One of the biggest challenges that you face being the owner of an indoor cat is odor control. A liter box doesn't have to be the main reason that keeps you from brings a cat into your home. There are things that you can do to keep the liter box so fresh that you won't even know that it is there. Once you bring your new kitten home it is important to decide where you are going to put the litter box.
You want it somewhere that the kitten can easily get to. If you make in hard to access the kitten will find places that are easier for them to get to, when they need to relieve themselves. Another mistake in litter box placement that most new owners tend to make, is trying to hide the litter box away in a small room. This will actually make the smell worse. Smaller rooms in houses tend to be less ventilated, when there is no air flow it is harder for any of the smell to escape.
After you find the perfect spot it is now time to choose the litter that you plan to use. While some cats have no problem adjusting to a litter switch there are those that rebel and will start using the floor. Try to pick one and stay with it, it makes life less stressful to your cats. The best odor control litters are going to be a little more costly, you have to decide if the little extra money is worth a clean smelling house.
A secret a lot of people discovered is getting a clumping multi cat litter even if you only have the one cat in the household. Any litter that you buy can be made better buy adding a little bit of baking soda to it.
Never wait until the litter box is full before you scoop it. Not only does the waste itself add to the odor of your home, but the longer that it sits there the more of a scent it will leave on the rest of the litter. As soon as you see that your cat had used her box, remove the clump immediately. Drop the clump into a bag (get scented diaper bags. They are cost efficient and take the freshness level one step further.) At least once a day check and make sure that you haven't missed any clumps that the cat may have buried deeper in the box.
Every time that you scoop out a large number of clumps you should add a few cups of fresh littler to the box. Keep in mind that you do not need a large amount of litter in the box at any given time, the more you but in the bigger the mess the cat will make when he or she is digging around. It is a good idea to completely change the littler box once a week taking the time to clean the pan itself before refilling the litter.
Taking a little extra time everyday will ensure that you will keep your cats litter box odor under control. There is no reason to deny yourself or your family the experience of bringing a cat into your home. Having a cat doesn't mean that you have to give up the freshness that is important to you. Cats are very self sufficient, they are easy to litter box train. All you will have to do is scoop and change the litter and you will have a fresh clean smelling home and all the stress fighting benefits of having a cat in your home.
