PetSafe ScoopFree Original Automatic Cat Litter Box is a self-cleaning, automatic cat litter box that doesn't require any scooping or manual labor.
The machine removes the waste and leaves behind clean litter for your cat to use again.
This PetSafe ScoopFree Original Automatic Cat Litter Box Review will tell you everything you need to know about this product including...
what's inside of the kit, how it works, its size and weight, PetSafe ScoopFree Original care and maintenance requirements.
The information in this review is based on testing, thorough research, and customer reviews.
Key Features:
- Automatically removes waste.
- No scooping, cleaning or refilling your cat's litter box for weeks.
- Unbeatable odor control.
- Crystal litter removes smell.
- Low-tracking crystals are 99%.
- Leak protection.
- Easy cleanup.
Cleaning
Odor Control
Noisiness
Reliability
Price
What’s In The Box
After purchasing the PetSafe ScoopFree Original Automatic Cat Litter Box, here's what you receive inside of the box.
This cat litter box comes with a the main plastic body and the disposable litter tray that has a built-in patented grill.
The grill separates solid waste from clean litter and keeps it inside of the pan to be covered up by the rake.
The PetSafe ScoopFree Original Automatic Cat Litter Box is powered by an AC adapter.
This can be found in its own compartment underneath of the box, or on top if you prefer not to hide away your cords like most pet owners do.
In addition, this automatic cat toilet comes with a plastic scoop for manual removal as well as a front cover plate made out of durable crystal clear material.
This means that no one will know what's going on under there unless they see it happen first hand!
System Includes
- Litter box with rake and waste trap lid
- Litter tray with cover
- 1 bag of premium blue crystal litter
- AC adaptor with 10 ft cord
- Quick start guide
How It Works
The PetSafe ScoopFree Original doesn't look much different from a traditional litter box at first glance, but it actually works very differently.
The way it works is by using a sensor that detects when your cat enters the litter box.
Once your cat has done their business, a built-in rake system will automatically begin to "scoop" the waste material into a covered compartment that seals it away from sight.
The device knows when there is waste by using an advanced optical light sensor system.
To ensure that your cat does not return to the cat trey throughout the automated self-cleaning process, the 20-minute delay period is activated after they have successfully left it.
If your cat returns to the box during the delay period, it will be reset for another 20-minute wait, ensuring that it is safe.
The PetSafe ScoopFree Original uses blue crystal non clumping litter for easy cleanup and odor control.
It's important to state that only PetSafe branded litter and litter trays can be used with this litter box.
PetSafe ScoopFree Original Setup
The PetSafe ScoopFree Original is pretty straightforward to setup.
After you open the box, remove all of the parts and identify them before beginning.
Place the litter tray on its side in an area where it will be undisturbed for at least 20 minutes. This is important to activate the blue crystals that control odor into a clump when wet.
Next place either your preferred recycled paper or plastic liner (not included) inside of it with one inch hanging out over each end like wings.
This is so any waste material can fall through without getting stuck underneath where they cannot be reached during cleaning time later.
Then pour about two inches or more of blue crystal non-clumping fresh step multi cat scoopable litter onto the top of your lining materials . Distribute evenly across the entire surface.
Once you have sorted the litter you can then place the raking mechanism over the tray.
Magnets attached beneath the purple waste trap door to the cardboard flap lift up the section when the machine is in operation.
Size And Weight
What are the dimensions, weight of each item in this set, how much does it weigh when shipped to your house?
Weight: 9.3 lbs
Dimensions: 27.37 x 19 x 7 inches
Litter area dimensions: 14 x 14 inches.
Design, Color, And Features
Although it is made to look like a traditional litter box but don't be fooled by its appearance!
It has modern technology built into every feature so that your life can be stress-free when you have cats in your house.
The PetSafe ScoopFree Original automatically cleans up after pets so you do not need to worry about any waste getting onto your flooring material nor does it leave behind smelly odors.
The litter box itself features a robust plastic design and a stainless steel rake.
The unit features a simple to use programmable interface that allows you to alter the cleaning cycle delay time as well as a day counter to keep track of how many times your cat has used the litter box in a day.
The cats' urine is repelled by the branded disposable blue crystal trays, which prevents it from soaking into the cardboard.
Litter Options
This litter box only works with PetSafe’s proprietary Premium Crystal Litter. While the litter might be harder to find than other brands, you'll save a lot of money by not having to replace it often.
Crystal litter is made from silica gel.
With a 99 percent dust-free rating, PetSafe Premium Crystal Litter is ideal for keeping your home clean and sanitary. It absorbs urine on contact and seals solid waste, removing smells 5 times faster than clumping clay cat litter.
According to the manufacturer, a single bag can keep your cat fed for 30 days if you have one cat.
A pee pad is included as an extra layer of defense, catching any urine that the crystal cat litter does not immediately absorb.
This crystal litter comes in three formulas:
- Original
- Lavender
- Sensitive
Care And Maintenance
When it comes care and maintenance, the only real thing to be concerned about with the PetSafe ScoopFree Original is the disposable litter trays.
Every few weeks, you will need to replace the litter tray.
