Automatic Litterbox Central

Hi All!

Here's my story -- moved in with my girlfriend (2 cats), and we decided to give the Smart Scoop a try. My main issues here are the rakes breaking up litter clumps and leaving them behind and the big clumps that seem to continually be pushed over the edge. Even with manual scooping, the pieces left behind are so small they're hard to pick up.

So, here's my questions. Have you tried different litters with the Smart Scoop and do some work better than others? We're using Scoop Away Multiple Cat Formula. I'm wondering if a litter that clumped into harder pieces would help prevent the rakes from breaking up the litter clumps so much. Also, I want to get a new manual scooper that can help to scrape the urine clumps from the bottom and can pick up those finer pieces of broken up litter clumps. The Scoop'N'Sift they sell with the SmartScoop is hard to get into corners, and I'm just not a fan.

As for the clumps going over the edge, I'm working on a temporary solution until the company comes up with one that works.

Thanks!

As mentioned in this forum, I use corn or wheat-based litters. I do not have a huge problem with litter being scooped forward over the lip.

The corn & wheat litters, however, do not clump super-hard like the clumping clay litters. So I probably do get more of the break-up-into-little-pieces problem than those using clay.

I have 12 cats, however. So I have to scoop manually every day anyway. It's not much of a problem for me to do this with the metal scooper I got from PetSmart (they run about $12.00 each, and are great). I'd rather have to do this than pick up litter from the floor due to it being pushed past the lip.

I ran out of litter and it wasn't convenient for me to pick up my chicken layer litter or SwheatScoop over the weekend. We picked up a new litter called Arm & Hammer Essentials. http://www.armandhammeressentials.com/litter.aspx. It's a corn-based litter, and I hate it. It is VERY strongly perfumed. And it does clump harder than the chicken layer I've used or TWBCL or SwheatScoop. So immediately, I had clumps pushed over the lip onto the floor. It's dark in color so it's hard for me to figure out what is wet, used litter that has to be scooped out and what is still dry and clean. I don't recommend it.

Well I've been using Tidy Cats Scoop, then the Tidy Cats with the cyrstals (the regular litter not the actual crystals they have on th market). I've also tried Scoop Away and Arm and Hammer and haven't found the "perfect" litter yet. You are right - they either break up so much or they clump so hard they go over the edge. The one's that clump so ard I am finding that the rake is almost spearing them and pushing them right into the revised "lip" and they are flipping about a foot up in the air and then on the ground. I've tried taking an used vertical blind thing and duct taping it to the new lip but that doesn't help much. I'm looking forward to any new "homemade" ideas as the more I WANT to like this box the more I'm looking for another because the popping poo is killing me!

Wow. I REALLY have very little "popping poo" problems with my box. But I have never used a clay clumping litter in it, only corn- and wheat-based.

Sounds like those of you having the poo-pop problem (PPP? ) might benefit from giving a corn- or wheat-based litter a shot for a week or so.

Brands include The World's Best Cat Litter (TWBCL), SwheatScoop, etc. Make sure you get stuff that's pulverized granules like TWBCL, and not pellets like Feline Pine.

If you want to try Chicken Layer, see my whole other thread about it in this forum.

Hi there,

Yeah or a definite PPP issue! I should have mentioned that I have tried those you have suggested but one of my cats wont use it. Strange enough she will use it to pee but not poop. That she does on the floor then!

I thought you HAD to use a clumping litter with this litterbox. I really want to use this litterbox, but it keeps flinging the poop out of the box.

We did have problems with the rake, took it back to the store and got another box, but we are still not able to use it because of the slinging poop.

I know I am not on any list, but I hope they find a solution to this problem, because we all paid a lot for the litterbox.

has anyone had problems with the liquid waste sticking to the bottom of the pan and the rake not being able to get through it. The rake goes back and forth 10 times and then finally gives up, goes back into it's resting space and stops working all together. In my conversations with April from customer service we figured we may want to try a different litter. We are using Fresh Step Perfume & Dye Free right now. Has anyone found a really good litter that works well with the Super Scoop? I really want a dust, perfume and dye free kind if at all possible. Let me know if anyone out there has found the magic litter.

Thanks
Jared

jaredkopy wrote:has anyone had problems with the liquid waste sticking to the bottom of the pan...

I don't think any of the litters will actually absorb a load of urine before it hits the bottom of the tray. You might try spraying the bottom with "Stink-Free". It'll help keep the clumps from sticking.