Use More Litter Boxes
Chances are that you dont have enough litter boxes. The general rule is to provide one litter box for each cat, plus one extra. If you have one cat, use two litter boxes. If you have eight cats, youll need nine boxes. This helps to distribute the waste across multiple boxes, ensuring that no one box builds up too quickly.
In multiple cat households, rivalries and tensions are quick to arise. Providing a separate box for each cat can help to reduce stress and discourages litter box avoidance.
Of course, providing multiple boxes isnt always practical. Multiple cats sharing a single box should share a single large box that can handle the heavy traffic and increased odor.
Do this today:
Count your litter boxes. Are you providing enough for all of your cats? If possible, add enough new litter boxes to support demand.
Choose The Perfect Cat Litter
Cats can be very particular about things they do or dont want to use. If you want the highest chance of success, we suggest you try a few different litters to see which one is most effective.
Clumping litter is a great choice because its very easy to scoop. But not every cat will find clumping litter comfortable. Its a matter of testing out to see what works.
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Purina Tidy Cats With Glade Tough Odor Solutions
- 20-pound package
- Low dust formula
Two very well-known brands have created the Purina Tidy Cats Odor solution to bring forward a great product. We like how it very efficiently forms tight, strong clumps, which are much easier to clean up later on. Scooping out becomes a rather easier task to accomplish, according to us. The dust content is also on the lower end, making it much easier for a clean pour into the cat litter. The area around the litter box will remain tidy because the dustless cat litter doesnt scatter as much. The brand claims that the 20 lbs package is 99.9% dust-free, something we truly like.
Whats most surprising about the scoopable cat litter additive is that the formula takes care of 4 kinds of tough odors. Moisture-activated action will immediately takes care of odors while trapping them out. Any unpleasant smells will be locked away with the powerful formula. We will recommend this multi-cat clumping litter for its quick action and 10-day guaranteed odor control feature. Moreover, the odor elimination process goes on around the clock, so that your home smells fresh.
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Clean Messes Quickly And Thoroughly
Use a good enzymatic cleaner to take care of any potty accidents if your cat misses the box . A good, thorough cleaning will eliminate the smell, prevent odors from developing over time, and prevent your cat from going outside of their boxes in the future.
An effective cleaner, like this enzymatic and bio-based cleaner by Unique, works to neutralize the odor. If your cat is going outside their box, like on your living room carpet, then getting the smell out effectively can help prevent them from sniffing it out and choosing that same potty spot again.
Got any other litter box questions? How do you handle smelly kitty boxes? Feel free to add your tips and tricks in the comments below.
Try Cat Litter Deodorizers
There are numerous products you can add to your cat litter to help reduce odor. Many of these products use baking soda, a time-honored odor absorber, as the active ingredient. Others use activated charcoal , known for its odor- and toxin-absorbing properties. Some litter brands actually include these substances in their cat litter, but these tend to be rather expensive. Adding a thin layer of baking soda to the bottom of the litter box is a simple, inexpensive way to reduce litter box odor, especially when using non-clumping clay, pine or paper litter.
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Feline Pine Original Unscented Non
Dont let the words non-clumping deter you from considering this litter, as it works surprisingly well for odor control. This litter is not made from clay like many clumping litters and instead is made from highly absorbent pine fibers. The result is a cat litter that doesnt clump but naturally hides scents.
Feline Pine litter smells like pine, and its made without chemicals or additives. It doesnt have that standard litter smell, and its safe for your cat to use every day. The natural smell makes this one of the best odor control cat litters out there! Most importantly, the odors from your cats urine and feces are absorbed by the wood pellets with ease, so youre left with a fresh, natural scent from your litter box.
The pine fibers are incredibly absorbent, so this cat litter shouldnt be flushed, and the pieces are relatively small, so you can expect some light tracking out of the box.
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Perhaps one of the most significant points in this litters favor is that it will never get stuck to your cats fur when they use the litter box. If youve been a cat owner for some time, youre likely well-acquainted with litter butt, which is when clay litter clumps to your cats rear end. This issue is eliminated with this litter entirely.
Scoop The Litter Box Daily
No-brainer, right? The more frequently you scoop the litter box, the less time you have cat waste sitting out exposed to the air in your home. Scooping at least once a day can help you keep those wafting odor waves at a minimum. However, this can become tiresome, especially if you have a busy schedule or multiple cats. The good news is there are options beyond simply becoming a slave to the scoop.
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Ever Clean Extra Strength Odor Control Cat Litter Best Overall
Weve ranked Even Clean Extra Strength as the number one litter product for containing odors. Lets talk about how weve come to that decision.
Ever Clean have employed a mix of activated carbon and antimicrobial agents that promise to make smelly litter boxes a thing of the past. We think theyre pretty close to having it well and truly solved.
