Effective Hacks To Stop Litter Box Odor

Owning a cat is a special experience.

They offer up love whenever they feel like it, but have a tendency to leave you alone whenever they want. They’re brilliant pets that don’t require huge amounts of care, unlike dogs that need walking twice a day. The only downside to owning a cat, especially if they’re indoor cats, is the smell of their litter box.

When you come downstairs in the morning to discover a rather unpleasant smell, it can be quite off-putting. But these days there are many ways to combat this odor and we take a look at a few of them here.

Automatic Litter Boxes

Yes, you heard me correctly. The invention of the automatic litter box is here and it’s here to stay. These litter trays are designed so you never have to reach for the poop scoop again. They’re automated so that when your cat does their business, it cleans them out before you have a chance to even smell what’s been going on. It’s one of the easiest ways to take the hassle out of the picture as it requires no thought on your behalf at all. These litter trays use sensors similar to a smart device to recognize when your cat has gone to the toilet. Many of these models incorporate an odor trapping carbon filter and a secure waste container. Meaning you’ll never have to smell the unpleasant again.

There are many different models to choose from and some even attach directly to your house’s waste pipe meaning you won’t even have to empty the waste container or scoop as often, you have to see for yourself, go check out the top 10 automatic litter boxes here.

Scoop Daily

If you’re thinking of keeping your cat litter box old school, then one of the best ways to keep the smell at bay is to simply scoop anything up every day. Leaving your cat waste in the box will allow it to fill the room with smells, especially if it is a smaller space. It’s not just your nose that doesn’t like the smell, your cat will also hate the smell meaning they might not go as often as they need to. It could also mean that they find other places in the house to do their business which is a road you most certainly don’t want to go down.

Clean Thoroughly

If you’ve chosen to avoid the automatic litter box and you’ve been scooping every day, then it’s going to be much easier to clean out the box as and when you need to. Once or twice a month, depending on how many cats you have, is a good time to empty all the litter from the box and give it a good scrub. You can use non-toxic soap and water to clean the box.

Products such as bleach and other harsh chemical products will produce a smell that will put off your cat from using it any longer. When you’ve finished cleaning the box, you should put some old newspaper at the bottom, followed by a healthy amount of fresh cat litter.

Have More Than One Box

If you own multiple cats, then it might be wise to have a few different boxes, maybe even place them around the house. This will free up space for them to go if they ever need to go at the same time, but will also spread the waste around a few different boxes. If you have one box with 2 or 3 cats going into it a day then you’re going to have to keep scooping. Having more boxes means cleaning out more, of course, but the smell won’t be concentrated in one area.

Replace The Box

When cats go to the toilet, they often scratch after to cover up or hide their deposit. This is a normal habit, but it can end up damaging your box causing scratch marks to be made in the tray. These scratch marks are a perfect place for bacteria to hide and build up a nasty odor. If you replace your box once a year you should avoid this eventuality.

When buying a new box you need to make sure it’s at least as long as your cat and has one side that’s lower making it easy for them to enter. This is especially important if your cat is old or suffering from arthritis.

Cleaning out the litter box is something that comes with owning a cat so if it’s something you aren’t up for then owning a feline probably isn’t for you. It’s not a difficult task and doesn’t take much time at all, but it’s imperative you clean them out every day. Not only for the sake of you and your family but for the cats as well.

Enjoy having your furry friend around and make sure to give them all the love.