Cat Crushed by Self-Cleaning Litter Box Sparks Lawsuit

A woman in the Bronx experienced a horrifying incident when her cat was fatally crushed by a self-cleaning litter box. The woman, Stephanie Gomez, returned home to find her cat Sarabi trapped and dead inside the device, which failed to stop during its cleaning cycle.

Gomez’s distress was compounded by the sight of her other cat, Sebastian, crying nearby. She recounted turning on the light to see Sarabi’s body partially stuck inside the litter box, which was still attempting to close around her. The device, an Autoscooper 11, is priced at approximately $200 and was gifted as a Christmas present, advertised as being safe for pets due to sensors that prevent trapping.

The lawsuit, filed for $3 million, alleges a “catastrophic failure” of the device’s safety features. The deceased cat, weighing less than 10 pounds, was described as friendly, talkative, and rescued after being found crying on a rainy night. Gomez adopted Sarabi over a year earlier, naming her after a “Lion King” character, and the encounter with her final moments has left Gomez devastated.

The litter box, which advertises safety features and sensors, was a gift from Gomez’s mother, who received a full refund after Sarabi’s death. The company behind the product, Pet Pivot, and Amazon, which sold it, offered a $10,000 condolence and a letter of sympathy, actions Gomez and her partner believe were attempts to quietly settle or suppress issues related to the device’s safety defects.

Despite reports and a review from a cat owner claiming near-tragedy, the device remains available for sale, with the manufacturer defending its safety record. Gomez emphasizes she will never trust such machines again, urging caution for other pet owners.