Contributions from Bethany and Jane Harrell
The scent of the litter box may frequently be the most difficult part of having a cat.
Even if it doesn’t impact you, having visitors who “smell cat” around is embarrassing. On the other hand, it’s wonderful when guests comment that they can see but not smell your cat.
Here are some quick things you can do to eliminate the smell and keep both you and your cat happy:
- At least once per day, clean the box.
Old urine and feces may not smell as bad to you as fresh ones, but the longer they sit there, the more probable it is that the smell will travel to other parts of your house. Scoop your litter box frequently and early to reduce odor.
- The litter is changed every two weeks.
You will inevitably overlook some litter in the cat’s litter box, even if you scoop it after each usage. And eventually, even a small bit starts to smell. To avoid this, regularly empty the litter box, wash it with soap and warm water (avoid using ammonia-based cleaners as they may intensify the scent), dry it, and then re-fill it with fresh litter.
- Replace the cat litter bag once every 12 months.
Small grooves from your scooper and your cat’s claws may appear over time on the sides and bottom of your litter box. These grooves are more challenging to sterilize and can hold odours. To avoid this, buy your cat a new box every year and donate the used litter container to a shelter or animal rescue group.
- Check deodorizers for trash.
If you add some baking soda or deodorizer to your cat’s litter box, your house will smell considerably nicer. Because many cats will stop using litter boxes with strong odours, select a deodorizer that you and your cat will both enjoy using (or choose one that is unscented). Add a little bit of the deodorizer to the litter every time you scoop the litter box.
- Pick the brand of litter that, in your opinion, has the best smell (and your cat).
To determine which litter (a) your cat loves and (b) which one (c) best conceals scents, experiment with using various types of litter in each of your home’s litter boxes. (Find out how to start a garbage café.) You might find that you both prefer the same kind of litter for your cat.
- Position the litter box in a well-ventilated area.
One of the worst mistakes cat owners may do is to put the litter box in a tiny, hidden space. The stench just gets worse as a result of this. If it’s uncomfortable for him to do so, your cat might decide to empty himself somewhere else—possibly in the middle of your bed. Keep the litter box for your cat in a place that is well-ventilated, has enough light, and is spacious enough for the cat to enter, move about in, and exit without difficulty. This will make it simple for the odour to go.
Why my house doesn’t smell like cats
People frequently ask me how I put up with having a cat in the house when they learn that I live in a tiny studio apartment. They remark, “Doesn’t he make it, well, stink?” I always joke that we don’t usually smell a litter box in our apartment until we’ve been gone for a disproportionately long time. If we do, then we must scoop immediately!
Even a little cat like the one up for adoption, Zorro, need sufficient attention in the litter box.
I may take my time to tidy up my own mess or clutter, but I never take my time cleaning Toby’s litter box!
I was once. When I first adopted Toby as my cat, I had no knowledge of cats or how to care for their litter boxes. I didn’t have one, but because my roommate did, I made the same choice. My roommate’s cat’s litter box was kept in a closed closet with a cat door. Once a week, we clean the cat box’s litter completely, let it air dry, and then refill it with fresh, clean litter. But after a short while, I became sick of the fragrance and developed a new routine.
Toby’s litter is now picked up at least twice a day. Dr. Stephanie Janeczko recommends cleaning the litter box at least once or twice daily in her piece Cleaning the Litter Box: How Often Is Best. We believe that twice daily is ideal due to Toby’s size and the limited airflow in our flat. Here are some other actions we take to control the smell:
- We ventilate Toby’s box. We were unable to locate a box with high enough sides to restrict some of Toby’s less desired habits, so our behaviorist suggested a covered box. I completely remove the cover off Toby’s box every day for a few minutes to let it air out. The window of my friend’s human restroom is periodically left open every day, even in the dead of winter, on the same grounds.
- It has been cleaned. I am aware that this is common knowledge, however I once had an acquaintance who only cleaned his scooper once a week. I shuddered at the thought of the accumulation on that scoop. We rinse ours after every use to make sure nothing is left to fester.
- We also clean the litter box. I predicted the aroma would appear eventually.
- We congest. We have a box of baking soda next to our bag of litter so that we may sprinkle after each scoop. It makes the same sense to sprinkle baking soda on carpets or keep a dish of it in your refrigerator. As my grandmother claimed, it really does absorb almost any stench.
I’ll admit that whenever guests come around, we make a special effort to keep the litter box as clean as possible. This wouldn’t help if we didn’t regularly clean Toby’s litter box the rest of the time. But we explain it by saying that since people are aware that Toby doesn’t smell, they never ask about it after a visit.
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