Cat help-- I am about to be the worst mom ever

[DesertBlossom]

A few weeks ago I let my kids get 2 kittens. We set up a litter box in the bathroom. One of the 2 has had a couple discovered accidents which were cleaned up. They sleep every night in the bathroom and we try to watch them closely when they are out. They do plenty of business in the litter box. But I am freaking out because I feel like the entire upstairs stinks like cats now. My daughter cleans out the litter box daily and completely replaces the litter every few days, including some magical kitty litter stink remover. I am not sure it isn't just the smell of the litter or the food or the cats themselves, but everytime I get a whiff of something cat related I internally threaten to get rid of them. 

Ultimately I would like to make them outside cats but right now it's hot as hades and we don't have much shade in the backyard. We have a double-flapped doggy door and they manage to get back IN to the house but I doubt they'd be as motivated to go back out to go potty. 

The internet says cat pee shows up under a black light but that's either not true, or they're actually only using the litter. BUT WHY THE SMELL? Maybe I am just overly sensitive to the litter box but GAH. 

Apparently I am not a cat person. Or have had too many cat-hoarding relatives to think this wasa good idea.

My kids would be devastated if I got rid of them, but...

 

[itsheresomewhere]

Try a high quality food.  While you think it might not make a difference but when we had a cat it did.  The cheap ones made her pee stinky and we cleaned that box well. Also, try another type of litter. 

I highly recommend washing the litter box every couple of days.  We had two and one would be scrub outside and sat in the sun while the other one was in use.

[Um_2_4]

We just got a kitten 3 weeks ago from the shelter. I agree with the suggestion to try a different food. We got grain free salmon food and I can not smell a thing. Also I would add at least 1 more litter box. I thought the recommendation was 1 box per cat plus 1 more. We have 2 boxes, 1 upstairs and 1 downstairs. Our neighbor with 3 older cats has 4.

And we just got the inexpensive clumping Wal-Mart brad for litter, but try a couple brands.

[Pawz4me]

Agree that a food change might help. Ditto trying some different litters. Some really are better than others at reducing odor. Also, kitten poo is just really, really stinky no matter what you do. It almost always improves a lot when they get a little older. I'd also double check that additive. Some of them just make things worse IME.

[klmama]

The smell of cat litter is always more noticeable when it's humid.  

[Selkie]

Try cleaning the litter boxes more often. I clean our litter boxes several times a day, whenever I walk by and see that they've been used. That seems to keep them smelling better than just cleaning once a day.

[klmama]

Also, the black light trick really does work, so it's good you aren't seeing anything.  

[DesertBlossom]

I bought some Under the Sun grain free stuff which I think they said was the same maker as Canidae? Not terrible stuff anyway. Plus some canned food that we mixed in with it. 

 

I will try more litter boxes. Sob. 

 

I don't think I am meant to be a cat mom.

[Um_2_4]

I would skip the canned food for now. My understanding is kittens don't need it baring some medical condition. 

 

[hippiemamato3]

2 cats = 3 litter boxes 

[Garga]

Whenever I’ve tried unscented litter it STINKS.  The litter from Aldi STUNK.  Terrible.  Makes me wrinkle my nose just thinking about it.

I have 5 cats and am constantly battling smells, but I love my kitties so I just deal with it.  Others have given you good advice so far.

 

You said there were some accidents?  Were they wee accidents?  If so, the smell might still be on the floor.  A product called Nature’s Miracle is designed to chemically break down the urine to remove the smell.  Sometimes (most times) that’s the only thing that will do the trick to fully remove the smell from a surface.  

[ktgrok]

What brand litter do you have?

[Terabith]

Nature's Miracle is also good for cleaning.

[DesertBlossom]

I bought a Tidy Cat brand litter. 

And the known accidents were on a leather couch (poo), on a mattress that I soaked with Nature's miracle and a sheet that has since been washed. So I don't think those are what still smells. 

Where on earth do I put that many kitty litter boxes? I cloth diapered 6 kids so I am not squeamish about poo, but I don't know that I want litter boxes decorating my house. I don't feel like I have that many spots that are out of the way and not in the open. 

 

[DesertBlossom]

I just now picked up another litter box (that makes 2) and a couple bags of walmarts cheap bags that cost like $3 each. The tidy cat stuff is going to get expensive changing it out every 3 days.

[DesertBlossom]

44 minutes ago, Um_2_4 said:

I would skip the canned food for now. My understanding is kittens don't need it baring some medical condition. 

 

The lady at the pet food store said cats "need" wet canned food because they won't drink water. I feel like maybe I just got scammed.

