We all love our cats, but one task is most loathed by cat owners. It’s cleaning up after them. We try our best with deodorizers and trying different cat litters. Even experimenting on cat litter boxes just to see if there would be improvements. However, do these things even matter when it comes to controlling the smell of dirty cat litter boxes? Click here to find odor-controlling cat litter boxes that are easy to clean.
Some researchers have found that what matters most to our cats is the cleanliness of their litter box. Most often than not, the reason that they are not using their litter boxes is that their litter box is dirty. Imagine if you had to use a dirty bathroom. Wouldn’t you want to find another place to do your business?
Does The Type Of Litter Box Matter?
There are two types of litter boxes that can be used as our cat’s litter box. You have the open litter boxes and you have enclosed or hooded kitty litter boxes. What really is the best one to use when it comes to controlling the smell of their litter boxes?
Open Litter Box
Open cat litter boxes are the litter pans and boxes that have an open top. This s most commonly used because their easy to find and you can even find regular pans that can work as a litter box. This type of litter box is not aesthetically pleasing and doesn’t do much for controlling the odor. Although, these litter boxes are best for those anxious cats who are scared to try to jump in enclosed litter boxes. The question here is, will this help control the odor of a dirty litter box? The answer is a big, no.
Enclosed Litter Box
Enclosed litter boxes are those that have a top cover that has doors, screens, and even hoods. Most cat owners are starting to see the value of these litter boxes for numerous reasons. These litter boxes provide your cat some privacy while doing their business. They also help in containing the odor only within the area. Enclosed litter boxes are more aesthetically pleasing because you don’t see how dirty the litter is. However, do these types of litter boxes help in controlling odor? Yes but not so much.
Both litter boxes have their pros and cons. Each has features that help with having a better-smelling house. Nevertheless, there is only one thing that makes a good-smelling cat home smell good, cleaning. If you want to learn more about Open vs Enclosed litter boxes, click here.
Best Way To Control Kitty Litter Box Odor
The number 1 rule in cat maintenance is a clean litter. This may be the most tedious task, but it’s also the most important. Most if not all our cats are very picky when it comes to their litter box. Take it from me, one of the best ways to control the odor coming from your litterbox, clean your litter box every day. If you don’t, you’re only giving yourself a harder time. They say that scooping twice a day will help relieve the stress of your cat from doing his business in the litter box. If you cannot commit to doing it every day, find a middle ground for you and your cat where you both are happy and satisfied. So there’s only one way this ends up, you providing your cat with a clean litter box.
Tips For A Better-smelling Litter Box
There are a lot of things you can do to contain the smell of a dirty litter box. I’m going to share with you some of them here for your cat to relieve himself better.
Replace Your Litter Twice A Week
Replacing your litter more often will reduce the smell of a dirty litter. Even after you throw out what you’ve scooped up, sometimes the smell just lingers.
Replace Your Litter Box Once A Year
After a year of using the same litter box, you’re probably going to need an upgrade. Your cat will scratch, chew and basically damage the cat litter you have. The damages, or dents they make on the litter box will be the most difficult to clean and will be one of the causes of having a smelly litter box.
Litter Deodorizers
There are deodorizing litters that are available to everyone. This helps cancel out the smell of your cat litter box and keep your litter box fresh. However, some of these are very pricey and not for everyone. There are DIY deodorizers that you can add to your cat litter to make it smell as neutral as possible.
Cat Box Location Is Key
Knowing where to place your cat litter box is everything. If your cat has a favorite spot to do his business, why not try placing it there or somewhere in the vicinity. This will help you minimize Inappropriate Feline Elimination. Low traffic and spacious areas are best for cat litters.
Rule Of Thumb: Number Of Cats & Number Of Litter Boxes
The rule of thumb when it comes to cat litter boxes is the number of cats plus one. By doing this, you are giving your cat more options on where to go. If your cat is on the second floor and the litter box is in the basement, he might not even consider making the trip.
All these are only ideas that you can try to do to maintain a clean cat household. These are not assurance that your house will not smell like cat litter. They will surely help but not the solution for everybody.
Final Thoughts On How To Control Litter Box Odor
There is a lot of things that you can do to maintain a cleaner and fresh smelling household. You can use the deodorizing litter, place the litter as far from the main room as possible, or use an enclosed litter box to contain the smell of your kitty’s dirty litter. Nonetheless, the most important thing and the best thing you can do for your cat is to clean their litter. Having a clean litter makes everyone happy and reduces the spread of the smell of dirty litter.
