Scoopfree Litter Box

That's it, I've had it! *throws hands in air*

I HATE cleaning the cat litter box. It gets put of and then it's a huge time consuming ordeal when I do get around to it. I'm a gadget guy, so I said "screw it" and ordered the Scoopfree automatic cat litter box.

Supposedly it works well, with the downside being the cost of the replaceable litter cartridges. If it works as advertised, I may get the "forever tray" and use my own crystals. Although, that seems like work -- which I am trying to avoid. They do make a bagging system, but that thing costs almost as much as the litter box itself!

I wish I could just walk the cat outside and have it poo in the woods like my dog. . .

So, does anyone here have one of these mechanical cat litter boxes? Has anyone tried the "forever tray" with their own crystal litter? I think having a consistently clean litter box will be healthier for my cat in the long run...

Haven't tried one, but that litter box is the whole reason I only have one cat. I hate it.

Have you tried the trash bag method? Just put the trash bag over the litter box, then add the litter?
Works better, only takes a minute clean that way.
Don't think it would work so hot with a cat that had it's front claws though.

Aren't those mechanical ones really expensive?

a reply to: MystikMushroom

At least your cats wont have to take a dump in some space ship littler box with advance AI capabilities, lol.

a reply to: chiefsmom

Oh yeah, done that. In fact that's how I ran cat litter boxes for years....I would use a Rubbermaid container and trash bag. Why pay for an actual "litter box" that's flimsier?

Yeah, the mechanical one is $150 (with free Amazon Prime shipping) -- so it's pretty darn expensive. I'm hoping it works, and if not -- back to Amazon it goes. Amazon is actually really good about returns, just click a few buttons and print off a return shipping label, box it up and drop it at the UPS Store. The last time I returned something I had my money credited to my account within hours of dropping it off at UPS.

I only have one cat, and if I don't keep her litter box clean she'll start peeing in protest all over the house

So, to keep her happy, and to allow me to continue being lazy -- we're going to try this out together. I'll take pics and my thoughts on it when it arrives and whatnot.

It's 2015 -- why on God's Green Earth are we still sifting cat feces with an over sized fork?

a reply to: MystikMushroom

I've got a friend who has had an automatic litter box (but not the "forever tray" or homemade crystals) for years and been quite happy with it...


The only thing is - depending how old or 'crotchety' your cat is, it may take some intense training to get it to use the automatic box...well and also it can be pretty noisy every time it cleans itself.

Good luck!

Why not just train your cat to pee and poo in your house toilet? I did this with my cat and it is great, he just jumps up does the toilet, paws the toilet seat when done, I flush and give him a few Dreamies treats for being a good boy. No litter mess, hassle or expense.

a reply to: CthulhuMythos

If I'm lazy enough to order an automatic litter box, I don't think I have the time and patience to train a cat!

How hard was it for you to train your cat?

a reply to: CthulhuMythos

Frankly, in my world it's less trouble to scoop the cat box a couple times a day than to have to jump up and give him treats every time he uses the toilet!

Ha! You guys with one cat have it nice. I have three. I have had as many as five.

I use the trash bag method too!

I have the Littermaid box here from Walmart. Link

Seems to mostly work but it occasionally needs help. Also the scooping litter doesn't work in the cold. I have the box in a unheated garage and put in a cat door so she can get out there. Had to use her old box in the winter. but now its warmer the clumping litter is working now. Also found out it only works with small cats. Took care of my sister's 20 lb monster for awhile and the box couldn't handle it.

Also I simply empty out the plastic receptacles that came with the box until they wear out. I get a month or 2 per receptacle.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

I have one. Pet safe simply clean one. You just put a plastic shopping bag over the collector bin and throw it out now and then. Never any smell,never have to clean it. Works great.

Well it gets here Tuesday. Now I have to find a wall outlet near where I keep the litter box.

I shall report upon my robot cat litter box! I have a roomba that I sadly no longer use due to having to much clutter for it to properly clean. When I was using it, it worked awesome though.

Well the litter box came, in a HUGE box.

The setup was so easy that I over complicated it and got frustrated. Because the tray is cardboard, I wasn't sure if some of it was part of the packaging or not. I was glad to see that the power cord is long enough, as I wasn't sure where my spare extension cord is.

