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#1
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What can I do to reduce litter box smell and tracking???? HELP
Background: We have two cats, both female. We have two, covered
litter boxes. The boxes are side by side and both use by both cats. We clean the litter daily and replace it every couple weeks. We use premium, clumping litter (fresh step). We have two problems: 1. The litter gets tracked across the floor. How can I reduce this? 2. The smell, what can I do to reduce this? We have a air cleaner running next the boxes with a HEPA and Charcoal filter. This seems to help some. The younger cat (7 months) has a habit of not covering her waste. This definitely adds to the problem. It's not too bad but you can definitely smell the boxes in the room. Thanks for the advice. |
#2
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"Scott" wrote in message om... Background: We have two cats, both female. We have two, covered litter boxes. The boxes are side by side and both use by both cats. We clean the litter daily and replace it every couple weeks. We use premium, clumping litter (fresh step). We have two problems: 1. The litter gets tracked across the floor. How can I reduce this? Get a cat box with taller sides. 2. The smell, what can I do to reduce this? We have a air cleaner running next the boxes with a HEPA and Charcoal filter. This seems to help some. The younger cat (7 months) has a habit of not covering her waste. This definitely adds to the problem. It's not too bad but you can definitely smell the boxes in the room. I had this problem and removed the cover from the box and my cat began covering her waste again. I think she was in a hurry to get out of the box due to the fact that the cover essentially cornered her. I also find that with the cover off I am less prone to forget about scooping. Thanks for the advice. There is no easy answer to the stinky poo question. :-) I used to be a procrastinator, but now I like to nip things in the bud. Therefore I sometimes scoop twice a day. If you never let it get nasty, it won't smell. Also, I had some success with one cat by waiting until she pooped and left it uncovered, then going to her and gently picking her up, talking softly and praising her, placing her back in the box and gently using her own paws to cover the poo. She was not wild about this but got the idea. I think she stopped leaving it uncovered just so I wouldn't do this. You also ought to make it a habit to air out the room. I do this even in the winter, once a day, for an hour or so. I like Scoop Away litter the best. There is a Fresh Scent I used until my Cheeks was diagnosed with asthma that has a great fresh scent that was so strong it actually gave us Fresh Scented Cats. Hee! Hope something in here helps you. |
#3
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"Scott" wrote in message om... Background: We have two cats, both female. We have two, covered litter boxes. The boxes are side by side and both use by both cats. We clean the litter daily and replace it every couple weeks. We use premium, clumping litter (fresh step). We have two problems: 1. The litter gets tracked across the floor. How can I reduce this? Get a cat box with taller sides. 2. The smell, what can I do to reduce this? We have a air cleaner running next the boxes with a HEPA and Charcoal filter. This seems to help some. The younger cat (7 months) has a habit of not covering her waste. This definitely adds to the problem. It's not too bad but you can definitely smell the boxes in the room. I had this problem and removed the cover from the box and my cat began covering her waste again. I think she was in a hurry to get out of the box due to the fact that the cover essentially cornered her. I also find that with the cover off I am less prone to forget about scooping. Thanks for the advice. There is no easy answer to the stinky poo question. :-) I used to be a procrastinator, but now I like to nip things in the bud. Therefore I sometimes scoop twice a day. If you never let it get nasty, it won't smell. Also, I had some success with one cat by waiting until she pooped and left it uncovered, then going to her and gently picking her up, talking softly and praising her, placing her back in the box and gently using her own paws to cover the poo. She was not wild about this but got the idea. I think she stopped leaving it uncovered just so I wouldn't do this. You also ought to make it a habit to air out the room. I do this even in the winter, once a day, for an hour or so. I like Scoop Away litter the best. There is a Fresh Scent I used until my Cheeks was diagnosed with asthma that has a great fresh scent that was so strong it actually gave us Fresh Scented Cats. Hee! Hope something in here helps you. |
#4
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Scott wrote:
Background: We have two cats, both female. We have two, covered litter boxes. The boxes are side by side and both use by both cats. We clean the litter daily and replace it every couple weeks. We use premium, clumping litter (fresh step). We have two problems: 1. The litter gets tracked across the floor. How can I reduce this? This is problematic no matter what you do. The best is to hope to contain it in a certain area by perhaps placing a carpet or tray of some sort in front of the litter boxes. I've seen some mats in the pet stores that claim to reduce tracking, also some litters that claim to reduce the problem. I don't know how any of these products work. Generally with my situation I find it gets tracked no further than about 2 feet away. Often I will vacuum the area around the box just after cleaning it out. 2. The smell, what can I do to reduce this? We have a air cleaner running next the boxes with a HEPA and Charcoal filter. This seems to help some. The younger cat (7 months) has a habit of not covering her waste. This definitely adds to the problem. It's not too bad but you can definitely smell the boxes in the room. Thanks for the advice. Since you clean the boxes daily I'm thinking the smell may be caused by the food you are feeding. Stinky poop sometimes means the food isn't being digested completely. -- "Its the bugs that keep it running." -Joe Canuck |
#5
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Scott wrote:
