Roomba pet series!!! Noisy and obnoxious as it bumps around the house, but with two Golden Retrievers and a lazy mom who doesn't take time for grooming, I'm amazed that the cup is jammed full with hair every day. Costco carries. It's been bumping away for two years and if it breaks, I'll get another within days.

I also have the litter robot and that thing is the bomb! When mine broke, I bought a new one - I highly recommend this to anyone with cats - but it is not really pretty - I have mine in the basement.

I have never had a cat, but if I did, the litter box would NEVER be inside the house! I like the arrangement where the litter box is kept in the garage or outside near an outer wall of the house (in a covered area) with an inside pet door leading out to it. The outside area has a top that lifts up where the box can be accessed for cleaning.

Worst-case scenario, I would put it right beside the toilet where the stuff could be flushed immediately.

My girlfriend just let her cat come and go inside and outside through a doggie door. He always did his business outside so she didn't have to worry with a litter box. But he's also dragged in half-dead snakes, birds, and rats into the house (usually while they're eating dinner at the dining room table), so it's not a perfect solution. haha

Please, please, please folks, NEVER flush cat feces! And do not train your cat to use hte toilet because it is "cute". (I have seen the kits to do so at pet stores...) Cats can carry toxoplasmosis while remaining asymptomatic themselves. Toxo is not removed by municipal water treatment facilities, and is not removed by private septic systems either. It gets in the water in creeks and streams, reaches the oceans - and kills dolphins and porpoises. The infection is also teratogenic, which is why pregnant women are advised not to change the litter or scoop it while carrying a fetus. We don't need to expand that warning to not drinking water!

lcjinroslynpa, I never heard that. Thank you for sharing. I often thought about training my cats to do that, guess I wont now.

Get a Rumba for the fur! You can set it to vacuum while you're gone every day. It's amazing how much that thing picks up on a daily basis!

The best cat hair collector is a pair of rubber gloves with textured palms. Cats love it when you pet them using the gloves. Bonus, a lot of cat hair comes off. Have a pail of water at hand to dip your gloved hands in and the cat hair easily washes off. You can also use the rubber glove method to remove cat hair from upholstered furniture.

My friend has a garage several steps below her laundry room. She put a cat door in the wall of the laundry room; it leads into an elevated cage in the garage where the litter boxes are kept. The waist-high cage can be accessed from the garage via a hinged door (like a cupboard door) for cleaning the litter boxes. It's the best system I've ever seen. The litter never smells in the house, and the cats never escape.

Two great solutions for litter boxes - not cheap but worth the investment. They are both from Modko (can be found on line). Both work well if the litter box has to be out in the open.

My cat “loves” the lint roller. I use it alone and with the brush which he also loves. I think it matters how methods are introduced to a cat. Years ago my cat loved to be vacuumed. The little guy I have now hates noises so the vacuum is out. Using the brush and roller everyday keeps my house hairball free. I do use his brush and lint roller on his sleep areas too. Try a lint roller up and down your arm and you'll see why a cat would love it.

Having 3 cats which all shed a lot, I can personally say DO NOT use blankets for them!!! The hair will only "stick" to the blanket, and you DO NOT want to wash a blanket in your washing machine and have a plumber's bill for the end result, trust me!! I went to my local Goodwill store ( and yard sales! ) and bought King-size bed sheets to use to cover my couches...the hair comes off of them easily by just shaking them outdoors! Minimal hair left on them is handled by our washer with no problem..................................DO NOT.....I repeat....DO NOT put a litter box with "clumping" litter IN THE TUB!!!!!!!....Hubby was cleaning the litter box in our utility room and "accidentally" spilled some in the utility sink....plumber's bill was horrendous, as it worked like it should, and CLUMPED when he ran some water...of course turned to "cement" and we needed to call the plumber to fix the problem.....we all learn from past experiences, and either ours or other's mistakes....LOL

Furminator and rainbow vac. (Rainbow is expensive but worth every dime when you have fur babies)

I have a friend who got a litter robot for her two Siamese cats. They soon figured out how to make it cycle just for the fun of watching it work. (They used it for going, too.)

I'm in the same situation as you. I have a two cats, one an angora with ultra fine long hair and a short hair tabby that also sheds allot of shorter thick hair. I have and assortment of throws for the areas the gravitate, vacuum often, brush their coat often, and a good supply of sticky rollers. It's just the nature of the beast. As far the litter box, if your cat has access to a screened in patio or something of that nature I had a litter box outside with access via a cat flap. I also had one in the closet with the door propped open. The little that I found that helped control the odor as much as possible, but with good enough clumping abilities is walnut based from Blue Buffalo called "Naturally Fresh". I scoop once or twice a day. There is no laziness if you want to avoid the accumulated odor. I have the litter box lined with 3mm thickest liner available and liter lasts in good condition for about 1.5 or 2 weeks with two cats with occasional refilling before changing it out completely. The liner makes it much easier, though with the occasional tear you may still have to clean the bottom of the box. In the picture you can see one of the throws.

