Published Nov 11, 2025
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Sick of struggling to scoop your cat’s litter box? We’ve got the solution. If you’re fed up with flimsy plastic scoops that bend under the weight of heavy clumps or, even worse, fail to sift effectively, this wide slatted cat litter scoop could be just what you need.
Created by one of our top-recommended natural cat litter brands, Catalyst Pet, this sturdy scoop promises to make cleaning the litter box less of a chore. Find out how it held up in real-world testing in this detailed review.
Why Trust Cats.com
My oldest cat is 16, which means I’ve spent over a decade and half scooping litter boxes. In my early days as a cat owner, I bought the cheapest litter scoops available but I’ve long since learned my lesson. Though I’ve tried a few metal litter scoops, the wide slatted scoop from Catalyst Pet caught my attention for its sturdy materials and unique design.
To put this scoop to the test, I tried it out with a variety of litter types—from standard clumping clay to upcycled softwood litter and everything in between. I compared its performance side-by-side with over half a dozen other litter scoops, assessing metrics like durability, comfort, and ease of use.
In addition to testing the scoop myself, I spent a few hours researching the brand and reading customer reviews to find out what other cat owners have to say about it. Keep reading for my final assessment of the wide slatted litter scoop from Catalyst Pet.
Catalyst Pet Overview
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Launched in 2020, Catalyst Pet was developed by Lignetics, Inc., a company known for transforming wood waste into environmentally friendly household products. Lignetics was founded in 1983 and is currently headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado, though it operates over two dozen manufacturing plants across the United States and Canada.
Each year, Lignetics upcycles more than 1.5 million tons of wood waste, turning it into products like Catalyst Pet cat litter. Catalyst Pet currently offers four cat litter formulas made from pine softwood as well as a limited selection of cat essentials, including a woven sisal cat litter mat, biodegradable pet waste bags, and a slatted steel cat litter scoop.
Through its use of upcycled materials, Catalyst Pet demonstrates a commitment to improving the sustainability of the pet industry. The company is accredited by the Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC), a non-profit organization that aims to advance the pet industry through positive environmental and social impacts. Catalyst Pet also aims to help reduce plastic waste from the environment as part of its PlasticNeutral Promise.
Catalyst Pet Slatted Steel Cat Litter Scoop Features
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Designed with durability in mind, Catalyst Pet’s litter scoop features a strong steel frame and sturdy wooden handle. The scoop itself is 6 inches square, with a depth of about 2 inches where it meets the handle. It’s constructed from wide-gauge steel wires spaced about ¼ inch apart to form parallel slats that allow clean litter to sift through while clumps remain behind.
Whereas conventional cat litter scoops are scattered with slots of varying size and shape, the Catalyst Pet scoop is simpler and more streamlined. All the slats are uniformly sized and evenly spaced, enabling the scoop to move quickly through the litter bed. Clean litter sifts smoothly through the bottom and sides of the scoop while clumps and solid waste get trapped by the wire grid at the back.
The scoop’s wooden handle is smooth to the touch and rounded for comfort. Because wire from the scoop’s frame passes all the way through the handle, it’s sturdy enough to handle even the biggest and heaviest of clumps without bending or snapping. The handle is longer than the typical litter scoop as well, keeping your hands at a safe distance from dirty litter.
From end to end, the Catalyst Pet slatted steel cat litter scoop measures about 13.5 inches long. It’s only available in one size and is priced at $21.99 on the brand’s website.
What We Like:
- Durably made from steel wire with a sturdy wooden handle
- Large scoop means fewer passes through the litter box
- Uniform, evenly-spaced slats quickly sift through the litter bed
- Handle is long, smooth, and rounded for user comfort
- Deep 2-inch shovel can hold a significant volume of dirty litter
What We Dislike:
- May leave very small clumps or pieces of waste behind
- Heavy scoop may be uncomfortable for some people to use
- Might be tricky to maneuver in very small litter boxes
What Did Our Test Cats Think?
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
My first impression of the Catalyst Pet slatted steel cat litter scoop was that it looked sturdier than any other litter scoop I’ve tried. (Spoiler alert: it is.) I wasn’t sure I’d like the wooden handle but it ended up being less awkward to use than I expected, and it didn’t bend or twist like many of the cheap plastic litter scoops I’ve used in the past. I also found the rounded shape more ergonomic than some of the squared handles I’ve tried.
