Automatic Litterbox Central

For those who don't visit the SmartScoop thread, I am the customer service specialist from OurPet's, the company who owns the SmartScoop litter box.

We have had some growing pains with our new litter box, but we have been listening to customer complaints and concerns and have tried to incorporate that information into a re-design of the SmartScoop.

Here's why I am posting this here instead of the SmartScoop thread: we are looking for testers to try the new design out and provide us with honest, thoughtful feedback. To be more specific, we are looking for people who have not yet owned a SmartScoop but have owned one of the other widely available automatic litter boxes, such as LitterMaid or Scoop Free (we name these two brands specifically as they are available in more venues than more specialized litter boxes like the Cat Genie or the Litter-Robot). This is one of four groups who will be testing the units for us.

We expect to have the new boxes ready to ship in late October and will need feedback into us by mid- to late November (exact date TBD - we will email a questionnaire to help with feedback). We prefer to keep the range close to the Ohio area (within one to two shipping days time, via UPS, FedEx, DHL) so that we can get the new boxes into people's hands as soon as possible.

If interested please email me at aobrien@smartscoop.com or PM me here.

Thanks for your time.

If this isn't proof that SmartScoop cares about customer satisfaction, I don't know what is.

April? Any update on when the test units will be shipped?

My original is still going strong, with just a few hiccups that are easy to fix. But that 2nd one will really be a blessing. Plus, I'm super-curious about improvements being made.

Camille

Whee! Got my tester today! Can't wait to set it up.

Thanks, SmartScoop & April!

Camille

Got mine also! Set it up and am looking over the improvments. The only thing that mine is not doing that I notice is running a cycle when you turn on/off the unit (or reset). It takes the full time before it will cycle. Didn't read anywhere that had changed so maybe just mine?

danniemac wrote:Got mine also! Set it up and am looking over the improvments. The only thing that mine is not doing that I notice is running a cycle when you turn on/off the unit (or reset). It takes the full time before it will cycle. Didn't read anywhere that had changed so maybe just mine?

No, mine is the same way.

I got mine a few days ago and set it up yesterday.

Initial observations:

The rake safety latch is now spring-loaded so it automatically closes. Smart!

The power adapter is smaller in size. I didn't look to see if it was a different voltage, if that even matters.

The new rubber-tipped lip is pretty cool. I never had a huge problem with the old, upgrade lip and the flinging problems others had, but I do get the occasional push-over. We'll see if this helps.

The major physical difference I noticed - the gear that makes the motor travel and go through its steps - is now cast metal instead of plastic. SCORE! I see this helping with the major problems I have encountered.

Right now, I have the new one set-up right alongside the old one. The biggest change I notice so far: Shhh.... quiet! The litterbox is working! Wow, is it quiet compared to the old one. Very nice.

One change that was not made that's a little disappointing is the rake doesn't go any further down into the tray. So, same as usual, I'll be dealing with a bottom level of used litter that'll have to be scooped by hand.

This isn't a huge deal, and is to be expected when you have 12 cats using only 1 or 2 boxes.

Fierce Critter wrote:12 cats using only 1 or 2 boxes.

jeff wrote:

Fierce Critter wrote:12 cats using only 1 or 2 boxes.

With an automatic litterbox or two, this has worked out well and doesn't require I keep a dozen litterboxes scattered around the house. I work out of the house, so I'm available for extra cleanings throughout the day when and if necessary.

Most people with 1-3 cats or so can go a few days without emptying the bins on a SmartScoop or LIttermaid. I have to dump it every day. I had customized my littermaids with bottomless receptacles that allowed the waste to dump into a bucket or bag so I could go more like every other day. Can't do that with a SmartScoop, but it's a feature I don't miss now that I have a self-cleaning box that actually works.

jeff wrote:

Fierce Critter wrote:12 cats using only 1 or 2 boxes.

I concur with the 2 automatic litterboxes. We have 10 "children", and at times we've had up to 4 litterboxes in 3 different rooms. In the long term, we found that one of the single boxes got very little use, so we cut it down to 3. In the room with 2 boxes, we found that one got all the use while the other got an occasional pee. What we ended up with was - one room with food & water, one with food, water, & litter, and one with water & litter.

Got my Smart Scoop Prototype yesterday. Set up was easy and the 3 cats seem OK with it - used a few times already.
I like the design. I had been using LMs exclusively in the past. The clean out/clean up is a breeze with this. I like the tines coming off...I can just throw them in soapy water and clean them as needed.
While it is not noticeably quieter, the pitch of the motor is lower and therefore not as noticeable.
A week with this should be interesting!

Got mine yesterday and like the other folks reported it was quite easy to put together. My little "girl" went into it as soon as I poured in the
litter. Her brother went into it as soon as she was out of it. I like the design, size and ease of operation plus the cats still use their favorite
litter. Cleaning the waste tray is also a breeze. It is sitting next to the LR and it will be interesting to see how often they use the SS. Will
keep you informed on the progress.

