Block Off Your Litter Box
Okay, so what if you just dont like how much the kitty litter smell spreads? While leaving your box in the open is great for reducing the smell itself, leaving your box behind a closed door is the best way to keep the smell from getting all over the house.
For this solution, we recommend putting your litter box in a room with a door, like the garage or laundry room. Then you can install a cat flap or a cat hole into your door or wall in order to give your cat access to their box whenever they need it.
If you get your cat a cat door, make sure you train them on how to use their door.
Arthritis Can Make Litter Boxes Hard To Use
Another possible reason that an older cat may forego the litter box is arthritis. As cats age, they can get arthritis, which makes it harder for them to get into the box, Dr. Kornreich said. Perhaps the sides are too tall, or the box is located in a place that requires the cat to do some kind of arduous physical activity to get to, such as up or down a flight of stairs.
I Finally Got Rid Of Litter Box Smells With This Genius Hack
If youre a cat person, you know that the best part of their sometimes fickle habits and cat behaviors is that they take care of business on their ownand you also know the worst part is that they do it in your house. And most dont flush. Instead of tolerating those unpleasant litter box smells, I got creative and invested in a new sort of solution.
For the longest time, I was an apartment-dweller, and aside from a glorious three-month period where my cat learned to use the toilet, Ive always battled the litter box smell. These days, Ive upgraded to a house with a laundry room dedicated to the litter box. Id finally found a pellet litter good for neutralizing urine odors, and life was good.
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But the addition of a second cat had me second guessing everything. The new cat hated the pellet litter, and we had to switch back to the regular old clumping clay.
I scoop the box daily, but unless you take the waste outside, its still just in your home, smelling. After too much time spent vetting cat waste cans, which had mixed reviews, I decided to hack the system and try baby products.
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Get A Bigger Litter Box
Cats can be finicky. Even if they have been trained to use a litter box in the past, if they find an issue with their current box, they can refuse to use it now. Then they go to the bathroom all around your house, spreading the smell everywhere.
For finding the right cat box size, follow this rule of thumb: your box should be twice as long as your cat is long and as wide as your cat is long. Any smaller, and the box might be too small for them to comfortably use.
Add Baking Powder To The Litter
Did you know that some cat litter contains baking soda?
The reason being is due to the effective odor control baking soda has. The best solution would be to use a cat litter that contains baking soda and other odor eliminating properties.
But that doesnt mean you cant add your own baking soda to the litter to see if that helps ward off bad smells.
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Will Concrete Hold Odors
A concrete floor might look smooth, but concrete is a porous material that has little holes all over the surface. Those little holes soak in liquid and also odors if you dont get to it right away. Just like stains, odors are also difficult to get out of concrete.
The uric acid crystals in urine can permeate the concrete and become difficult to remove, especially the longer it has taken to discover the problem.
Another issue with cat pee on concrete is that once youve cleaned the area, the smell can come back if moisture is introduced to the area, which basements especially can be susceptible to.
Use An Enclosed Cat Litter Box
Some cat litter boxes are completely enclosed, which can help keep bad smells inside the litter box, instead of spreading through the rest of your house.
Its not the best solution as the ammonia smell will still build up if cat urine is left too long.
Its also not nice for your cat to leave an enclosed litter box to get dirty for too long. Just because they are covered, doesnt mean they should be ignored.
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How To Get Cat Urine Smell Out Of Concrete
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Being a cat owner comes with some undeniable truths one of them being that you will eventually have to deal with a cat accident outside of the litter box. We can mostly figure out how to clean it out of carpets, but how do you get rid of cat urine from concrete?
If youre here, you probably have a cat who has urinated on a concrete floor either in a basement or garage. Unlike a soft surface that can soak in an enzyme cleaner, you may wonder how a urine neutralizer can soak into a porous material like concrete. Its tricky, but it can be done.
Cat urine is more concentrated than dog urine and cleaning cat urine from a concrete floor may take multiple treatments, but it will eventually come out with the right products and some elbow grease.
Remove Poop And Soiled Litter Daily
Many people leave cat urine and poop in the litter box for days which is the biggest cause of litter odor in the house.
Its also extremely unhygienic and a potential health risk for yourself and your cat.
The best way to control cat litter odor is to scoop out any cat feces and urine from the litter as often as possible, ideally every time your cat uses the litter.
Or at a minimum of once or twice per day.
If you use a good clumping cat litter, youll find it easier to dispose of kitty waste by using a scoop.
You will also waste less untouched litter when you scoop on a regular basis, because your cat wont spread used litter around and contaminate the entire litter.
Pro Tip: When scooping out used litter, you can put it in a waste bag and tie it up before disposing of it in your normal trash.
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Does Baking Soda Work To Control Litter
Baking soda works in your refrigerator and litter box in much the same way: it’s a base that neutralizes the higher pH of odors.
The great thing about baking soda is that it’s non-toxic and has no real scent. It’s also inexpensive! Sprinkle some baking soda on the bottom of your litter box after you’ve thoroughly cleaned it, and then add the litter. As your cat digs around the box, she’ll mix a little baking soda into the litter as she goes. Add a little fresh baking soda every time you scoop, too. It’s a safe, easy, economical product to experiment with.
How To Get Rid Of Cat Pee Smell
Not only is the smell of cat pee pretty unpleasant, but cats are also more likely to urinate in the same spot again if the smell remains. Cats have approximately 200 million scent receptors, compared to only 5 million in humans, which is why effectively neutralizing the odor is so important.
