# US 5,699,754 A · Litter box

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- Number: US 5,699,754 A
- Document ID: US5699754A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/594,436
- Filed: 1996-01-31
- Granted: 1997-12-23
- Earliest claimed: 1996-01-31
- Inventors: Janice Cahajla
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5699754A

## CPC

- A01K 1/0107: {Cat trays; Dog urinals; Toilets for pets}
- A01K 1/0114: {Litter boxes with screens for separating excrement from litter}
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS

## Abstract

A litter box is provided having a litter-holding tray supported over a urine-collection cavity. The litter is contained within a disposable element which generally lines the tray. The disposable element and tray are permeable by liquids so that liquid waste falls from the litter cavity to the lower urine-collection cavity. The disposable element may be lifted and disposed of, along with the litter, in a clean and sanitary manner which avoids touching of the litter. The top, bottom container and tray are stackable and securable together in an easily disassemblable manner. The disposable element is preferably made of a biodegradable material including cornstarch and soy protein or a suitable biodegradable paper.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A litter box comprising:
a bottom container having a generally circular vertical sidewall and defining a urine-collection cavity;
a tray having a generally circular vertical sidewall and a perforated litter-support surface defining a litter cavity, the tray also including a lip on an exterior of its sidewall to support the tray against the sidewall of the bottom container;
a top having a generally circular vertical sidewall and a cat-access opening, the sidewall of the top fitting over the tray and securing to the bottom container, the top being shaped to abut the tray so that the tray is secured between the top and bottom container; and
a lip on an interior of the sidewall of the top which abuts against the lip of the tray and presses the tray against the bottom container.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The litter box according to claim 1, further comprising:
a liquid-permeable disposable element shaped to generally line the litter cavity of the tray.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The litter box according to claim 2, wherein the disposable element is made of plastic having small holes therein.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The litter box according to claim 3, wherein the plastic is biodegradable.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The litter box according to claim 3, wherein the disposable element is made of recycled plastic.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The litter box according to claim 2, wherein the disposable element is paper.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The litter box according to claim 1, wherein the top and bottom containers are securable together by a threaded engagement with each other.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The litter box according to claim 1 wherein the sidewall of the tray has an outer diameter smaller than an inner diameter of the sidewall of the bottom container, and wherein the lip has a dimension larger than the inner diameter of the sidewall of the bottom container.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The litter box according to claim 1, wherein the sidewall of the top has an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the bottom container.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The litter box according to claim 1, further comprising:
a drain opening formed in the bottom container; and
a drain plug sealably securable over the drain opening.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The litter box according to claim 1, wherein at least part of said sidewall of said top is screen-like.