That's why I was eager to checkout the Pet Zone smart scoop automatic litter box. Priced just over $100 it is one of the cheapest automated litter systems available. I recently purchased one of these from Amazon.com and within a few days I was able to try out the system myself - and loved it!
Here is a picture of the Pet Zone litter box:
As you can see from the photo, the Pet Zone system comes with several accessories and is nice a compact. However, the standard unit is not covered, so if that is a concern you may want to purchase a more expensive covered system instead.
I found the set up to be super easy: plug it in, add litter and that is pretty much it!
After having this unit in my home for over a month, I can say there are some things I really love about the Pet Zone. To start, it is a very quite machine. My cats are not afraid to use it (a concern I had before purchasing the unit), and I haven't had a significant problem with the litter landing outside the box during use.
Although some reviewers claim they only need to change the litter every 7-10 days, I have found the four to five days is really the maximum for my (one cat) household. I imagine if you have two or more cats, you would need to change it much more frequently - perhaps every other day. At that point, it may not be worth paying $100+ for an automated litter box. But for one cat households, the Pet Zone is worth its weight in gold (or at least kitty litter)!
