Litter boxes are quite possibly the least fun part of owning a cat.
There’s the regular scooping and cleaning to deal with, not to mention litter being kicked all over the floor of your laundry or bathroom. Then there are the questions. Liners or no liners? Lid or no lid? Size, quantity, type of litter – the variables are endless.
But if there’s one thing that every cat owner likes the least, it’s the smell. That strong, distinctive odor is something we all hate. Pee-yew!
And what’s worse is that as a cat owner with a litter box in the house, you can become accustomed to the smell and think it’s not so bad, or stop noticing it altogether.
Rest assured though, your visitors will notice it immediately. And that’s something you don’t want.
In today’s article we’ll cover some of the options you can look at for odorless litter control. From scented litter through to odorless litter boxes, you can make sure your “home sweet home” really does smell sweet.
Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as an odorless litter box - yet. The person who invents one is going to be a billionaire!
However, there are two kinds of cat litter boxes that will help control odor the best – hooded boxes, and automatic cleaning boxes.
Both do exactly what they say on the tin. Hooded litter boxes have a hood that helps to trap smells inside the structure, often using a carbon filter to absorb and remove them from the air.
Automatic litter boxes clean up clumps and other messes automatically, so that the litter is always fresh and clean.
Both types of litter box help to control odor, but they don’t magically empty themselves. Keeping the litter clean and fresh is always something that you will need to be responsible for.
Many hooded or covered cat litter boxes can be extremely effective when it comes to trapping bad odors. When they’re combined with an in-built carbon filter, they can be a great solution.
Covered litter boxes also reduce the amount of litter that your cat can spread around the house, especially if your cat does a lot of digging and scraping after they’ve used it.
The disadvantage to covered boxes is that because they trap smells effectively, they can get quite smelly inside. Cats are very sensitive to smell so your kitty might not want to use the box if it’s stinky.
So you need to remind yourself to clean the box regularly in order to keep the litter fresh and smelling sweet. And the cover or hood needs to be easy to remove, or you know you won’t clean it as often as you should.
Also, if you have a large cat like a big British Shorthair, or a Maine Coon, covered litter boxes can be cramped for these breeds. You might find your pussin doesn’t want to use it because it’s not comfortable – so choose wisely before you invest in one.
This is by far and away the most popular hooded litter box on the market with over 5000 user reviews on Amazon.
It’s sturdy, lightweight and the hood snaps on and is very easy to remove for cleaning.
Its large size means it can accommodate even the biggest cats with comfort. How big is that though, really?
One user review says “Three average sized cats could all sit in there at the same time and have a synchronized poop fest!”.
This odor-control litter box has a built-in bag anchor that stops your cat from clawing the liner down accidentally as they’re digging, and it’s easy to lift out for complete cleaning.
A carbon filter traps and removes strong odors, and you can buy replacement filters separately.
Automatic litter boxes help with odor control because they look after some of the cleaning for you – meaning that you don’t need to wait til you get home and discover the little present that’s been sitting there all day.
However, there’s a catch. Because they’re more tech-heavy than a standard litter box, they come with a bigger price tag.
And because they usually have mechanical parts, they can make a bit of noise – which might not be a good thing if you have a sensitive pussin. It could put them off using it altogether.
So consider your circumstances carefully before you decide to invest in an automatic litter box, or you might end up wasting your money!
This product will self-clean itself for weeks without you needing to any scooping, cleaning or refilling.
This box uses a special kind of crystal litter that absorbs urine and dehydrates solid waste, so that odor control is immediately put into action. An automatic rake sweeps through the litter and removes waste to the tray below.
It has a covered trap that locks away this solid waste and odor so that you don’t ever have to see or touch it. This is paired with a completely disposable leak-proof tray for a quick, hygienic clean-up.
You can also choose a range of add-on extras including a litter mat, privacy hood, replacement litter crystal trays in two different colors and scents, bulk crystals and a special re-order button.
However, some cons include the cost of the special kitty litter and the disposable trays – this will add $$$ to your ongoing bill. But maybe it’s worth it for the convenience!