February 7, 2022
PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box
Living in a multi-cat household means a busy toilet, so we were keen to trial this ScoopFree self-cleaning litter box by PetSafe.
I’ve often wondered about the benefit of using one of these automated litter boxes, and it turns out that it can keep the kitty litter fresher for longer and also save you time. But is it worth the initial investment of the PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box?
The litter box arrived with 1 free bag of PetSafe crystals and a replacement litter tray, which is included with the purchase, and it also comes with a 2-year warranty. The box is pretty large when it arrives, so make sure you have someone help you carry it.
It’s said that the PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box makes litter box management effortless, which was like music to my ears since I seem to spend a large portion of my time on this undesirable task!
The other good thing about this litter box is that it controls odour – especially good for those who live in smaller apartment units.
The setup was relatively easy besides one cat thinking it was a new bed rather than a new toilet! The PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box comes with clear instructions and suggests placing the new litter box next to your cat’s current one and adding a few handfuls of your kitty’s old litter so they feel more comfortable about using it.
Then, allow the old one to get dirty, as most cats prefer a clean litter tray, they will soon be drawn to the PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box.
We also left the new litter box unplugged for the first few days and manually cleaned it, so the cats weren’t put off by the noise when they first heard the sound of the rake. Although it’s relatively quiet, cats are very sensitive to new sounds. We chose a good location for the box close to a plug socket with good airflow. Of course, the ever-inquisitive Egyptian Mau was the first to use it! Backer the rescue kitty took a little bit longer, despite his usual fondness for pet technology.
If you do use it with kittens, it is recommended that you leave it unplugged and take extra care until they are at least 6 months old.
It didn’t take long before we were up and running but since you know your cat better than anyone, you will have to judge when the time is right to turn on the self-cleaning device. We stopped and started a few times due to the cat’s different purr-sonalities. It is important not to rush cats, and let them take their own time to investigate new things.
The PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box comes with is disposable tray but you can buy a permanent one that fits the dimensions of the ScoopFree Litter Box. I think we’ll invest in this to cut down on waste.
Another positive about using this litter box was that there was significantly less scatter and tracking on the floor than with our regular tray, which is definitely a plus point.
How does it work?
Sensors inside the litter box recognise when your cat is using it and when they leave it, the rake button blinks blue and the rake timer starts a 20-minute countdown. You can also activate the rake manually and pause it at any time.
What are the benefits and drawbacks?
There is definitely less odour and scatter on the floor, the rake means I don’t have to spend as much time cleaning the litter tray as much as I usually would. What’s more, the size is also slightly larger than the litter box we were previously using, giving the cats more room to move around. I guess the only downside would be the initial outlay, and the fact that the rake will need to be cleaned from time to time, but when you weigh up the amount of time saved by not scooping, it makes it worthwhile.
Remember clean litter means a healthier happier cat.