bowl just to make a gigantic fuckin mess everywhere and flood the silicone mat surrounding it, and it's not because he wants to drink it from there. He also drowns toy mice there. I had a cat who did that with toy mice, and he would loudly, vocally tell you he was doing it until someone came to see him brutally dunking the toy mouse into the water.
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Dec 25, 2023 12:36
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We took beeps water fountain away and he just has a regular bowl, he hasnt shown any interest in it at all far as i can tell, feels a bit bad that i might have just wasted money but whatever
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Dec 25, 2023 12:53
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Hyperlynx posted:I just got a Litter Robot 4. The idea was to make my place smell less like cat box, but the thing reeks. I keep a container with baking soda in it at the front of the poop tray. It seems to help.
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Dec 25, 2023 15:37
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baking soda is super, super helpful for odor. fwiw i also clean mine like once to twice a day.
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Dec 25, 2023 18:07
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Sorry for somewhat monopolizing this thread the last week, but I thought I should provide some closure to the new cat saga. I got word back from the vet that she seems to be recovering well (she was eating without being forced, though she is on appetite stimulants) and will be coming home later tonight. The cost also came out slightly cheaper than the original deposit which is appreciated even if it's still around $3000. All obviously great news. There is a bit of sadness though. I mentioned before that she has a bad eye - the shelter told me it was likely caused by an accident as an infant but beyond potential blindness wasn't causing pain or related to other complications. While at the hospital though the emergency vet did a tissue diagnosis overnight and seems to think it both may be caused by a virus and could also be causing her discomfort. This seemed initially good because it meant it could be treated, but the proposed treatment is frankly outside my abilities both financially and emotionally. They suggested multiple medications administered every 6 hours for probably a month, and warned me that failing this could lead to loss of the eye (though thankfully no further issues). I live by myself and can't even really clip my own cat's nails without vet assistance, I don't trust in my ability to do something of this scale. I told the vet I'm not able to sign off on such an aggressive treatment right now and will be trying to consult with my normal vet as soon as possible. Not to undermine the emergency vet, but like I said I was initially told the eye wasnt problematic so I'd at least like a "tiebreaker" before subjecting her to something so stressful, especially while we're still dealing with integrating her with the older cat. The vet was mostly understanding though I can't help but feel like I'm pretty reprehensible for making a call like this on some level. I don't expect any more updates anytime soon and thank you everyone for your kind words.
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Dec 25, 2023 21:43
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I'm sorry you're going through all this, Countblanc. Please don't feel like you're monopolising the thread. Helping people deal with kitty problems is the whole point, whether that's fixing them or coping with them.Deteriorata posted:I keep a container with baking soda in it at the front of the poop tray. It seems to help. I'll give that a go. How does it work, though? Absorbs the stink particles? I'd sort of assumed that poo just keeps stinking indefinitely. Or the baking soda gets it before it gets out? cash crab posted:baking soda is super, super helpful for odor. fwiw i also clean mine like once to twice a day. Wait what. But what's the benefit of an automated litter tray if you've still got to manually clean it daily?
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Dec 25, 2023 22:30
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You don’t scoop, that’s the main win for me It also smells less than a normal litterbox in my small apt cause it cycles a lot, again for me And it lets me get away with one litterbox for my bonded pair which is nice spacewise
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Dec 25, 2023 22:33
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Countblanc posted:Sorry for somewhat monopolizing this thread the last week, but I thought I should provide some closure to the new cat saga. You're already putting a big amount of money out there to improve a creature's quality of life and keep them alive. Being able to honestly evaluate what you can and can't give them is a mature and difficult thing. I'd also reach out to the shelter you rescued them from, and see if they have experience with this care, especially if your main vet agrees with the prognosis. Whatever direction you go, I'm sure you'll have their best interest. I have slightly better kitten update news: the stray in my bathroom is an absolute cuddlebug. I came to the thread for advice on keeping them safe and sane but this morning I got to pet them for the first time, and they were way into it (as long as they couldn't see my head) and over the course of 3 hours that evolved into sitting in my lap, and even licking my beard. I noticed some small scabs and signs of fleas, but nothing troubling. They were content to let me hand groom them, which is good. Even let me touch their toes, tail, and belly.
