Automated cat toilet

Abstract

Apparatus for mechanical separation of cat solid waste, randomly buried in cat litter, and cat urine saturated litter clump waste from surrounding clean cat litter and mechanically removing the waste to storage, the apparatus including: a support including a waste collection region; a circular housing that is rotatably mounted about its axis on the support over the waste collection region, the housing having an opening in its periphery for passage of a cat when in a first rotational position and for passage of the solid waste and litter clump waste when in a second, downwardly directed, rotational position over the waste storage region; a solid partition extending inwardly from the periphery at a location adjacent to the opening so as to trap litter on the side opposite of the solid partition from the opening when the opening is in the second rotational position; a screen that retains the solid waste and litter clump waste, the screen extending inwardly from the periphery at a location spaced from the solid partition so as to pass through the litter as the housing is rotated in a manner that causes the opening to move from the first rotational position to the second rotational position, whereby when the housing rotates through a complete revolution, the solid waste and litter clumps are automatically discharged through the opening into the waste collection region, the litter is automatically sifted and aerated by passing twice through the screen, and the litter is retained in the housing.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.