Rid Your Home of Litter Odor
Urine Stink 101: Chemistry of Litter Odor
By Pet Shopping Guides Research Team
Have you ever had a friend who when you walk into her home you are almost knocked over by the smell of cat urine? Litter odor can be a big problem in some cat homes. In this Guide, we will help you understand more about litter odor, where it comes from, and what you can do to make it go away.
When you think about litter orders and why they occur, consider that the litter box is your cat’s toilet. Imagine the odors that would be produced in your home if you didn’t clean or flush your toilet for days or weeks!
Litter odors are primarily the result of cat urine but can also be from feces. Urine is a waste consisting of urea, creatine, uric acid and other substances produced by the body. After urine hits the litter box (or any surface), bacteria begin to break it down into urea, ammonia and mercaptan. These chemicals create that unmistakable, repulsive urine odor.
Where Are the Odors Coming From?
Besides the litter box itself, urine and litter odor can come from multiple sources.
- Air: Odor from the litter box, especially a dirty litter box, can reach the air and eventually penetrate upholstery, walls and flooring.
- Floors: Cats frequently kick litter out of the box. Some of those dirty litter particles scatter into corners, under furniture, or under washers and dryers where they evade sweeping.
- Cat Paws: Some types of clumping litter stick to the wet paws of cats who then track litter odors around the house wherever they roam.
- Old, Stained Boxes: Urine that reaches the bottom of the litter box can cause a chemical reaction that eats away at the plastic allowing odors to penetrate it and retain a strong urine smell.
- Inappropriate Urination: Any elimination that occurs outside the litter box, whether for medical reasons or from behavioral issues, can lead to significant urine odors.
10 Tips to Minimize Litter Odors
There are many ways to help control, minimize and even eliminate litter odors. Here are some tips to prevent and treat odors rather than mask them.
- Scoop daily and seal or remove wastes: Scooping at least once daily can help minimize urine odors. After scooping, place the waste in a sealed container such as the Litter Champ®. If you don’t have a container that seals odors, remove the waste on a daily basis. Leaving waste in an unsealed garbage can or bag by the litter box is a commonly overlooked cause for excessive litter odors.
- Routinely change litter: Litter can be expensive, so it is a common mistake to try to make the litter last as long as possible. In addition to daily or twice daily scooping, it is recommended to totally change out all litter in the box on a regular basis. That means twice a week with clay litters and monthly or twice monthly for most scoopable or silica brands. Check your specific brand of litter for recommendations.
- Scrub the box and replace if worn out: When changing out the litter, take time to thoroughly wash the box. Use a liquid dish soap with a scrub brush, then allow the box to soak for 10 minutes before rinsing and drying. Monitor the bottom of the box for signs of roughness or wear which can allow urine to penetrate the plastic and retain odors. Replace boxes yearly or more often if you see signs of wear. Remember to rinse really well because cats dislike the scent of strong soaps or bleach.
- Clean around the box and home: Litter holds urine odors and, as it is kicked out of the box, it can get all over the floor and be tracked by you and your cat throughout the house. Sweep and clean around the box daily. Consider using a litter mat under the box to help contain litter from paws as your kitty exits the box. Dust, vacuum and mop the surfaces in your home regularly to remove stray litter and cat hair. Clean your carpets once or twice yearly, or more often if needed.
- Ensure you have enough boxes: You should have at least one litter box per floor of your home OR one litter box per cat PLUS one, whichever is more. So, if you have three cats, you should have four litter boxes. If you have one cat and a two-story home, you should have two boxes. To minimize urinary-related behavioral problems, the goal here is to ensure your cat has convenient access to the box and is using it.
- Choose a good litter: There are tons of cat litters on the market. Many cats prefer unscented, scoopable litter. Avoid heavily scented litters. For help in choosing the best litter for your cat, see our litter Guide.
- Make the litter box appealing: There are many shapes and styles of boxes to choose from, but a large, clear box in a quiet location is appealing to most cats. If your kitty isn’t using the litter box there can be many causes, but you can increase the appeal for some cats by using litter attractants.
- Check cat paws: Because litter can stick to your cat’s paws, check them on a regular basis for clumps or bits stuck between toes.
- Find and thoroughly clean up accidents: If your cat urinates outside of the litter box, you need to figure out where the odor is coming from. Sometimes the best way is to get down on your hands and knees to smell the floor. Another option is to use black lights. Once you find where your cat urinated, thoroughly clean that area to get rid of the odor and deter your cat from urinating there again.
- Air out the house and minimize humidity: Open windows and run fans to help create air flow. Since higher humidity accentuates urine and litter box odors, running the air conditioner can help during hot weather.
Don’t Always Trust Your Nose!
Have you heard of olfactory fatigue? It is a physiologic response that allows a person to get used to an airborne smell. For example, you may walk into a coffee shop and be struck by the strong scent of coffee. After a little time, you no longer notice that aroma. That happens to cat owners in their homes as well.
If you wonder if you have odors in your home, why not get a second opinion? This can be a hard thing to do, but it really helps! If you have a friend you trust, who also has a sensitive nose and will be totally honest, ask her to come over and tell you if she smells litter odors. Ask her to go room by room since odors can be localized based on litter box placement and inappropriate urinations you may not have discovered.
