The Lowdown on Cat Litter Scoops
If you are owned by a cat or three, and as a responsible cat parent, you will know how important it is to have a good cat litter scoop to keep your house from smelling like that of a cat herder.
I have bought several bad ones over the years, but only found out too late that they are not doing their job once I tried them out at home. Well, at least they were cheap!
So here are my thoughts on 3 different ones that I had recently bought, and then the one that I found was the best one in the end.
Poop Scoop #1
Unfortunately, on this scoop the spaces are too wide and a lot of litter and waste falls right through it. Also, the rake-like spikes on the bottom will scratch your cat litter tray, and dirt will collect in said scratches, inviting all kinds of nasty bacteria (spikes shown only partly in the second photo below, after I tried to clip them off, which didn’t quite work!).
Verdict: 1/10 Stars.
Poop Scoop #2
The second one is similar to the one above, but a lot smaller in size. This one has no spikes at the bottom and will not scratch my litter trays. However, the spaces, as in Poop Scoop #1, are much too wide and a lot of kitty waste and good litter alike fall through the gaps too easily. Another issue I have with this one, is that the scooping end is not straight, but has rounded spikes (what is it with those spikes, eh?!), meaning that scraping hardened pee from the bottom of the litter tray will never be as clean and complete as with a scoop that has a straight edge.
Verdict: 3/10 Stars.
Poop Scoop #3
The third scoop is the one I like best. This also had spikes on the bottom, but I managed to clip them off with a pair of plyers, which worked quite well, followed by sanding them down so they disappeared completely (see second photo – spikes be gone!). This one has narrow gaps and most of the waste will easily be collected in it. However, my only gripe with this one is that the spaces are just a little too small and you will collect quite a bit of good, clean litter with it too that will go to waste.
Verdict: 8/10 Stars.
Overall Recommendation
Go for a litter scoop that has: a) no rake-like spikes on the bottom, and b) has gaps not too big nor too small!!! HAPPY SCOOPING!
