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.
A thin layer of baking soda placed on the bottom of the box will help absorb odors without repelling your cat.
Yes! Baking soda is 100% non toxic. Mixing a little baking soda with the litter can help absorb pet urine odors. Cats typically detest artificial scents, so we recommend you avoid any scented soda options.
Baking soda
Adding baking soda in your litter box, by pouring a layer on the bottom of the box every time you change the litter, can be a simple way to fight the smell. As the cat uses the box, he will move the litter and the baking soda will destroy some of the odor. Baking soda is non-toxic and won't harm your cat.
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.
How Often Should You Change the Cat Litter? If you use a clumping litter, it's best to scoop the box daily and change it out completely at least monthly. If you have more than one cat, it may be best to change the cat litter more often, every 2-3 weeks.
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.
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. Stephanie Janeczko in this featured post on Petfinder.
Cleaning the area thoroughly with vinegar first and then applying an enzyme treatment will break down and evaporate the uric acid and your home will be free of cat odors. Vinegar and enzyme cleaners work on all surfaces: hardwood floors, carpets, mattresses.
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.
You may have even heard that your cat can smell their dirty litter a mile away. Unfortunately, there is no evidence that a cat can smell their litter box from that far away. More realistically, they might be able to smell it up to a few hundred feet away (depending on wind and weather conditions) and often a lot less.
The Litter Box
Perhaps one of the smells that cats hate the most is a dirty litter box. If your litter box hasn't been cleaned in a while, your cat might rebel and start using the restroom in another place that is less appropriate. Make sure that the litter box is clean if you want your cat to use it!
According to Cécile Pétel, writing in “Something in the air: why cat pee stinks and how to control litter odor,” the culprit in generating litter box odor is the bacterial composition of urea, which manifests itself in ammonia; that's what you smell.
“Cats will sometimes jump into the litter boxes and often use them while, and right after, their people have scooped them,” says Marilyn Krieger, certified cat behavior consultant. “Cats love clean litter boxes, ones that are freshly scooped and don't smell of excrement.
Dirty litter boxes can cause kidney, bladder, and urinary tract diseases in cats. When a kitty squats over a pile of feces, bacteria can travel up the urethra, wreaking havoc all along the way.
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 you're wondering whether it's safe to clean a litter box with bleach, vinegar or other pet care cleaning supplies, the answer is yes—as long as you rinse them properly.
Baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate, a fine white powder that has many uses. You may wonder about bicarbonate of soda vs. baking soda, but they are simply alternate terms for the same ingredient. If your recipe calls for bicarbonate of soda, it is simply referring to baking soda.
The "why" behind baking soda's successful absorption of odors has more to do with chemistry than anything else, says Alex Reed, the co-founder of Truman's: "Most smells are acidic in nature, and baking soda can be a pH neutralizer." Simply put, the chemicals in baking soda are perfect at neutralizing the acids that ...
A little sprinkle of baby powder in your cat box after scooping can make it smell a little less, well, smelly!
Catnip and More.
Many herbs we use in cooking are safe and fun for cats to sniff, and some are known to be feline favorites. Catnip, part of the mint family, affects many cats with a scent-induced kitty “high.” Silver vine has a similar effect. And valerian can energize cats.