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Scented or Unscented Litter? What Is Best For The Cat?

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Scented or Unscented Cat Litter?

Cats have a far keener sense of smell than we do, so it should come as no surprise that cats are sensitive to smells, and that includes scented litter.

Did you know that cats have a more developed sense of smell than some dogs?

Is a scented or unscented litter best for cats? What is best for the cat is an unscented litter. In the litter stakes an unscented litter wins hands down for the cat. Cats have a keen sense of smell. Our human “perfumed” choices will be a problem for some cats.

This quote explains the situation clearly from the cat’s viewpoint.

Humans seem to forget that a cat’s sense of smell is infinitely more sensitive than our own. Add to this the instinctive nature of the cat to be clean and it is easy to see how a dirty litter box often spells disaster.

Think about how a wild cat would handle his bathroom duties. He would not be confined to a 1’ x 2’ bathroom. He would not choose to walk around in his own waste. He would simply choose another plot of land and that “plot of land” could be behind your sofa or in another area of your home.

Dr. Lisa A Pierson at Cat Info
unscented or scented litter for a cat

Scented Or Unscented Litter?

The reason for buying scented litter is not too complicated, we want our homes to smell nice.

A cat litter box needs to be kept scrupulously clean to avoid being smelly, and even then, it is unrealistic to expect that there may not sometimes be an odor.

However, when considering a perfumed litter sometimes the artificial smell of the litter combined with cat pee is not that flash, sort of a double whammy.

If you are already using a scented litter and you and your cat are happy with that, that’s perfectly fine.

Is Unscented Litter Really Odorless?

In regard to cat litter, “unscented” really means that there has been no added fragrance. There will just about always be a slight odor depending on what the litter is made from.

The smell of the cat litter will be a natural smell if it has a base of pine, corn, walnut, clay, wood pulp, and so on. Cat owners often comment on the fragrance of cat litter made with corn as smelling like corn. This is a plus or a minus depending on your preferences.

It is only when an artificial fragrance is added to the litter that then creates a fragrance that is often called a ”fresh” scent for us humans.

Cat Litter odor can be Controlled Without Artificial Ingredients

Read more…

cat litter odor

Which Unscented Litter Is The Best?

An unscented clumping litter ticks all the boxes with the added bonus for many being that clumping litters are easier to scoop.

Litter box problems are common, and sometimes cats will avoid the litter box altogether. The last thing you want to do is discourage the cat from using the litter box. That brings another set of problems.

Just as a smelly, dirty litter box will put the cat off using the box, one that is overly scented may do the same thing.

The easiest and best option is to use unscented cat litter.

We Recommend…

Dr Elsey’s Precious Cat Ultra Clumping Cat Litter

Why do we recommend this litter?

Because it is unscented and it is a clumping litter, there are two big ticks there. It is unscented, so there is no artificial fragrance. Plus, this litter clumps extremely well.

Litter that clumps well makes it easier to pick up kitty poop, and the quicker the kitty poop is gone, the quicker we can return to our normal odor free state.

Now I know you can’t be standing over that litter box all day, ready to pounce, but when it is time for you to scoop, it will be easy peasy. It doesn’t mean the smell has disappeared, but that it will be easy to do a quick clean up job.

It is a low dust litter, even when pouring it into the litter box, and as an added bonus it has very little tracking.

No wonder it is so popular and the price per ounce (as can be seen in the comparison table below) is pretty darn good.

Dr. Elsey's Ultra Premium Clumping Cat Litter, 40 Lb / 18.14 Kg (Pack May Vary)


How To Keep The Litter Box Smelling OK Using Unscented Litter

  1. The solution to keeping the box smelling okay is in large part due to regular scooping so that any odors are minimized. Regular scooping means scooping daily. For some people and for those with more than one cat, it may mean scooping the box more than once per day.

  2. Change the litter often. Your nose will be the judge of this or else just set up a regular cleaning the litter box schedule.

  3. Try putting some baking soda in the bottom of the box. Did you know that it is also a method of controlling refrigerator odors – just leave an open box in the fridge. Toss the baking soda when it has absorbed the fridge odors. I have done this many times and it absolutely works.

  4. Baking soda will not affect your cat in any way. Sprinkle generously into the box when adding litter and give a mix around.

  5. Give the litter tray a good clean when needed and remember to give it a good rinse to get rid of any residual product and fragrance from the cleaning agent.

  6. Think about replacing the litter box. As with other plastic products about the home, eventually we have to trade them in (read as ditch) and buy new ones. Plastic may last for pretty well ever however a plastic litter box will eventually need to be replaced. Plastic can absorb odors and stains can be impossible to remove as plastic gets older.

  7. Consider using a liner in the litter box. It makes it easier to empty the litter and do a quick clean up job is needed. Some liners have elastic around the edge. Liners without elastic can have a tendency to fall back into the box when the cat is scratching about.

More Choices For Unscented Cat Litter

Prices pulled from the Amazon Product Advertising API on:

If You Don’t Like Your Cat Litter, Don’t Ditch It. Look at All Of these Other uses For cat Litter.

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cat litter uses
unscented or scented cat litter
Scented litter clashes with my Chanel No.5
BTW Birthday coming up soon!

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