Litter scoops have pretty much stayed the same for decades. They’ve been plastic scoops with a few holes in them for ages, right? That’s what I thought until I started digging around.
You see, I was on a quest for a better litter scoop, because I was tired of scooping litter and experiencing the following problems:
- Problem No. 1: You scoop the box and gingerly shake the litter scoop in order to clear out the maximum amount of waste while simultaneously minimizing the amount of clean litter that inevitably gets tossed out, too. However, no matter how much you shake, you still end up throwing out perfectly good litter.
- Problem No. 2: Let’s say you’ve got your optimized scoop with a composition of 90 percent waste and 10 percent clean litter. You carefully and very slowly move the scoop towards the trash. Then, you accidentally bump your arm, and a shower of litter rains through the slots and dusts the entire floor, six inches shy of the garbage can.
In my quest for the ultimate litter scoop, I even went so far as to fashion my own prototype using duct tape. However, common sense prevailed and I realized that sticky tape and dirty cat poop weren’t a good combination. Thus, I did what any sensible cat owner would do. I hit the Internet.
While I didn’t find the ultimate litter scoop online, I did discover that litter scoops have evolved a great deal in the past 10 years. Here are six unusual litter scoops that I unearthed.
1. Vibrating Power Scoop
Here’s a solution if you get tired of endlessly shaking a litter scoop to sift out clumps. Just press a button on the Power Scoop and this battery-operated litter scoop does the work for you. A built-in motor generates a high-speed vibration to separate the clumps from unused litter.
2. Pioneer Pet Big Mouth Scoop
Do you have to scoop for a lot of cats? Then the Big Mouth Scoop from Pioneer Pet may be just the thing to make scooping the litter box less of a chore. This oversized scoop with its wide mouth and comfortable handle will make cleanup easier than ever.
3. Scoopy the Cat Litter Scoop and Holder
Most litter scoops are rather utilitarian in appearance (that’s my nice way of saying fugly). That’s why I was somewhat excited when I saw the Scoopy. Its sleek cat silhouette cleverly conceals a drab litter scoop inside. The Scoopy is available in black or white to match any decor.
4. Stand Up and Scoop Telescoping Litter Scoop
If bending over to scoop is hard on your back or knees, Cats Rule has a solution with the Stand Up and Scoop Telescoping Litter Scoop. This extendable scoop stretches out to 31.5-inches in height, making it easy to scoop without having to bend over.
5. Scoop-N-Sift
The SmartScoop Scoop-N-Sift was definitely one of the most unusual looking litter scoops that I came across. You scoop the chunks up with the solid half and then give the Scoop-N-Sift a twist to rotate to a slotted side, which allows the unused litter to fall through.
6. Van Ness Eco Litter Scoop
At first glance, there’s nothing unusual about this litter scoop, but it’s what’s inside that makes it so remarkable. The Eco Litter Scoop is made from plant-based materials and colored with soy-based inks, and it’s biodegradable. It’s part of Van Ness’ Eco line of green products. If you’re looking for more eco-friendly ideas, here are three ways to green your litter box habits.
Now, if only I could find a litter scoop that was eco-friendly and combined all of the features of these six litter scoops — that would be the ultimate litter scoop!
Can’t get enough litter box stories? We got more right here:
