We can’t have a cat, litter in a litter box and manage without a kitty litter scoop at times. Whether or not you have an ordinary open litter pan to hold litter or an automatic litter box, it’s great to have a scoop nearby. Not all cats are created equal and neither is what they leave behind.

Scoops are manufactured in plastic or metal in various colors, shapes and sizes. Some have narrow or wide screens and some work better in corners than others. The handles can be long or short, whichever fits your needs. Two even have a caddy. Below are some offerings to keep the litter clean so your cats don’t find another spot to deposit their waste. All of the scoops can be washed with soap and water. Some cat owners purchase an attractive hand-held vacuum which they store near the litter box to handle spill-over.

Litter Buddy 4-piece by Drinkwell Model LB4P (ASIN: B0019AEPQ0) Dimensions:
4.9 x 9.3 x 13.7 inches; 12.8 oz. Can only be shipped in the US.

This plastic unit won Cat Fancy’s Editor’s Choice award in 2008 because Drinkwell thought we could use a caddy, dust pan and brush as well as a scoop. The collapsible unit can be mounted to a wall to keep it out of the way or left free-standing.

One cat owner said that her huge male cat leaves mountains in the litter box so she loves the wide scoop that comes with this unit. Since she uses a mat, she doesn’t need the brush and dust pan but loves the caddy. Also, her litter box has rounded sides so the flat scooper takes a bit of effort.

Scoopwell Litter Scoop by Drinkwell Model SWCP (ASIN: B000QDIU6M)
Dimensions are 3.2 x 5.8 x 14.5 inches; 1 lb. This unit ships only in the US

As with many items available for animals, a Vet designed this litter scoop. We love the stainless steel screens with a rubber handle. Some cat owners don’t use a liner in the litter boxes and this particular scoop eases the chore of scraping waste that somehow manages to stick to the container. One cat owner was disappointed because he said he had to tap the scooper against the side of the litter box to dislodge litter.

Booda Scoop’N Hide Litter Scoop, Titanium by Booda Model 50261
(ASIN: B0002DHA3K). Dimensions: 6.5 x 6 x 12.5 inches, 9.6 oz. No shipping restrictions.

Although this plastic scoop isn’t as sturdy as others, it has an added feature that makes up for it. Sometimes we’re in a real hurry and this scoop has its own holder so you don’t have to wash it each time that litter sticks to it. The litter lands in the holder, not on your floor or wherever you store it. One reviewer has had it for a year and is still happy with it.

Duranimals DuraScoop Steel Cat Litter Scoop Mini by Duranimals
(ASIN: B002GMWLQG) Dimensions 11.8 x 4.8 x 1.2 inches, 8 oz. No shipping restrictions.

A stylish small metal flat edged scoop with a color powder coated finish is available for those one-cat small litter boxes. Its sturdy construction allows for removal of large deposits as well as small. The metal will not corrode so this cat owner will be using it for many years to come.

Cat Claws Giant 20” Litter Scoop by Cat Claws Inc.
(ASIN: B000ALEEDI) No shipping restrictions, minimal shipping charge.

You may not have to kneel down using this extra-long plastic scoop. One cat owner bought several different kinds of scoops over the years and loves this one. With multiple cats using one litter box, the size alone makes the scooping of litter easy. However, Crystal’s mom said the slats were too wide and some litter fell through.

In short, you have a cat and the cat has a litter box full of litter. The cat is fastidious about using the litter box and you need to be equally fastidious about cleaning it out. So what do you do? Do you use your hands? Yak! Use a scoop and the task of cleaning out your cat’s litter box won’t be so daunting.