Final Thoughts on Cat Litter Odors
We love our cats but could do without the unmistakable scent of cat urine and litter box odors. The bottom line for removing or minimizing litter odors in your home is to scoop the litter box at least daily, use sealed containers to store scooped waste or remove it every day, replace litter as directed on the bag for your specific brand, replace plastic litter boxes periodically, and keep up with cleaning around the litter box and throughout your home. Your nose will thank you!
- 15 Hours of Research
- 10 Products Reviewed
- 3 Top Picks
Our Top 3 Litter Odor Control Products
There's no mistaking the odor of dirty cat litter! Did you know that litter odor can be caused by more than just what's in the litter box itself? Here are our recommended products for minimizing or eliminating cat litter odors.
Our experts independently review and recommend the best products. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen products and links.
Litter Genie Plus Cat Litter Disposal System
Litter Genie Plus Cat Litter Disposal System gives pet parents a convenient place to dispose of their cat’s waste, this pail locks away odors to ensure your home stays smelling fresh.
- Uses a Push-N-Lock system to seal off odors and keep your home smelling fresh.
- Perfect for use with all litter types.
- Available in silver or black.
Litter Genie Plus Cat Litter Disposal System gives pet parents a convenient place to dispose of their cat’s waste, this pail locks away odors to ensure your home stays smelling fresh.
- Uses a Push-N-Lock system to seal off odors and keep your home smelling fresh.
- Perfect for use with all litter types.
- Available in silver or black.
List Price
Your Price
You Save
Litter Champ Premium Odor-Free Cat Litter Waste Disposal System
Litter Champ is a hassle-free disposal system that knocks out litter box odor with its triple-sealing door. Using the included scoop and convenient step pedal, you can dispose of soiled litter without ever touching the canister or the waste.
- Sturdy, durable, non-porous ABS resin canister and triple-seal system locks in litter odor.
- 4-gallon capacity canister is compact and elegantly designed.
- Childproof /petproof locks on the lid and side door.
Litter Champ is a hassle-free disposal system that knocks out litter box odor with its triple-sealing door. Using the included scoop and convenient step pedal, you can dispose of soiled litter without ever touching the canister or the waste.
- Sturdy, durable, non-porous ABS resin canister and triple-seal system locks in litter odor.
- 4-gallon capacity canister is compact and elegantly designed.
- Childproof /petproof locks on the lid and side door.
List Price
Your Price
You Save
Arm & Hammer Cat Litter Deodorizer Powder
Arm & Hammer baking soda destroys odors instantly in all types of litter – so your box stays first-day fresh longer.
- Moisture activated scent refreshes litter every time your cat uses the box.
- With baking soda for maximum odor control,
- 30 oz box.
Arm & Hammer baking soda destroys odors instantly in all types of litter – so your box stays first-day fresh longer.
- Moisture activated scent refreshes litter every time your cat uses the box.
- With baking soda for maximum odor control,
- 30 oz box.
List Price
Your Price
You Save
Litter Genie Plus Cat Litter Disposal System
Litter Genie Plus Cat Litter Disposal System gives pet parents a convenient place to dispose of their cat’s waste, this pail locks away odors to ensure your home stays smelling fresh.
- Uses a Push-N-Lock system to seal off odors and keep your home smelling fresh.
- Perfect for use with all litter types.
- Available in silver or black.
Litter Genie Plus Cat Litter Disposal System gives pet parents a convenient place to dispose of their cat’s waste, this pail locks away odors to ensure your home stays smelling fresh.
- Uses a Push-N-Lock system to seal off odors and keep your home smelling fresh.
- Perfect for use with all litter types.
- Available in silver or black.
List Price
Your Price
You Save
Litter Champ Premium Odor-Free Cat Litter Waste Disposal System
Litter Champ is a hassle-free disposal system that knocks out litter box odor with its triple-sealing door. Using the included scoop and convenient step pedal, you can dispose of soiled litter without ever touching the canister or the waste.
- Sturdy, durable, non-porous ABS resin canister and triple-seal system locks in litter odor.
- 4-gallon capacity canister is compact and elegantly designed.
- Childproof /petproof locks on the lid and side door.
Litter Champ is a hassle-free disposal system that knocks out litter box odor with its triple-sealing door. Using the included scoop and convenient step pedal, you can dispose of soiled litter without ever touching the canister or the waste.
- Sturdy, durable, non-porous ABS resin canister and triple-seal system locks in litter odor.
- 4-gallon capacity canister is compact and elegantly designed.
- Childproof /petproof locks on the lid and side door.
List Price
Your Price
You Save
Arm & Hammer Cat Litter Deodorizer Powder
Arm & Hammer baking soda destroys odors instantly in all types of litter – so your box stays first-day fresh longer.
- Moisture activated scent refreshes litter every time your cat uses the box.
- With baking soda for maximum odor control,
- 30 oz box.
Arm & Hammer baking soda destroys odors instantly in all types of litter – so your box stays first-day fresh longer.
- Moisture activated scent refreshes litter every time your cat uses the box.
- With baking soda for maximum odor control,
- 30 oz box.
List Price
Your Price
You Save