Welcome fellow crazy cats! Skye Blake here, with a few words about the Purina® Tidy Cats® Breeze® litter box system.
Here are a few things to consider before buying a Breeze litter box…
The information here is for general knowledge… always see your vet with questions about your cat’s individual needs.
- Who Is Skye Blake?
- What You Want from a Litter Box
- What Your Cat Wants from a Litter Box
- Purina® Tidy Cats® Breeze® Litter Box System
- Original Breeze Litter Box
- Hooded Breeze Litter Box
- Extra Large (XL) Breeze Litter Box
- Reviews of Breeze Cat Litter System
- So, You Want to Buy a Breeze Litter Box System
- Other Self Cleaning Litter Boxes
- Sources
- List of Sources
Who Is Skye Blake?
Skye Blake, Cat Info Detective, is a curious cat researcher (not a veterinarian) who sniffs out expert, reliable sources about cats, studies their information, then passes it on to you!
Sometimes there’s not enough evidence for easy answers, so Skye gives you all sides, explains the situation as thoroughly and clearly as possible, and links you to experts on each page.
Sources are given at the bottom of each page so you can do more snooping.
What You Want from a Litter Box
Fancy litter boxes are made for the convenience of humans more than the actual needs of cats.
Kind of ironic since we cats are the ones using them, but our people are the ones buying and cleaning them.
Let’s review what you want from a litter box…
- no nasty odors
- easy to scoop or not scoop at all
- inexpensive
- dust-free
- non-tracking
- litter lasts a long time
- easy disposal
- environmentally friendly
- wifi capability for monitoring usage, medical issues, etc., from phone
What Your Cat Wants from a Litter Box
Now let’s discuss what your cat wants…
- big enough to stand, turn around and dig/cover without rubbing against sides or top, even for large cats
- no strong odors, including deodorizers like lavender, pine, and citrus
- litter that’s low-dust and easy on paws, preferably of fine, sandy texture
- litter that doesn’t stick to paws or fur
- no strange or sudden noises, such as a motor turning on or loud rotating box
- no sudden movement, such as the box starts rotating while cat’s in or partly out of box
Discover more at “What’s the Best Cat Litter Box?” and “What Are the Best Types of Cat Litter?“
Check out “Location, Location, Location…The Box” for tips on properly locating litter boxes.
Purina® Tidy Cats® Breeze® Litter Box System
Now let’s see what the Breeze litter box system offers so you can decide if it’s right for you and your cat.
Breeze litter boxes come in 3 different versions… Original, Hooded, and Extra Large.
Breeze is technically a sifting litter box not an automatic rotating or self-scooping box. It has no moving parts.
It uses special pellets that don’t absorb, but instead allow pee to run down to the pad below which soaks it in.
Poop stays on top to be scooped and discarded, which the manufacturer claims controls odor well.
Breeze litter boxes need a lot less litter than most, which cuts down on expense, but doesn’t completely eliminate the need to buy pellets.
The pee pads must be removed and thrown away once a week for one cat (although a heavy pee load, even with one cat, might require more frequent changes).
Pellets should be replaced once a month.
If you have more cats, you’ll have to change them more frequently. The pads are an ongoing expense.
Substitutes for Pellets & Pads
There are a few substitutes for the pads and pellets but be careful because some litters won’t work and create a big mess.
A popular option as pellets is pine litter because when it gets wet it crumbles to dust, is easy to sift and inexpensive at feed stores.
Some cats don’t like the scent of pine, though, so be sure yours will tolerate it.
Many people also buy puppy pads in bulk which is a less expensive alternative to the Breeze replacement pads.
Another very interesting substitute…
V. Canfield – Read This-Cheap, Excellent Pellet and Pad Alternative
Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2017
“Everyone knows about the puppy pads. That’s an easy one.
But replacing the pellets wasn’t as obvious…until I found a package of dried navy beans in my pantry…
They were cheap, didn’t absorb the urine (if you’ve ever had to soak beans, you know it takes a long time for them to absorb water), the right size, the right texture, biodegradable and white like the pellets, so aesthetically pleasing.”
Original Breeze Litter Box
The Breeze Original litter box system includes…
- 1 litter box
- 1 scoop
- 3.5 lb. bag anti-tracking Breeze pellets – change once a month
- 4 disposable absorbent pads with guaranteed 7-day odor control (for one cat) – change once a week
Its size is 15.7″ W x 20.6″ D x 10.2″ H (at back) with a lower front for easy entrance and exit.
Hooded Breeze Litter Box
The Breeze Hooded system includes…
- 1 litter box
- 1 scoop
- 3.5 lb. bag anti-tracking Breeze pellets – change once a month (for one cat)
- 4 disposable absorbent pads with guaranteed 7-day odor control (for one cat) – change once a week
The hood is hinged with a handle on side to easily open it to clean.