In testing this litter scoop, I found it lived up to most of the promises made on the product page. The full-length, evenly-spaced slats were very effective in sifting the various types of cat litter I tried. It worked particularly well for oddly shaped litter products, like the oblong pellets of Catit’s pea husk litter and Ökocat’s low-tracking mini pellets.
The scoop didn’t perform as well with non-clumping litter (especially lightweight natural litters that don’t dry very quickly), but Catalyst Pet does state that the scoop is intended for use with clumping cat litter. How well it works with non-clumping litter may vary depending on the product.
The sturdy construction adds to the weight of this scoop and it’s big enough that it took some practice to use it effectively in my smallest litter box. In the reviews I read, a few customers found the scoop unwieldy or a little too heavy for their personal comfort. For the most part, however, my experience aligned with the majority of users who are satisfied with the scoop.
Not only was I impressed by the Catalyst Pet slatted steel cat litter scoop’s performance, but I found it more sanitary than many options. With the long handle, I didn’t feel like I was putting my hand right in the litter box. And the full-length slats didn’t get clogged with wet, sticky litter the way many cheaper plastic models do. A wet wipe or quick rinse was all I needed to keep the scoop clean between uses.
What Do Customers Think of the Catalyst Pet Slatted Cat Litter Scoop?
Though customer reviews for Catalyst’s slatted litter scoop are limited on major retail sites like Chewy, the product has a 4.8 (out of 5 stars) average with over 400 ratings on CatalystPet.com. The majority of reviewers give the product 5 stars, with only about 6% of customer ratings being 3 stars or lower on the brand’s website.
Positive Reviews
Customers who gave the Catalyst litter scoop a positive rating were pleased with the generous size of the scoop and how well it worked, particularly for lightweight and natural cat litters. Several users mentioned the product’s sturdiness, particularly the strength of the handle. Many users thought the product was worth the price.
“I didn’t buy this right away but after using my normal scoopers with this litter, they didn’t seem to work well. I decided to go ahead and buy this scooper and glad I did. It works MUCH better!” – Nicole on Chewy.com, June 30, 2025
“The scoop is very sturdy and is easy to use. It is way better than my flimsy scoop from the past. It has a wide base and strong handle.” – Amber B. on Catalystpet.com, October 2, 2025
Negative Reviews
Customers who gave the Catalyst litter scoop a negative rating expressed dissatisfaction with the product’s price, size, and ease of use. Some customers thought the scoop was too large or tricky to use in smaller litter boxes and some found it too heavy to use comfortably. Others noted that the scoop worked best for large clumps but small pieces of litter could fall through the slats.
“It seemed fine at first, but ultimately didn’t perform as expected. Not recommended if you use pine litter. Also overpriced for what it is.” – Jaymie on Chewy.com, July 15, 2025
“It sifts really well! However, it is so uncomfortable to hold. The handle is wood and bulky and has squared edges. I don’t have small hands by any means, but this was clearly designed for people with larger hands.” – April on Catalystpet.com, February 22, 2025
Overall, Is the Catalyst Pet Slatted Litter Scoop a Good Choice?
Kate Barrington / Cats.com
In comparison to the average cat litter scoop, Catalyst Pet’s slatted litter scoop is an upgrade. Not only is it bigger and sturdier than the typical scoop but it works much better with lightweight and alternative cat litter products (like Catalyst’s own upcycled softwood cat litter). If you’re tired of struggling with flimsy plastic or scoops with holes too small, this scoop may be worth trying.
The Catalyst Pet Slatted Litter Scoop might not be the right fit for cat owners with small hands, as the handle is pretty big. The scoop itself is on the heavier side, too. If you already struggle to lift large clumps of dirty litter, this scoop may not be the ideal choice. That being said, the rounded shape of the handle appears to offer ergonomic benefits in comparison to some rectangular-handled models.
If you want to be able to scoop the entire litter box in just a few passes, however, this generously sized scoop is up to the task. The trick is to work slowly to avoid breaking big clumps into small pieces that might slip through the slats.
Similar Brands
Looking for other cat litter brands similar to Catalyst? Check out some of our other brand reviews.