The PetSafe ScoopFree Original has a rake system that sweeps clumps of waste into designated holes in the disposable trays which are lined with an absorbent pad on top and bottom.
The trays can get expensive and there are many reports that they do not last as long as the promised 30 days from the company.
Other care and maintenance with the PetSafe ScoopFree Original include the following:
- Once a month, you will need to clean the rake and remove any hair from it.
- Every few months or so, use a strong enzymatic cleaner on the inside of the box where waste falls. This is more important if your cat has an accident outside of their litter box before being trained completely.
Do Cats Like The PetSafe ScoopFree Original
Cats can be very funny and picky creatures, so you'll find that some cats will like this litter box and others will not.
Some cats may also take to the litter box straight away, and others may need a while to get used to the device.
One of the main problems with a cat refusing to use it is because of the silica litter which may feel very different for your cat compared to their regular litter.
As this is the only litter that can be used with the PetSafe Original, this can be a big problem.
Price
The PetSafe ScoopFree Original is a good value automatic litter box compared to other products on the market.
The Litter-Robot 3 is a great example. A fantastic litter box but a bit on the pricey side.
It has a very reasonable price, especially when you consider how it will save you so much time and effort in cleaning out your cat's waste every day as well as allowing them their privacy.
This also makes it great for those who have cats with health problems such as allergies or arthritis which cause pain when they jump too often from high surfaces.
In addition, this product may be more affordable than similar models because only disposable trays are required for use rather than having to replace all of the device itself like some do (with others there can be an additional cost associated with buying new parts).
The PetSafe ScoopFree Original Automatic Litter Box is available for $139.95 from PetSafe and Chewy (at the time of writing). The Ultra model costs $30 more, while other versions vary in price.
To give you a quick rundown of the alternatives, here's how the various ScoopFree litter boxes are classified on the PetSafe website:
- ScoopFree Original Automatic Litter Box ($139.95)
- ScoopFree Ultra Self-Cleaning Litter Box ($169.95)
- ScoopFree Top-Entry Ultra Self-Cleaning Litter Box ($174.99)
- ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Litter Box, Second Generation ($139.95)
- ScoopFree Smart Self-Cleaning Litter Box (199.95)
You'll also need to purchase litter and litter trays in addition to the ScoopFree cat toilet. Here are the options:
- ScoopFree Disposable Crystal Litter Tray, Blue, 1-Pack: $18.95
- ScoopFree Disposable Crystal Litter Tray, Blue, 3-Pack: $53.95
- ScoopFree Disposable Crystal Litter Tray, Blue, 6-Pack: $99.95
- ScoopFree Premium Crystal Litter, 2-Pack: $18.95
- Replacement Pee Pad, 4-Pack: $6.95
- Replacement Pee Pad, 10-Pack: $13.99
Common Questions
How Well Does It Control Odors?
The PetSafe ScoopFree does an excellent job at locking in odor, all you will smell is a light scent of baking soda.
The litter box traps odors inside the disposable tray and covers it with fresh blue crystal cat litter, instantly neutralize any foul smells.
It controls odors well enough that I can place my nose right up to it without flinching from the smell after using the PetSafe ScoopFree for over two weeks straight!
You could keep this hidden away in your bedroom or bathroom if need be!
How Well Does It Prevent Litter Tracking?
We have found litter tracking to be a major problem with traditional cat litter boxes.
When it comes to the PetSafe ScoopFree Original, it does a pretty good job at containing litter, but you will still have some tracked around the edges of it.
The cat litter simply falls into the large disposable tray that is easy to pull out and replace! This means no more bending over or scooping clumps every few days.
This also makes for an easy cleanup process after your cat has done their business.
How Good is The Scooping and Cleaning Process?
The PetSafe ScoopFree Original is a self-cleaning litter box. This means that it scoops itself, and does not require you to scoop the clumps manually like other automatic cat litter boxes.
This takes all of the hassle out of cleaning your cats business! The crystal litter does an excellent job or absorbing urine, and also absorbs on contact which minimizes the amount mess it makes.
It also does a fantastic job of dehydrating solid waste which adds for more for more efficient removal, with the removable tray also being very easy to remove.
The only real issue you may have is that some cats may spray over the back of the box. This is not an issue with just this particular litter box, because this can happen with all litterboxes.
This just means that you may have to wipe down the back of the box from time to time.
Overall, Is the PetSafe ScoopFree Worth It?
Yes, the PetSafe ScoopFree is a great investment. If you have been wanting to try out an automatic litter box, this would be a good one for you to use.
With its low price and ease of use it makes it easy if your not sure about purchasing or using an automatic cat litter box before.
The only thing that I could recommend as being bad with the unit is that some cats may spray outside of the back of the device.
This means more maintenance from time-to-time on your part will need to take place. Other than that though, everything else works very well!
Overall, the PetSafe ScoopFree Automatic Litter Box does an excellent job at keeping odors away by absorbing urine.
Hope you enjoyed our PetSafe ScoopFree Original Automatic Cat Litter Box Review. Do you own one of these litter boxes? Let us know in the comments below.
If you want to read more articles similar to this, check out our Best Self-Cleaning Litter Box Review and Buyers Guide.
