Being a cat parent is quite a jolly blessing until it gets fuzzy due to the cat litter smell. You may be using a litter box and still wonder why there’s such a foul odor buildup.

There are plenty of reasons behind this, as using and maintaining a litter box for cats is a complex task.

However, the stinky smell can make breathing difficult and make it difficult to enjoy your moments. You can’t even live happily with your cats, and they, too, start behaving oddly because of it.

So, if you’re wondering how to get rid of the litter box smell, I’ve got you covered!

Why Does Cat Pee Smell So Bad?

Pee is a waste product of cats. Just like human urine smells terrible, the same applies to cats as they follow a similar mechanism. This is because cat urine contains the waste product urea.

When urea breaks down after leaving the cat’s body, it releases chemicals, with ammonia being a primary compound.

Additionally, when fresh urine mixes with old urine or poop in the litter box, it creates an even stronger odor.

This is comparable to the smell in dirty, unclean washrooms, which is why timely cleaning of the litter box is essential.

Does Cat Urine Make You Sick?

No, although the smell of cat urine, primarily due to ammonia, can be unpleasant, it isn’t harmful enough to make you sick. Ammonia is less dangerous compared to many other harmful chemicals.

However, it’s important to note that anything in excess can be harmful. So, inhaling the fumes can become difficult and uncomfortable if you’re in an environment with a lot of cats and urine buildup.

How to Find Out Where Cat Urine Smell Comes From?

When you suspect a cat’s urine smell, it is essential to determine its source. Check whether the smell is coming from the litter box or some other area.

Is The Smell From the Litter Box?

Well, cats are playful animals and may sometimes urinate outside the litter box. Besides their playfulness, a dirty litter box or an underlying illness can also be why your furry baby litter outside the box.

Therefore, sniff around and check where the pungent odor is strongest.

Inspect whether it’s coming from the litter box, your bed, under the carpet, in shoes, or in the nooks and corners of your home.

Trace everywhere your cat usually goes. Sometimes, it might be inside the cupboard, on kitchen counters, near hot appliances, or around the sink and bath area.

Moreover, it’s important to note that urinary tract infections can also cause a smell that leads cats to urinate outside the box.

After identifying the locations, you should consult a veterinarian if your cat is littering outside. This will help diagnose the issue, treat it, and remove the smell effectively.

Unsure Where Does The Smell Comes From?

A persistent odor might develop when you live in a household with cats, making it difficult to detect specific smells. In such cases, you can ask a friend or someone from outside your home to help sniff it out.

If no one is available to assist, consider using a black light (a specialized flashlight). This type of light reveals pee stains and similar marks that are not visible with a regular flashlight.

Use the black light to check outside the litter box for such stains. If no stains appear elsewhere and are only found in the litter box, your cat is not littering outside the box.

Why Does Litter Box Even Smell?

If you notice that the litter box emits a foul smell, which is unusual, you might wonder why this happens.

Here are some reasons why a litter box might smell:

1. Dirt in The Litter Box

The most basic reason the litter box smells is that it’s unclean. Many of you might use clumping litter, which traps urine in clumps, leading to irregular cleaning.

However, it’s important to scoop the clumps daily to prevent odors.

If you use non-clumping litter, it absorbs urine, causing a less immediate smell. However, the odor will persist if it isn’t cleaned regularly or the litter exceeds its capacity.

Dirty waste develops a foul smell, so it’s crucial to monitor when the litter box is full and scoop it out promptly.

Color-changing litters are also available; they change color when the urine is fully absorbed, signaling the need for replacement.

2. The Litter Box Itself Is Dirty

Usually, the urine and poop are on top of the litter; however, sometimes cats even defecate on the sides or bottom of the box. This leads to a foul smell because the waste is in contact with the litter box and not the litter.

How to Get Rid of Litter Box Smell?

By now, you would be familiar with why the litter box smells and the underlying issues behind it. Based on the causes, several workarounds exist to eliminate the litter box smell quickly.

Let’s dig into the details!

1. Scoop Frequently

Scoop out the litter from the litter box daily. If you have many cats, clean them daily and scoop every clump. However, if the cat litters a lot, you must clean it frequently, such as after each use.

But it is a tedious and effort-intensive job. In such a scenario, you can opt for automatic or self-cleaning litter boxes, which are a bit more costly than usual.

2. Get a Larger  Litter Box

When a cat’s litter is too much or dirty on the sides of the box, using a larger litter box is helpful. The litter falls into place due to more space, which keeps the box clean. Moreover, it absorbs foul smells since it can hold more litter. 

For instance, if cats lived outside, they wouldn’t go to the litter in a smaller box; a larger size would make your kitty feel safer, cozier, more comfortable, and natural.

3. Use Extra Litter Boxes

Having more than one litter box is similar to having a bigger box for your cat to pee in. Additionally, having an extra box helps because the cat would use them alternately, reducing the waste collected in a single box.

Therefore, it enables you to get rid of the smell faster. 

4. Keep the Litter Box Itself Clean

Apart from scooping out the litter, you should ensure that the box is clean, whether it is normal or self-cleaning. Whenever you scoop out the litter, check if there are any pee or poop stains in the box.

If there are, wipe them off immediately.

Additionally, make sure the stains don’t dry up, as this will make them harder to wipe. Even if you have a covered litter box, remove it to avoid the hassle.

Check Out: How to Clean a Litter Box: A Veterinarian’s Approved Method

5. Use a Different Litter

Litter is a common cause of persistent smells. Even if cleaning multiple times doesn’t help, try switching to a different type of litter. However, make sure you don’t switch abruptly; do so gradually.

Scoop out a cup of the old litter and replace it with the new type. Continue this process until the entire litter is replaced, and do so over the course of a few weeks.

Additionally, research the type of litter that would be most effective in preventing odors. It’s also important to note that cats prefer their usual litter, so gradually replace it to avoid upsetting them.

6. Add Baking Soda to the Litter

Using baking soda in the litter box helps control odors. While it may not be as effective as high-quality litter, combining both can be helpful.

You can use it to control odor but don’t rely on it regularly as a substitute for cleaning the box.

Check Out: How to Dispose of Cat Litter: Quick and Hygienic Techniques

How Not to Control Litter Box Smell

When you were searching for how to get rid of cat litter smell fast, you would have found several workarounds online. However, some of these may have potential consequences in the future.

So, you should be aware of which solutions you shouldn’t implement!

1. Never Ignore the Problem

You shouldn’t ignore or avoid the litter box’s foul odor. Your home shouldn’t stink, and neglecting the problem won’t do any good.

2. Don’t Cover The Litter Box

Covering the litter box won’t help keep the smell away. It doesn’t reduce the odor; instead, it traps it in the box, which can also be problematic for your cat.

Cats dislike a foul-smelling box and may start littering outside it.

3. Don’t Use Air Purifying Systems Next To The Litter Box

Air purifying systems eliminate things like pollen and dust particles from the air but don’t fix litter box smells. Therefore, they won’t help in reducing the odor.

The Bottom Line

If you were searching for how to eliminate litter box smell, you would have found your answer! First, check whether the cat has littered inside or outside the box.

If it’s inside, scoop out the litter box frequently or opt for self-cleaning boxes. Regardless of the litter box type, cats may defecate on the sides, so checking and cleaning any stains is essential.

Moreover, cats prefer a larger litter box, which helps keep it less dirty and prevents foul smell buildup. Similarly, using an additional litter box also helps!

And if you are using any scents to keep the smell away, stop doing it now!