I live in a New York City apartment with two cats. Space is an issue. I keep the litter box (it's the kind with a hood and a handle) in the bathtub. Ideal. You can't see it because of the closed curtain, and it's very easy to keep it clean. I just have to make sure that well-intentioned guests don't shut the bathroom door when it's not in use. I groom the cats weekly (brush and comb), but fur on everything is still an issue. I guess I consider it the tax I pay for their companionship.

We have 4 cats, only 1 with long hair, and I swear he sheds the least. With him its matting that I have trouble with, as he won't let me brush under his arms where they seem to appear. As for litter boxes, we have tried them all, and I have to say the cat genie toilet is hands down my favorite. Doesn't just scoop for me but flushes away the waste and washes the remaining litter. Can be right out in the open and won't smell at all. We keep ours in the mud room and use the washing machine pipes for waste removal. Unfortunately I have ONE cat that won't use it as he prefers a finer granule to do his business in. Otherwise that would be our one and only machine. The litter robot runs second place, but like all the other solutions, even though it scoops and leaves "clean litter" for your kitties, it doesn't remove the waste from the vicinity, so your odor remains until you dispose of it, and then a little still remains anyway because the "clean litter" still has residual bits of soaked granules that were too small to be filtered. And then there's the smell of the actual litter itself, which over time I come to associate with cat box odor, which becomes unpleasant by association. And our same picky kitty won't use that either, because he does not like enclosed tops. Therefore we have those two methods plus the regular old tray of clumping cat litter just for him. We use worlds best cat litter as it has a texture he likes and does a fantastic job of clumping as well as pretty decent odor control. All but the cat genie toilet are kept in an oversized closet with a cat door and its own ventilation to the outside, and are scooped 2x daily. And it still stinks behind that door. Good thing I love that picky cat.

As a side note, try the furminator on your areas rugs or carpet. Really gets out the fur your vacuum leaves behind.

Lot's of great advice here already.

Even though my cats are indoor cats they shed the most in spring and fall, and there isn't much to do about it. However, I would recommend the use of a Furminator to groom them followed by a regular brush to get the rest. I do not recommend the use of a pet comb as it may pull the skin and which cats dislike especially when they get older.

To reduce visible cat hair on furniture I went as far as choosing my couch color according to the color of my cat's fur. I also use covers where they like to sleep.

Also what I noticed was when I stopped feeding them dry food/kibbles, and only gave them grain free wet food / (better yet) raw food, they shed way less and their fur got more shiny and healthier looking. Cats don't drink much in the wild anyways. When fed with dry food I was constantly filling the drinking bowl, now it is barely touched. Another plus from wet food is that my cats don't get constipated which can be an issue with older cats especially and there is less poop in the litter box to get rid off.

Still if your cat is shedding a lot, you might want to check for health issues. Most common are:
Allergies
Ringworm
Bacterial infection
Fleas
Hormonal imbalance such as hyperthyroidism
Poor diet
Stress
Certain medications
Pregnancy or lactation
Sunburn

Love my LitterGenie!

-leather couches (if they scratch, place a cat scratcher - a tall one - nearby, then slowly move it away as they take to it)
-furminator for sure!
-don't use enclosed litter boxes - if you have multi cats cats can become possessive of it and guard it, also it keeps odors and filth inside & cleaning would be difficult
- use 'world's best litter' - it is really great - scoop a couple times a day (it's natural - made of corn i believe - non-natural & clay litters can get into a cats digestive system when they clean themselves and cause digestive problems - especially clumping clay litters!)
- i feed only raw food and i agree it cuts down on hair & my cats are so healthy - everyone is always amazed at how soft their fur is. (3P Naturals Raw Turkey)
* raw food does not smell and it is less smelly out the other end too i would say! canned and dried foods contain smelly additives to tempt the cat into eating the (mostly) garbage ingredients.
-good luck! sweet kitty!

My method of fur removal is similar to the wet rubber gloves described above. I use a "rubbery" kind of cloth used for window washing. Dampen the rag and wring out. The fur sticks and eventually clumps into "threads" on the cloth. The advantage over the damp rubber glove is the absorption of general "dirt" which is then soaked out of the rag with a mild soap.
I'm presently using a travel towel (cut in half) that is stored in a plastic box. (A chamois is similar in texture.) Our long-haired cat has silky, fine fur that doesn't mat much. She's combed everyday, but she continues to shed profusely all year.