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Dec 25, 2023 22:34
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Hyperlynx posted:
Just remember that it works in conjunction with your litter. The litter needs time to absorb moisture and clump; if you're manually cycling the LR4 too soon, or if your cycle time is set too quickly for the litter to do it's job, you're dropping wet clumps into the tray with nothing additional to absorb residual moisture. This is also why it can smell extra bad during a cycle and the tray is exposed, or why the pee and poo can get moldy; you're creating an overly moist environment in the tray. As for baking soda, it works the same as when you put it in your fridge or whatever; it's absorbing and neutralizing acidic odors. For the LR4, many people put down a layer whenever they put in a new bag in the tray, and in general, sprinkle some baking soda in the litter. Also if you use Home Assistant for home automation stuff, there is a LitterRobot integration that you can associate your LR account with, and the LR has multiple sensors and provides a lot of information that you can use for your home automation. I personally have it set so that when a cat is detected in my LR (which is in a closet), a light turns on, and an air purifier goes from auto to medium, and when the LR starts cycling, the air purifier kicks on to high for a set period of time. It's also generally suggested to have a webcam pointing inside the LR, and have the LR plugged in to a smart plug. The webcam is good for knowing if someone is inside if you want to remotely cycle it, and for generally keeping an eye on things; LR even sell a camera mount for that purpose, and there is a USB port just on the inside behind the cover specifically for giving power to a USB camera. The smart plug is to deal with what is the LR4's biggest weakness; it has kind of a crappy wifi board, and can sometimes lose wifi connection and not be able to reconnect. Many people have their smart plug set to hard power cycle the LR on a regular basis to take care of any electrical gremlins, and having a smart plug in general is good for if there is an issue with the LR (like it gets a fault and gets stuck mid cycle or something), and you need to remotely power cycle it (which will also force a litter cycle).
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Dec 25, 2023 22:55
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Countblanc posted:Sorry for somewhat monopolizing this thread the last week, but I thought I should provide some closure to the new cat saga. You are absolutely not monopolizing the thread. You have questions and concerns, and people are here to do their best to answer them. You clearly care enough to be investing so much emotionally and financially. Also, don't think of it as catastrophic if the worst case scenario happens and she loses vision in one eye; there are plenty of cats who have a single eye (either from birth, or as a result of something happening), and they live perfectly normal happy lives. Either way, you are doing your best to make sure she is taken care of and it's commendable.
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Dec 25, 2023 23:00
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Hyperlynx posted:I'm sorry you're going through all this, Countblanc. Please don't feel like you're monopolising the thread. Helping people deal with kitty problems is the whole point, whether that's fixing them or coping with them. Most of the odor is from ammonia from the decomposition of urea. The baking soda reacts with it to keep it out of the air.
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Dec 26, 2023 01:19
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Neato! I'll go pick some up and see what happens. That's much quicker and easier to obtain than filters.
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Dec 26, 2023 01:27
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Hyperlynx posted:Wait what. But what's the benefit of an automated litter tray if you've still got to manually clean it daily? sorry, miscommunication, i have a regular box but i just think a combination of baking soda and more regular cleanings does help a lot.
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Dec 26, 2023 01:35
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cash crab posted:sorry, miscommunication, i have a regular box but i just think a combination of baking soda and more regular cleanings does help a lot. OH! Yeah, that makes way more sense! I clean my ordinary box 1-2 times a day too.
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Dec 26, 2023 01:53
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Well, I guess I might as well ask here: I actually haven't been able to get my LR4 to see my wifi yet. It looks like it needs 2.4 Ghz wifi, but that by itself isn't doing it. Anyone know any likely causes?
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Dec 26, 2023 02:46
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Hyperlynx posted:Well, I guess I might as well ask here: I actually haven't been able to get my LR4 to see my wifi yet. It looks like it needs 2.4 Ghz wifi, but that by itself isn't doing it. Anyone know any likely causes? Special characters in the SSID?
