Quick Product Review: PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box Tray Refills, Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter, 3-Pack

Very Quick

"However, after reading the many reviews on PetSafe's permanent tray, I saw that people weren't that impressed, stating that the PetSafe permanent tray had a very small waste compartment, causing the need to change litter frequently, had holes that let out odor more regularly, and a "manufacturing flaw" in which the magnets that attach to the disposal compartment's trap door (that allows the machine to rake waste into disposal compartment) did not attach properly, therefore causing the waste to instead build up in the front of the litter box, instead of into the disposal compartment."

"I regularly get 30 days, sometimes 32-33 days out of the cartridge without any special maintenance except to make sure that all the waste stores in the trap instead of being scooped back in the box."

"Note, before they began failing in this spectacular way, they never failed even a little- not one refill I used before the this was even slightly damp on the outside when I went to change it."

"The pee's from 2 large cats really turn the crystals yellow fast, but It has been just over 2 weeks and I have just started to notice the urine smell and think it's almost time to change the Tray."

"This is a documented problem with the system, as noted in reviews for the litter box, but I basically could only get two uses out of the cardboard box before the cat claws could pierce the bottom and cause soaking of the box in urine."

"* Update - After the 4th box of these litter trays still having the same issue I will no longer purchase anything from this company."

PetSafe ScoopFree Self-Cleaning Cat Litter Box Tray Refills, Non-Clumping Crystal Cat Litter, 3-Pack (Click to Compare Deals)

Quick

"The thing went back to the store directly after the winter holidays, and the store manager shared with me that each one they had sold in that 10 day period had also been returned! To make matters worse, my cat who had never really cared for the clumping litter was really making his distaste known by cleaning the stuff out of his paws all over the apartment... I regularly get 30 days, sometimes 32-33 days out of the cartridge without any special maintenance except to make sure that all the waste stores in the trap instead of being scooped back in the box."

"Sure, the trays are pricey, but for eliminating the several-times-a-day scoopings, litter tracking, and cat smells, totally worth it to us... At first we thought, since the inside of the trays had seemed so waterproof in the past, perhaps the cat was peeing outside the box and the box was soaking it up from below... Note, before they began failing in this spectacular way, they never failed even a little- not one refill I used before the this was even slightly damp on the outside when I went to change it."

"* So the big question I had when purchasing this system was whether or not I could lower my cost by refilling with crystals I buy at Wal-Mart... This is a documented problem with the system, as noted in reviews for the litter box, but I basically could only get two uses out of the cardboard box before the cat claws could pierce the bottom and cause soaking of the box in urine... The problem was that as the cats continued to use this cartridge (with plastic sheet), their claws would occassionally get under the plastic sheet and lift it up, causing litter to get underneath the plastic sheet."

"* Update - After the 4th box of these litter trays still having the same issue I will no longer purchase anything from this company... For people having issues with urine soaking through the tray try putting the top underneath the tray before you set it under the litter box... I have noticed the urine smell is much stronger in the past couple of cases so I guess they changed something about the trays."

Less Quick

"Plus of course with Amazon Prime they get delivered straight to my house within a couple days which gives some added convinienence (which, lets face it, for those of us willing to shell out around $200 for a litter box that cleans itself, we are ALL about convinienence & saving time lol)... After a couple months of this cost I decided to do some research to see if there was any way to save some money, I found that PetSafe does offer a plastic litter tray as a more affordable option!... However, after reading the many reviews on PetSafe's permanent tray, I saw that people weren't that impressed, stating that the PetSafe permanent tray had a very small waste compartment, causing the need to change litter frequently, had holes that let out odor more regularly, and a "manufacturing flaw" in which the magnets that attach to the disposal compartment's trap door (that allows the machine to rake waste into disposal compartment) did not attach properly, therefore causing the waste to instead build up in the front of the litter box, instead of into the disposal compartment. With these problems being said, I saw a lot of reviews suggesting a different version of this permanent tray that is made for the PetSafe Scoopfree box but is by a company called "Forever Litter Trays"... I just received my Forever Litter tray in the mail last night & it was very easy to put together & the reservoir is definitely bigger then the temp trays, but how well it ends up working is for another review on Forever Litter's Amazon page (which I'll post in a couple weeks after using ??... If cost isn't a prob, disposable is the way to go for convenience, plus, if you buy on Amazon, you can get this 3 pk that is about the same cost of buying 2 & getting 1 free from your local Petsmart ot similar store. However for those with "income constraints" who are looking for an even better option financially, it might be a good idea to shell out a few more bucks up front & just a couple more minutes of time each litter change & go for a permanent tray."

"I put up with all of its flaws and issues; mostly because I don't think its fair that my cat has to stand in his own waste because I keep long hours at times... Mine didn't last in the apartment long enough for that to start, because within 2 days it was needing to be "repositioned" each time it was used... The thing went back to the store directly after the winter holidays, and the store manager shared with me that each one they had sold in that 10 day period had also been returned! To make matters worse, my cat who had never really cared for the clumping litter was really making his distaste known by cleaning the stuff out of his paws all over the apartment... I regularly get 30 days, sometimes 32-33 days out of the cartridge without any special maintenance except to make sure that all the waste stores in the trap instead of being scooped back in the box. During the summer, I add baking soda (but I've been doing that since I first had a cat many years ago, and in reality, it probably isn't needed)... The trays are really quite expensive, and although I've tried "adding litter" it doesn't really help because the trap area still fills up."

