Looking for alternatives to « scooping » cat litter boxes proved to be relatively fruitless. But I was determined to improve this process, as manually hand scooping approximately 10 extra large litter boxes is a daunting task. First thing I did was shop for all the different scoops available. There is one that stood out above the rest as it is of metallic construction and larger than most. I am not going to endorse it by providing the name (unless they want to throw down some cash) but that being said I still HATE scooping by hand.
What other method of scooping is there you ask? I did not invent this method, however after researching I can certainly say I improved it. The method by which I am referring is what I call « sifting. » I have seen several articles where inventors have made screens to put over a plastic tote and empty the contents of the dirty box into the screened one. The solids are then trapped by the screen and emptied into the waste container. I even found where you could buy them pre-assembled. I chose to pass on that method as it looked too messy and cumbersome but I thought they were on the right track so I came up with a variation.
I was shopping in a local hardware store for grill accessories when I stumbled upon the solution I had been searching for. This piece of information I am about to impart on you, gentle reader, is worth the price of this information guide all by its self. OK, I know it was free but here it is.
A stainless steel GRILLING BASKET. You can get a non-stick as well. This lovely jewel will fit right over a plastic tote and is a cat litter sifting machine. Here is my setup: I take two empty large plastic totes and place the basket on top one of them longways. Every one I have seen (grill basket) has a lip at the front and a handle long enough to rest it inside without worrying about it slipping or falling into the tote. I then take a garbage bag and line the other tote.
Next I take one of my nugget filled receptacles and pour its contents into the grill basket. With the corn crumble litter I use, I found that it does not sift as fast as the clumping but the beauty of having a grill basket is that you grab the handle and shake it a bit. After your box is empty, your basket has been shaken and sifted,and you are left with the lovely delicatessens fresh from Martha Stewart’s kitchen, you then dump it into the lined tote. Next is obvious; just pour the sifted litter back into its original container. Rinse and repeat for additional boxes.
Manual scooping, even with the super sized metal scooper, would take me over an hour and a half. This method takes less than 10 minutes including clean up.