By Jackie Johnston  

We all love our cats, don't we? These furry friends are lovable creatures that we absolutely adore. However, if your cat drops a smelly “present” in its litter box that sends you running for the nearest exit, you might start becoming overwhelmed with the maintenance. In this article, we will examine how to keep your cat's litter box from smelling.

There are a number of ways to ensure that the litter box is always smelling clean and fresh. A clean and pleasant smelling litter box is beneficial not just to you but also to your cat. Let's looks at some tips that can help you.

1. Clean Regularly

This is the singular most important step you can take to keep your cat's litter box from smelling. No matter the breed of cat, no matter the brand of cat litter applied, if you do not clean out the cat litter box regularly, you are bound to perceive unpleasant odors wafting from the box. What is more, you are not the only one affected by these unpleasant smells. Your cat is too. If the litter box smells bad, you can rest assured that your cat will notice and avoid it. Instead of using its litter, it would prefer to do its business someplace else: and you might not like it.

Cleaning the litter box includes getting rid of what causes the bad smell in the first place. Therefore, if you want to keep your litter box fresh, scoop the cat litter at least once every day. Aside from scooping litter out, you should clean the box by thoroughly washing it.

If you clean out the litter at least once a day (twice a day is optimal), it would be easier for you to clean and wash the entire box when needed. You can wash once or twice in a month. To wash, use soap and water. Ensure that the soap used does not have any harsh or strong odors. These odors can irritate your cat and cause it to avoid the litter box.

2. Use an enclosed litter box when possible

An enclosed litter box is an excellent way to keep the smells away from the house. As the litter box is enclosed, it becomes harder for smells to escape. Furthermore, enclosed litter boxes, more often than not, ensure that the surroundings are clean. There is reduced tracking, especially if your cat loves to dig its litter.

Despite the advantages, enclosed boxes have disadvantages too. You should know these before making a choice. For one, enclosed litter boxes trap smells. Therefore it might keep your home free of cat smells, but your cat might hate using it because the odors are trapped in it. In addition, since the box is covered, it makes it harder for the litter to get dry. And cats hate a damp litter box. That’s why it’s important to look at the differences between open and enclosed litter boxes.

The choice of an enclosed litter box ultimately rests with your cat. If it doesn't like it, then you're out of luck. If it does, however, it is an awesome solution to keeping your litter box from smelling.

3. Use cat litter and baking soda

Cat litter is one way to keep the box smelling fresh. There are different types of cat litter available. They come in different smells and are made of different materials. Before choosing any cat litter, you need to be sure that the cat litter will not trigger any allergies in your cat and that your cat will like them.

If you do not want to risk the complications that can ensue from using cat litter, then there's another simple solution: baking soda! If you are experiencing odor problems, try adding a little baking powder into the cat litter box before adding cat litter. Baking soda will help to absorb the smells. Another homemade solution is activated charcoal. It will absorb any errant odors spectacularly.

4. Place your box in an open space

Many folks believe cats love privacy when doing their business. However, this is not true. In fact, in the wild, cats would rather do their business in wide open spaces. This makes them more comfortable.

As for smell, placing your cat litter box in an open space can help with smells. If placed in a confined space, odors are concentrated. This will only chase your cat away from using the box. If placed in a well-ventilated spot, smells will dissipate faster and more thoroughly.

Conclusion

Keep these tips in mind for a better, fresher, and cleaner litter box. Your cat will love it and you will too!

About the author: Jackie Johnston is the founder of Cat World - a community of cat enthusiasts with a mission to spread as much knowledge as they can throughout the world on every aspect of raising and nurturing cats! In her spare time, Jackie loves reading and spending time with her two sons Logan and Christopher, and of course with their furry felines Simba and Max.