"For the first 10 months, it was a dream- a single refill would last at least 14 days, sometimes more, for our 21 pound cat... Sure, the trays are pricey, but for eliminating the several-times-a-day scoopings, litter tracking, and cat smells, totally worth it to us... I was a total ScoopFree evangelist- I would tell strangers in the cat litter aisle about it, I tried to convince my parents to buy one... At first we thought, since the inside of the trays had seemed so waterproof in the past, perhaps the cat was peeing outside the box and the box was soaking it up from below... Not only was this rate of use financially unsustainable, it was a huge hassle, requiring us to take the soggy tray to the trash and clean up the urine puddles. Note, before they began failing in this spectacular way, they never failed even a little- not one refill I used before the this was even slightly damp on the outside when I went to change it... We tried all kinds of troubleshooting and the box itself seems to be working just fine, with a clean, smooth-operating rake."

"It does seem to track more outside the box than their old clumping litter did but I also use the ScoopFree Anti-Tracking Carpet and that seems to help stop most of the litter from leaving the area... The pee's from 2 large cats really turn the crystals yellow fast, but It has been just over 2 weeks and I have just started to notice the urine smell and think it's almost time to change the Tray. I only gave this 3 stars because altho it works, to have to spend twenty dollars a tray that I'm only getting 2 weeks out of means I'm spending forty a month, much more than the traditional clumping litter. HOWEVER that being said I would rather spend the money than scoop poop daily, and my time is worth something too :) "Glad I read reviews to get good tips on transitioning my cats from their old style litter box to this. I was not in a hurry to transition so for about 3 weeks I kept this sitting next to the old box, and did use the hood yet. I did not plug this one in and actually used regular clumping litter and just scooped it like normal during this time. During the last week + I gradually mixed in the crystals with the clumping litter until the cats were used to the feel and smell and by the end of the 3 weeks they were using the crystals exclusively."

"I have two cats, one is a HUGE orange cat that can barely fit in a litter box and I have had to make custom litter boxes out of rubber tubs because low profile boxes could cause some nastiness on the wall or floor if my tabby decides to not position himself correctly, but for some reason the scoop free system works, for both cats. I used to use Fresh Step litter, in the 40 lb box, it was the only litter that I felt really worked well, and 40 lbs is heavy and I have had a couple of them break open in the grocery store, major pain... With two cats, I typically get between 60-75 cycles of the litter, if I get close to 70, I can definitely smell it, but with the subscription, I just have it come once a month and we are all good. Changing the litter is simple, the box is the litter box, the lid goes on the bottom, you dump in the crystals, let the box do its thing, then when the cycle counter hits your magic number, take the lid off the bottom, put it on top, drop it in the garbage. It's probably great for people who live in small places with limited space so guests don't have to look at a litter box when they use the bathroom... The one thing I don't know is if the litter for automatic boxes is interchangeable or not, I haven't researched it, I'm sure the answer is out there. If you are buying the ScoopFree litter box, the plastic hood is a nice touch, but its too small for my Tabby so I can't use it, this makes me really appreciate having the waste moved out of site."

"* So the big question I had when purchasing this system was whether or not I could lower my cost by refilling with crystals I buy at Wal-Mart. As a graduate student, I really don't have the money to buy cartidges every couple of weeks (I've got two cats)... This is a documented problem with the system, as noted in reviews for the litter box, but I basically could only get two uses out of the cardboard box before the cat claws could pierce the bottom and cause soaking of the box in urine... They have added a plastic sheet to the bottom of the cartridge to prevent cat claws from piercing the bottom and having the pee soak through to the bottom... At first I thought this was my fault, possibly overfilling the box and causing the machinery to operate with too much litter... The problem was that as the cats continued to use this cartridge (with plastic sheet), their claws would occassionally get under the plastic sheet and lift it up, causing litter to get underneath the plastic sheet... Solution #2: Now, for each new cartridge I use (I still use a new cartridge after about 2 or 3 refills), I use mailing tape (or duct tape) to tape down the edges of the plastic sheet."

"* Update - After the 4th box of these litter trays still having the same issue I will no longer purchase anything from this company... GIANT clumps of urine form on bottom like I am using regular clumping cat litter that has to be removed... Save your money, time, and frustration and DO NOT purchase this litter system. Update - Not sure what has changed but these trays simply do not absorb the urine smell like they used to... For people having issues with urine soaking through the tray try putting the top underneath the tray before you set it under the litter box. I have done this since day one and have never had an issue with liquid coming through to the tile in our laundry room... I have noticed the urine smell is much stronger in the past couple of cases so I guess they changed something about the trays."