How to keep your cat's litter boxes and your home smelling fresh no matter how many cats you have

Cats are very clean animals and they like their environment to be clean (not just smelling or looking clean).  They like warm comfortable surroundings and they like their food!  Cats firmly believe that whatever you are eating or drinking must be better than anything they have and so they will firmly demand to at least have a small taste.  (Don’t give in on this one, however, because human food will not only make your cat unhealthily fat, but it could give them severe diarrhea, or, in some extreme cases, cause death.)  Cats don’t like their litter to be in the same general vicinity as their food and/or water.  In some cases, they may refuse to use the litter box at all and will choose your best satin sheets instead.  Cat’s will also not use a dirty litter box and will often find another spot to go--usually one that is very noticeable, like your new couch.  Cat's have very distinct personallities and will let you know if they are unhappy with something or if something is wrong--so you might want to pay attention when your cat jumps on the counter and screams at you, he may be trying to tell you there is a stranger in the house!

This is important for several reasons:  if a cat is in one box and another cat has to go, well your bed looks fluffy enough to scratch with plenty to cover the waste, right, and you can guess the result.  Also, when there is more than one cat in the house, one litter box fills up rather quickly and then the cats are walking on urine and feces when they attempt to go to the bathroom (you wouldn’t want to walk on urine and feces when you go into a bathroom, would you).  A full litter box also smells rather quickly and doesn’t clean up well; the more places you have for the cats to go, the easier it is for them to get in a box when the need arises; and the smell isn’t concentrated in one spot (one spot makes the odors stronger and harder to dispense). Plus you will avoid "battles for the potty" when more than one cat has to go.  

I prefer the covered litter boxes because they control the odor better, less litter is tracked, and you can hide them easily by covering them and using them as a small table.  Set a small lamp or an unbreakable pot of flowers on them to 'hide' them from guests.  

For best results when you are first setting up your litter box--place 1/2” of kitty litter in the bottom of the box, sprinkle a handful of baking soda (break up any lumps), then add an additional 1/4" to 1/2” of litter over the top.  Once the box is set up, be sure each and every cat knows where it is located.  The best way to do this is to take the cats, one at a time, and set them in the front of the box so they can smell the kitty litter.  Once that is accomplished, they will know its location.  Yes, each cat needs to know where the new box is because they will all use it at one time or another even if there is a box for each of them.  Sometimes they even use the box to put their scent in it as a way of showing ownership or Alpha positions in the cat hierarchy (but that is another Wizz).

Cleaning them everyday will remove the feces and urine clumps that have built up.  This will help to keep the litter clean so the cats aren't walking on their own waste and fresher smelling for the entire house.  In fact, if the box is turned or tucked somewhere, guests may not even know the box is there (unless, of course, a cat recently used it).

I find that when I clean my litter boxes, the garbage can I use begins to take on the litter smell, so I switched to a small garbage can that I put used plastic grocery bags in when I clean.  Then I tie off the bag, throw it away, sprinkle baking soda in the bottom and replace the bag storing the scoop inside for the next day.  The next day, when I go to use the can, it doesn’t smell of used kitty litter, even with the dirty scoop in it.

Check the box regularly for areas where the cats may have missed the dirt--in other words the urine or feces has coated the side of the litter box.  These areas can be easily cleaned up using wipes (be sure the wipes do not contain anything that might harm the cat), or a damp rag.  I find that baby wipes are ideal for these quick clean ups and are mild enough not to harm the animals.  Plus, if they are strong enough to clean up baby messes, cat messes are a cinch; well, usually.  Just use the scoop to move the majority of the litter out of the way and wipe down the dirty area.  Let it dry a moment before tossing the litter back where it was.

Litter boxes with scoopable litter only need to be completely cleaned (emptied, washed out, dried and refilled with fresh litter) about once each year (unless you have had a sick cat in which case you should clean it as soon as the cat is better to prevent bacterial infections in the other cats).  A good way to clean them is to set them in a tub of HOT water and dish or clothes detergent.  Use your toilet brush to scrub them out, rinse and dry with a rag.  Be sure to sanitize your tub when you are done or use the brush and hose outside.

Remove the cover (where the charcoal filter is supposed to go) and fold a paper towel (or a couple of tissues) to fit the opening.  Now sprinkle about a 1/4 cup of baking soda (or whatever will make a layer of about 1/16”) and then cover with another paper towel.  Now replace the cover.  Tape over the cover and the paper towel to prevent the baking soda from coming out every time one of the cats uses the box.  Change this about once every 6 months and your boxes will smell fresher longer. 

If you notice that your cat’s urine is very strong, try giving them fresher water.  Cats need water just as much as you do and if you don’t change it daily (and wash out the container) they won’t drink it as often as they should.  This causes their urine to become stronger and will ultimately scent the house with ‘ode to kitty’.

If clean water does not help, seek advice from your vet.  Strong urine odors can mean serious health issues with your cat.

If you notice that the cat’s feces is unusually strong, or that they are often suffering from diarrhea, try changing their food. Often the generic brands will affect cats with weak stomachs and food with a lot of fillers can cause issues. Experiment with small bags of food until you find one that doesn’t cause the family to require gas masks when the cat goes.  Dry cat food is best for your cat unless they have teeth issues and can’t chew.  Be sure to offer them lots of fresh water though since they won’t get any with dry food like they would with canned food.

Rugs often absorb smells from other areas of the house which means they will most certainly absorb the smell of litter boxes especially if one is sitting on it.  To combat this:  sprinkle baking soda on the rug before placing the litter box down and vacuum the spot at least once a week replacing the baking soda when done.  Also, if you sprinkle baking soda on the rest of the rug before vacuuming (let stand about 10 minutes), the rugs will always smell fresh.

I noticed that sometimes if the cat box is close to a window the curtains absorb the smell.  Try to keep your boxes at least 1 foot away from the curtains if possible.  If not, try keeping baking soda (wrapped in cheesecloth) in the bottom hem of the curtains and change it regularly.

Not only is it important to get the animals fixed so they do not have unwanted babies, but unfixed feline males will spray strong urine to ‘mark’ their territory, and unfixed females will spray strong urine to 'attract' males when they are in heat.  Not only is the urine extra strong, but it will be sprayed on household furniture, windows, and doors rather than in the litter box.  These smells are nearly impossible to get out of the house once they are there. 

Getting your animals fixed is, unfortunately, expensive in many cases, but check with your local cat shelters and/or the Humane Society.  They can often put you in touch with agencies that will do it for a small donation.  Even some of the local vets might be able to help.  Also, there are some links below to aid in your search for assistance.