OK it's been a month,... so WTF? Is there a Nondisclosure Agreement? The silence of the Testers is deafening. Not one posting about how the "improved" SmartScoop works. I can certainly tell you how the "original" SmartScoop works. I wake up every morning and clean an "original" Littermaid Mega and an "original" SmartScoop after 10 cats have taken their turns - and it ain't pretty! What faces me in my "cleaning cycle" is

a. "Clumped" pee stuck to the bottom of the box.
b. "Clumped" pee in the tines.
c. "Clumped" pee stuck in back of the tines.
d. "Clumped" pee on the floor in front of the box.
e. "Formed" crap at the front of the box.
f. "Formed" crap in back of the tines.
g. "Formed" crap stuck in the tines.
h. "Formed" crap on the floor in front of the box.

For the LitterMaid, the scenario is any combination of: a,b,c,e,f,g (heavy accent on a,b)
For the SmartScoop, the scenario is any combination of: a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h (heavy accent on a,b,e - especially e)

So,... every morning I face 2 dirty litter boxes - each has it's plusses and minuses, but to me the SmartScoop seems to leave the worst mess in the box - the worst being that the tines leave an outrageously large gap at the front when they start arcing upwards. My God, what'd they test that on, a St.Bernard?? - they're CATS! Somebody that designed this thing must have owned a cat, no?

Well, let's hope they get some decent feedback from the testers. If not, I've got 10 cats that would show me really quick where the problems are. (Kelsey Rae, Sassy, Mercedes, Phoenix, Jade, Misty, Rielly, Morgan, Dakota, & Guiseppi)

Wow - well I tested the box and I'm happier than I was with the LM but there still can be modifications in my opinion. 10 cats and only 2 boxes? Maybe you need a few more? I have 2 cats and 1 box sometimes I think isn't enough!

Anyway - with the new box there is a lip with a rubber attachment that has successfully (I would say 95% of the time) keeps any flinging poo/waste from coming out of the box. Before this was a huge issue. Regarding your issues of waste on the bottom of the box and behind the tines - well that is still my issue as every morning I basically lift the tines, scoop the back 2 corners and dump the waste in the holder. Same with the front 2 corners (my cats love the corners!)

So I asked for some tines that went down further (although I'm not sure how you would do this without scraping the bottom and that still wouldn't work in my opinion with tines) and maybe more tines, and finally somehow having the rake go all the way back to get that "area 51" back there. I envision the rake going back into a compartment that closes and when it is time the door opens up and the rake can get everything that was done in the back. Yeah it is a vision and will never happen because I can't even get a good pic in my head but I can dream!!!

danniemac wrote:Wow - well I tested the box and I'm happier than I was with the LM but there still can be modifications in my opinion. 10 cats and only 2 boxes? Maybe you need a few more? I have 2 cats and 1 box sometimes I think isn't enough!

We've had 3 going at the same time, and the 3rd one got little or no use. With 10min timers, it's not much of a problem, though at heavy times one cat will follow another. (Monkey see, Monkey do?)

Anyway - with the new box there is a lip with a rubber attachment that has successfully (I would say 95% of the time) keeps any flinging poo/waste from coming out of the box.

Well, that's one out of...how many problems,... fixed.

Regarding your issues of waste on the bottom of the box and behind the tines - well that is still my issue as every morning I basically lift the tines, scoop the back 2 corners and dump the waste in the holder. Same with the front 2 corners (my cats love the corners!)

I get the same thing here - lots of peeing towards the back & front in both boxes. One thing that is happening on my SmartScoop box - the tines won't rotate up out of the way. It's like they've skipped a gear. Some mornings they rotate fine, and some they don't so I have to lift them as best I can and scoop under them, or start a sweep and scoop in back of the assembly when it's forward.

So I asked for some tines that went down further (although I'm not sure how you would do this without scraping the bottom and that still wouldn't work in my opinion with tines) and maybe more tines, and finally somehow having the rake go all the way back to get that "area 51" back there.

Part of the problem I'm seeing is that the tines don't maintain the same clearance as they swing up to dump. It increases at the front, allowing anything that the bend on the end of the tines hasn't hooked yet to fall back into the litter to be swept to the back of the box in back of the tines. I mentioned this in my original "suggestions" thread.

Well it's been a while now that the cats have been using the SmartScoop. The two of them used it quite a bit the first couple of days but then the boy cat went back to
using the LR exclusively. Don't know why but I suspect that when he dug in the litter (he is quite the digger) his paw must have hit the rake where it curls up at the
bottom. It either spooked him or perhaps hurt his paw.
It is easy to use but there a drawbacks. It sometimes has dirty litter in the litter bed and there are "baseballs" stuck in the bottom. I wish that the timer was set
at 8-10 minutes so when the other cat wanted to use it they didn't have to wait so long for a clean litter bed and also a shorter pause time.
I have to stir the litter every couple of days to make sure that the rake can do it's job. I use clumping corn litter so it it not a weight issue since corn litter is very
light. Also some of the dirty litter gets behind the rake where it rests and that area doesn't get cleaned. I have to interact with it more than the LR but it isn't
a major issue.
I wouldn't rely solely on the SS for the 2 cats but it's great for someone doesn't want to purchase the more expensive auto boxes. I hope that SS can come up with
a stronger motor so that it can clean the litter better. At least the cats can use their favorite litter and it still can be used if there is power loss. So in the end it is easy
to use and maintain, not too heavy to move, good size, use favorite litter, cats used it right away, great if you need a second box.