File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
Dear /an/,
I have a dilemma.

My roommate is threatening to get rid of my cat on an "either you go, or the cat goes" basis. I can't get another place as this is the only place in town I can currently afford.

The reason is that apparently the cat smells bad.

My question to you that may help save my kitten: How do you make the cat's litter box smell as little as possible? What kitty litter do you use, how much of it? What kind, is there anything else to go in the box?

It's my first kitten, and I'm rather lost on how to handle things.

Please, any help at all.
>> Anonymous
How can you say you love her if you can't even eat her poop?
>> Anonymous
1)Clean it more often
2)Buy fancier litter

Also, put it in the worst room in the house. Like a bathroom or garage or something. Maybe get like a cover or some sort of airfreshner.
>> Anonymous
I use a covered catbox with one of those sticky air fresheners inside. Then I use a litter made for multiple cats (even for one), and make sure to clean the litter box as OFTEN as possible. At least once a day, but more if necessary.

Also, make sure your cat is actually covering the poo. My kitten had issues with that when I first got her.
>> Anonymous
>>125251
Right now I'm using the bottom to a hamster cage... Would a cover makeshift'd from a cardboard box work?
>> Anonymous
Tidy Cats Small Spaces litter works wonders. If you have the time and energy, toilet train your cat.

Does the cat itself smell?

>Right now I'm using the bottom to a hamster cage...

O.o How big is it?
>> Anonymous
>>125260
About 1x2 feet, six cats the same size as mine could easily fit into it, it's also deep.

Cat itself doesn't smell like anything except for normal animal smell.

Also just for reference: I've had this cat now for 20 hours. How do you give it a bath?

yes i am very new at this.
>> Anonymous
Oh, shit, if you are asking about making make-shift cardboard litterbox covers and can only afford one place in town (with a roommate no less), then you probably should get rid of your cat. It's obvious that you would not be able to foot any veterinary bills if he gets sick, and I'm not even sure you could afford regular check-ups and vaccinations. Be kind to your pet and give him to someone who actually has the resources to take care of him.
>> Anonymous
>>125262
Well, it's cuz the rest of the rooms are either full or ungodly expensive, and the box thing was cuz we have tons laying around.

If an emergency for the kitty sprung up I could take her to a vet for sure.
>> Anonymous
>>125266

If you've only had the cat that long, tell your roomie to chill. The bitchiness is not needed, especially since you've not had the cat for a full day yet. Also, someone mentioned the small spaces litter - a definite must.

The cat probably doesn't need a bath - just worry about the litter box for the moment. If nothing else, light a candle under your roomie's nose and tell them to sniff that until you can get the proper litter/box lid.

If you can't tell, I feel your room mate is being extraordinarily stupid/nitpicky/bitchy about the whole situation. Just a little.
>> Anonymous
>>125267
How much does the Small Spaces litter run?
>> Anonymous
>>125269

I'm actually not sure, but I was going off of>>125260's Tidy Cats suggestion. I'm guessing about $10 for a 20lb box/container, though I could be mistaken. There's also Arm and Hammer stuff you can put in the catbox, found in the pet isle of most supermarkets... it really cuts down on the oder, although you have to apply it once or twice a week to the catbox (just dump it in and mix with the remaining litter)
>> Anonymous
If the cat smells that terrible, consider changing its food. Low quality food is like you eating poorly. Your shit stinks if you aren't getting the right nutrition.

If it continues to be out of hand, you might need to see a vet.
>> Anonymous
Forgot to mention: a lot of kittens can be susceptible to stomach problems that will resolve when they are a little older. It's quite hard on a kitty to switch from a diet of milk to eating solid food. If your kitten has stinky, runny bowel movements- feed her a spoonful of pureed, strained pumpkin. Not the pumpkin pie filling, the pure pumpkin stuff.
>> Anonymous
I think the 27lb bucket of Tidy Cats Small Spaces runs about $13.

Other random tips:
- Febreze is not just a /mu/ meme. It works well. The air effects stuff is great for quickly reducing the smell in the air near the box. Keep one in plain sight near the box and see if your roommate figures it out. The stuff for fabrics works well on furniture and stuff.
- Do not get an automatic scoopey box. They clog more often than they work, and also, you can't fill them up really deep, which I find helps.
- Oh yeah, get yourself a deep litter box. I think litter makers recommend like two or three inches of litter. Make it like 4 or 5. Your cat will like it more. The smell will be weaker even if you scoop every day. And it's less noticeable if you miss a day for whatever reason. Booda brand domed litter boxes are good and deep and are also less ugly than most litter boxes.
- Cat food labeled "indoor formula" will make your cat poop less than other cat food (but you should probably wait until he's done with the "kitten formula" phase.)
>> Anonymous
Uhhh

well, if it's a kitten, how old was it separated from its mother? It's possible it wasn't taught how to shit and bury it properly.

Should be at least 6-8 weeks old at separation.
>> Anonymous
LISTEN TO ME AND LISTEN WELL:

IF YOUR CAT "SMELLS" BECAUSE OF IT'S SHIT, I CAN HELP.

