Here’s how to really keep your litter box odor free!
Cats are one of the most adorable pets in the house, especially with their fluffy hair and gorgeous eyes. A cat’s litter box, however, can have the foulest odor and be the toughest part to clean. It can be embarrassing when guests or visitors come into your home and smell the odor. Don’t fret though, as there are simple, pet friendly, steps that you can do to keep your litter box absolutely odor free!
- Scoop up the litter box daily – cleaning the box is definitely a smelly and dirty task, but if not done daily can get worse over time. Old feces and urine may not have as strong a smell as the fresh ones, but the longer it settles in the box, the more likely its smell takes over the entire house. This is the reason why cleaning the box needs to be done on a daily basis. Too, the box itself should be meticulously cleaned and disinfected on a regular basis. Do not use perfume sprays to conceal the foul smell as cats are quite sensitive to odors that they are not used to and, although the fragrance of perfume smells pleasant to you, your cat may not welcome the idea and eventually skip the litter box altogether.
- Clean the box 2x a week. Though you scoop the litter box every time your cat uses it, there may be some feces that you can miss scooping and can still get smelly over time. To prevent this from happening, dump the litter box regularly, wash it with warm water and soap, and dry it out, then fill with fresh litter.
- Change the litter box at least once a year. Your litter box can get tiny grooves on the sides and at the bottom part over time, because of your scooper and the cat’s claws. As grooves are more difficult to sterilize, you need to change your litter box at least once a year and treat your precious cat with another new one.
- Use baking soda. Considered an all-purpose cleaner, baking soda can be used to clean your litter box and can help in absorbing some of the foul smell without upsetting your beloved cat’s sense of smell. Simply sprinkle a small amount of baking soda on the bottom of the box every time you change litter. Since baking soda is organic, it won’t cause any harmful effect on your cat.
- Look for a brand that smells pleasant to your cat. You may try using separate litter in every litter box at your house and observe which litter is preferred by your cat and the best one that can control the odor.
- Keep your litter box in an area that is well-ventilated. Make sure that you do not put your litter box in a small, dark, and concealed space. This will only allow the odor to distillate and if your cat is not comfortable in using it, he may find another place outside the litter box. See to it that the place is well-ventilated in order for the odor to easily disappear. Also, there should be enough space and light for your cat to move around comfortably.
Taking daily care of your cat’s litter box will eliminate unbecoming odors and make living more enjoyable for both you and your pet.
