In this post I will take a closer look at ScoopFree litter box reviews.
If you have considered buying one of these, this is for you!
And as always, you can trust me to do a fair review.
Owning a pet is such an enjoyable concept. There are many reasons people own pets!
Some want companionship, others simply love animals. A pet can go with you on runs through the park. At night, after a long hard day’s work your pet will be there to welcome you home. Your pet will never talk back to you, and will always look at you with nothing but love and adoration. A well trained animal is a great companion for your children. Many youngsters have imaginary friends, well, with a pet they do not have to pretend. A dog can be a good security blanket. A fish, or other amphibious animals, provide exotic tanks that are beautiful to look at, and enhance any room’s décor.
So, I don’t want to spend any more time on cleaning out the litter box, I want a self-cleaning litter box… Now, how about the ScoopFree one, is it any good?
Of course underlying the good times is the essential fact that a pet needs to be cared for on a daily basis. In addition to feeding the animal, walking the animal, you must also clean up after the animal. A cat offers great comfort and joy, a cuddly pet to help you take away the stress of the day. But, a cat needs a liter box, a place where they can go to the bathroom; otherwise, they will use your entire living space as their bathroom.
A viable option for your home may be the ScoopFree Liter Box (contact me if you have used one of these yourself!).
ScoopFree – How does it work?
The ScoopFree Liter box is an automatic disposal unit for your cat’s waste products.
Yes, I understand, but how, exactly do this thing work?
In the old days, a cat would have to go outside to go to the bathroom. As pet owners became clever, they created a box, in which they put sand or clay, and trained the cat to urinate and poop in this box. The owner would have to scoop out the waste as many as two to three times a day, reducing the original idea of convenience. Eventually, the materials in the box were improved so that you did not have to scoop as often.
Now, ScoopFree Liter Box takes it a step further.
You purchase an automatic self-cleaning system which consists of the raking container, replaceable trays with contained waste compartment, and crystals.
You fill the trays with the crystals, place the tray underneath the raking mechanism, and place in an easy to use location for your cat.
After the cat hops into the tray, a sensor will start a timer.
When the cat leaves, after it has done its business, the timer will countdown 20 minutes, and then a rake will glide over the crystals catching the top layer of the crystals containing the waste. At the end of the tray, under a trap door, is a concealed compartment in the tray. The rake will sweep all existing waste into the compartment, hiding it from view.
Depending on usage and number of cats, every 2-3 weeks or maybe longer, the tray needs to be replaced.
You simply lift the raking mechanism, remove tray and throw it into the garbage.
Benefits of the ScoopFree litter box system
Every product has its positives and negatives.
But, will it actually make my life easier?
Before purchasing this system you should do as much research as possible, and understand that your cat may be finicky, so you might have to try multiple products before you find the one that works best for your pet. Obviously, the first clear benefit for using this system is it is self-cleaning. No longer will you have to follow your cat to the liter box, wait for her to conclude his business, and then scoop out the waste to dispose in the trash.
This is an entirely hands off approach.
The only contact you have is with the disposable trays. Another feature that is a plus for pet owners is the automatic timer. When you cat goes to the bathroom in the liter box, you are always concerned as to how long must you wait before scooping out the waste, especially if the cat had just urinated. Other times, if the cat does her business out of your sight, than when you come home, you must wonder how long has the waste been there, and is it time to scoop it out of the liter box. With the ScoopFree system, the timer automatically cleans the tray 20 minutes after your cat has left the liter box.
This allows enough time for the crystals to absorb the waste product, and is not too long that the odor will begin to permeate the environment.
With your old liter box, the sand or clay would form around the waste, hopefully hiding it from view, and reducing the smell in the immediate area. Sometimes, this was not always effective, requiring you to scoop out the waste after every use by your cat. Even then, some smell still lingered in the room. With this system, the waste is raked from the surface of the crystal into a concealed compartment under a door.
This will eliminate the smell of the waste, as well as removing it completely from view.
Negatives using this system
As with all products, one major concern is how much will it cost over the long haul.
Anything special that I should be aware of?
A cat is an investment, hopefully with you for a long time. You need a liter box that is durable, reliable and long lasting, but at a reasonable price. The cost of maintaining a cat can sometimes be overwhelming. One drawback for ScoopFree is the cost. The original investment is moderate, according to the official website it is $119.99 to purchase the automatic self-cleaning system.
Unfortunately, this is not the only cost. You must replace the trays, and they can cast between $15-$18 dollars for each tray.
Depending on the number of cats, and the usage of the liter box, this can get a bit more expensive (but hey, that’s really what you are paying for in the first place – convenience!).
Since this an automatic system, you need to plug the trays into an outlet.
This limits where you can locate the liter box. It must be near a power source, or you can run cords across the floor to put it in a desired spot not near the outlets. Another negative is the crystals used are not as effective as the clumping clay used in other liter boxes. The crystals do not absorb the waste in the 20 minutes allotted prior to the raking. In addition, they do not entirely cover the waste, leading to some exposed waste being stored in the concealed compartment.
Sometimes the waste can get stuck on the rake, or halfway out from under the trap door. And of course, just because the waste is hidden under a door, does not mean odor is eliminated entirely. Some reviews have indicated that the crystals do a poor job of odor control.
An automatic self-cleaning reusable tray liter box seems like a fantastic idea.
When considering the purchase, always weigh the positives and negatives, reading other peoples reviews to get real life experiences to help make an informed decision.
Ok, ok, so, should I get the ScoopFree litter box or not?
Yes, I’d definitely give a thumbs up to the ScoopFree Litter box! I especially like the ease of use, the hands off approach and just the simple fact that I don’t have to clean out the litter box myself.
Click here for the official ScoopFree litter box online store.