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Dec 26, 2023 03:00
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BabyFur Denny posted:Special characters in the SSID? Nope. I even took the spaces out. But it occurred to me that I could use my phone's wifi hotspot so that I could configure it, which did work, so at least there's that. Honestly, if I'd known it was IoT and needs an account for a server in somewheristan to be able to access the event history and cat weights I probably wouldn't have bought it.
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Dec 26, 2023 10:20
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HamburgerTownUSA posted:Either way, you are doing your best to make sure she is taken care of and it's commendable. Agreeing with this and I’m very glad to hear she got professional care and stabilized enough to go home! Awful, awful timing. I’d love to know what your regular vet says about her eye Countblanc.
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Dec 26, 2023 23:35
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This may sound stupid but I just possibly made a terrible decision and can't do anything about it for about an hour until I get home, so getting information about what to do when I get home would be helpful. I'm having a mold issue in my home so I bought two big jugs of mold killer and a mop and washed the floor in one room with the stuff. This is what I bought: I kept my cat in another room while I was cleaning up and for several hours afterwards. About one and a half hours after it was fully dried I then used a broom and a Swiffer to clean up anything left in the room. It was totally dry. I couldn't leave my cat locked away indefinitely so I let them out. They started rubbing themselves on the floor in that room but I didn't think anything about it except they liked the smell or wanted to mark it with their scent. I did not think anything more of it until just now, and I'm no longer home and can't get home for a little while. What happens the next time they clean themselves after rubbing on the floor? The chemical warns not to ingest or get it in your eyes or let it get on skin. I'm probably worried over nothing right? I fully dried and I then swept the whole floor afterwards. If I'm not worried over nothing, what can or should I do when I get home? Searching for information about this on Google has been completely useless, The result just come up with information about not exposing people or pets to these sorts of chemicals which is a little different from my situation. This probably sounds a little ridiculous but in the context of my cat, who I love dearly, I want to do anything I can to ensure they are healthy. Diogines fucked around with this message at 01:13 on Dec 28, 2023 |
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Dec 28, 2023 00:59
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I think you're good. It's bleach, and a good rinse will take care of the bulk of it. It's not particularly dangerous in the tiny amounts that will remain.
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Dec 28, 2023 01:35
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That is what I figured and a relief to hear, though I don't think I can wash it. The mold came from a leak which is not fully resolved, I need to do my best to keep the room dry while I deal with the situation.
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Dec 28, 2023 01:45
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Diogines posted:That is what I figured and a relief to hear, though I don't think I can wash it. The mold came from a leak which is not fully resolved, I need to do my best to keep the room dry while I deal with the situation. By "rinse" I meant the sweep/Swiffer wipe down. There's not going to be much residue at that point. You can go over it with a damp mop if you're still worried. You don't need to do anything more than that, though.
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Dec 28, 2023 01:55
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Hyperlynx posted:Well, I guess I might as well ask here: I actually haven't been able to get my LR4 to see my wifi yet. It looks like it needs 2.4 Ghz wifi, but that by itself isn't doing it. Anyone know any likely causes? Try setting up a simple guest network that's only 2.4ghz, and see if that works. Also I've been having good success with World's Best advanced litter in the LR4 and a 15 minute cycle, in addition to what everybody else suggested.
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Dec 28, 2023 06:21
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Chronojam posted:Try setting up a simple guest network that's only 2.4ghz, and see if that works. That's basically what I tried. Well, I probably haven't made it simple enough. Oh well, time to learn more about Wifi settings! Meanwhile I decided to make a kind of home-made deodouriser out of a plastic food container of bicarb soda with lots of small holes melted into the lid using a soldering iron. I've put it under the LR's step, and I'll see if it does anything. e: I might try making the security as crappy as it gets, and then once it's connected (if that's the issue) maybe restrict that network to only the LR's MAC address or something. EE: tried with the literal guest network feature on my router. That didn't work either. Unimpressed. Hyperlynx fucked around with this message at 12:30 on Dec 28, 2023 |
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Dec 28, 2023 07:51
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It literally doesn't see it at all or if you feed it the SSID it gives you an error?There's some random combos of routers/clients that simply won't see the other on wifi. My laptop absolutely refused to join a Verizon mobile hotspot, I've had Rokus not connect to Netgears, etc. Simply nonsensical stuff. Presumably it does see some wifi because you can connect to the configuring wifi on the LR itself. Curious to know whether it may be in a dead spot, have you tried plopping the router right next to the LR as a test and seeing if it can connect if it's temporarily very close?
