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Do you have cats? I do, in fact, I have several. Cats are wonderful. They are clean, they are fastidious, and they are loving and playful. A cat's purr can lower blood pressure and their unconditional love can be healing and therapeutic.

But there is always a but. Face it; there is always a but for anything and everything.

But cats stink. Litter box odors can be foul. Do you like going into a bathroom where the toilet has not been flushed or cleaned and there is that lingering smell in the air. The aroma of filth and disease. Many public restrooms have this smell. They are used so often and disinfected too little. The odor remains stagnant in the air, almost as if someone had urinated directly onto the walls.

Cats are not known for having great litter box habits. Sometimes they miss. Sometimes they defecate half in and half out of the box, urinate along the side and seeps beneath the litter box.

What can be done? You love the fur angels- but the smell- can be too much for some. For all really, and it does not have to be that way.

There are literally thousands of odor removal products on the market today. Which one or ones work? I have not tried them all, although I am sure someone out that may have. However, for the most part, people try until they find one they like and become faithful become a believer that is works.

Here are a few recommendations for a new cat owner.

1) Scoop the litter box daily- if it is a multiple feline household, then several times daily. Some cats prefer open litter boxes to closed and visa versa.

2) Clean the litter box twice a month. Empty the litter and bleach the box. If you have access to a hose, spray the box (es) with bleach, let sit for ten minutes and then rinse off. If you reside in an apartment, the bathtub works great. Fill the tub with water and add a cup of bleach. Soak for ten minutes, drain, and rinse. While the litter boxes are soaking, sweep and mop the area where the litter box is kept. Wipe down the walls as well.

3) Do not forget about the scooper!

4) Place a bowl of vinegar above the litter box. The vinegar absorbs and neutralizes the odorsomewhat.

5) Of all the urine removal products I have tried, Odoban works the best. You can purchase it from Sam's Club for less than twelve dollars a gallon. It works great! This eucalyptus-scented cleanser is highly effective at eliminating odors.

6) Many are of the belief that as long as scooping is done daily, then nothing else needs to be done. Come on, you clean you toilet, right? With a brush of some kind to eliminate lingering odor and bacteria. The same with litter boxes.

7) What kind of food are you feeding? That is another very important question. Not just for health reasons, as that is for another article, but for odor reasons. Grocery store cat food is typically made from by- products not fit for human consumption. This means that the food is derived from dead, diseased, or dying animals. It is akin to living off a junk food diet with little sustenance. Imagine a child living off such a diet? Imagine the gastro-intestinal problems? A premium food causes creates a better diet and a better digestive system. The better the food, the less a cat's litter box will smell. You may balk at the higher price, but you will find joy in your cat's overall improved health and less stinky litter box. Oh, it will still stink, but less so, as the better the food, the less waste a cat excretes. The less waste; the less overwhelming the smell.

Learn more about this author, Lori Piper.
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