Do you have cats? I need tips.

@ravinskye (8237)
United States
January 19, 2009 8:10am CST
My daughter really wants a cat. I miss having cats around and I figure they are lower maintenance then a puppy lol. My only concern is the litter box. My MIL has one cat in her motor home. the whole motor home smells like kitty litter. I don't want my house to smell. So what are your tips for keeping my house fresh? Is there a litter you recommend or a good place to put the box? Our laundry room is pretty big and open so I thought I could put it there. What are your tips for keeping inside cats? We'll probably get two, one for each of our girls.
5 people like this
15 responses
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
20 Jan 09
Sounds as though your Mother-in-Law doesn't clean her litter box properly. If your daughter is old enough, that could become her job. I have 2 teenage kittens (almost cats). Since I can't seem to stay off myLot, I was not always prompt on cleaning the box. So, recognizing my own laziness, I purchased a Litter Maid. It's a self cleaning litter box. You have to use the clumping litter for it to work properly. (I suggest the clumping litter for ALL boxes.) Within 10 minutes of being used, it has a rake that sweeps the box lifting the waste from the box, disposing of it in a disposal box. You have the option of popping a lid on the disposal box & throwing it all away daily. Due to the cost, I opt to empty the disposal box into a trash bag & reuse it until it wears out. I have been known to be able to have a disposal box last for a month before wearing out. I've also had some last less than a week. These guys were neutered when I got them from the shelter, so I've not had a problem with them spraying (atleast not yet anyway). Any time I get a hint of cat odor. I spray the area with the pump Febreze. This quickly breaks up that horrid smell. I had one cat before that sprayed my bathroom throw rug. After washing it, I still could smell his deposit. Once again, I turned to the pump Febreze & the odor completely disappeared. The spray Febreze doesn't work as it is more of a smell cover up that stinks instead of a smell destroyer. So buy a bottle or maybe 2 of pump Febreze, get your daughter the kitten she so wants, & enjoy the new addition to your household. I also suggest you have atleast 1 spray/stream bottle that you can fill with water. When they act up, a quick squirt of water will get their attention & make their antics seem less like fun. I do hope you enjoy your new addition!!!
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
20 Jan 09
Thanks! I can't wait to tell her she can get it. I think that i am going to go with the litter maid also.
1 person likes this
@LadyMarissa (12148)
• United States
20 Jan 09
If you have a Wal~Mart nearby, that was where I found the best price on the Litter Maid & the containers. I do hope you & your daughter enjoy your pending fur babies!!!
@dawnald (85129)
• Shingle Springs, California
20 Jan 09
Mine are in my laundry room and upstairs in the bonus room. I use Scoop Away and sometimes a litter deodorizer. Scoop frequently, like daily if you can. There probably is a little bit of an odor (that non cat owners can pick up) but I don't notice it.
1 person likes this
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
20 Jan 09
Thanks. I guess I'll have to consider putting a box upstairs too.
1 person likes this
@lvaldean (1612)
• United States
20 Jan 09
I have three cats now, but have had up to five. My oldest passed away last year at 23 but I still have her daughter who is 20. Then I have my two youngsters who are 7, not related. We have a large house and what we found is the older ones didn't like sharing with the younger ones and for some reason the females didn't like following the male. When we first brought back the two younger ones from Singapore we had a mess on our hands for a few weeks believe me. Now I have two self-cleaning litter boxes. One I keep in the laundry room and one is in the bath off of my office. I use Tidy Cats Small Spaces Clumping Litter, which I found works the best with the boxes. I add litter about twice a week, dump the catch about the same when I am home (once a week when I travel). Then every week I try to do about a 70% change of the litter itself. I love the self cleaning boxes they are really wonderful for someone like me who works away from home a lot.
1 person likes this
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
20 Jan 09
I'm considering the self cleaning ones too. I am starting to work more and with 3 kids i'm afraid i'll forget about the litter too often. and the kids aren't really old enough to help with it yet.
@TheCatLady (4691)
• Israel
20 Jan 09
I use pine litter. It doesn't smell. Just scoop the poops and mix and the box stays fresh for a whole week. Scooping litter is also good. You scoop out all the waste products. Un-neutered males can make the house smell. Have all your pets sterilized as young as possible. If it weren't for all the cat hair, no one would no I have 15 cats in the house.
1 person likes this
@Krissta (90)
• Canada
19 Jan 09
I have two cats, that both use a litter box. I find that if you scoop it once a day and change the litter once a week, there is very little to no smell at all from them. Or you can always invest in a litter box that does the cleaning for you ( I have seen them for approx. $100, but personally I think thats absurd for something cats poop in). I also add half a cup of baking soda to the litter. I dont know if it actually does anything but it keeps the icky smells out of my fridge so it cant hurt in a really smelly place like a litter box.
1 person likes this
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
19 Jan 09
Thanks for the tips. I have seen those self cleaning litter boxes too. they might be useful for someone who is working alot I guess but I can't see spending the money on it. I'll have to stock up on the baking soda.
