Is It Ok To Put Baking Soda In A Cats Litter Box
This question is quite popular among cat lovers.
Baking soda is effective in keeping the air around litter boxes fresh, cat lovers still worry about the safety of this method.
Is it okay to put baking soda in cats litter boxes? The answer is yes, baking soda will bring no harm to you or your cat. It is completely safe. Baking soda helps neutralize the bad odours that are emitted from litter boxes.
In fact, the only downside associated with the use of baking soda is that you will still have to clean it up with water from time to time.
If you own cats, and a litter box, then you know how bad litters can smell. If you have an overbearing caretaker, you may even lose your home because of the unpleasant smell.
Yes, you can wash the litter box every once in a while, but this will not provide a permanent solution.
This is the primary reason cat lovers began searching for a means of controlling bad odors emitted from their cats litter box.
Baking soda is not the only means through which the air around litter boxes can be kept fresh. However,all other means of cleaning litter boxes include manual labor.
This is why we all want baking soda to work out. In the following sections of this article, we will explain why baking soda is okay in detailed points.
Is Arm And Hammer Cat Litter Composed Of Clay
Cat Litter Alternatives for Kittens and Cats with Special Needs Litters made entirely of plants, such as Feline Pine? have no dust and other formulae such as ARM & HAMMER? Slide? Simple Clean-Up Litter is made of clay yet is completely dust-free. Similarly to humans, some cats are olfactory sensitive.
Mixing White Vinegar And Carbonated Water
Did you know that you can mix vinegar with carbonated water to clean a litter box? It seems strange but its very helpful.
Instead of mixing vinegar with warm water, you can substitute warm water with carbonated water. Because carbonated water is a natural ingredient that can kill harmful bacteria, blending it with vinegar will increase cleaning ability.
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Use In Her Bed To Remove Odor
Kitty loves to sleep, and they enjoy sleeping in a good, pleasant fresh bed.
But, it gets dirty easily, especially if your cat enjoys playing outside. And, sometimes they even pee inside it.
So, what to do next?
Well, to make your cleaning job easier, sprinkle baking soda over her bed and let it sit for 30 minutes or an hour. The baking soda will absorb all of the foul odors, and you can vacuum it out quickly.
If she accidentally pees on the carpet you can make a baking soda and white vinegar mixture and clean the soiled spot with a sponge.
Pros Of Using Baking Soda In Cat Litter
In todays busy world, you might not have enough time to scoop your cats litter box, which may lead to odors in the house due to cat urine and poop.
Here are the advantages of using baking soda in your cat litter:
- Baking Soda is a natural deodorizer that neutralizes acidic and basic odors. This is a natural way to make your cat box smell fresh. This is good not only for your house but also for your feline friend as it makes the litter tray comfortable.
- As baking soda eliminates odors, this means that you dont have to scoop your cats litter as often.
- Prevents fleas: Sodium bicarbonate dehydrates and kills flea larvae and eggs. This prevents the outbreak of fleas in the cat box and your home.
- Baking soda makes the clump harder and drier and so they are easier to clean as they dont stick to the sides of the litter tray. So this will make cleaning the cat litter much easier and faster.
- Finally, sodium bicarbonate is cheaper than other household cleaning products. So it will also save you money
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Reasons Your Cat Could Be Eliminating The Litterbox
- You may need to thoroughly clean the litter box more.
- There needs to be more litter boxes around the house.
- Their litter box is the wrong size it could be too small.
- Your cat is having trouble accessing the litterbox.
- There could be a hood or liner on the litter box that makes their experience uncomfortable.
- There is too much litter in the box, as cats can prefer 1-2 inches of litter rather than 3-4 inches.
- Your cat could have experienced something stressful while using the litter box.
- Multiple cats in the household can impact which cat can use the litter box.
Is Baking Soda Harmful For Cats
Baking soda does not contain any harmful chemicals, which means it does not pose any danger to pets or children unless itâs ingested in large amounts. You should always consult your trusted vet prior to using baking soda on your catâs litter or spot test before you use baking soda to clean furniture and rugs the cat peed on.
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Keep An Eye On Their Diet
Some cats diets can result in extremely smelly poop. A particular ingredient cats cant digest very well is wheat or grains, and this can cause particularly pongy poops…
Note to self: cancel taco night
Bacteria and even parasites from contaminated or spoiled food can also cause an increase in odour, so make sure to take your cat to the vet if you notice a sudden change to get them checked out.
