The PawSwing Purrring (yes, 3 R’s) Automatic Cat Self-Groomer is a pet hair remover that helps your cat do all their grooming work. In this review, I’ll explain everything you need to know about how it works, the key benefits, and where you can buy it.
Let’s start out with our review video, which pretty much covers everything about it.
PawSwing Automatic Cat Self-Groomer Video Review
First Impressions of the Purrring Self-Groomer Pet Hair Remover
The PawSwing we received is a prototype because they were going into a crowdfunding campaign that started on February 27, 2024. I was very impressed by how organized, well-designed, and well thought out it was, given that it was a product not yet on the market. It was super simple to put together, and my cats were instantly interested. Also, nothing in the packaging smelled horribly of chemicals, which can often happen with products I review.
Packaging
The PawSwing Self-Groomer comes nicely packaged – everything is secure and protected. It’s a self-assembly product, but each part is packaged carefully within the box, so you can quickly get each piece out and lay it out ready to assemble.
This is also an excellent time to allow your cat to start getting acclimatized to it, even when it’s laid out in pieces – as they get comfortable with the materials and smells, they will be more likely to try it once it is built.
Box Contents
Everything you need to assemble the PawSwing Automatic Cat Self-Groomer is included in the box – the hard felt sides and back of the box, the adjustable entrance which houses the grooming combs and collects the removed fur, the steps for access, and the automatic treat dispenser that sits atop the box. All you need to add are the treats!
You also get a plastic bag to collect the fur that the pet hair remover gathers, should you decide to make a keepsake or send the fur to PawSwing to use their felting service. And there’s a spare comb, should one need to be replaced.
Assembly Required
The PawSwing Self-Groomer needs to be assembled, but the instructions are simple to follow. You’ll snap the four sides together first before adding the rear panel, which is very easy to position. You’ll then add the front panel before clipping the opening onto that, including the access steps.
The final piece is the treat dispenser, which slots into a hole in the top of the box, but you’ll want to charge it first by connecting a USB charging cable.
Size
The PawSwing Self-Groomer measures 31.8″ L x 16.3″ W x 20.5″ H. The entrance is 7.5″.
It’s big enough for larger cat breeds since part of the joy of the design is that, once the cat is past the entrance, they can enjoy a cozy and safe space. It’s also quite robust despite being made from felt-lined panels that clip together – most cats can sit on top of it without it collapsing.
Best Benefit of the PawSwing Self-Groomer
The key benefit of the Self-Groomer is evident from the name – it allows cats to groom themselves rather than endure the dreaded brush or comb!
The product is clever – it works by using an adjustable entrance that has combs around all the sides. For your cat to enter the Self-Groomer, they have to push themselves past those combs, which do the work of grooming them for you.
The comb has rollers attached too so that the fur doesn’t just sit blocking the entrance to the Self-Groomer – it is collected inside the hidden compartments in the entrance so that you can remove it later and gather up all the fur quickly.
The combs have 12 different settings, so you can leave them nice and wide while your cat gets used to the Self-Groomer and then narrow them each day until they’re not scared by the combs. They are spring-loaded, too, so they won’t ever be too small for your cat to enter – instead, they’ll gently hug your cat’s body as they move past so that the combs can effectively work on the fur without hurting your kitty.
This can help to prevent health concerns in the future – regular grooming can stop the fur from matting, which can damage the skin, and it also helps to stop your cat from getting hairballs, which can cause digestive problems.
Of course, you need a reason for your cat to want to enter, which is where the treat dispenser comes in. It automatically drops treats inside the PawSwing Self-Groomer so that your cat is enticed to enter and retrieve them. The dispenser is easy to refill, and it’s rechargeable as well as customizable.
The individual combs are soft on the cat’s skin – they shouldn’t hurt your cat, and instead are designed to give your kitty a similar sensation to them licking themselves. Some cats may enjoy it, while others should at least be able to tolerate it to get their snack reward.
Pros
There are several pros to choosing the PawSwing Purrring Self-Groomer:
It’s great for cats who don’t like being held and brushed.
The fur is all collected in compartments, so it’s easy to clean
It’s adjustable to fit many different cat sizes and will still be effective on smaller, slender cats.
The automatic treat dispenser helps to encourage your cat to use it and can be adjusted for different frequencies.
The felt box offers a fun place for your can to relax and unwind, with a soft interior where they will be able to relax and enjoy poking their paws through the holes in the side.
A step is included for kittens and any older cats who may struggle to enter the groomer for easy access.
Cons
While the groomer has an innovative design, there are some potential flaws or drawbacks:
The automatic treat dispenser only works on a timer rather than sensing when your cat enters. This is by design, however, to make sure that your cat isn’t overfed.
The combs may be intimidating to your cat at first. It’s recommended to let your cat get used to the box before adding the entranceway with the combs, and then gradually reduce the entrance size as they become comfortable with it.
Troubleshooting
There shouldn’t be any issues you need to troubleshoot with the main structure itself. The felt sides all have clips built-in to make them easy to assemble, and the instructions make it very clear how to put it all together.
You get a spare comb should you need to replace one at the entrance. Again, the instructions provided will tell you how to do that.
The treat dispenser is electronic and can be customized, but this should be simple if you follow the steps. You need to unlock it to get to the home screen and then press the button on the left twice to see the DropPlan page, which is how often treats are dropped.
You can set the times you want it to be active (good to avoid night-time treat drops) and the number of drops, and it will then calculate how to spread those drops out across the day.
Unboxing Video
Ease of Cleaning
The PawSwing Self-Groomer is exceptionally easy to clean since all the fur is gathered together within the entrance, thanks to the rollers next to the combs. All you need to do is release the locks on either side of the entrance and pull the entrance upwards to remove it – then, each compartment can be emptied.
If you need to clean the inside at all, you can turn a tab on the top to lift it out of the way, meaning you don’t need to dismantle it completely to vacuum inside. But it’s super easy to dismantle, if you want to do that and vacuum it out. Or you can just remove the entrance part to have full access to vacuuming on the inside.
Jenny’s Personal Takeaway
As I mentioned in my final Pawswing review video, this product pleasantly surprised me. I really had doubts that my cats, who hate to be groomed, would be into this product. And Trigg wasn’t – he was definitely interested in the house. But he didn’t like the combs and wasn’t motivated enough to go after them. However, my treat addict Charlie didn’t care about the combs – the treats were too enticing for him. So, he went for it, and he was my product tester.
I was surprised that this product not only worked at removing his fur, but also worked seamlessly – never was there an issue with the treat dispenser or the combs on the product or anything like that. And that it worked for him at almost 15 years old – you can see in the videos when he is coming in and out, it takes some different positioning to get in and out of it.
Price
The initial price for the PawSwing Self-Groomer will be $99, but this is an early discounted price and will likely rise. Depending on how the funding campaign goes, you might be able to get it at a cheaper price by signing up early.
Where to Buy the Purrring Self-Groomer
The PawSwing Self-Groomer pet hair remover is only available on Indiegogo right now, but they do have plans on selling it on Amazon and Chewy.
Conclusion
All in all, I think the PawSwing is a clever product – and not only can it be a groomer, but it can also be a safe place where cats can retreat to if you have small children or dogs. It can give them a quiet and safe place to eat where they won’t be bothered. Not only does it groom them, it provides a little exercise to get in and out of the PawSwing. I am really thankful that PawSwing sent us one to review, so I know that it works well.
We received the PawSwing for review from the manufacturer and also asked that they pay a small review fee. Receiving the free product and the review fee did not influence this honest post.
Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,