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Dec 28, 2023 14:10
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kw0134 posted:It literally doesn't see it at all or if you feed it the SSID it gives you an error?There's some random combos of routers/clients that simply won't see the other on wifi. My laptop absolutely refused to join a Verizon mobile hotspot, I've had Rokus not connect to Netgears, etc. Simply nonsensical stuff. Presumably it does see some wifi because you can connect to the configuring wifi on the LR itself. Curious to know whether it may be in a dead spot, have you tried plopping the router right next to the LR as a test and seeing if it can connect if it's temporarily very close? Can't see it on the list, gives an error when entered manually. My phone gets wifi just fine there. It's not really practical for me to relocate the router or the LR so I haven't bothered, but maybe worth trying... I'm not sure what I'd be able to do with that info, though. Meanwhile, I've just stumbled on an article about making one's IoT devices secure and private, and severing their connection to the cloud (link). Sure enough, clever folks have already figured out how to do this for the LR4: https://www.home-assistant.io/integrations/litterrobot/
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Dec 28, 2023 22:36
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Must feel lovely to pay $700 for a litter box that can't connect to to wifi when you can get another one that doesn't connect to wifi for 1% of the price.
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Dec 28, 2023 22:40
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My kittens got fixed last Tuesday. The girl's scar is healing, no swelling or bruising or anything that looks infected, but it's dry and crusty. Would it be ok to rub a little neosporin into it?
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Dec 28, 2023 22:46
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Squashy Nipples posted:My kittens got fixed last Tuesday. She'll eat that, so don't do it. Call the vet to see if they have something they recommend; I've had some special antibacterial ointments dispensed before, or they may recommend a non-medicated lotion (no reason to encourage antibiotic resistances), or to bring her in for a quick check to make sure it's going ok.
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Dec 28, 2023 23:01
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mawarannahr posted:Must feel lovely to pay $700 for a litter box that can't connect to to wifi when you can get another one that doesn't connect to wifi for 1% of the price. Indeed. On the bright side, it still cleans itself, and keeps the stink mostly locked away Hyperlynx fucked around with this message at 23:05 on Dec 28, 2023 |
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Dec 28, 2023 23:03
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Ferdie went to the cattery for a bit while we visited my family. We picked him up today and the report was "He was very friendly! Then he escaped his accommodation. He had a nice run around. Then he wouldn't go back in. We had to put a towel over him." ...good to know my boy is gaining a reputation, I guess.
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Dec 28, 2023 23:08
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mawarannahr posted:Must feel lovely to pay $700 for a litter box that can't connect to to wifi when you can get another one that doesn't connect to wifi for 1% of the price. The point is that it feels pretty lovely to literally scoop poo poo, even if the litterbox was free. In fact, it feels shittier the more free litterboxes you must scoop. The WiFi isn't really the point for most people although it gives you remote status and weight history stuff they added recently.
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Dec 28, 2023 23:38
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We said goodbye to Miss Malarkey today. Seven days of kitty ICU was enough to learn that they could not diagnose her, and a horrific regimen of medications just to keep her alive was not something I was willing to put her through. Thankfully the condition was not painful and we were able to discontinue treatment for a day so she could come home and have a couple nights and a day of love and snuggles. My heart is shattered and my other little girl is wondering where her sister is. I am glad I can say we did everything we could at every turn, including choosing to let her go before she suffered. I have no regrets. If I have to answer to a god for my decision I will face them with my head high and my eyes clear. Please hug and kiss your cats. She was not even four years old. This has taught me that we are promised nothing and every single day we have with them is a gift. Dua Bast
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Dec 29, 2023 00:17
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