by Brenda Nelson

Created on: May 11, 2009   Last Updated: April 24, 2010

Nobody likes a smelly litter box, least of all your cat. Cats are finicky creatures and some will refuse to use their litter box if it smells too bad. Additionally it is important to control litter box odor for your own reasons.  There are several factors to consider when it comes to keeping a litter box smelling good.

Please be aware that what smells good to you may not smell so good to your cat. Perfumed litter is often rejected by cats and can even contribute to respiratory problems.

A general rule is one litter box per cat, ideally with one more box located someplace else in the house. By spreading the use into more than one box, the smell is less concentrated.

Covered litter boxes will control the odor from travelling through your home, but some cats do not like to use this type of box.  Some covered litter boxes have filters that fit into the top part of the box, these are made to absorb odor.

Litter selection is key as well. Clay litter and some of the recycled newsprint litters do not absorb odors as well as some other litters, and often smell dusty. Clumping litter with baking soda tends to absorb odor well, but the silica, crystal chip litter tends to be the best for odor control. 

Training a cat how to use an actual toilet really reduces litter box odors quite simply by removing the litter box.  Not all cats can learn this, and not all owners are willing to invest the time in training their cat to do so.

Cleaning a litter box regularly will help reduce odors. This means scooping daily, and doing a complete dump and replacement of the litter as needed.

There are spray and powder products (including Baking Soda) that you can add to the litter to reduce smells, just be sure they are pet friendly. Aerosol sprays should never be used around pets.

Deworming is important too, if your cat has worms it may show signs of diarrhea, which will be smelly. Remember if your cat exhibits extremely smelly feces it may be a sign of other health concerns, have your cat checked by a veterinarian.

Encouraging more water intake will reduce urine odors. This can be done by keeping a cats water fresh or by adding some water to their canned food, to make a soup. As an added benefit, increasing a cats water intake also helps reduce the risk of urinary tract problems.

The biggest difference an owner can make is to change their cats food to a better product. Lower quality pet foods use a lot of filler. Not only does filler make a food harder to digest, it produces more waste. Corn is a key ingredient in lower quality foods. Cats are carnivores, their digestive tract is not meant to deal with processing corn.  Meatmeal is an other problem ingredient because it is an unspecified meat source. Meatmeal can be beef one time, goat another, or even horsemeat, sudden changes in diet often result in smellier feces.  When cats eat better food, those with less filler, they have less waste, and as such, less odor in their litter box.

Learn more about this author, Brenda Nelson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.