There are some elements in a cat’s diet that can make their poop smell worse, some of these issues will naturally resolve themselves, whilst others may need an expert eye
When a cat switches to a new type of food, their tummy may need a bit of time to catch up, whereas an allergy in their food will show as not fully digested and extra smelly. Vets recommend an elimination diet to get to the bottom of this particular problem.
Why not try hypoallergenic Insect based food Lovebug on Natusan.co.uk. It is well known that the majority of dietary allergies in cats are caused by beef, dairy or fish. Lovebug is free from such ingredients and relies on a novel insect protein source which considerably reduces the risk of intolerances being triggered. Try you first order with 50% off using code LOVEBUG50
Cats can clean themselves, the rest is up to you
The best thing you can do to combat odour is stay on top of cleaning.
With Natusan, weekly litter tray changes are a thing of the past.
To Deodorize And Remove Fleas
Baking soda can be used on cats to deodorize as well as remove fleas. This was the first thing I learned about baking soda concerning cat care. It contains no harmful chemicals, and it poses no harm even to other pets.
Cats generally dont like to be cleaned, but now and again, this has to be done. So, when it came to my cat, I mixed:
· A teaspoon each of baking soda and sea salt
· One cup of apple cider vinegar
· A cup of warm water together in a spray bottle
My partner was so gentle with Einstein, which is advisable so, dont be too rough with your cat when spraying it. She made certain to avoid his face. The mixture can sting quite a bitmake sure if your cat has any open wounds, cuts, or grazes, that you avoid them. Reapply every few days and see how the flea population decreases.
On the other hand, baking soda can be used as a dry shampoo by just rubbing it thoroughly onto the cats coat. This will freshen up the cats coat. It will also leave residue on the fleas and thus dehydrate them. Avoid the cats face but be sure to rub behind its ears, back of the neck, and base of the tail. Once done, wipe the cat off with a small towel to keep it from licking and ingesting the excess powder on its coat.
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Cat Litter: Pets At Home Give Advice On Training Cats
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Cats are known for being one of the cleanest pets you can have, but house cats and young cats who arent old enough to go outside yet come with a smelly litter tray. Cat urine decomposes in the litter tray and ammonia, which is a fishy smell to the human nose, is released into the air. Cat poo is obviously never going to smell pleasant, but it is often detected more quickly, scooped up and thrown away moments after the cat has done their business. Litter trays are a necessity, but how do you stop them from smelling? Can you use baking soda?
How Much Baking Soda To Add To Cat Litter
Too much of anything is dangerous, and this applies to sodium bicarbonate in your cats litter. When sprinkling sodium bicarbonate in the cat box, aim for a small amount.
One to two tablespoons is enough per box.If this doesnt work, increase the amount to three tablespoons.
After using the sandbox, your pal will kick it up to cover her fresh litter. This mixes the litter with sodium bicarbonate. Which plays a significant role in controlling the odor in your house.
The video below demonstrates how to use baking soda in your cats litter box:
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Use The Type Of Litter Your Cat Prefers
A favorite type of litter among tidy homeowners is a clumping type of clay granule. It has been found that most cats prefer small, loose granules that can be easily pushed about with their feet and that shake off easily as they exit the box nothing too fine or soft.
Unless you have been using a scented litter since your cat was a kitten, you might not want to experiment with changing from an unscented litter to a scented litter. If you do decide to try a new litter, mix it slowly with the old type of littera half and half mixto get your cat used to it. Some cats will stop using the box if the litter is changed abruptly.
Reasons Not To Use Baking Soda In Cat Litter
Bad news. Sprinkling baking soda into your litter box to control odor isnt a good idea. In fact, it may end up doing the exact opposite of what you want it to do and could even potentially harm your cat.
Sure, adding a little of it to your cat litter seems like a smart idea. After all, its commonly used around the house as a natural cleaner, and even a simple Google search will serve up information on why its OK to use with litter.
The truth is, adding baking soda to your litter box can lead to some unintended consequences and even some potentially harmful side effects for your cat.
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The Danger Of Excessive Supply
Too much of everything is bad. Although, it is okay to put baking soda in a cats litter box, adding an excessive amount of baking soda to a cats litter box has certain negative effects.
