# Stinky Cat Question **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 14, 2001, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stinky-cat-question/87328 "2001-10-14T04:05:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stinky-cat-question/87328/1 "2001-10-14T04:05:23Z")
My cats’ litterbox smells terrible! I’ve tried changing litters, changing food. I clean the box every day, or sometimes every other day. I have two cats, but even when I just had the one, it was horribly smelly. All of my other cats in my past I’ve encouraged them to go outside, like the dogs. These cats are strictly inside because I am caring for a stray dog that’s a cat-killer. Although he’s kennelled, I don’t want to take a chance. Anyway, I’m looking for a way to de-stinkify my litterbox. Any suggestions? StG ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stinky-cat-question/87328/2 "2001-10-14T04:24:12Z")
I’m no vet, but here is my advise: Stop changing food. It can cause them more gastric problems which cause smelly poo. Use a good clumping litter with baking soda. I really like the Arm and Hammer scented kind. Or get a good solid clumping litter and add your own baking soda. You can try a litterbox with a hood, it really cuts down on the stink, but some cats won’t want to use it. Cleaning every day is key. Where’s Michi? ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stinky-cat-question/87328/3 "2001-10-14T04:29:28Z")
I’m no vet, but here is my advise: Stop changing food. It can cause them more gastric problems which cause smelly poo. Use a good clumping litter with baking soda. I really like the Arm and Hammer scented kind. Or get a good solid clumping litter and add your own baking soda. You can try a litterbox with a hood, it really cuts down on the stink, but some cats won’t want to use it. Cleaning every day is key. Where’s Michi? ---
**Author:** ![Hanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b3f665/32.png) [@Hanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hanna)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stinky-cat-question/87328/4 "2001-10-14T04:34:26Z")
I have two indoor only cats too, and I have two litterboxes. I like the hooded ones, they seem to keep the odor inside the box, even right after one of the cats takes a smelly poo. I feed Science Diet dry, and that brand really seems to be the best for low odors. The cats’ poos are dry and firm when I feed SD. I use Tidy Cat for multiple cat households, it is a clay litter but I change it often. ---
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stinky-cat-question/87328/5 "2001-10-14T04:54:49Z")
I’m no vet, but here is my advise: Stop changing food. It can cause them more gastric problems which cause smelly poo. Use a good clumping litter with baking soda. I really like the Arm and Hammer scented kind. Or get a good solid clumping litter and add your own baking soda. You can try a litterbox with a hood, it really cuts down on the stink, but some cats won’t want to use it. Cleaning every day is key. Where’s Michi? ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stinky-cat-question/87328/6 "2001-10-14T04:58:46Z")
\*\*Thanks, Swiddles Thanks, Swiddles Thanks, Swiddles Boscibo\*\* - I have a hooded box, but I only keep one litterbox. It’s hard enough to keep the dogs out of the one. I have the two siamese cats and a german shepherd, a doberman and an airedale inside. StG ---
**Author:** ![DarkWriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee59a6/32.png) [@DarkWriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarkWriter)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stinky-cat-question/87328/7 "2001-10-14T05:00:23Z")
I agree with the two litterbox thing. We have two indoor cats, and two covered litterboxes. I use the Tidy Cats clumping litter, the one for a multiple-cat household. Scoop every day. I also add either baking soda, or Arm & Hammer kitty litter deodorizer every time I scoop. I keep one of those odor-neutralizing plug-in air fresheners by the boxes as well. Sheri ---
**Author:** ![Cyndar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Cyndar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyndar)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stinky-cat-question/87328/8 "2001-10-14T13:22:18Z")
Say my name three times, and here I am. Unfortunately, I don’t have a whole heck of a lot of advice. I have six cats, three litterboxes. I scoop them out every other day, change litter completely about once a week. My cats eat Science Diet and I don’t really have a problem with their stools having a very strong odor. Changing diet often can cause stomach upset, which has already been mentioned. Picking one, high quality food and staying with it usually solves most litterbox problems. Are your cat’s stools normal? Worms, bacteria, and so forth can cause icky stools. Has the cat gotten a clean bill of health? I also have a little air purifier I keep next to the litter boxes, which helps quite a bit. Still, rather than seek ways to cover up the bad smell, find out what is causing it. I mean, I know it’s poop, but it shouldn’t be all THAT bad! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stinky-cat-question/87328/9 "2001-10-14T14:29:19Z")
I’ll second the recommendation for a high-quality diet - I use Iams myself. Depending on how much money you have to spend, a Litter Maid is also nice, but pricey. It tends to drop litter on the floor, so you want to put it in a larger box, but it cleans the litter quite nicely. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stinky-cat-question/87328/10 "2001-10-14T15:07:08Z")
Thirding the recommendation for a high-quality food. It makes all the difference. Also, dry food is better than canned or the pouched types for this kind of thing. My kitten loves dry Iams. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stinky-cat-question/87328/11 "2001-10-14T15:14:04Z")
Lemme get this straight. You have **two** cats, **one** litterbox, and you admit to cleaning said litterbox only **once** a day, sometimes **once every other day**? And you’re complaining about the smell? If cats had message boards, yours would be complaining about **you**! Now, one box for two cats is just fine in my book, I’ve got **four** cats contentedly sharing a single (albeit HUGE) box, but you’ve got to increase the cleaning schedule. Think: How often do you flush your toilet? OK? So clean the box twice a day, whether it needs it or not. Then you can investigate the diet angle, and perhaps check for worms. ---
**Author:** ![Brynda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@Brynda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brynda)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2001, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stinky-cat-question/87328/12 "2001-10-14T16:00:54Z")
I have had two cats and one box and I have never had to clean the box daily, much less twice a day. Maybe that is why no one comes to my house…