Complain about a product or service

Littermaid - Repeat Customers

Littermaid • Fire hazard • Feline entrapment • Unhappy new customers • Unhappy repeat customers • Accessory problems • Customer diagnoses • Privacy tent • Slow order processing

Luise of Clemmons SC (3/31/04):
Purchased first Littermaid L600 in September 03 just prior to surgery in the hope of making cat-housekeeping easier. It worked beautifully and our cat took to it immediately. Its motor stopped working after 5 months. We replaced it with another L600 from Walmart after the cleaning arm reversed itself and was not repairable (it actually broke off the hinge). We returned it to Walmart for a full refund. The service rep stated several had been returned. (I should have caught the hint, but went for the larger and supposedly stronger unit)

At Petsmart I purchased the L900 in the hope of a stronger motor, this was in February, today on March 31 this motor is waning. We really love the concept, but the longevity of the product leaves lots to be desired.

Damage Resulting: Loss of $120, time, aggravation and the next unit at $190 is slowing down and on its way out. Someone that knows how to replace these little motors could really find a niche here.

Dale of Myrtle Beach SC (9/19/03):
I purchased a Littermaid and in less than 6 months it has quit working It seems to not be getting any power. It will not run at all. I feel that I should receive a new one as this is the second one that I have purchased and was very pleased with the other one. It lasted several years.

Jamie of Clarksville TN (7/1/03):
I have had two LitterMaids in the last six months and both of them have malfunctioned. The first LitterMaid I purchased, the guide wire got wrapped around the scoop and snapped the wire. The second LitterMaid, just stopped working. It will only scoop when there isn't any cat litter in the pan. This company needs to recall and improve their system.

Phyllis of Billings MT (6/19/03):
I had 4 cats and had 2 Littermaids that worked great! But a little over a month ago, I moved into a new home so I bought a new box for the one cat I have left. She is diabetic ... drinks LOTS of water so is always peeing! But the box won't scoop up any more! It worked fine the first 2 weeks I had it but now I'm back to scooping!

It rakes just so far and falls back ... sometimes up to 4 times! I've even heard it raking at nite when the cat hasn't been around it for a while! I did only pay $90 but I want one that works!

Mary of Grapevine TX (11/4/02):
I bought a LitterMaid back in 11/00 because I was going on vacation. I did not want my sitter to have to clean too much after the cats. By the 2nd week the box broke. When I came back in December, I quickly bought another while I thought that I could get the one fixed. Before I had a chance to send that one in, about 2 weeks, the new one broke. They were both the Mega. Each was over $200.00.

Since then I have been fighting with them to replace them. I was finally able to talk to someone, and return both to Shelton, as told. Shelton finally after about 4 months returned one replacement. I tried to call, and still am calling, but to no avail. It is like if I call the number on the LitterMaid box, they tell me to call Fox Internationl, and if I call Fox they tell me to call the other number.

The shipping label says that two (2) units were being sent back to me. However, the shipping company claims that only one was there for pickup. All in all, I have made at least 20 calls. I always get some person who has a very limited capacity for the English language. I always ask for a manager, and I am told that one will have to call me back. Yet no one ever calls back.

Terri of Plymouth MN (1/28/02):
I wasn't surprised to see the numerous complaints about this product as we are on our 4th unit in 15 months. For the first 90 days, it works perfectly. Then, as others have written, the unit would stop raking on its own. We would need to manually move the ON button to OFF to reset it. Calling Littermaid to complain got us nowhere and rather than waiting the 8-12 weeks to receive a replacement, we continue to return them to the retail store for a new one. We have two sets of friends that do the same. It's a great product - too bad the manufacturer can't perfect it.

Tammie of Macclenny, FL, writes:
This is a follow up on a complaint I filed on 1-16-01. I finally received my replacement litter box after waiting 2 months! Vanessa from Litter Maid called me and asked if the situation had been resolved. I advised yes, I FINALLY received my litter box two months after I filed the complaint and I told her that I had received it but their customer service department had issues!

Well, only two weeks after I had the BRAND NEW cat litter box, IT ENDS UP DOING THE SAME THING THE OTHER LITTER BOX DID -- it acts like it has a short or something in it. I have checked the outlet in my wall and it's fine. On the actual litter box where the plug in is, if you push on it it will start but then when the rake gets to the top of the litter box it stops and you have to push it in, again, to get it to complete the cycle! I don't have time to do that every five minutes and that is the whole purpose of the automatic litter box, to do it automatically. This is unbelievable.

I tried to call Littermaid once, but you are always put on hold for way too long, like over 30 minutes! This is not acceptable! I am not going to send it back to them like I did the first one because they are still saying they don't have a record of receiving it, but I indicated the FEDEX tracking number and the person who signed for it! This company has some SEVERE problems! I would just like my money back and never do business with them, again!

Lee of Summerville, SC, writes:
We had the first Littermaid for about six months, then it failed. It took about three months to finally get the second one. Two weeks later it has failed. I would love to have one but I would like one that works.

Patricia of Gillsville, GA, writes:
I purchased a LitterMaid Mega Deluxe in July. After about a month, it failed to sense when a cat had used the box and would only run if it was turned off and then on again. LitterMaid replaced the unit but only after waiting for 6 weeks because it was "out of stock and on backorder".

I have now had the new unit for a month or so, and it has quit working also. The motor quit with the rake stopped in the middle of the pan. I called LitterMaid to report the problem and ask for another replacement. The customer service representative was a bit argumentative, but finally arrangements were made for a new unit to be delivered, but I was told it would be a while because they were "out of stock and on backorder".

This seems to be the pat answer when you need a replacement. I have sent an email complaint to them, but I really don't expect an answer.

I love the LitterMaid - when it works! If this were the only time I had had a problem with a LitterMaid unit it would be different, but in the past 2 years I have had 6 units and have had to ask for replacements for 3 of them. Two I just disposed of because it was too much hassle to deal with LitterMaid. One is still working, believe it or not. It has actually been working for over 6 months! That's the longest any of them have lasted.

You would think that something that expensive would have a longer life than that.

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