My Himalayan would shed profusely, even though I thoroughly brushed her daily. I get her a lion cut twice yearly and she loves it, as do I. I still brush her daily and get plenty of hair, but not like before.

I use a furminator on my dog, but I've come to accept that my house will forever have wisps of fur floating around.

After years of using throws double sided tape etc I finally replaced my living room furniture with leather pieces. Done well- with fabric on just the cushions for example- it looks fabulous. No more tears and little fur

If you have cat hair on your furniture and clothes try using a rubber glove - the kind you use to wash dishes or clean the house. It is a miracle, all the hair is out in a jiff!

Agree w/everyone about using the Furminator. My long haired guy not only leaves tumbleweeds everywhere, he's a compulsive groomer/wool eater. Which means lots of eaten fur, thus hair ball blarfs. The Furminator reduces both issues pretty dramatically. As to hiding the sand box, how about a miniature folding screen? That would be cute and give kitty privacy without taking the chance that he would reject a covered box -which many cats will do- and maybe start going in an inappropriate place. (Cats instinctively feel vulnerable when doing their business, and don't like for their getaway options to be limited.) Arrrgghh. What we go through for them. Our kitties are just so nice to let us live in their houses........

@summery, we had a rabbit that to be vacumed too. We used a dust buster on her ? are sorry we never got a video to send to black & decker showing how well it picked up pet hare (not misspelled)

Many cats do not like enclosed litter boxes as noted by heartlander. They retain odor, are more difficult to clean because of the small space between the litterbox and the outer container--requiring removal of the box to get all the litter vacuumed, etc.. I have two cats and have used small, attractive screens around their high-sided litterboxes, rubberized or carpeted mats under the boxes and plexiglass sheets against the walls for protection against accidental sprays. This picture shows my screened porch with the box privacy screen behind a chair which doesn't interfere with the rest of the porch. There is another in the laundry and one in the garage.

Upthread commenters are correct. Furminator is great...a little more expensive than normal pet brushes but it really works. Be careful that you don't remove ALL your cat's fur.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=furminator+for+cats&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Afurminator+for+cats

We now have FIVE cats. The little one in my avatar, Banjo, was abandoned at Home Depot in 2013.

At the end of August, 2014, two five-week-old kittens were left in a cardboard box in front of a pet store that closed a month before.

Two weeks ago, we discovered a kitten living under our front steps. We got him in the house last Wednesday.

So...my problem isn't so much the fur...it's the five litter boxes spread around the house. We're hoping we can get that down to two or three. Sweardagawd, all I do is pick up kitty poop.

Duke & Dude in the window with Ruffian (13 years old).

Ditto in Dave's arms two days after we "captured" him.

Roomba, but get the 880. Pricey, but it works. It not only has better suction and a bigger bin, but the rollers are easier to clean than the lower models. I am amazed at what it pulls up, just be sure to follow maintenance instructions to a T.

To lower the cost, sign up for Bed, Bath and Beyonds coupons and use a 20% off one to get a break on it. When it is registered, they will send you extra filters. The filters are washable, so rotate those. For personal grooming, I like the rubber brush, but also use a dampened real leather chamois (the kind for drying cars). After brushing, wet it, wring it out thoroughly and wipe the cat with it. Even more hairs will come up. hand wash and dry. It will harden after drying, but become supple avian the next time you wet it.

put a rubber glove u use for washing dishes on and rub down your upholstered pieces, easy peasy. cat and dog hair gone..

@Suzanne M - what a great gaggle of kitties! so sweet of you to open your home to them. I'm sure they will repay you in purrs and fuzzy love.

Lots of great advice! Every time our cat comes for her food (3 times a day--we don't leave food out all day), she gets a quick brushing first so it's a normal routine. The litter box is in the bathroom tucked right under the vanity (it is on legs at just the right height). We have to be diligent to clean it out at least once a day.

Ok, I didn't read all the other reviews to see if someone else already mentioned this, but what we did is to put a cat door in the closet door and put the litter box in there on the bottom. We also put a mat that collects the litter so it doesn't go under the door. The rest of the closet is for brooms and vacuums and supplies that we have on wire mesh shelves, and we have an exhaust fan in there for when the cat has an extra stinky poo (actually this mystified our building inspector until our architect remembered that the fan in the closet was for the cats). If you are renting, get a door shop to make you a new closet door (you can just do the standard cheap hollow core door) - we brought our door guy the cat door we wanted, and he installed it into the door for us. It was pretty inexpensive. Good luck!

ceylona, thanks for the furminator on rugs advice. I went home and tried it and it worked really well to get the fur that was embedded deep in the rug that the vacuum couldn't pull out. Amazing!