[DesertBlossom]

2 hours ago, Selkie said:

Try cleaning the litter boxes more often. I clean our litter boxes several times a day, whenever I walk by and see that they've been used. That seems to keep them smelling better than just cleaning once a day.

I thought DD was doing a great job cleaning it once a day. I hope she loves these cats enough to do it several times a day.

[Tanaqui]

1. All cats are better with wet food. Dry food not only has too much plant matter in it - cats are obligate carnivores - but it increases the risk of dehydration. Cats frequently don't drink enough on their own. If you can feed them wet food, continue to do so.

2. One litter box for two cats is not optimal. Ideally, for N cats you want N + 1 litter boxes or more if it's a large house. And the boxes need to be plenty large to accommodate the kitties, plus not too public, plus cleaned frequently. You don't want to pee in a dirty bathroom, and you don't actually have to stand in the toilet to do it either! Cats are no different. They like to use a bathroom, but only if it's clean and they don't have to think about sharing it with others.

3. If these cats have not been fixed, get on that, stat - especially if they're toms. Unaltered cats have more pee incidents, and their pee is smellier (again, especially toms).

4. Kittens need to be potty trained just like children do. How old are these kitties anyway?

[Tanaqui]

Quote

The lady at the pet food store said cats "need" wet canned food because they won't drink water. I feel like maybe I just got scammed.

 

No, she's quite right. Cats should have wet food. They don't drink as much water as they should, and many kitties go through life mildly dehydrated. Plus, again, cats should not have grains - which are a prime ingredient in kibble! - or, ideally, any plant matter. They're carnivores. They should eat meat, and maybe some fish and eggs now and again as a treat. Unless you plan to cook for your cats, that means wet food. (And ideally, wet food without food coloring, which is a carcinogen for cats and utterly unnecessary. Because they're colorblind.)

[Tanaqui]

Quote

Where on earth do I put that many kitty litter boxes? I cloth diapered 6 kids so I am not squeamish about poo, but I don't know that I want litter boxes decorating my house. I don't feel like I have that many spots that are out of the way and not in the open. 

 

My kids each have a box in their bedrooms, because "their" cats don't like the other animals in the house much. We have one  in the bathroom, one in the attic, one in the back hall, and we're putting one in the basement. We actually don't have that many cats, but we'd rather be overstocked.

And we use pine pellet litter. We find it holds the smell better than clay litters (and you can add a little baking soda to help if you like) plus it's affordable and better for the environment.

[ktgrok]

Is the male cat neutered? Tom cat pee STINKS. WAY more than regular cat pee. 

Also, sorry to say it, but cheap cat litter is NOT a savings in my opinion. You shouldn't ahve to totally change it all the time though. You want one that clumps hard so you can scoop it and get the pee out, and then top off with fresh litter. It should smell fresh as soon as you scoop it if it is doing it's job and clumping well. I only use Slide litter at this point. It's worth the extra money. 

[ktgrok]

Just now, Tanaqui said:

 

My kids each have a box in their bedrooms, because "their" cats don't like the other animals in the house much. We have one  in the bathroom, one in the attic, one in the back hall, and we're putting one in the basement. We actually don't have that many cats, but we'd rather be overstocked.

And we use pine pellet litter. We find it holds the smell better than clay litters (and you can add a little baking soda to help if you like) plus it's affordable and better for the environment.

Some cats won't use it though, as it is a bit harder on the feet. I've seen several cats reject it and start peeing on floors instead. 

[DesertBlossom]

They are 2 female cats. Sisters, from the same litter. I am not sure how old. 3 months? Maybe 4? They are still pretty small.

How old do they need to be to get fixed?

[Tanaqui]

Twelve weeks is late enough - and the evidence increasingly suggests that pediatric neutering is better than waiting until puberty. They recover faster, with fewer complications.

Quote

Some cats won't use it though, as it is a bit harder on the feet. I've seen several cats reject it and start peeing on floors instead. 

 

True, and if your cat really doesn't like it you should stick to something familiar. My cats don't have this problem, but cats can be so picky about their litterboxes! Edit: Though if you really are concerned about the environment and want to keep trying, you might try sawdust instead before going back to clay litter, or mixed with it.

[Pawz4me]

25 minutes ago, DesertBlossom said:

The lady at the pet food store said cats "need" wet canned food because they won't drink water. I feel like maybe I just got scammed.

No, you didn’t get scammed. She gave you good advice. 

[Rachel]

Try a different litter. I am not a cat person at all (I was almost scared of them but not quite) but my kids finally talked me into one. We ended up with sisters from the same litter. It took me trying a few different litters before I found one that the smell didn’t bother me. We scoop it daily and add a little fresh litter every few days. Hang in there!

