Keep Your Litter Box Smelling Clean

Cat ownership comes with one major pitfall, especially if you own multiple cats – the litter box. Every cat owner dreads it, because cleaning it is one smelly job. And if it is not cleaned everyday, or the litter not changed frequently enough the odor can build up especially in small spaces. There are ways to keep litter box odor to a minimum, and can keep you house smelling fresh.

Avoid Hooded Litter Boxes
They seem like a great idea because they give the cat a level of privacy, and some cats will not use the litter box without a hood. However, no matter how clean the litter box is the hood will trap odors. And what smells bad to us smells even worse to out feline friends since their sense of smell is much stronger than ours. If the odor gets too bad you cat may even stop using its box, and use your carpet or flooring instead. Once odors are trapped inside the hood they are even stronger when we can eventually smell them, resulting in a smelly small space or home.

Keep it Clean
In addition to daily cleanings, the litter has to be changed on a regular basis in order to avoid the strong scent. Once the litter is dumped, rinse out the litter box, wipe it down and replace the litter. This way the plastic is not absorbing as many odors. Eventually you will have to replace the litter box because the smell will eventually imbed in the plastic.

Baking Soda
A thin layer of baking soda can be placed in the bottom of the litter box. This will keep the smell down temporarily because baking soda absorbs odor. Using this trick is especially helpful in multi-cat homes.

Use a Clumping Litter
The use of a clumping litter will allow you to remove the cats’ feces easier than basic litter. Otherwise the litter will all mix together and you can not remove the smellier parts so the box has to be changed more often. Also, do not try and save money and buy cheap kitty litter. In my experience it is messier, and does not keep odors down as well.

The Automatic Litter Box
If you can afford it, this is the best solution that I have come across especially in multi-cat homes. I joked about this being the “lazy person’s solution” but in all honesty it has made things much easier for me and gets rid of almost all the odor. It is also healthier for the cats, since the litter box is being perpetually cleaned. All you have to do is change the collection bins, add litter, and replace it as needed. This is also great if your cat has health problems that can be aggravated by a dirty litter box – my one cat is prone to kidney stones and urinary tract infections – and has greatly improved his health. And in my opinion if it can aid in keeping my pet healthy it is well worth the investment.