Best way to get cat hair off upholstery and bed: rubber gloves! Run gloved hand in one direction repeatedly. Static will make fur gather on glove. Cheap and effective! I second the furminator. But not more than once a day.

Clinnyc- I am interested in your Dog. Mine is half GD and the other half lab. He has the same coat as your guy. What kind of dog is yours. PS we have cats in our house two and he is great with them.

Litter box

Thanks, HSD! She is part pit bull and part hound (of some sort)--a light brown brindle coat. Your doggies are adorable!! Her mother looks totally pit bull but she does not. :)

I trained my cats to use the toilet. Also for the fur, use throws over furniture they like to hang out in that I can wash frequently, and lint remover rollers, vacuuming and brushing are mainstays for controlling the fur collection.

If you use a large sheet or blanket, etc. to cover your furniture, bed, to protect from pet hair, 1st run them through the dryer on "air" cycle. This removes a ton of hair before putting the fabrics in your washer. I use Arm/Hammer clumping deordorizing litter - great! I also use large plastic storage boxes as litter boxes - not those store-bought small litter boxes. Cats don't like the covered boxes, nor do I. I have made many cat box screens myself by using cardboard boxes & covering with decorative contact paper or fabric. I make it so that only one end of the box is covered, with box sides on 3 sides. May take 2 cardboard boxes, but this is a great & inexpensive way to hide the cat box. Wish I had a photo to exhibit.

cear - please see comment above re: toxoplasmosis and cat feces. While it may be convenient for your kitty to use the toilet as you only have to flush its wastes away, a litter box is better for both humans and cetaceans ...

I have one cat and the place I think is best to keep a litter box, is be hind a bathroom toilet. It's a way to keep it from sight.

YES - Furminator and both Dyson and IRobot vacs. Friend had cat door put in wall, other side was garage. Put enclosed litter box of some kind in garage. Worked great! As for making own litter box out of cardboard, check out the cardboard display boxes used on shelves at Wal-Mart, COSTCO, Aldi's, esp. when school supplies are flying out the door! When empty or almost empty, will give to you free. Just take ipto cashier and ask if you can have it. I use for storage on hone shelves, fir scrapbooking items, etc., etc.

With limited options in a small apartment, I too make my own litterbox out of a large plastic storage container, sans lid, as the cats prefer an uncovered box. This completely prevents "missed aim" issues I had with store bought litter pans. The U shaped entry is in the short end of the box, not the middle, which pushes them further into the box and prevents missed aims outside the opening. I had to put a cat perch on two posts at the opening, so my older cat would naturally walk in further to the end of the box (doesn't like the overhang) when she uses the litter box. No more messes outside the box. Under the perch, is just a simple rug. It spreads their toes when they land on the texture, and much of the extra litter drops there and is easily cleaned. Between that corner and the rest of the room is a small wall built with inexpensive cinderblock. topped with air-purifying plants, so the cat corner is hidden from direct sight, the plants keep them from jumping up on the little wall and they walk out over the rug to reduce the tracking issue. You could also use a storage bench or low piece of furniture with the back side along the side of the litter box area. Keep it very clean, I use Fresh Step - only cat litter that I've tried that really works and also have an air purifier running right on the other side of their little privacy wall. No odor, very little tracked litter, privacy for them and pretty line of green plants with no unsightly litter box for me.

We have six rescue kitties. Three tuxes and three tweeds (as we call them). We bought bus tubs at SAMs and keep three of them in our basement utility area. We have a large house so the boxes are not a problem. We use regular clay litter and change them every other day. They are a lot of work but worth it. Use a shark vac with a pet tool. I wear black all the time and use a lint roller

Crackerb-although you posted quite a while ago, still thought I'd answer your question about the "mouse". My daughter has a fake toy small hamster in a clear ball which goes all over the floor & runs on batteries. It looks amazingly real & makes no noise. No one could see it's fake looking down at it. I'm getting one for myself. It could be a fun gift for the right person. Silly, yes. But I love smiles, giggles, laughter. Anyway Amazon sells a few to choose from.

Litter boxes in sun room so I see them every day, next to the conure cage, morning and evening. If guests are due , cats go to either garage or MBR along with their boxes and water dish! Two cats. Also cats and birds ignore each other. Florida Girl

lcjinroslynpa......what is considered to be the best way to dispose of the "litter fritters", then? I currently dispose of them in the trash, but then they end up in landfills, and wouldn't they still eventually get into the water supply via ground waters?

We use a litter box table in the living room. Works great.