The cat used it within the first five minutes of it being setup. I think she likes it! She was a bit hesitant at first, but went to town once she climbed inside. Its a lot quieter than I thought it'd be -- which is a good thing. My friend had one of those first generation self-cleaning cat boxes 10+ years ago and it made a horrible racket. I remember sleeping over and being terrified in the middle of the night because I didn't know his family had one.

Well, the cat is happy with me, she's sitting to my right -- the dog is jealous and sitting on my left. I've got all the girls in the house after me tonight!

I trained one of my cats to use the toilet. It doesn't work for all cats, but it is damn cool when it does work.

Basically, it's a litter pan that fits in the seat. Then, it gets switched out for a progressively smaller one, until eventually, they are just using the toilet. I should get video of it sometime.

I have tried several brands over the years and so has my old room mate. Neither of us ever found one that worked longer than 6 months, didn't get clogged up or make bigger mess than not having one at all.
We went through so many of them that we had spare parts in the garage for when the next one went out, which they ALWAYS DID.

You may hate cleaning the cat box, but you'll hate cleaning one that was supposed to automatic and froze up in middle of the night and have to scrub the hardened poo off the teeth of the rake of it even worse.

They are great in theory, if you only have one very small cat who doesn't ever want to play with the automatic rake thingy.
If you have a medium or large cat, the gifts they leave behind will be too much for the motor of the scoop rake thing.
OR if you have a cat that is curious about the printer for example, they will WILL destroy the automatic scooper/rake on it in days or weeks.
I suggest keeping many spare parts on hand. And invest in wire brushes to clean the scooper rake off when it gets caked with hard poo because yes it does happen.

I found I cleaned the cat box more often and had to clean more parts I never had to touch before. I gladly went back to the vintage cat box with no motor after thousands of dollars and 12 failed machines that promised to keep my hands clean right. Those were just mine, I should ask my old room mate how many different models she went through before she gave up too.

originally posted by: chiefsmom
Haven't tried one, but that litter box is the whole reason I only have one cat. I hate it.

Have you tried the trash bag method? Just put the trash bag over the litter box, then add the litter?
Works better, only takes a minute clean that way.
Don't think it would work so hot with a cat that had it's front claws though.

Aren't those mechanical ones really expensive?

The trash bag method works very well, that is, if you buy the heavy duty construction trash bags because they are very thick.

We dallied with the idea of the scoop free but then realised the most mess came from the litter they kick all over the floor when getting out.

We moved to a larger covered tray/box due to Charlie lifting his back side up and weeing over the edge and onto the wall. The covered tray works a treat but I think he practises Irish dancing in there while we sleep as litter is all over the house by morning.

I have two cats. One, the male goes outside and does his business there. On times he's locked up in the house and can't get out, he won't use the litter box, he uses the toilet! I just suggested it for a joke one day."when you're locked up, you can use the toilet like I do!" Next day he used it, I couldn't believe it. He squats backwards facing the tank.

I have two litter boxes, one inside downstairs and one on the back deck, ( no stairs there, she can't escape) far in the corner where it cant be seen or smelt, I use the crystals, the female cat isn't allowed outside and I've told her to use the outside one and she listens to my orders and only uses the inside one if its raining. She will hold off u til she can get out. It's great I hardly hsve to scoop the inside one. The crystals don't have any odour either.

One day her outside one got flooded with rain. I said sorry , no new litter until I go shopping. Well for days she kept meowing at the garage door off the kitchen. I'd open it up for her to go play in it but she didn't want to. After this constant meowing I opened the door wide and saw there was litter in there. " oh wow we do have litter!" She started jumping for joy, finally, this is what I've been trying to tell you. So she understood my words. She makes really cute sounds when she's happy, it's hee hee hee hee hee, like a laugh. Starts jumping.

I babble at them all day long so after awhile I think they understand me.
If she's using her outside one when I'm out, she covers it making soft pawing motions because I yelled at her one day to stop flicking it all over the place. She looks at me, yes I'm doing it nicely, I turn my head and she's flicking away. I say I can still hear that! Do it nicely. Now she's just doing it "nicely "without me there.

Trouble is I've completely spoiled her. i made the mistake if teaching her what an AC is and if she's hot, she mopes around like look at how hot I am, I can barely walk, then goes to the vent meowing for me to turn it on

Anyways I just wanted to share that.