Poo-Crastination: The Tail of The Petsafe Scoopfree Self Cleaning Litter Box

Let's talk about cats! I know that this is what I do in the professional arena, but seeing as cats are there for our mental health, and mental health is at an all time low, and mental health is also linked to how we look on the outside, well... It feels like a tenuous thread, but it's there, I promise! Cats are important, let's just leave it at that! Interestingly, this also pertains to the mental health of our little babies (read: cats), because inappropriate toileting can often arise due to stress and/or litter tray problems. Isn't that fascinating?

 

So, grab your coffee, and settle down, because this is going to be a long one, and Imma try and boil it down for you. Let's start with some stats - are you aware that cats can often be surrendered to animal shelters due to toileting issues? Whether it's due to inappropriate toileting habits, or to people not wanting to deal with the realities of having a cat use a tray indoors, frankly, it's something that can be worked on. So, let's discuss the very basics of forming good tray habits! There are a few fine points to remember:

 

• Make sure you have a large enough tray - It should measure about 1.5 times the length of your cat. If you don't like a small bathroom to squeeze into, don't expect your cat to be ok with it.
• Find the right kind of tray for your cat - Is your baby shy and doesn't like to be watched and wants a hooded tray? Or does an enclosed on upset him or her, because of the smells that get trapped? Either way, offer these options to your cat, and see what they pick!
  
• Don't forget about the litter - Your cat may also have a preference of the type of substrate that you place in the tray. You may have to try a range (use a 'control' tray containing the original litter material) to find the best one that works for you. If there is one that your cat ends up loving more, make sure you change the litter over gradually. Cats don't like abrupt change!
  
• Cleanliness is your top priority - Let's face it, if it's dirty, we wouldn't like to use it, would we? We'd look for an alternative, and that includes your cat. After all, if they could urinate on the clean bathmat instead of stepping back into a dirty litter tray, it just speaks to how fastidiously clean your kid is! To achieve this, make sure that you're cleaning out the whole tray, not just the dirty bits, on a regular (I'm talking daily) basis, and washing it before putting it back, dry and ready to go.
  
• Pick an appropriate spot that's quiet - If you don't like surprises while you're on the toilet, I think it's safe to say that your cat wouldn't like it either! Find an area that you can keep the trays, where your cat can have a bit of privacy.
• Ensure that you have the right number of trays - Did you know that you should be providing enough trays for the number of cats, plus one? People will often tell me that their cats chop and change who uses what tray, or that they have a pair of cats that stick to the 2 trays they've provided, and that's good, but they like to have the option to choose, and on the days that you might not be around when they go, is it really fair for you to expect them to head back into the dirty tray to do more?
• What if you tick every box, but your cat is going outside of the tray? - Well, first and foremost, make sure that your cat isn't dealing with an underlying health issue, like a bacterial urinary tract infection. Then, once your cat gets the all clear, turn your attention to stressor events that may have been a trigger - have you moved house/gotten a new furry friend/had a baby recently? These can all contribute to feelings of stress, which I'm all too familiar with.

 

Now that we've tackled basic toileting issues, let's chat about what we don't love as much, and that's the cleaning of the tray! It's never going to be fun, but it is a basic necessity to keep your cat happy. What if there is an alternative, though? What if you had the ability to set it up, so that your cat could have a clean tray, without you doing that job every single time? Say hello to your new investment, the Petsafe Scoopfree Self Cleaning Litter Box! For anyone who poocrastinates (that's right, procrastinate cleaning up after their babies), this may be worth splashing out on!

 

This little machine is very clever, and after using it for a month (not me, my cat), I have come to several conclusions about this little contraption. Firstly, the whole set up comes with one month's worth of crystal litter and a tray that you have to fit into the machine, and it is this tray that you dispose of after a month (or less, depending on your cat), and you have to get refills for this as an ongoing thing. This means that your cat has to be comfortable with that kind of litter, or it won't work for him or her.  A month is also a long time, so be mindful of the fact that you may need to change the tray before your month is up, even for young healthy cats - we noticed that our little guy was going back to his original tray after about 3 weeks, and he started returning to the Petsafe Scoopfree Self Cleaning Litter Box only after we cleaned it out.

 

I will say that this may not last as long for older cats with health issues, as things like kidney disease and diabetes can lead to an increase in water intake and an increase in output, and you'd definitely be needing to change the tray before your 4 week deadline. This may also not be ideal for cats who are prone to gastrointestinal issues, leading to diarrhea. It is important that you are aware of what your cat's output looks like, which can then alert you to health issues that they may be facing, and need to be seen in clinic for.

I really like that this rakes the used litter 20 minutes after the cat has been in it, so that there's less of a chance that your cat can associate getting into the tray with it moving. My cat was suspicious at first, and they do tell you to leave the tray switched off initially, while your cat is getting used to it, and he ended up adjusting to it very well. This also has quite high sides, which can be hard for an older cat with arthritis to get into and out of, so keep that in mind when it comes to your little pussycat. 

 

The other thing that is really clever about this is that it has a counter on the side, so that you can see how many times the tray has raked the dirty bits of litter through. That way, if there's a sudden uptick in the number of times your cat has been, even though you haven't seen much in the tray that has been a cause for concern, this will still give you a heads up that everything isn't entirely normal. In the pros column, let me just add one more thing that people with dogs and cats may be more aware of - this can be handy as a way to prevent your dog from eating your cat's poo. I know, too much information for people who didn't know, but now you do, and you're welcome.

As with all good things in life, there are some clear caveats as pointed out above, and my thoughts are that this may be a good adjunct for some cats, and ideally, best for those who are young, without health issues. It would work well too, for an owner with back issues, where bending down to change the tray regularly can be problematic. As for keeping the odour low, this does definitely serve that purpose, for which I am quite grateful! This clever and useful device is also available with a hood, which is handy for the cats who like to be enclosed when they go. This retails for $229, and it's about $90 for a three pack of refills. If your cat prefers to have a privacy hood, the optional hood is $39.99.

 

And there you have it! It's a little PSA from me to you, about keeping your little fur baby happy, and also keeping yourself happy, because a clean tray is a good thing for everyone involved! No more poocrastination from you - pick up your very own box over here. Make sure that you apply the code 'SCOOPY10' to get 10% off any of the ScoopFree boxes, and this is valid until the 30th of September, 2021!

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