One of the biggest things that a cat parent struggles with is a stinky litter box and just getting their cat to use the litter box to begin with! Cats are one of the cleanest animals on earth. They spend about half their life cleaning themselves. They want to use a nice restroom.
Would you rather use the restroom at a fancy five star restaurant or a dirty grimy gas station in the ghetto? I rest my case. Cats have class. Treat them that way.
Some important notes about kitty boxes
1. Make sure there is at least one litter box per cat.
2. Having an extra additional cat box over that is recommended.
3. Cats do not like to share, especially dominant cats.
4. They like to go in a clean box. They don’t like stepping on dirty litter, especially if it isn’t theirs. (Who likes using a toilet that has already been used and not flushed?
5. All litter boxes should always be accessible to your cats.
6. Areas that can be ventilated either by a door, window or fan, are great if possible.
7. Not all cats like covered kitty boxes and some prefer them. As much as you may prefer a style of kitty box over another, if they don’t like it, they won’t use it.
8. Remember clean always smells good. If you follow the 5 basic steps you will have a clean kitty box and keep the smell at bay and have a happy cat!
If you follow the 5 basic steps I’m about to share with you, you will have a clean kitty box and keep the smell at bay. Oh and have a happy cat!
5 Basic Steps To Keeping Your Cat's Bathroom As Fresh As Possible
1. Make Cleaning Convenient
The number one thing to do is to make it as easy and convenient to clean your cat’s litter box as possible. With a little bit of set up and keeping the right supplies handy, keeping the kitty box smelling fresh can be done on the run.
I have had many cats over the years and as soon as I set up a convenient system, it made taking care of the kitty box a whole lot easier and faster!
These are the supplies you need to have for an efficient clean up system:
- A small inexpensive plastic trash can (shown below)
- Plastic bags (I use recycled grocery store bags, you can also use a roll of small trash can bags.)
- A kitty litter scoop (as seen below)
- Rubber gloves
- scrub brush
- A big box of baking soda
Most if, not all of these things can be found at your local dollar store.
Add to that a kitty litter box and clumping kitty litter and your all set.
Convenient Kitty Box Clean up System Set Up
- Place a plastic trash can next to your kitty box.
- Keep plastics bags and a litter scoop in the trash can
- Have kitty litter close at hand
- Store baking soda, brush and gloves close by for thorough cleaning
As you can see by the photos, I placed the trash can inside the lid of my cat box.
I did this once my eldest cat, KitKat, reached old age. It seemed to make it easier for him to get in and out of the box. Having the trash can inside, has turned out well since it gives me another place to store all the supplies I need to do the thorough cleaning.
2. Monthly Deep Cleanings
At least once a month, I do a thorough cleaning. First, I dump all the litter, if there is dried litter stuck to the bottom of the box, I use the teeth on the kitty scoop to loosen it and if needed, wipe what’s left behind with wadded up trash paper. Make good use of all your junk mail and paper filler from packages.
Then I clean the box with mild dish soap and water. Rinse thoroughly. Do not use heavily scented cleaners, as they may leave behind odors in the plastic that repel your kitty. Also, some cleaners can be toxic.
I also sweep and then clean the floor around the kitty box with a disinfectant cleaner to take care of any mishaps that might have occurred. This is especially important if you have a kitten who is still learning, or an older cat that misses the box, or a sick cat.
You will note, that I do not use cat box liners. I have. And I still do if I am going to be on vacation for over 3 or 4 days and having someone pet sitting. Otherwise, I have found it easier without them. For one thing the teeth on the end of the kitty scoop tear the liners, defeating their purpose. Some cats dig deep and scratch up the liner. Besides, it is less expensive and greener to eliminate the liners.
3. Add a layer of baking soda
After drying the litter box thoroughly, I add a layer of fresh baking soda to the bottom of the box. This is an important step that you will not want to skip.
People always think they need to mask odors with scented litters or air fresheners but the scents that smell good to you may not smell as great to your cat. Some cats will refuse to use litter boxes if they have too much going on.
Enter baking soda. The baking soda will help block odors without repelling your cat. Just sprinkle a thin layer on the bottom of the litter box followed by the kitty litter. Don’t overdo it with the baking soda because you will just wind up with a dusty mess. Less is more as they say.
4. Use clumping kitty litter
After a thin layer of baking soda, I use 3 -4 inches of clumping kitty litter.
Everyone has their way of doing things and mine is to use clumping kitty litter. Yes, there are other kinds of litter out there, but clumping litter is what has worked for me. I have had trial and error with different types of litter and I just feel like the clumping litter is the most convenient for me.
5. scoop the box out daily
The most important key to odor elimination is to scoop the box out daily!
When you use the toilet, you flush. Too bad kitty can’t flush, but a quick scoop takes less than a minute if you have bags and scooper right there.
Scoop and use a fresh bag each time. Tightly tie the bag and dispose of it the same day if possible.
Conclusion
Sometimes life happens. We get busy and we forget about the kitty box. But that is why having a system that makes it super quick and easy to dispose of your kitty’s waste is so important. Finding a system, like the one I mentioned above, will make your life easier and chances are it will actually get done daily.
Important take-aways to remember are to use a thin layer of baking soda and a very thick layer of clumping kitty litter. Don’t forget to do monthly deep cleans!
If you think about it, a lot of people have unrealistic expectations when owning pets. They don’t like a smelly pet (who does) but it’s almost as if they expect the litter box to just stay fresh until they are ready to deal with it. Unfortunately it doesn’t work like that. If you don’t want to smell poop then get rid of it! Happy scooping my fellow cat parents!
Have you found something that helps your cat litter box stay fresh? Let me know in the comments below!