The cleanest way to manage cat litter involves daily scooping with clumping litter for easy removal, using litter box liners to simplify full changes, and performing a weekly or bi-weekly deep clean with unscented soap and hot water, ensuring thorough drying and deodorizing before refilling, which prevents odors and encourages consistent use by your cat.
Remove all litter from the box into a trash bag. Wash the litter box with hot water and a mild, unscented dish soap. Avoid strong ammonia-based cleaners or scented products that can repel cats. Rinse thoroughly and dry completely--moisture shortens litter life and encourages bacterial growth.
Vets often discourage closed litter boxes because they trap odors, creating a stressful and unpleasant environment for cats with sensitive noses, and they make cats feel vulnerable by limiting their escape and ability to see potential threats, which can lead to anxiety or litter box avoidance and inappropriate urination/defecation, even though some studies show no universal preference if kept spotless.
Use Baking Soda
Baking soda is a natural and affordable way to neutralize odors in the cat litter box. After scooping, sprinkle a thin layer of baking soda over the bottom of the box before refilling it with fresh litter. Baking soda absorbs odors, helping to keep the litter box smelling fresh.
ARM & HAMMER™ Clump & Seal™ LightWeight Litter is 100% dust free due to new proprietary ingredients and a new manufacturing process.
5 Tips to Help Stop Cat Litter Tracking
Our experts most often recommend clumping cat litter. Its ease of scooping and better odor control lend themselves to a more hygienic litter box.
Baking soda is a safe and natural deodorizer for litter boxes and is non-toxic for cats. Mixing baking soda with the litter can help absorb pet urine odors.
Several products can help neutralize cat pee odor, including vinegar, baking soda, or store-bought cleaners. Here are some options to help you get rid of the cat pee smell. Enzyme-based cleaners: The enzymes in these products actually break down the acid in cat urine and get rid of the smell.
But did you know that breathing in cat urine and feces can be harmful to both people and cats? These substances may contain harmful bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that can cause health problems.
The golden rules for litter boxes are: provide one box per cat plus one extra (N+1), place them in quiet, accessible spots on each floor, scoop daily, offer unscented litter, ensure 2-3 inches of depth for digging, keep them away from food/water, and avoid covered boxes if cats dislike them. Cleanliness, placement, and adequate quantity prevent stress and accidents, promoting good feline hygiene and behavior.
Cat behavior red flags signal potential medical or emotional issues, including sudden changes in eating/drinking, litter box problems, excessive vocalization, increased hiding, aggression, lethargy, or changes in grooming (like overgrooming or stopping). Because cats hide illness well, any significant deviation from their normal routine, such as increased thirst, appetite changes, or unusual hiding, warrants an urgent vet visit to rule out serious underlying conditions like kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, or pain.
Cats get most annoyed by loud, sudden noises (vacuums, thunder), strong smells (citrus, vinegar), changes in routine, dirty litter boxes, and unwanted handling like being picked up or stared at, as these disrupt their sense of security and sensory balance, triggering their sensitive hearing and instincts for control and safety. Unexpected movements, unfamiliar scents, and being forced into costumes also cause significant stress and annoyance for felines.
Best Places to Put a Cat Litter Box
Scoop Daily
One of the best ways to keep your house from smelling like a litter box is to scoop out the remains once per day. Many times when cat owners are complaining about their home smelling like a litter box, it's because they are not scooping the litter box regularly.
Cats like their litter boxes clean, so it's best to scoop their boxes at least once a day. Some cats will prefer an even cleaner box, so scooping more than once a day may be best. Deep clean the litter box once every 1 to 4 weeks.
When you breathe in these ammonia fumes, not only does it smell bad, but it can cause some severe problems as well. If your pet has urinated in a place with reduced ventilation such as a room or even in the house, it could trigger issues like asthma, pneumonia, and in some cases, even suffocation.
Sodium bicarbonate is the substance baking soda is made of, and it's amazing at soaking up odors. You can sprinkle it on the carpet or furniture after you've cleaned your cat's urine, make sure the area is dry before doing so. Leave the baking soda in for about 15-30 minutes and then vacuum up the area thoroughly.
Your house will stink. Moldy cat poop doesn't smell good, and the odor will leak throughout the house. A covered box helps a lot, but it doesn't substitute for regular scooping and cleaning.
Avoid clay-based litter
Clay-based litters aren't just prone to giving off dust, they contain two substances that are harmful when inhaled: sodium bentonite and crystalline silica. Most clay-based clumping litters use a clumping agent called sodium bentonite.
Use an old towel to absorb as much of the cat pee as possible and throw it away when you're done. Sprinkle baking soda over the affected area and let sit for about ten minutes. Pour some vinegar on the baking soda and let it fizz for a few seconds before blotting the liquid with a fresh rag.
The healthiest cat litter options are natural, low-dust, and unscented, with popular choices including corn, wheat, tofu, grass, and recycled paper, offering biodegradability and gentleness for sensitive paws and respiratory systems, while silica gel (crystal) litters are excellent for odor control but pricier. Avoid heavily scented litters and focus on unscented, dust-free formulas to prevent respiratory irritation and box avoidance in cats, prioritizing plant-based or paper options for better health and environmental impact.
Non-clumping litters, such as Catsan™ Hygiene Plus Litter, absorb a large volume of liquid and lock away odours. This means if you remove any faeces daily, the litter tray will stay fresh for up to a week (that's if you're using Catsan™ - less high-quality litters will need changing every few days).
If your cat is afraid of her litter box, you may notice her running into the box and then leaving again very quickly, sometimes before she's finished eliminating. You may also notice her eliminating nearby, but not inside her box.