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Catlink Scooper review – a spaceship-like litter box
by Jonas Rudin
DIY luxury litter box with interior lighting: maybe my cat’ll like it
3.1.2025
Translation: Megan Cornish
My cat isn’t happy with his toilet. And it drives me mad. Things are so bad I’ve transformed his little boy’s room into an oasis of wellbeing.
Cats are stubborn, of course. But I think my cat Lopi – an elderly gentleman of 15 – takes stubbornness to the extreme. He prefers to do his business in the garden in the fresh air, despite the fact he has a nice litter box. And when he needs to go, he loudly demands that the front door be opened for him. Day and night. If necessary, he’ll claw at the solid wood dresser.
But we went on the offensive to get the upper hand – with slow yet noticeable success.
Where we started: of wolves and Ikea cabinets
I never wanted to have a futuristic-looking plastic spaceship as a litter box in my home. Unlike my colleague Jonas, who recently tested one.
I wanted a more rustic one. That’s why, many years ago, I bought a small chest of drawers from a Swedish furniture manufacturer and cut out a roundish hole in the side as an entrance.
Source: Debora Pape
Inside, there’s an open bowl and a washable rubber mat on the lower level. On the outside, in front of the entrance, there’s another mat that catches any debris.
The front folding doors make the litter box easy to clean and the black cupboard fits perfectly in the hallway. I thought Lopi would have a nice space that’s always accessible. But he’s not happy with the litter box. He’d rather go out into the garden when he needs it.
But my husband and I don’t want that – at least not at night. We live in an area with a confirmed wolf pack (article in German) and I can sleep more peacefully if the cat’s inside at night.
Source: Debora Pape
The battle line’s drawn as follows: my feline roommate meows and scratches annoyingly until someone gets out of bed. I sleepily put him in his litter box, he sniffs, wrinkles his nose and gets back out. And I know it’s not over. Half an hour later, the same thing happens. Until at some point it becomes so urgent that Lopi finally makes do with the indoor option.
It’s annoying! That’s why we've tried everything over the years to convince the little pain to use his litter box.
Some things actually seem to be working. Lately, I’ve been increasingly happy when Lopi goes to the toilet on his own.
Measure 1: absolute cleanliness
Cats are clean animals. They bury their poo. Even in cat litter. At first, I let things slip and only checked the litter box every few days. My mistake. It often didn’t look very nice. No wonder the cat didn’t want to spend time in there.
Although – he is very picky. Because actually there were «only» three or four lumps in there.
Source: Debora Pape
We now have a zero-clump directive: new poo’s removed as soon as possible. I then smooth out the litter with a scoop. The cat should be able to see at first glance that the cleaner’s been. Maybe smoothing it out will help, maybe not. Maybe it will help even more if I turn his litter box into a zen garden and draw pretty patterns in the sand – who knows?
Measure 2: putting the bin bag in an airtight container
For years, I stored the bag of faeces and urine clumps on the upper level of the chest of drawers with the litter box. A full bag stinks. I should’ve known that neither humans nor animals would like such a smelly place. However, just a few months ago, I got an airtight container. Since then, the bag’s been in the bin next to the litter box dresser.
It’s definitely made a big difference. Now, the litter box smells almost pleasant and there are no bad odours on the outside either.
Measure 3 and the icing on the cake: sensor-controlled toilet lighting
A few months ago, I had another idea. Cats actually see very well in the dark. But our cat’s older and his eyesight’s getting weaker. Maybe it would help him if there was a light in the cupboard? I don’t mind what it is. If necessary, I’d install a speaker with birdsong and a meadow-scented air freshener. The main thing is that he’s happy and lets us sleep.
Fortunately, there’s something that fits both my needs and my cat’s: a small LED lamp with a motion sensor and battery. You can attach it via magnet to an adhesive pad and charge it via USB cable. As soon as Lopi goes into the chest of drawers, it provides light in the dark. After 20 seconds of no movement, it goes off again. The battery lasts for several months.
Source: Debora Pape
The LED lamp that Lopi now uses to illuminate his toilet visits isn’t available in our shop, but we do have a similar one:
Wall lamps + Ceiling lamps
Quantity discount
CHF10.40 per piece for 2 units
Müller Licht LED luminaire
My cat hasn’t told me yet whether the lamp’s helping. It’s probably the combination of measures that’s gradually making him trust our abilities as cat staff again. It was a laborious process, but now Lopi can be persuaded to use the litter box more quickly or even without any help. Of course he gets a treat afterwards. You can’t imagine how happy I am! Maybe we’ll get some peace at night after all.
Do you have a cat with unpleasant habits too? Have any tips for me? Let me know in the comments!
Header image: Debora Pape
Feels just as comfortable in front of a gaming PC as she does in a hammock in the garden. Likes the Roman Empire, container ships and science fiction books. Focuses mostly on unearthing news stories about IT and smart products.
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