Hi-tech litter box solution to keeping cats inside & saving birds.
For years, conservationists have been grappling with a complex challenge: how to effectively protect Aotearoa’s native bird population from threats, such as feral cats, which have already led to the extinction of up to 11 bird species.
While there’s a significant difference between wild cats roaming the countryside and our beloved domestic four-legged friends, conservationists are calling for stricter regulations regarding the confinement of pet cats at home rather than allowing them to roam freely. The key is to keep cats indoors and now a clever new litter box has emerged on the market, simplifying this very task.
Despite 88 per cent of domestic cats in this country being spayed or neutered, the concern persists that the remainder are contributing to the damage done by the stray and feral cat population, currently estimated at 2.4 million. The Royal Forest and Bird Society reports that approximately 1.1m native birds, including vulnerable flightless species and even penguins, are killed by feral cats each year.
PetSafe’s Australia and New Zealand marketing manager, Sarah Ambler, emphasises the importance of finding solutions in New Zealand that meet the needs of both native birds and family pets. PetSafe’s new ScoopFree Clumping Self-Cleaning Litter Box is one way they’re helping to tackle the issue, by offering pet parents technology to help keep cats comfortably at home while actively addressing the issue.
“I’m a huge advocate for conservation and protecting native species but I’m also an avid pet lover – my pets are my family,” she says from her home in Queensland, where regulations require cats to be kept within their owner’s property.
“It’s important to have that balance where you’re protecting and sustaining the environment that we live in for generations to come, but also treating our pets like family and keeping them safe. They can be in the yard and they can have their outdoor space, but it’s crucial to make sure they’re not having a negative impact on the environment.”
Conservation groups such as Predator Free New Zealand Trust and the National Cat Management Strategy Group, which includes the SPCA, Local Government New Zealand and the Gareth Morgan Foundation, are pushing for a national cat management act. This act, the first of its kind in the country, aims to eliminate the population of feral cats nationwide by 2025.
One of the proposed suggestions is to follow in Australia’s footsteps by introducing new rules around keeping cats at home. Across the ditch, these rules differ between regions, with some cities enforcing only nocturnal cat curfews.
This could potentially lead to a slightly different lifestyle for Kiwi cats, increasing the need to create enticing indoor-outdoor spaces at home. Apartment dwellers and those living near busy main roads, as well as other conservation-minded pet parents, are already proactively taking steps in this direction, by creating appealing cat oases or “catios”, equipped with contained playpens and climbing platforms.
Naturally, these also call for a superior cat litter arrangement that aligns with these environmentally friendly principles. The PetSafe ScoopFree Clumping Self-Cleaning Litter Box is an innovative new take on their popular ScoopFree Crystal Self-Cleaning Litter Box, used by over 1.5m cat owners worldwide. Unlike the original product, which takes only crystal litter, the new version can use most types of clumping litter, meaning there is no need to switch your cat’s favourite litter. As any cat parent knows, cats can be very particular about what they like and don’t like, including their litter preferences.
The new PetSafe litter box is perfect for those keen on odour control, a task at which the Clumping Self-Cleaning Litter Box excels. There’s also the advantage of being able to use a more eco-conscious clumping litter, made from biodegradable natural materials such as nut shells, wood or grains.
It works like this: when the cat is finished, the clumping litter absorbs the waste and forms clumps. The rake in the machine then automatically scoops those clumps into a sealed waste compartment, so you never have to scoop the litter out yourself or risk coming into contact with it.
PetSafe’s redesigned litter box features a different motor and design to the original to prevent the dustier litter types from getting into the mechanics.
“It’s for all cat parents who want a more convenient solution for their cat waste,” says Sarah. “One of the main ways to help protect wildlife is to create a joyful indoor space for your cat – having a really great litter box is definitely part of that.”
The PetSafe litter box also eliminates the need to throw out multiple disposable trays. With ScoopFree Clumping the tray is built in, so you can then make the choice to use a more eco-friendly clumping litter as well.
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