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What can I do to reduce litter box smell and tracking???? HELP



 
 
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  #1  
Old November 25th 03, 01:49 AM
Scott
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Default 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  
Old November 25th 03, 02:07 AM
Mary
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Default


"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  
Old November 25th 03, 02:07 AM
Mary
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default


"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  
Old November 25th 03, 02:15 AM
Joe Canuck
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Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old November 25th 03, 02:15 AM
Joe Canuck
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old November 25th 03, 02:56 AM
Joe Canuck
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old November 25th 03, 02:56 AM
Joe Canuck
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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

  #8  
Old November 25th 03, 04:32 AM
Mr B
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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.


  #9  
Old November 25th 03, 04:32 AM
Mr B
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default

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  
Old November 25th 03, 05:56 AM
Joe Canuck
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Posts: n/a
Default

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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