Your cat's pee is already highly concentrated due to their efficient kidneys, composed of more waste and less water than many other animals' urine. But, what really creates the cat pee smell you dislike so much is the urine sitting around in the litter box – or heaven forbid, outside of it.
Sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda to the bottom of the litter box to absorb odor. You can also buy clay cat litter containing baking soda for a similar effect. Sprinkle a cat-specific deodorizer on top of the litter to mask any unwanted smells.
Consider Your Feline's Health & Behavior. Cat urine has a powerful ammonia-like odor that can smell even worse when there is a problem. If your cat has uncharacteristic accidents around your home, it's essential to consider your cat's health.
The only smell worse than cat waste is the odor of the used litter itself. You can be left constantly pinching your nose each time you venture through your home because of the offensive aroma.
Old urine and feces might not be as pungent to you as the fresh stuff, but the longer it sits there, the more likely it is the smell will invade the rest of your house. Scoop your litter box early and often to cut down the odor.
Scoop Daily
One of the best ways to keep your house from smelling like a litter box is to scoop out the remains once per day. Many times when cat owners are complaining about their home smelling like a litter box, it's because they are not scooping the litter box regularly.
The No. 1 rule, and the only thing that will keep litter box odor at bay, is constant cleaning. That means scooping the box out at least twice a day, removing the solids and liquid clumps if you use clumping litter.
Covers or hoods trap odors. That's good for you, but less so for the cat who may not enjoy being trapped inside with the smell. Some litter-box hoods have a space to hold a charcoal filter, which may help keep odors down for both cat and human.
If you have more than one cat, it may be best to change the cat litter more often, every 2-3 weeks. If you use a non-clumping litter and have only one cat, changing the litter twice per week is a good guideline. If you have more than one cat, every other day may work better.
Litter boxes should be scooped at least once or twice a day, and it's even better if you can get to it as soon as your cat has finished his business. There are self-cleaning litter boxes available that use a sensor to tell when a cat has entered and then left the litter box.
Neutralize it!
Then you're going to want to douse the spot with an enzymatic cleaner or simply make your own cleaning solution by combining (white or apple cider) vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio. Because the vinegar is acidic, it will neutralize the bacteria in the cat pee, offsetting its odor.
Overexposure to Ammonia
Breathing in cat urine can actually make you sick. Cat pee is full of ammonia, a toxic gas that can cause headaches, trigger asthma attacks, and even result in serious respiratory illnesses such as pneumonia.
Regular laundry detergent as well as other typical cleaning supplies, such as baking soda, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide, can make the smell go away, but this is temporary.
Add baking soda to the litter: Surprisingly, baking soda is a great all-natural deodorizer that is both safe for cats and can help manage the litter box smell. By mixing a little bit of baking soda with the litter, you can help absorb any urine odors also.
Your cat could be just trying to maintain her scent in the box, even though you're cleaning it. Animals usually go to the bathroom to give us a message. If it's outside the litter box, they could be stressed or in need of a clean place to go.
For the most part, all experts agree…the litter box should be scooped 1-2 times each day. “Litter boxes should be scooped at least once or twice a day, and it's even better if you can get to it as soon as your cat has finished his business,” said By Dr.
Most cats prefer an open litter box. Most cat owners prefer a covered litter box. Covered litter boxes may trap odors and make the human environment smell better but for those reasons they may not be as desirable for the cat. If boxes are not cleaned regularly, the odor may be aversive to them.
It may be tempting to tuck your cat's litter box away in a small area to keep the odor at bay, but it actually may be what's causing the concentrated odor in the first place. This may also cause your cat to avoid the area, too. You may want to keep it in a ventilated area or on a screened porch, if possible.
If your litter box is too small, your cat will be unable to bury their business as well as they would prefer. This will result in the urine and faeces being exposed to the air, where bacterial breakdown will release unpleasant odours. Always make sure that your cat has enough room to move around when they are done.
Multiple things can cause your house to smell like cat urine, even if you don't have a cat. Investigate if there is mold, leaking Freon, sewer gases, smelly plants, spoiled food, or even stains from previous pet owners.
1) Fresh Step Advanced Simply Unscented Clay Litter
If you're looking for a cat litter with superior odor control, Fresh Step Simply Unscented excels in that department at a great price ($0.87/lb). This clay litter forms fairly tight clumps, which makes it easy to clean and helps it last a long time.
Cats are fastidious creatures, which means they hate using a dirty litter box as much as you hate looking at one! If you have multiple cats in the house, you may run into even more issues with a dirty litter box.