*BUY "WORLD'S BEST CAT LITTER" IN MULTIPLE CAT STRENGTH
*BUY NUTRO "INDOOR CAT" PET FOOD FOR KITTENS

The combination of the fucking AWESOME litter with the food makes it WIN. The food purposely makes sure to help the cat's fecal matter less smelly, combined with the impressive litter (in multiple strength) should reduce it drastically!

also clean it regularly or make sure it's XBOX HUEG so the cat has enough space to poop in when you're not around. MAKE SURE IT'S REALLY LARGE SO IT DOESN'T NEED CONSTANT CLEANING IF YOU CAN'T DO THAT. Also don't place it in a room with little to no ventilation.

What litter do you use now? What food? Where's the box? And consider getting a water fountain for cats so it's always drinking water, and will help reduce smell from concentrated waste.
>> Anonymous
>>125344
deep litter box too, as another anon mentioned. deep and big
>> Anonymous
Anons need more information about your cat before we can properly assess if you are doing it wrong. Also, if you signed a lease for the apartment, your roommate can't kick you out. If you didn't, that was a dumb move on your part.
>> Anonymous
Information about the cat:
Kitten might not be the right word for it. I'm not sure quite how old it is, since I adopted it from a friend who was all "Want a cat? It's got all its shots and it's young." Of course since I love cats, I jumped at the offer.

It's not full grown, maybe a youth? It's past its kitten formula phase, though. Knows how to bury stuff properly, and is a boy.

I demonstrated the lack of smell to my roommate after cleaning the litter box and explained that I could do it nightly after brushing my teeth, so he's calmed down about the smell some.

However, when winter comes may be a problem, since we can't open a window if it gets cold since over here it gets down to below killing for weeks at a time. What do I do then?
>> Anonymous
>>125525
Further note: Thank you all so much for all the advice so far.
>> Anonymous
>>125525

Febreze and a quality litter box setup might be able to completely deal with the problem, but if not, look into an air purifier with a carbon filter. (But only if you really need it. Might get pricey and might not be necessary.)
>> Anonymous
You don't even need the Arm and Hammer brand of baking soda: just go for the cheapest baking soda you can find. I have to keep my cats litter box in my bedroom, due to my own living arrangements. I clean it once every day at least, and use maximum strength odour control fancy pantsy multi cat litter.. Plus the baking soda. A little box of it goes for about .98, so I'm sure even you can afford it (and that's how much it is in Canada, anyway).

I'd suggest taking your new kitty to the vet for a checkup anyway. Make sure you get a fecal done so you're 100% certain it doesn't have worms. That can cause smelly cat poop too, plus parasites are also transmissable to humans. Better to be safe than sorry.

Give your roommate some time too, nobody can resist the charm of a kitty. They'll likely warm up to it eventually. Good luck!
>> Anonymous
A quick note:

Baking soda and odor control is a bit of an "old wive's tale". Clever marketing on the part of Arm & Hammer has convinced millions of people that Baking Soda is a magic "odor destroyer". In reality it doesn't do much at all.

For example:
http://www.newton.dep.anl.gov/askasci/chem00/chem00388.htm
>> Anonymous
>>125540

You either don't have multiple cats, or any cat at all. The baking soda has been a major relief in my house - and with 5 cats, that's saying something.

>>125534

Agreed that Febreeze would work as well, just make sure to get the 'air' one, and not the regular furniture one. :)
>> Anonymous
http://youtube.com/watch?v=04OUkaiDXrs

hahahha, OH WOW, this guy has to wake up to this uggo every morning.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>> Anonymous
It's not a wives tale, it's true. I had problems with the scent of the litter box until I sprinkled baking soda in it. It's not as though that unpleasant smell simply drifted away. It's not due to nasal fatigue, either. It works.
>> Anonymous
try some 9mm pills
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Line the bottom of the litter box with dry leaves from some kind of tree, then add litter. No more smell.
>> Anonymous
http://www.petmate.com/Catalog.plx?ID=1600

I got one of these, since I'm lazy and don't like taking the cat poop to the trash can everyday. With one cat, I empty the roll-o-poop once a week. With this, and baking soda in very inexpensive scoopable kitty litter, there is absolutely no litterbox smell in my small apartment.

You need 2-3 inches of litter in the box and about a cup of baking soda per change of litter.

Good luck with your new cat!
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
Personally, I use this all natural cedar sawdust stuff. It's $3 for a huge bag. I use a covered litterbox with a door and it has a charcoal air filter.
Works wonders. I only change the box once a week and I have two cats.
>> Anonymous
I have four cats. We stay on top of the boxes as much as we can. I use a multiple cat formula. I like Tidy Cat for small spaces, it clumps well.

Scoop the box at least once a day for maximum odor elimination. Use a deep box, with a lot of litter. The more litter there is, the better your cat will cover things. Covered boxes are good, too, they make some really nice ones with filters in them. I also sometimes sprinkle ammonia-absorbing chips (made for aquarium use) in the litter to help when there's "high traffic" in the box. It would also be prudent to have two boxes.

She may also get less stinky with time, as she adjusts to the food and environment.