Background: We have two cats, both female. We have two, covered litter boxes. The boxes are side by side and both use by both cats. We clean the litter daily and replace it every couple weeks. We use premium, clumping litter (fresh step). We have two problems: 1. The litter gets tracked across the floor. How can I reduce this? This is problematic no matter what you do. The best is to hope to contain it in a certain area by perhaps placing a carpet or tray of some sort in front of the litter boxes. I've seen some mats in the pet stores that claim to reduce tracking, also some litters that claim to reduce the problem. I don't know how any of these products work. Generally with my situation I find it gets tracked no further than about 2 feet away. Often I will vacuum the area around the box just after cleaning it out. 2. The smell, what can I do to reduce this? We have a air cleaner running next the boxes with a HEPA and Charcoal filter. This seems to help some. The younger cat (7 months) has a habit of not covering her waste. This definitely adds to the problem. It's not too bad but you can definitely smell the boxes in the room. Thanks for the advice. Since you clean the boxes daily I'm thinking the smell may be caused by the food you are feeding. Stinky poop sometimes means the food isn't being digested completely. -- "Its the bugs that keep it running." -Joe Canuck |
#6
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Laura R. wrote:
circa 24 Nov 2003 16:49:20 -0800, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Scott ) said, We have two problems: 1. The litter gets tracked across the floor. How can I reduce this? Put a big, nubbly rubber mat under the boxes. 2. The smell, what can I do to reduce this? We have a air cleaner running next the boxes with a HEPA and Charcoal filter. This seems to help some. The younger cat (7 months) has a habit of not covering her waste. This definitely adds to the problem. It's not too bad but you can definitely smell the boxes in the room. Put less litter in the box, scoop daily and clean the box frequently. Too much litter makes those big clods that break up when you try to scoop and leave stinky bits behind. I will disagree with you on that one. More litter prevents waste material from coming into contact with the box which will increase smell due to the residue left behind. More litter prevents the "big clods" from being broken up due to more support for them and the ability to get them out without have to scrape along the bottom of the box... where there will also be a residue. There is a real technique to cleaning out the clods. My technique involves lifting the front edge of the box and gently shifting the litter as much as possible to the rear without spilling. Then starting at the front scooping through the start of the pile, afterwards using the edge of the scooper to gradually move the litter to the front of the box while checking for piles. When a pile is found, push the scooper into the litter underneath and lift the clod out intact. This technique works everytime, no broken clods unless they are very fresh. My cat compliments me each day on my clod tossing technique as well. :-) -- "Its the bugs that keep it running." -Joe Canuck |
#7
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Laura R. wrote:
circa 24 Nov 2003 16:49:20 -0800, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Scott ) said, We have two problems: 1. The litter gets tracked across the floor. How can I reduce this? Put a big, nubbly rubber mat under the boxes. 2. The smell, what can I do to reduce this? We have a air cleaner running next the boxes with a HEPA and Charcoal filter. This seems to help some. The younger cat (7 months) has a habit of not covering her waste. This definitely adds to the problem. It's not too bad but you can definitely smell the boxes in the room. Put less litter in the box, scoop daily and clean the box frequently. Too much litter makes those big clods that break up when you try to scoop and leave stinky bits behind. I will disagree with you on that one. More litter prevents waste material from coming into contact with the box which will increase smell due to the residue left behind. More litter prevents the "big clods" from being broken up due to more support for them and the ability to get them out without have to scrape along the bottom of the box... where there will also be a residue. There is a real technique to cleaning out the clods. My technique involves lifting the front edge of the box and gently shifting the litter as much as possible to the rear without spilling. Then starting at the front scooping through the start of the pile, afterwards using the edge of the scooper to gradually move the litter to the front of the box while checking for piles. When a pile is found, push the scooper into the litter underneath and lift the clod out intact. This technique works everytime, no broken clods unless they are very fresh. My cat compliments me each day on my clod tossing technique as well. :-) -- "Its the bugs that keep it running." -Joe Canuck |
#9
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You can try just putting some sort of burber (sp?) or shag carpeting in front of the litter boxes.
that wil usualyl get the litter off the cats feet before they get too far. Also you can get special cat boxes to reduce the smell but I've never used them. I know SharperImage has one that encorporates their Ionic Breeze technology into a cat box which is supposed to filter the smell out but again, I've never used it... On 24 Nov 2003 16:49:20 -0800, (Scott) wrote: Background: We have two cats, both female. We have two, covered litter boxes. The boxes are side by side and both use by both cats. We clean the litter daily and replace it every couple weeks. We use premium, clumping litter (fresh step). We have two problems: 1. The litter gets tracked across the floor. How can I reduce this? 2. The smell, what can I do to reduce this? We have a air cleaner running next the boxes with a HEPA and Charcoal filter. This seems to help some. The younger cat (7 months) has a habit of not covering her waste. This definitely adds to the problem. It's not too bad but you can definitely smell the boxes in the room. Thanks for the advice. |
#10
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Laura R. wrote:
circa Mon, 24 Nov 2003 20:56:31 -0500, in rec.pets.cats.health+behav, Joe Canuck ) said, Put less litter in the box, scoop daily and clean the box frequently. Too much litter makes those big clods that break up when you try to scoop and leave stinky bits behind. I will disagree with you on that one. You may, but it has worked for me. Laura Ok, but how much do you consider too much... litter that is? -- "Its the bugs that keep it running." -Joe Canuck |
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