Its so good at it, that we had to keep walking to check if the litter had been used or not. Usually wed be able to smell it a mile off!
Its unscented, which, depending on your preference is both a pro and a con. In this instance, we think its a pro, since the odor fighting ability of the litter removes the need for the faint perfume smell thats present in other litters.
In any case, perfumed cat litter still smells very distinctly like cat litter, so scented isnt an attribute that we rank very highly anyway.
While this isnt the focus of this article, we have to say that the clumping mechanism is fairly impressive and is one of the best weve seen in odor control litters. Especially given that it isnt particularly marketed as being an industry leader in that sense.
It also has the huge benefit of having almost no visible dust present. Many litters that are designed to combat one aspect of litter concerns often fall short in other areas. Not here.
You Dont Have To Live With A Stinky Litter Box
The most important thing to keep in mind is that an awful-smelling litter box isnt something that you have to tolerate. There are ways to reduce or even eliminate the problem, and while it may take a bit of effort, the results will be well worth it in the end.
Its likely that at least one of these solutions will solve your issue, and many of them are just good ways to keep your cat happy and healthy. Just dont give up and whatever you do, dont fight fire with fire.
Featured Image Credit: xamnesiacx84, Shutterstock
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Rather Than Covering Up Litter Box Odors With Artificial Fragrance Eliminate Them At The Source With Nonscents Cat Litter Deodorizer This Granule
Even if you choose the right litter and the right litter box, odors are going to happen, especially in a multi-cat household. Give your litter box a boost of odor-eliminating power with a cat litter deodorizer like NonScents Cat Litter Deodorizer. We chose this product over other options because it actually eliminates odors instead of masking them. This formula is completely fragrance-free and actually helps extend the life of your litter as well.
NonScents Cat Litter Deodorizer is more concentrated than other formulas, so it is powerful enough to tackle even strong ammonia odors. It is made from zeolite, a mineral that neutralizes odors at the source. It is easy to use as well just sprinkle it over the litter to remove odors in minutes for a fresher home free from unpleasant smells.
Cat Litter Help includes NonScents in their list of the best cat litter deodorizers, calling it one of the most popular and effective granule-based litter box deodorants on the market. They do note, however, that it is more expensive than deodorizing powders.
With over 1,900 reviews on Amazon, NonScents Cat Litter Deodorizer carries a 4.4-star rating. Customers love the fragrance-free formula, though there are some comments that multicat households may go through the product fairly quickly.
Pros: Highly concentrated formula eliminates odors, made from natural zeolite, no artificial fragrance, extends the life of litter
Cons: More expensive than powder deodorizers
Contains Small Litter Pieces
Another factor is the size of the litter particles. Most clay cat litters will contain some amount of dust, but the litter pieces can also vary in size and have a big effect on how easy clean up will be. Small pieces can easily get caught on your cats fur and can be tracked outside of the litter box, and this can lead to a big mess for you. Depending on how small they are, that mess can extend into multiple rooms of your home. Since you dont want to clean litteroff the floor every day, consider larger litter pieces.
While larger pieces are usually less absorbent than smaller pieces, they typically help to reduce tracking litter. Absorption and tracking will often be trade-offs, so you must consider both carefully and choose the appropriatelysized litter for your situation.
You will want to think about your cats needs here as well. According to this article, your cat will likely prefer a smaller substrate in their litter and may even choose not to use a litter that is too large.
You might think this is enough to consider, but theres still more! Youll also want to pay attention to how effectively your litter clumps, which can be independent of the absorption rate. Clumps that stick together even while cleaning can make your job easier, as no one wants to fish out small crumbles of used cat litter. Clumps that stick together mean you can scoop out and throw away the used cat litter quickly and easily.
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Don’t Be Fooled By Poor Value Bag Sizes On Supermarket Shelves
You can easily save money by buying cat litter in bulk online.
No doubt you want to find the best price for your favourite litter. Many savvy cat owners will naturally compare prices online to their local supermarket to ensure they get the best value possible. However, if you’re comparing prices, always be sure to check the size of the bag you’re looking at. While supermarket prices might seem cheap, you may be surprised to learn that many supermarkets only sell smaller bags than those available online. This means you may be purchasing a smaller volume of litter, which means the value per kilogram is not as great.
Use The Right Litter Scoop
Using the right tools makes you a better scooper.
A great cat litter scoop captures every last crumb of soiled litter and easily digs out litter stuck on the bottom of the box or trapped in corners. If youre guilty of putting off litter box cleaning, a good scoop makes the task easier, encouraging you to do it more often.
Do this today:
Next time you scoop your cats litter, let yourself dream. Could your scoop possibly work any better than it does?
