5 Ways to Take the Eww Out of Litter Boxes Making Cleaning the Litter Less of a Hassle

The litter box is a fact of life when you love cats. While some cats may learn to flush (and run up your water bills) most felines prefer litter box facilities that owners must clean.

The smell of a cat’s toilet not only offends owners, but the cats themselves. If their potty isn’t to their liking, cats find a more appealing place to go like in the potted palm.

It takes more than dumping to take the eww out of the litter box. The shape and location of the box, what you put in it, and how you clean the toilet influence your cat’s litter box allegiance and your smell sense. Here are 5 ways to improve your relationship with the cat’s toilet:

Choose Your Box

Cats want an uncovered box big enough to climb in, “pose” without hanging over the edge, and stand aside to cover their waste. Covered boxes contain the smell, good for you but that offends some cats. Self-cleaning boxes ensure the potty is always ready for the next occupant. Some litter boxes come with charcoal filters to help absorb odors. The 1+1 rule (one box per cat, plus one) keeps cats happy so they don’t have to argue over which cat owns the facilities.

Pick of the Litter

Once you find substrate your cat likes, don’t switch or your cat may find somewhere else to go. Most cats prefer soft, sandy substrates that feel good to digging paws. Strong perfumes smell good to you but can offend the cat, so choose a litter that appeals to your pet.

“Scoopable” litter products absorb moisture and odor very well, and make it easy to remove waste while leaving the rest of the toilet clean. These fine-grain clay products track easily, though, and can make a mess. Litter mats help contain tracked clay. Pelleted types of box fillers made from paper, grain or other eco-friendly materials may track less, if your cat finds them acceptable.

This may seem a no brainer to most cat lovers, but it bears repeating—scoop out the box every single day, without fail. Sure, it’s an “eww” moment but just think how your cat feels if the box is full of “eww” stuff. Keeping it clean eliminates most of the smell, too. Daily removal of your cat’s creative efforts also alerts you to any health changes in their productivity so you can alert your veterinarian. Use a proper litter scoop for cat litter for easy sifting.

Make a Clean Sweep

Scooping out the waste prolongs the life of the remaining litter in the box. But litter boxes can hold urine odor when it’s absorbed into the plastic. Make a practice of dumping out all the litter at least once a month, and scrubbing out the empty litter box with a cat-safe cleaning product. Odor neutralizers work best by eliminating the chemicals that cause smell, rather than just covering it up. Beware of “citrus” odors—they smell good to people, but cats often hate citrus and may avoid these smells.

5 Easy Fixes to Cat Litter Box Problems

Litter boxes are a fact of life for indoor cats. For the most part, felines and their litter box will live happily together. For a number of reasons, however, cats may stop using the litter box completely or occasionally eliminate outside of the box. How you manage and reverse these behaviors depends on the root cause of the problem. These five tips can help you deal with some of the most common reasons for litter box issues.

1. Make the litter box more appealing

Cats can be pretty particular about where they relieve themselves. The physical location of the litter box or cat pan makes a big difference — avoid putting it too close to food, check that the temperature is comfortable, and be sure there aren’t off-putting odors. Consider, too, whether you need to choose a special type of box such as one with low sides for an older or arthritic pet.

2. Pay attention to the litter

Felines also have strong preferences about the litter itself. Often, they prefer litter that has a medium to fine texture. Unscented brands are usually more appealing as well. Once you find something your cat likes, don’t change it unless your pet suddenly seems to develop a dislike for it. If you’re having trouble finding a litter your cat likes, consider buying three or four different brands and setting them out in front of your cat so they can choose. It’s a small investment upfront that might save you time and money in the long run.

3. Make other areas less appealing

As you work on making the litter box a comfortable place, look at how you can discourage your cat from wanting to eliminate in other areas of the house. If your cat has a favorite spot to use as a litter box, try placing a carpet runner or other rough fabric there. Using citrus-scented cotton balls can also make the area less enticing. If you can’t seem to stop your cat from using a particular spot, consider meeting the lord of your house halfway and place another litter box in the area, then encourage your cat to use it.

4. Get help for a medical condition

Sudden changes in litter box behavior and more frequent accidents are one of the common signs that your cat is sick. Cats with urinary tract infections (UTIs) may display signs of obvious pain when urinating and male cats may begin to continually lick the genital area. If you notice these signs, take your cat to the vet immediately since UTIs can quickly cause serious damage to your pets’ organs. Kidney disease and bladder stones can also cause pain or blockages that prevent normal urination, resulting in cats urinating outside the litter box because they can’t control normal function or avoiding the litter box because they associate it with the pain. If your cat has not been spayed or neutered you’re also more likely to have a problem with spraying. You can talk to your vet about managing these behaviors.

5. Retrain your cat to know where to “go”

What started out as a reaction to some specific condition or problem can quickly become a habit. If your cat’s occasional accidents have become “normal” behavior, you may need to retrain your pet where to eliminate.

• Cover the areas your cat frequently soils with sheets of plastic or sandpaper. If those materials don’t discourage your cat, you might want to consider using a mat that delivers a very mild electronic shock when your cat enters the “no-pee” zone.
                                                                  
• Continuously watch your cat, and as soon as a paw so much as touches a restricted area use cues that clearly communicate that the area is off limits. Shaking a loud noise maker or spraying your cat with water are often effective and won’t harm your pet.
  
  
• Move feeding dishes to areas your cat has been soiling. Cats don’t usually like to eat where they eliminate, so hopefully your cat will return to the litter box. You can also try turning that area into a social spot — play together and store your cat’s toys there.

Keep in mind that efforts to force a cat to enjoy a litter box are not going to work. Making cats sit in a box, for instance, or bribing them with treats is not likely to encourage them to use the litter box. Instead, try to find a way to make the experience comfortable and respect your cat’s privacy since felines usually don’t like attention while they’re eliminating.

Amy Shojai is a certified animal behavior consultant, consultant to the pet care industry and the award winning author of 23 pet care books.