Controlling litter box odor

[slim]

My cats I have 3 cause a urine smell in my house I live in a small ranch home it bothers my husband more than me he tells me our house smells like a zoo I scoop often and even get new boxes every month any help out there would be great.

 

[GoldyCat]

Hi Slim. Welcome to TCS.

You posted in a thread that is almost 7 years old. I moved your post to its own thread, so you're likely to get more responses.

 

[rain drop]

Have you considered using a different litter? I find that clay ones keep the nastiest odors. If there's a place near you that sells it, I suggest Swheat Scoop or any wheat based litter actually. They're biodegradable, clean, clumps extremely well, and is low on dust! Great for you, the environment, and the kitties c:

 

[speakhandsforme]

Hi

I agree that the type of litter you use makes a difference. But, although I only have 2 cats, I find that Arm & Hammer clay litter does the job remarkably well. The cheaper clay litters, like Special Kitty, do NOT, no matter how many times I scoop, change litter, or buy new boxes.

So maybe upgrade your litter, or try a different one altogether.

 

[Willowy]

How often do you scoop? How often do you change the litter entirely? What brand/type of litter do you use? How many litterboxes do you have, and in what location(s)? Are all of your cats spayed or neutered? I don't think buying a new box every month is necessary--if kept clean the plastic won't hold odors for a long time. And that must get terribly expensive.

 

[sevenwonders]

No offense to Rain Drop or any others who like Swheat Scoop,

but if ODOR is the issue you most want to control, SS is not the answer.

I loved that it was natural, and very low dust, but the odor "control" was pitiful, even with daily scooping.

I tried adding crystals (which helped a little) but I ended up going back to Fresh Step clumping, even though I dislike the dust.

I'm planning to try Feline Pine or Exquisicat Pine. They both have many good reviews on Amazon and PetSmart.

Some people said that Horse Bedding Pellets (from Tractor Supply or similar) is the same material and costs only about $7. for 40 pounds.

My only concern with that is the amout of oil in the bedding... they might not dry it as fully as they do the cat litter pellets.

I agree with Willowy on the litter box issue - I would never consider buying a new box so often.

When you change the litter, scrub the box out with a soapy sponge (or a vinegar-water solution) and rinse well and dry. 

 

[malama popoki]

You might try having one more litter box than you have cats.    Also, you might consider changing your cats' diet.  Wellness Indoor Cat dry food is fantastic for reducing litter box odor.  In addition, you might consider getting a HEPA air purifier, it will keep your house smelling clean. 

 

[txcatmom]

Another thing to consider is whether the odor could be from accidents that you don't know about.  A black light is useful for seeing any pet stains that aren't visible to the naked eye.  Then they can be cleaned with an enzyme cleaner.

Don't lose heart.  It is possible to have 3 cats and no odor whatsoever.  We have 3 cats, 3 boxes (actually we just switched to 2 boxes, but 3 or 4 is the recommended amt.)  We have tried 3 or 4 litters and only had a slight odor problem with one of them.  We are using Fresh Step multi-cat scoopable unscented litter right now.  There is no odor whatsoever.  We scoop 2-3 times a day and spot clean any smudges on the box with each scooping.  We dump out the litter every 4-6 weeks and scrub the boxes with dish soap.  We've always used clay litter and, besides the fresh step, have had good luck with Tidy Cat 24/7, scoopable and non-clumping (though the non-clumping has to be thrown out more often) and the Sam's club brand of clumping litter worked well.  Good luck.