How to Eliminate Cat Odor and Keep Your Home Fresh

If your home smells strongly after getting a cat, it's likely due to inadequate cleaning. Besides regular ventilation, you can effectively remove odors by regularly cleaning and disinfecting your cat's belongings, bathing your cat, changing the litter box, and ensuring a proper diet.

Why Does My Cat Make My House Smell?

The primary reason for cat odor in your home is the accumulation of waste and bacteria. Addressing this requires a multi-faceted approach.

How to Reduce Cat Odor

Here are some effective strategies to minimize and eliminate cat odor in your home:

1. Adjust the Diet

In the wild, healthy cats typically have minimal-smelling feces to avoid detection by predators. Strong odors in a domestic cat's stool are often due to two factors: poor diet or digestive issues. Cats are obligate carnivores, efficiently digesting animal protein. However, cheaper cat foods often contain low meat content and higher proportions of carbohydrates, which cats find harder to digest, leading to pungent stools. Therefore, opt for high-meat content main meals, wet food, or homemade cat meals. Also, address any digestive problems. Cats with poor digestion have difficulty absorbing nutrients, which also worsens stool odor. Consider using gut health supplements to improve digestion, repair damaged intestinal lining, and promote better nutrient absorption.

2. Regularly Disinfect Your Home

Homes with cats are prone to bacterial growth. Therefore, keep a safe disinfectant on hand. Ideally, choose a plant-based disinfectant with low chemical content, which is safer for both cats and humans. Simply spray disinfectant on areas where your cat spends time, such as their bed or the sofa. Ventilate your home daily, clean regularly, and use disinfectant in corners. Also, regularly wash and sun-dry your cat's bedding and toys.

3. Bathe Your Cat Regularly

Cats naturally produce more oils. Unlike dogs, they typically don’t require frequent bathing, perhaps every 2-3 months, which can contribute to stronger odors. To manage odor between baths, groom your cat daily. When bathing, use a degreasing shampoo to effectively reduce oil and odor buildup.

4. Maintain the Litter Box

Clean the litter box every two to four weeks, removing all old litter and replacing it with fresh litter. This ensures that the litter box doesn’t become a major source of unpleasant odors.

By implementing these practices consistently, you can greatly reduce cat odor and maintain a fresh and pleasant home environment.Read more here:Pet Breeds