[Garga]

i just bought my cats a cat water fountain last week.  They drink from it constantly, like they never drank from the bowl.  (Cats prefer running water instinctively.). 

When I had a cat that my vet thought might be dehydrated because his pee was stinky and a somewhat darkish color, she recommended wet food and the water fountain, because as the vet put it scientifically, “dry food is just so dry.”  ?. 

 

ETA:  For anyone curious: I got this fountain.  It comes with charcoal filters, but the paperwork that came with the fountain said you don’t really need them.  They’re to make the water taste fresher.  Right now, I plan on simply changing the water often enough that it stays fresh.  And I chose stainless steel because plastic fountains can harbor mold if they get small scratches on their surface.  https://www.chewy.com/drinkwell-zen-pet-fountain-1-gal/dp/48100?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Drinkwell&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwpvzZBRCbARIsACe8vyKcieMloofQ1c85e1sURQJyjXZrDJsYLLqSqzQ1HMExXfdXmGv6pn8aAuuTEALw_wcB

[Tanaqui]

Yes, if your cat has trouble drinking a fountain is a good step! Certainly cheaper than leaving a tap running, and less annoying than that one cat I have who, until we got her a fountain, would dash into the bathroom every time one of us went in there to pee and stare at us until we turned the water in the sink on for her. AWKWARD. And, like with the boxes, some cats find it easier if there are multiple water bowls/fountains, especially with multiple cats or a large home. I will also note that some cats dislike having their water bowl too near their food dish. Like with the running water, this appears to be some kitty psychology to convince them that the water is clean - dead animals in water are gross! To round this all out, many cats prefer to eat and drink out of wide, flat bowls because smaller ones pinch their whiskers a bit.

[jewellsmommy]

I, personally, hate Tidy cat litter. You may need to just experiment with litter. I like Scoop Away clumping litter. Arm and Hammer clumping litters are also good. The cat boxes are in the bathrooms, so I just scoop a little each time I go in. I have a cat Genie next to each box and really like it. That way I can scoop without planning in advance -don't have to go get a bag etc. And I don't waste a whole bag for 2-3 clumps. I have three cats and they all seem to prefer the downstairs box.

[GailV]

We're currently using the Target brand litter, and everyone here is fine with it.  I dislike scented litter, and I've heard that cats don't like it either. 

I have a litter box under the utility sink in the laundry room.  Another is in the utility area of the basement. Another in a closet. Two cats.

Water dishes are in the kitchen, on the landing of the basement stairs, and on the back porch (that last one is a neighborhood sensation, attracting other cats, an occasional raccoon, and even had a frog hanging out in it one night)  

Definite "yes" to the canned food/hydration comment being legit. Dry food is a treat at our house. Food does make a difference in litter box smell, and also in dander.  

[Mergath]

My guess is that the problem is the litter boxes being in the bathroom. Nothing makes litter boxes stink like humidity, and bathrooms are humid. Can you try putting them in a less damp area and see if that makes any difference? 

Also, you just have to accept that when you have multiple cats, you're going to get a whiff of cat smell on occasion. That's life with animals. I will say that we have four cats and our home is 1000 sq ft, and I still find our cats way less stinky that other peoples' dogs. ? I love dogs, but they stink.

[Ausmumof3]

My cat can't tolerate most commercial wet foods so we have to stick with dry but I find grain free is worth the extra expense because it reduces urinating, hair balling and digestive issues

also if you haven't tried the crystal litters it's so worth it!  They are far less smelly than clay or paper types and some at least are biodegradable. 

But even so there is some smell and that's why we won't have a cat again.  I thought we'd have outdoor cats before I learned more about the environmental impact so now we will let out friend live out her days indoors but I don't want to deal with a cat in the house again.

[Pawz4me]

I suspect the humidity of the bathroom is contributing to odor, too.

I find scented cat litter absolutely disgusting, and no cat expert I've ever read believes that cats like it. I can't imagine how awful that horrible perfume must smell to most cats' noses that are so much more powerful than our pitiful human ones. And instead of just cat box odor you get cat box odor and nasty artificial, chemical perfume odor to add to the (not) loveliness. Ick.

When we had cats I always  experimented with different litters (thankfully I had cats who weren't picky except for none of the awful scented stuff), but I always came back to Dr. Elsey's. I never could find anything that beat it. The thing is with cat litter some are better at odor control, some are better at not tracking, some are less dusty, some clump better. So you have to figure out what your (and your cats') priorities are and go from there.

[Carrie12345]

The main odor I pick up from my cat is his wet food. The scent makes me gag, and it wafts pretty far!  Fortunately, he's pretty much an eat when it's put down cat, so it usually only lasts a few minutes unless the kids are lazy about rinsing and tossing the cans.