• United States
19 Jan 09
I have had my two cats for 11 years - WOW! They use the litter box, which is placed in an inconspicuous place in the apartment. This apartment is the best so far because I am able to put the box behind semi-closed doors of a laundry area. It is a laminate floor, which helps with any clean-ups. I also have a broom, mop and bucket, and litter accessories (bags, scooper, gloves) handy for any circumstance. I prefer the clumping litter to clay. I have many allergies, including cats, and this is the best option for low dust control. My current brand of liter is multi-cat Tidy Cat scoop (blue or red). It is rare that I smell any odors, and when I do the litter is cleaned and/or replaced. Make sure that bleach is nearby for when you clean a dirty litter box. It helps to let it soak and then dry it with a paper towel, if necessary. I use a extra large hooded box, which provides enough room for my indoor cats. In the summer, I have even opened the patio door for them to go outside and use the box. I got away from that because bugs and whatnot can get in the litter to make cats sick or whatever.
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
19 Jan 09
Thanks for the response! I'll have to start getting everything ready for them before we go get them.
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
21 Feb 09
We have two cats in our home. We use Tidy Cats for multiply cats. On thing that we found out was the cat litter box itself will absorb the pee odor. So we use Scrubbing bubbles bathroom cleaner to clean the litter box about once ever couple weeks. That helps also with the odors. The cats do not mind the scrubbing bubbles and it disinfects while deodorizing. Enjoy your cats. We love ours.
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
19 Jan 09
Ping and Pong - a pair of brothers we have
My house smells of cat, but I have too many and am not dilegent about the boxes. If you do get 2, get siblings or 2 that have already been together, keeps the fighting down.
@ravinskye (8237)
• United States
19 Jan 09
Ok thanks. We probably will end up with siblings that way they are the same age too.
1 person likes this
@ElicBxn (63194)
• United States
19 Jan 09
Ping was so dependent on Pong when he was a kitten, and the roomie wanted to keep Ping (the one with his eyes open) that we ended up with Pong as well. And they are both wonderful cats.
• United States
19 Jan 09
None of my cats had been together before we got them, but they bonded very quickly and are very close with each other. You'd never know they're not brothers. I do have to suggest though, not getting a female. Females are very territorial, and they are typically the fighters. Males may have a bit of tension at first, but it goes away quickly. Females can continue to fight for years, even if they are siblings. You truly can not have more than 1 female in a house.
1 person likes this
• United States
31 Dec 10
I made the mistake of adopting one baby boy kitten about 12 years ago and it's been all down hill from there. Growing up, we weren't allowed to have cats, just an outdoor dog. And, it was nice, but I always wanted a cat. I'm a certified cat person, meaning I love cats with all my heart. They are such amazing little people. Before i had my daughter, I treated my two oldest cats like my children. After she was born, I didn't pay as much attention to the cats, no long grooming sessions. Just lots and lots of baby diaper changing and burping! As for cat litter, you really do need to get scoopable cat litter that can suppress the pee and poop smell, not just the pee smell. Otherwise your house WILL smell like cat poop all the time. This I know from solid experience. Of course, I have four indoor cats, so it's worse for me. The cat fights usually kick in with the third cat. Wish I had stopped at two cats. They just kept showing up on my doorstep. And, my daughter kept adopting them. Anyway, back to the cat litter. Buy some carpet deodorizer and sprinkle over the cat litter. That will keep the stinky smell down. Scoop once or twice a day and keep the litter box at least four inches full of scoopable cat litter. That's my best advice.
• Philippines
20 Jan 09
i really don't like cats..maybe because their poops smells so bad.. and very yucky.. and i am sorry, i could not advice anything. just take care of the cat. hehe
1 person likes this
@ersmommy1 (12588)
• United States
30 Jan 09
LitterMaid cat box - It scoops itself
I am a previous owner of several cats. Not at one time however. 2 tops has been the limit. Sound like your MIL needs to be more diligent about her cat box. I see no one came up with my solution. It's a bit over $100 but in the long run worth the price. A LitterMaid self cleaning cat box. They sell at WalMart and other stores. They are terrific. They auto scoop the waste every time the cat "goes"You just empty the receptacle every other day. And then replace the scoopable cat litter.
19 Jan 09
No I don't have cats and have never owned one either so unfortunately not really sure what advice to give except to say that a room that is big and airy is probably a good idea! x
@JenInTN (27514)
• United States
22 Mar 09
I liked to use Tidy Cat for multiple cats when I had mine. Also...if the cat is male..he will tend to spray even after you have him neutered. That can cause a urine small. I made my girls scoop out the litter pan every other day and this can help too. All in all if you keep up with the changes and scooping..you shouldn't have to worry to much about an odor.
@Lindery (853)
• Latvia
20 Jan 09
I have a cat, used to be two in the same time. We live in an apartment and our place doesn't stink. We change cat's litter box once a week. We have tried to use sands soaked in parfume but it turn out that it stinks more than using plain cat's sands. Maybe it's because (sorry) cat's bog together with smelly stuff is worse to smell! I think that kids have to grow up with pets, either cats or dogs. It teaches them hot to take care of someone. Don't worry about a smell, just keep the litter box clean and let your girls enjoy little fairy things!
• China
19 Jan 09
i have raised kittens,i think it is very cute,but it will linting,sometimes it will also claws, so iam not raised