This are the effects that made most cat lovers abandon the entire idea. In the following sections, we will discuss the possible effects of using an excessive amount of baking soda.
- Dusty Litter Boxes
Cats love to dig, if you dont know this, then you are not a very observant cat parent. Litter boxes can be very dusty, and when your cat digs, the end result will be a very dusty room.
Adding an excessive amount of baking soda to your cats litter box will increase the amount of dust. Baking soda is made up of finely grained particles, these particles can easily become airborne.
You do not have to add a lot of baking soda to the litter box in order for bad odors to be neutralized. Use minor amounts of baking soda, this will circulate and absorb the urine of your cat.
- Baking Soda is a Double Agent
This is the most complex property of baking soda. It is the primary reason why cat owners argue that baking soda is not effective.
Baking soda neutralizes bad odors, but when it is present in large amounts in litter boxes, it will encourage the same bad odor.
Why? The reason behind this strange phenomenon can only be explained using the scientific term potential difference.
Potential difference is by far the most important factor you need to consider as far as odors are concerned.
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Can I Put Baking Soda In My Cats Litter Box
When you clean and dry your catâs litter box, you can sprinkle a little baking soda across the bottom of the box before you add a new layer of litter. Since your cat uses the litter box and kicks the litter once theyâre done pooping, the baking soda will mix in and destroy the odor. Overall, baking soda is not harmful and wonât bother your cat.
Baking Soda Does Make Litter More Dusty
Personally, I avoid using baking soda in my litter box because it makes the litter more dusty. My cat likes to dig and scratch the sides of the litter box but shes also resistant to using one that has a lid over it.
Baking soda has a particle size of around 65-70 microns, so its small enough to easily be released into the air. It is also known to be a minor irritant when it is inhaled and baking soda also irritates the eyes. Most litter brands have a size greater than 75 microns, so they are less likely to be dusty without the baking soda.
If you are going to use a little baking soda, its best to sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons on the bottom of the litter instead of the top. The litter will weigh it down so theres less chance of it becoming airborne if your cat kicks it up.
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Add Baking Soda To The Litter
It makes a great all-natural deodorizer for your litter box. Some people ask if baking soda is safe for cats, and the answer is an unqualified yes! Baking soda is non-toxic, and by mixing a little of it with the litter, you can help absorb pet urine odors. Note that scooping the litter, refreshing it, and washing the box are still necessary even if you sprinkle in baking soda. Here again, you’ll want to avoid any scented soda options.
Your Litter Box And Essential Oils
Many cats and kittens are difficult to medicate, especially once they are aware of their owners intent, no matter how benevolent it may be. One technique to influence our cats behavior is to add essential oil into the litter box. To do this, add 1-2 drops of chosen essential oil to 1 cup of baking soda. Allow the mixture to rest overnight in a glass jar. Add 1 tablespoon of the mixture of essential oil and baking soda recipe to the litter box daily. The aromatic benefits of the essential oils will be released into the air as your cat steps in the box and paws at the litter.
I recommend providing a second litter box which does not contain essential oils to allow the cats time to acclimate to the new litter box. Once you are sure that your cat is not experiencing any adverse effects, you may remove the untreated litter box or add essential oil to all litter boxes in the home.
Essential oils added to the litter box may be quite beneficial for your feline pet. For example, add a digestive blend for cats to support a healthy digestive system. A nervous or anxious cat may benefit from Lavender added to the litter box, especially when the home may be busy, filled with visitors, or when clients go away on vacation. Choose Cedar to control odors naturally.
Mia Frezzo, DVM
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Baking Soda Can Cause Health Problems
As mentioned earlier, adding baking soda can cause the release of ammonia, which not only smells, but also can be detrimental to your cats respiratory health.
Ammonia is an irritant gas. When humans get exposed to high levels of ammonia it can lead to sinus problems, upper airway irritation and even eye irritation. Research even suggests that long term and repetitive exposure to high levels of ammonia can increase risk of lung disease so why would you want to expose your cat to the same risks?
If youre looking for a simple way to control odors and keep your cat safe do yourself and your cat a favor and avoid adding baking soda into your litter box. Instead, find yourself a naturally-safe cat litter that promises all the things that matter most to you such as odor control, dust, and the health and wellbeing of your best bud.