how to keep my house cat-smell-free? we are fostering a lil guy and got the breeze litter system which was a MAJOR improvement but there’s definitely still a fragrance throughout the house. is this just cat life?

Question

Taryn · Answer

Pine pellet litter: I’ve always used pine pellet litter (and stainless steel litter boxes) for our cats. The pellets disintegrate into pine dust with pee, and for poop we just grab them with a doggy bag. It takes some getting used to, because you’re scooping less but you change the whole litter box every third day or so.

This with daily poop checks has been great for managing smell, with the extra benefit of being pretty cheap!

Ema · Answer

Pretty litter, daily scooping, contained box: I have had a cat for 5 years and have never noticed or been told that there is a littery smell in my house (I have an extra sensitive sense of smell so I think I would notice!). I think the key is to either keep the litter in the bathroom - in my last apartment I removed a cabinet door under the sink and put the box in there - or have it in a contained space with mats to catch escaped litter. Currently mine is in a cabinet that contains cleaning supplies (we cut a lil archway for easy access). Not everyone can do this, but there are pieces of furniture you can buy to put the litter in, or just leave a closet door ajar. I also use pretty litter and I think the biggest thing is really to scoop the litter into the toilet every day.

Lulu · Answer

High-sided stainless steel litter box + boxie pro cat litter.: Saw someone else rec stainless steel box, but one that has a top and bottom — i had this and my cat would kick litter and urine between the cracks, it would obv get stuck, that’s stinky, and it was a drag to clean two big parts. I replaced it with this— not so cheap but 100% worth it, and way more subtle (and smaller and way cheaper) than the crazy spaceship litter box. I also use Boxie Pro extra strength litter, even though I just have one cat. I keep a plastic tray outside the box that catches the litter, easy to vacuum. I found the litter mats w the holes to be a kind of out of sight out of mind trap that i wouldn’t empty as often. If you can keep the litter box near a window that’ll help, and scoop daily and fully change litter 1x a month. I find w this set up that my house does not smell, and im v paranoid. Also maybe the smell is more intense because it’s a kitten? Check that they’re not secretly peeing elsewhere…