The size is 15.7″ W x 21.3″ D x 16.9″ H (with hood on).
Extra Large (XL) Breeze Litter Box
The Breeze Extra Large system includes…
- 1 all-in-one litter box
- 1 scoop
- two 3.5 lb. bags anti-tracking Breeze pellets
- 4 disposable absorbent pads with guaranteed 7-day odor control (for one cat) – change once a week
The size is 13.7″ H x 27.5″ W x 18.5″ D
The Extra Large version is essentially the same as the original version but has walls almost 2x the size total and 2x the size of the box area for cats to use.
It’s good for cats needing more room to turn around and dig, as well as large breed cats, stand-to-pee cats and some litter flingers.
Here’s a comment that you might want to consider…
BlueJayD – Washington – Not for high spraying cats – 21 Apr 2022
“I have the breeze XL and it is awesome for my cats but the hooded one doesn’t have the leak guard towards the front opening of the box and one of my cats, I’m assuming the girl, is a high sprayer so when she pees near the front of the box it leaks out and over the front under the hood.
I guess for regular cats it probably works fine but I was hoping it had the same leak guard design as the XL we have.”
Reviews of Breeze Cat Litter System
Below are some reviews by users of the various Breeze litter box systems, so you can see why people love it or hate it.
So, You Want to Buy a Breeze Litter Box System
The Breeze litter box system is inexpensive compared to Litter Robot®, Cat Genie®, and other automatic self-cleaning boxes.
Still, it’s more expensive than your average litter box, and you’ll have the ongoing expense of replacement pee pads and pellets (or alternatives).
If you decide it’ll work for you and your cat, the Breeze system is available at some pet stores, Walmart, and online at Chewy and Amazon.
Other Self Cleaning Litter Boxes
Curious about other self-cleaning litter boxes? Check out “Supplies For Cats“.
You’ll also find out about litter, other types of boxes, and accessories like mats and scoops!
Sources
Sources used on this website are either primary or secondary.
Primary sources are always preferable and have the most reliable information because they’re original and directly referenced.
Scientific abstracts and data are good examples of primary sources.
Secondary sources are weaker because they usually consist of opinions or articles that give no sources of their own.
However, sometimes they refer to primary sources.
When I use secondary sources, most are those with some authority, such as veterinarian or cat behaviorist books and articles.
List of Sources
Disclosure
I make a small commission on some of the sources listed below if you choose to purchase them from here.
Some products listed link to companies that sell them, whether or not I make any money.
“77 Things to Know Before Getting a Cat“, by Susan M. Ewing, Fox Chapel Publishers International, Ltd., 2018
A-K
“The Best Kind of Litter Box for Longhaired Cats“, by Jet Perreault, Petful, Dec 5, 2014
“Cat Speak“, by Bash Dibra with Elizabeth Randolph, New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., New York, NY, 2003
“The Cat Whisperer“, by Mieshelle Nagelschneider, Bantam Books, The Random House Publishing Group, New York, NY, 2013, www.bantamdell.com
“Cat Wise“, Pam Johnson-Bennett, Penguin Books, an imprint of Random House LLC, New York, NY, 2016
“The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Getting & Owning a Cat“, by Sheila Webster Boneham, PhD, Penguin Group (USA) Inc., New York, NY, 2005
“Decoding Your Cat” by American College of Veterinary Behaviorists, editors: Meghan E. Herron, DVM, DACVB; Debra F. Horwitz, DVM, DACVB; Carlo Siracusa, DVM, PhD, DACVB, DECAWBM, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company, New York, NY, 2020
L-Z
“Litter Box Happiness for Cats of All Ages”, Dr. Sophia Yin, CattleDog Publishing, January 25, 2017
“Litter Box Solutions for Aging Cats”, Litter Robot
“Litter Training”, Kitten Lady
“The Special Needs of the Senior Cat”, Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell Feline Health Center
“Total Cat Mojo” by Jackson Galaxy with Mikel Delgado, PhD, Tarcher Perigree, Penguin Random House, LLC, New York, NY, 2017
“Think Like a Cat, How to Raise a Well-Adjusted Cat – Not a Sour Puss“, by Pam Johnson-Bennett, Certified Animal Behavior Consultant, Penguin Books, Penguin Group (USA) Inc, New York, NY, 2000, 2011
“What’s the Best Litter Box for Senior Cats”, FitSeer.com
“What Your Cat Wants”, by Francesca Riccomini, Thunder Bay Press, Octopus Publishing Group, San Diego, CA, 2012, www.thunderbaybooks.com
Product Sources
Amazon.com – Breeze litter box
Purina® Tidy Cats® BREEZE® Cat Litter Box Systems
Updated July 13, 2023