We use unscented Precious Kitty litter in an open area of our house.  It doesn't stink unless I've delayed cleaning it.

I've owned 5 cats over my lifetime and never noticed any odor from the animals, themselves.  I suppose I could be desensitized at this point, but cats are pretty darn clean!

[Carrie12345]

Adding: scented litter disgusts me. I'm sensitive to perfumy stuff, and would probably feel like THAT smell was following me arounnd the house.

[ktgrok]

9 hours ago, jewellsmommy said:

I, personally, hate Tidy cat litter. You may need to just experiment with litter. I like Scoop Away clumping litter. Arm and Hammer clumping litters are also good. The cat boxes are in the bathrooms, so I just scoop a little each time I go in. I have a cat Genie next to each box and really like it. That way I can scoop without planning in advance -don't have to go get a bag etc. And I don't waste a whole bag for 2-3 clumps. I have three cats and they all seem to prefer the downstairs box.

Agree totally. Tidy cat sucks, really. No odor control, and not great clumping. Scoop Away was my preference until Arm and Hammer came out with their newer ones, the Slide one is amazing. Clumps really hard and never sticks to the side of the box so you don't end up with a layer of yuck in there. Seriously, OP, if you try that one you may not need to be dumping it all the time. It's not meant to be dumped all the time. 

[Reefgazer]

A high protein diet will make cat poo stink worse; change the food to one with lower protein content.

 

Change your litter; this is one time when you pay more, you'll get quality litter.  We use Fresh Step Triple Action; make sure it's scoopable litter.  We only have one liter box for 2 cats and it works fine; no stank.  We have 2 cats, one of whom shits like a racehorse, and I have had people surprised I have 2 cats because they can't smell them.  Also, when you kids clean the litter box, get a metal scoop and teach them to dig down deep to remove every bit of waste, even the stuff in the corners. 

 

I agree with the bathroom space and humidity hypothesis, as well.

 

I wouldn't discount the fact that cats are all biologically unique and some just may stink more than others.  But I'd start with lower-protein food and higher quality litter.  An outdoor cat that has shelter, food, and vet care is fine.  My outdoor cats have all been less crazy and more chill than my indoor ones, so if you need to go that way, I wouldn't feel guilty unless you live on a high traffic street.

[popmom]

I hate the Tidy Cat litter. It doesn't clump at all, so when I go to scoop the "clumps" of urine, they disintegrate and release a smell so strong it makes my eyes water. I can't wait to dump it. I have had much better luck with Dr. Elsey's precious cat litter. I'm sticking with it from now own--even if it means an extra trip to the pet supple store. 

Also, definitely get at least one more litter box.

If you have quality litter, you don't have to completely change it out all the time. You just scoop and add more as needed. The Tidy Cats on the other hand..it's just nasty with urine now, and it all has to go. Yuck.

Enjoy the kitties. Ours are very entertaining!

[Terabith]

It’s also possible that your cats might need a bath, especially if they came from a shelte.  They probably wouldn’t like it but might give you some clarity about the source of the smell. Are you currently pregnant?  My nose was so annoying the 

[TechWife]

I can’t stand scoopable litter, I thinks it’s gross. With clay, litter liquid waste evaporates and I don’t have to worry about scooping it. With Fresh Step it doesn’t have an odor and I just have to scoop poop. With scoopable litter, it’s like digging out cement and it stirs up the stink. Yuck. You might want to try different litters until you find one both you and your cats can tolerate.

[Barb_]

We use scoop away litter, hard clumping and just add on new as needed. You may want to look into these clever cat litter boxes while your cats are still young and trainable. https://www.chewy.com/clevercat-top-entry-litterbox/dp/133367?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Clevercat&utm_term=&gclid=Cj0KCQjwvqbaBRCOARIsAD9s1XBP83i3SS2FMlQXxSw8fGS_Pkg_AQgXWbAOhkgnncPvoEjRUFdjYhIaAuPYEALw_wcB They do a great job of keeping both litter and smell in. The cat jumps into the hole and can do his business without being trapped in there with the smell and dust as with other hooded boxes. 

I second the wet or grain free food and the water fountain. Also hate tidy cat and have had good luck with scoop away. We live in an 800sqft apt in the summer and the cat box never smells, even in the summer. 

[Suzanne in ABQ]

You got lots of good advice re food and litter.  I just wanted to reiterate that cat urine will, indeed, light up like a Christmas tree under a black light.  If you walk around in the dark with a black light flashlight, and you don't see anything, you are in good shape.