odor control tips for apartment

I live in an apartment and have two cats. I keep their litterbox in the bathroom. I scoop it frequently and I can't get the 'cat' smell to go away. I use a lot of baking soda in their box, burn candles, spray air-freshener and am running out of ideas. Would people please share their ideas with me?
Many of the tips I've read are more suitable for a house than for an apartment. Help! I love my cats. [of course I'm keeping them]

What do you mean by "cat" smell? Cats don't smell. Are you smelling cat waste? Maybe it's the scent of the litter itself you smell? Litter boxes shouldn't smell if the cats are covering their business. If the poop is excessively smelly, that's usually due to diet. I think some detective work to find out why there's a smell and what it is will do you better than trying to cover it up. There shouldn't be a smell.

I have 2 cats in a one-bedroom apartment too...i understand your challenge. What has worked for me has been getting covered litter boxes (i have 2, one in the bathroom and one in a closet). I find that's really good and absorbing some of the odour. Baking-soda in the boxes and using a febreeze or other odour eating spray in the area seems to help. I also just got a litter locker which has been great as i can scoop more frequently and not just when i know i'll be going downstairs to throw it out. It may be your food as well that makes the poop smeller....i found a big difference in smell between 2 different types of food.


I hope some of this helps. The covered box was the biggest difference i found.

What kind/brand of cat litter are you using?

Originally Posted by coaster

What do you mean by "cat" smell? Cats don't smell. Are you smelling cat waste? Maybe it's the scent of the litter itself you smell? Litter boxes shouldn't smell if the cats are covering their business. If the poop is excessively smelly, that's usually due to diet. I think some detective work to find out why there's a smell and what it is will do you better than trying to cover it up. There shouldn't be a smell.

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Yes, I meant cat waste odor. They usually eat Purina or Iams cat food. I rotate their food giving them wet or dry. I give them a few cat treats a day. I've tried different brands of litter. Offhand, Nature's Miracle Flushable, Arm & Hammer Flushable, Fresh Step (not flushable) and one the catsitter brought called Cat's Pride (I think flushable).

Thanks for your help.

Thanks for your advice. I have a covered litterbox with a swinging plastic door on the front. But when I was scrubbing it last week the little door popped out and I haven't been able to reattach it.

How much is the litter locker?

I'm in a small apt and people who come over say they do not smell "cat".

I keep the litterbox in a closet with the door ajar.
She's had no problem with its location.
I scoop daily and change twice a week. No odor, unless I get lazy and dont keep up.

I use Tidy Cat scoop.

Someone here raved about LItterMaid (I think it is).
It is something you put with the litter in their box (?).

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Originally Posted by CDubbie

I'm in a small apt and people who come over say they do not smell "cat".

I keep the litterbox in a closet with the door ajar.
She's had no problem with its location.
I scoop daily and change twice a week. No odor, unless I get lazy and dont keep up.

I use Tidy Cat scoop.

Someone here raved about LItterMaid (I think it is).
It is something you put with the litter in their box (?).

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My boys thank you. I'll look into LitterMaid.

Maybe you'd be interested in this, too:
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56391

I live in an aparment too. I got bakeing soda that's made for the litter box, and I use oder eaters. If the smeel lingers that most likely means it's in the carpets. I would get the carpets shampooed. completly change the litter every 2-3 days. That should help. Try changeing your litter to something like "Fresh Step" or something like that. Godd luck!!

Here's what we have (pretty much the same as other replies in this thread):
- World's Best Cat Litter: corn based, unscented, odor-absorbent, flushable
- Arm & Hammer baking soda litter deodorizer
- Tidycats covered litter box (with filter at the top)

We scoop about twice a day, sometimes more if there are urine clumps. And i light candles in the bathroom after the cat poops. Food wise we feed him Chicken Soup for the Cat Lover's soul dry kibble and Meow Mix pouches (fish only) 2-3 times a week.

No cat smell whatsoever!!

Odor eaters? Are they the things that go in shoes? Where do you put them?

Originally Posted by Mom of two

Thanks for your advice. I have a covered litterbox with a swinging plastic door on the front. But when I was scrubbing it last week the little door popped out and I haven't been able to reattach it.

How much is the litter locker?

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I got the litter locker at Canadian Tire for $14.99CDN. The refill bags are about $5 and they are supposed to last 2 mos per cat. I just have to change mine last night after over a month.

I have a small air filter system that I have placed in my litter box room, and run it continuously. I have 3 cats using the box, and even with cleaning the litter 2x daily, I could still "smell" that smell..anyway, the air system works great, and helped alot. I also use pine litter, which has also helped.
The air systems cost anywhere from $20-$100, (I have the cheapest one).
Maybe this would help some.

Originally Posted by coaster

Maybe you'd be interested in this, too:
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56391

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Thanks for the tip. I don't like to/know how to cook. But that was interesting reading.

Originally Posted by Renny

I got the litter locker at Canadian Tire for $14.99CDN. The refill bags are about $5 and they are supposed to last 2 mos per cat. I just have to change mine last night after over a month.

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Renny!!! When did you get your litter locker? That must have been quite the sale At least I know that they sell them for that cheap...must keep my eyes open

Originally Posted by catsRNmom

I have a small air filter system that I have placed in my litter box room, and run it continuously. I have 3 cats using the box, and even with cleaning the litter 2x daily, I could still "smell" that smell..anyway, the air system works great, and helped alot. I also use pine litter, which has also helped.
The air systems cost anywhere from $20-$100, (I have the cheapest one).
Maybe this would help some.

Click to expand...

That's an idea too. I'm on a low budget at the moment. So, I can afford to buy something like that but I can't afford to try too many fixes at once.

Can I ask my vet if the food I'm giving them makes their waste extra smelly? It's usually Purina or Iams a variety of wet and dry.

Yes, your vet may have more information on what brand of foods will make "worst/better" waste. Me, myself have found that the "wet" food produces foul smelling waste, now don't you believe that my kits never get some, but I have reduced it to a twice a week treat for them, and just contend with the waste at that time. I just don't give it to them if I know I am going to have company!!

I think I'll hold back on the wet food for now, at least until I get the smell problem under control.

I stopped giving them a certain brand of cat treats because I noticed it had a bad effect on their litterbox deposits.

I'm glad you're starting with diet - many different brands of litter will do an adequate job of holding back odors, so I usually consider diet first (I very rarely give my crew canned food, as Pansy is smelly enough without it! ) I can tell you, from personal experience, that Cat's Pride will NOT help you in that arena, and it's incredibly dusty, which carries that "litterbox" odor everywhere in the house!

Keep it up, you've had some excellent suggestions thus far! Try to remain consistent with your brand of litter for at least two weeks while you experiment with the food - eliminate one variable at a time.