Top Tips:
1. Timing is everything
The sooner you can clean up cat pee, the better, as, over time, bacteria begin to decompose chemicals within the urine, like urea, which gives off that nasty ammonia-like smell. Once cat pee has dried, it can also be a lot more difficult to locate the source of the smell!
2. Soak it up
Before going in with any cleaning products, start by using paper towel or a cloth to absorb and remove as much of the urine as possible.
3. Keep cool
Make sure to use cold water when cleaning up urine as heat can make the stain and odor more difficult to remove.
4. Avoid ammonia
Ammonia is produced when cat urine sits in the environment and contributes to its distinct smell. Ammonia-based cleaners may even encourage your cat to urinate in the same spot, as your cat associates the smell with stale urine. Choose ammonia-free cleaners to ensure you arent confusing your cat.
5. Dont punish your cat
Remember theres a reason why your cat is peeing inside. Finding out why will not only help prevent the problem in the future but is also very important for your cats overall health and happiness.
Enzyme cleaners
Baking Soda and White Vinegar
Detergent and Club Soda
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Enzyme Cleaner For Cat Urine
Once you have cleaned the bacteria from the area, now is the time to use an enzyme cleaner. Enzyme cleaners break down the ammonia and proteins in the urea that has been left behind and will continue to smell.
Even if humans can no longer smell it, your cat can and may end up marking the same spot all over again.
To treat the area with an enzyme cleaner, soak the area and work it in with a mop, , or sponge. Dont dry the area!
Cover the area with plastic to allow the area to remain wet so the enzyme cleaner has more time to soak into the concrete. Allow the area to dry on its own.
You may need to repeat this step depending on how long your cat has been using the spot as a litter box and how long the urine was in the area before being cleaned.
The Reason Why Your Cats Litter Box Smells So Bad
Its simple, really: A litter box is a cats version of a bathroom. Unlike the ones humans use, cats have no way of flushing something away and wiping themselves clean. That means that the odor will continue to build up over time until its addressed.
Its also important to consider that cat urine is very different from humans. In fact, its said to be five times more concentrated, which, uh, could be the reason why it has such a pungent odor. An average cat also goes #1 in the litter box roughly five times a day, which means that strong scent will be multiplied over time. Note: If you notice a particularly strong or strange odor, it may be a sign of a more significant cat health issue, including a urinary tract infection. If thats the case, take your cat to the vet to be sure.
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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
The First Step In Cleaning Urine From Concrete Floors
The first step in removing the cat urine smell from concrete is to clean up the area to remove the bacteria. Cleaning the area with a mop or is the easiest way to tackle this particular project.
We highly recommend Mister Max P-Bath Pre-Treater to neutralize the Ph before applying an enzymatic cleaner. This step is especially important if you have already tried to clean the area with soap or bleach.
Instead of using soap, which can make the cat odor worse, try soaking the area with white vinegar and let it dry.
Once dry, go over the area again with a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Scrub this mixture into the floor with a or a scrubber sponge and some old-fashioned elbow grease. Allow the mixture to sit over the area until dry, then clean it up with warm water.
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Get Rid Of Urine Smells For Good
These steps to remove cat urine stains from your basement are effective for both new and old stains. Preventing inappropriate urination by treating its underlying causes is much easier than addressing old, set-in stains, so keep an eye on changes in behavior and take your cat for a checkup to rule out medical causes.
Featured Image Credit: Alexandra_Linn, Pixabay
Contents Overview
Why Does My Cats Litter Smell So Bad
Cats cant help it using a litter box is the best option indoor cats have, and they rely on their owners to keep it as fresh as possible. Cat urine and droppings, like all animal waste, attract bacteria that convert their nitrogen into ammonium ions. Along the way, these ammonium ions become vaporized as ammonia gas the cat smell we associate with litter boxes.
This chemical process is perfectly natural, but when it is concentrated in a litter box it can become unbearably strong and noticeable throughout your home or apartment. Treating your litter with purrfect TOGETHER actually prevents the processes that convert waste into ammonia ions from happening. What that means is that odors are eliminated at the source, before they happen. Without using chemicals or fragrances to mask the cat litter smell, weve managed to make litter box odors a thing of the past.
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Don’t Declaw Your Cats
How declawing your cats leads to poor litter box habits is not intuitive at first. But it is certainly the case.
Cats without their front claws tend to have back problems later in life. Think about how your back might feel if spend your life without the last nuckle of your toes. Pretty rough. But how does a bad back lead to litter box problems?
When cats get older and their digestion slows. Cats also tend to not drink enough water. This combination tends to make an older cats poop harder, causing them to strain. A declawed cat with a bad back is uncomfortable straining on top of a squishy pile of litter.
So, later in life, declawed cats tend to look for harder surfaces as an alternative to their litter box. This often ends up being your carpet. Once this starts it is very difficult to stop.
So, tragically, declawed cats with bad litter box habits often end up in animal shelters later in life. And because elderly cats with poor litter box habits are very difficult to adopt they are one of the most commonly euthanized cats.
Our sister company, Certified Pet Expert.com has a non-profit in the works that is focused on raising awareness of this fact. If you would like to help with any way, please
Simple Ways To Get Rid Of Cat Urine Odor
You love your cat. But that love can be tested when you walk into a room and smell the unmistakable odor of cat urine. Why did your cat pee outside the box? How do you get rid of the cat urine smell? Heres how to clean cat urine and remove the cat pee smell from carpet, non-carpet surfaces and bedding.
First, there are 3 things you should know about why your cat might be peeing outside the litter box:
If youve found cat urine in your home, heres how to clean it up and get rid of the cat pee smell safely and effectively.
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