cat box stink

65284, I have had cats for many years and have had none of the problems you describe. Yes, they can leave cat fur on things--dogs leave dog hair--which is easily vacuumed. But most use the litterbox unless they are sick (incontinent) or to make a statement (dogs do this too) and if given appropriate cat-furniture (scratch posts) they don't destroy property either.

I think you just don't know how to 'do' cats. They have a different psychology than dogs.

I had a cat with diabetes who eventually came down to eating and drinking and peeing and pooping all day in the bathroom

Her pee had a distinctive garlicky smell, really awful.

I was amazed after we had her put down how seldom I had to change the catbox (compared to 3x per day previously) with just one cat.

I use the "Cracked Pine" cat litter from Fred Meyer. Works great.

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Gun-toting, church-going, homeschooling, right-wing conservative, happily married, stay-at-home mom of three living in the real United States of America!

I currently have 9 cats (we take in strays) and no problems with smell. We use a Gonzo bag. It is a mesh bag (6' x 6') which you place next to the litter box to absorb the odors. Every few months, you place it out in the sun for a day to recharge it. They are amazing and cheap. Even the most sensitive of family and friends can't tell there is a little box in the house. Believe me - mine would comment. You can order them online from Gonzo Corp.

My daughter loves her kitties. But the odor is horrible. So for us, we use Tidy Cat multiple cat clumping litter. We also use Tidy Cat ODERIZING Crystals available at Walmart for sprinkling into the cat litter. We also hide at least two boxes of soda that you use for the fridge in the room they have their cat box in and in the living room. I do not smell the odor unless I am in extremely close contact with the box. Scooping every day is something I would like done but it isn't always possible. So I use those the most. So you can get them some of the Crystals to add to their current litter it does work I have tried it myself.

Arklady

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"His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot." Jeremiah 20:9

Clumping litter isn't safe with kittens and probably adult cats because when they lick it off their paws it can acculmate in their insides and cause blockages. I quit doing that and went to regular clay litter and it's been better since then.

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Ted H

You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas.
-Davy Crockett

You can also find those Gonzo bags at Home Depot. They're great for removing all types of scents.

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Man's main task in life is to give birth to himself, to become what he potentially is. The most important product of his effort is his own personality. - Erich Fromm

We'll never have an indoor cat, it's not our thing. But I was wondering if anyone uses one of those cat seats to fit on a toilet like I saw one time? I really wouldn't want a cat using my toilet regularly, but maybe if there was a little bathroom in the basement or mudroom, a cat could use it.

I love my cat, Mr. Biggs. Fortunately Mr. Biggs likes to hang out in the barn side of the house and keeps an eye and claw out for mice or meeses..

Being that I AM an animal lover, it's strange that I cannot stand a cat in the house or a dog in the house. If they are sick they stay in the house, but if well..they live in the barn side of the house. Just cannot tolerate the odor. Even when Mom comes over and says she can't tell there is a cat in the house, I can walk in and smell it instantly..so Mr. Biggs is happy outside and I am happy that he is happy.

Baking soda is our friend. try some on top of the litter..works wonders and when all else fails, introduce Mr. Cat to the great outdoors (in a nice and not harmful way)..

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Be yourself - no one can tell you that you're doing it wrong!

We have one that's sickly, kidneys or diabetes, not sure which as we haven't run the $200 tests to check. He's always had a sensitivity to cheap cat food. It reaks havoc on his digestive system. He gets bloody diarrhea from it, and boy does it smell awful. You can tell two levels up in the house when he's visited the litter box, it's that bad.

So, what we do it, when it's indoor cat season (ie, Nov through April) we switch him over to the expensive cat food to heal up his system from having the cheap stuff, and vermin over the summer. Within a week, it's smelling at least normal.

Then for those times we can't get to the box when it needs changing, we have an air purifyer in the laundry room with the litter box.

I'm with you on that stink thing. There've been places I've visited with strong pet odors and I won't go in if it's to the level that it makes my eyes water. Nasty, nasty, nasty.

Cats are filthy animals. Once these two are gone, we will never have another one. And, I've been biding my time on this for quite a while now.

Poodles don't have odors as a general rule because their hair is like people hair...I don't know about other dog breeds.

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Ted H

You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas.
-Davy Crockett

pickapeppa, how much more would it cost you, really, to keep the cat on the expensive food all year?

I don't have indoor cats-well,one kitten will come in and out,but he does his business outside
I agree with the folks that say it depends on the different litters. It must be that,because in some homes I can smell the litter box instantly,in other homes I can't smell it at all. Then the fact that the cat is sick probably plays into it as well.

If I were you,I would do the vicks vapor rub trick. I don't know your relationship to this person,but presenting her with something to fix the smell may hurt her feelings or offend her. That would be your call,of course.

I've had cats inside off and on for years. with my first cat who lived to be a ripe old 20years I never had a problems with smell and at one time we had three in the house....after she died it took a few years before I found another that I like enough that I wanted it inside.....well this cat stinks! it doesn't matter how often the litterbox is cleaned she just stinks. Regardless of the kind of food, the kind of litter, and she's healthy. So she is now an outside cat. maybe its just me....in that no other cat will ever replace my Shebie....but I cannot stand the stink!

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Ginnie..
http://ginniequilts.blogspot.com/
You can say what you want about the South,
But you never hear of anyone retiring and moving North.

We go cheap in the warmer months because the food is outside. All the neighborhood strays come and get their fill on our front porch. I figure, if they've braved and survived the dogs watch to get there, they deserve their reward. I'm just not going to make it a top of the line award. We can't afford to feed a whole neighborhood of cats the best cat food. If we could, that's exactly what I'd do.

I find that just regular real dirt from outside makes the best catbox filler. Perhaps it's the microbes and such. Can't beat the price either!

We use pine bedding sold in those compressed bales, and my mom has alot I mean a lot of cats. We change them daily but it is the only thing that has every kept the odor down. Most likely the smell is coming from where the cats are going outside of the box. They spray to mark their territory and if there is more then one cat they probably both spray. Its not your house so I would use the vapor rub trick we used to use it when we went into certain nursing homes on ambulance calls and it works well to block out all the urine smells.
Take care -Thea