Could the scoop glide through the litter more smoothly, effortlessly separating clean and dirty litter? Could it be made from stronger materials? Could it have a better edge for scraping the bottom of the pan?
If the answer to any of those questions is yes, think about investing in a better litter scoop to facilitate easy scooping.
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Our Pick Of The Litter
Cat litter may seem like a simple product, but finding the right one can be difficult when considering all of the options and features available. For the best for odor control, we recommend Dr. Elseys Precious Cat Ultra Clumping Cat Litter. Our top pick is affordable, safe for your cat, and its a great blend of all of the essential features weve discussed. Dr. Elseys Ultra Clumping Cat Litter also has a strong odor-blocking formula, and it also reduces tracking and messes around your litter box.
Whichever cat litter you choose, we hope that this list of reviews and things to look for in your chosen litter will help make your buying process more manageable.
Hamilton Beach Trueair Air Purifier For Home Or Office
Cat litter odor is stubborn and can linger for a long time. The Hamilton Beach 04384 air purifier provides 2 carbon zeolite filters to consistently get rid of the entire odor.
There are 2 additional filters, a permanent pre-filter for capturing larger particles, and a HEPA-grade filter for tinier particles. These permanent filters are maintained by regular vacuuming.
Further, the Hamilton Beach 04384 air purifier serves perfectly in any environment since its ultra-quiet and compact. It also has 3 fan speed settings and can work horizontally or vertically. Lastly, it serves rooms not exceeding 140 sq. ft.
Features
- Zeolite filters enhance odor elimination efficiency
- Easy maintenance HEPA filter and Pre-filter do not require replacement
- Compact size, suitable for any environment
- Efficient at allergen capturing over 99.9% efficiency using HEPA filters
- Versatile works vertically and horizontally
Cons
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Wash The Tray More Often
Most modern cat litters afford some degree of skimming or scooping, negating the need to completely swap out the litter every day.
This scooping is great because it makes it easier to manage the litter tray and it also makes it more affordable than having to keep dropping three inches of litter in the tray. However, you should still be replacing the litter every week or so, and when you do, use this as an opportunity to rinse out the litter tray with warm soapy water.
Ensure it dries fully before you add more litter, but this will help get rid of any stubborn and caked-on stains. If you are having a particular problem with litter smell, increase the frequency at which you clean the litter trays.
Dr Elseys Cat Ultra Premium Odor Control Litter Best Natural Litter
Dr Elseys Cat Ultra Premium also got a mention in our best clumping litter review.
Weve placed it here for similar merits, namely its all natural approach to the ingredients. That said, its surprisingly effective as a powerful odor protection option.
Its hypoallergenic, meaning its suitable for even the most sensitive of cats. Theres no irritation or offensive scent, so its probably one of the easiest litters around to transition your cat onto. A huge benefit for those who have particularly fussy little cats!
Containing absolutely no perfumes or deodorants, youre entirely reliant on its clumping mechanism to lock in odors and stop them spilling out into the air for hours on end. Thankfully, it does this pretty well.
We wont claim its the best at masking odors, because it isnt. In fact, theres a noticeable difference between the odor eliminating qualities of this when compared to the others in this list.
We have to forgive it its short comings due to its natural approach though. Many cat owners are keen to move away from chemicals and plant proteins that have been rumored to be harmful to their precious feline friend. So this is a great alternative, and the best natural cat litter around for odor protection.
While we mention harmful proteins and chemicals, its important to note that no respected manufacturer would include any chemicals that have been proven harmful to cats in their products.
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Does The Size Of Box Matter
Choosing wrong sized boxes will make them unhappy. Giving them a small box is like they are getting less space. Less space means less happiness for them. Keep them side to side so that they can choose where they are going to sleep.
Make sure that the sides of the box are not high enough. It will be difficult for old cats and those who have arthritis for something like that then they will not be happy.
It is wise to have more boxes for cats. One could avoid one box and go into another one. It is also good for multiple cats.
Final Thoughts: Control Litter Box Odor
To summarize, odor is a difficult thing to avoid. You cant ignore it. But we can minimize the intensity of it. It is always the best thing to do that you use a well ventilated area and that could be near a window. Always try to avoid artificial stuff that would harm the sensitive skin of cats.
Cleaning regularly is a wise thing to do. always read the instruction manual that comes with any chemical that you are going to use to get rid of bad smell. Practice makes a man perfect. So always try to improve this situation by thinking about what you can do and what is under your control.
If all precautions fail then consult with your doctor or take it to a hospital to see whether it has any kind of disease or not. Visit from time to time the blogs that write about cats and stuff. The reviews of users will help you a lot to understand the smell that comes from the litter box.
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