How to Get Rid of Litter Box Smell Without Putting Your Cat Off the Box

To get rid of litter box smell, take the waste out before it can build up: scoop at least once a day, then wash the box and replace all the litter on a regular schedule. Use unscented litter in an open, roomy box, one per cat plus one, and clean the box and any accidents with products that don’t smell of urine or perfume.

Masking the smell is the tempting shortcut, and the one to skip. The ASPCA and International Cat Care both warn that scented products can put a cat off the box, which trades a smelly box for a smelly carpet. The fixes that work mostly cost nothing.

Why your litter box smells

When and where the smell shows up usually points to the cause.

What you notice	Likely cause	Start with
The smell builds within a day of scooping	Waste sitting too long, or too few boxes	Scooping twice a day, and adding a box
It smells even after a full litter change	An old box that holds odor, or urine outside the box	Replacing the box, and checking the floor and wall around it
It’s strongest when you lift the lid	A covered box holding the smell in	Scooping more often, and offering an open box alongside
The smell is next to the box, not in it	Urine on the floor, the wall, or a nearby rug	An enzymatic cleaner
You’re scooping more clumps, or bigger ones	Your cat may be urinating more	A call to your vet

Step 1: Scoop at least once a day

Waste that sits is the main source of the smell, and a common reason cats start avoiding a box. Cornell’s Feline Health Center says many cats object to foul odors, and International Cat Care says cats are less likely to use a tray that’s already soiled.

• Scoop every day, or twice a day. The ASPCA says at least once a day. International Cat Care suggests at least twice, which is worth trying if the smell builds quickly.
• Top up the litter as you go. The ASPCA and Cornell both say most cats prefer about 1–2 in, so top up to that depth rather than piling it high.
• Get the waste out of the room. As a rule of thumb, bag the clumps and take them to an outdoor bin or a lidded trash can. Keeping a scoop and bags by the box makes the job take a minute. If space is tight, see our ideas for storing cleaning tools without a closet.

Step 2: Replace the litter and wash the box on a schedule

Scooping removes the clumps, but the rest of the litter wears out too. How often to change all of it depends on your litter and how many cats share the box:

• The ASPCA suggests washing every box and replacing the litter completely once a week.
• International Cat Care says every 2–4 weeks for clumping litter that’s scooped at least twice a day, and weekly for non-clumping litter. It suggests cleaning more often if your cat has a medical or stress-related problem.
• Cornell offers a simple test: change the litter often enough that it looks and smells dry and clean, and more often the more cats you have.

As a rule of thumb, start with a weekly change and stretch it only if the box still smells clean at the end of the week.

To wash the box, empty it and scrub it with warm water and unscented soap, as the ASPCA suggests, or a gentle detergent, as Cornell suggests. Rinse and dry it thoroughly, as International Cat Care advises, before refilling it.

Replace a box that still smells after washing. Cornell advises replacing old boxes that smell or are cracked. As a rule of thumb, scratches worn into old plastic hold residue that scrubbing doesn’t reach.

Step 3: Switch to unscented litter, and skip the perfume

Scented litter seems like the obvious fix, but it’s aimed at your nose, not your cat’s.

• Choose unscented litter. The ASPCA says cats usually prefer it and suggests trying it if you’ve been using a scented one. Cornell says most cats prefer an unscented, finer-textured litter.
• Skip litter deodorizers and strongly scented sprays. International Cat Care says cats can find these scents overpowering, and that scented litter, deodorants, or strong-smelling disinfectants may put a scent-sensitive cat off the tray. As a rule of thumb, keep plug-in air fresheners away from the box too.
• Consider clumping litter. As a rule of thumb, it lets you lift urine out every day, instead of leaving it in the box until the next full change.
• Change litter gradually. Our guide to stopping cat litter tracking explains how to test a new one without upsetting your cat.

Buying criteria

Choosing unscented clumping litters

• Labeled unscented or fragrance-free
• Clumping, with a fine, sand-like texture
• Low dust

• Scented or perfumed litters
• Switching all at once

We haven’t verified specific products here yet, so we list criteria instead of guessing.

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Search results aren’t vetted by us, so check each listing against the criteria above. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Step 4: Give your cats enough boxes, in the right places

• One box per cat, plus one. The ASPCA, Cornell, and International Cat Care all recommend it, and International Cat Care suggests spreading them around the home rather than side by side. More boxes means less use per box between scoops.
• Choose an open box, big enough for your cat. Cornell says most cats prefer an uncovered box that lets odors escape. International Cat Care notes that a covered tray keeps the smell in for us, which makes regular scooping all the more important, and recommends a box about 1.5 times your cat’s length from nose to base of tail.
• Skip liners. The ASPCA says most cats don’t like box liners or lids, and International Cat Care says claws catching in plastic liners can be unpleasant for cats.
• Pick a quiet spot away from food. Cornell says most cats prefer a quiet, private location separate from their feeding area. The ASPCA suggests accessible spots away from busy, loud places like the spot next to the washer and dryer.
• In a small apartment, give the smell somewhere to go. As a rule of thumb, a spot with some airflow beats a closed closet or cabinet, where the smell concentrates and your cat can get shut out.

If litter scatter is part of the problem, the Fix Finder for litter tracking ranks box, litter, and mat changes for your setup, and our guide to sizing a litter mat covers the floor just outside the box.

Step 5: Find and clean urine outside the box

If the smell lingers after you’ve cleaned the box, check the floor under and beside it, the wall behind it, the mat, and any rug nearby. Urine there will go on smelling long after the box is clean.

1. Clean it as soon as you find it. Cornell says cleaning is most effective soon after something is soiled, and that odors must be neutralized, not just deodorized, to escape a cat’s keen sense of smell.
2. Use an enzymatic cleaner made for pet urine. The ASPCA recommends an enzymatic cleanser designed to neutralize pet odors, and International Cat Care recommends enzymatic cleaners made to remove the stain and odor. Follow the label, and test it on a hidden spot first.
3. Skip ammonia. The ASPCA explains that urine contains ammonia, so cleaning with an ammonia-based product could attract your cat back to the same spot. International Cat Care says the same, and Cornell adds vinegar to the list.
4. Keep bleach out of it. Urine contains ammonia, and Poison Control warns that bleach and ammonia make chloramine gas, so don’t pour bleach on urine or combine it with any other cleaner.

Buying criteria

Choosing enzymatic pet odor cleaners

• Labeled as an enzymatic cleaner for pet urine
• Directions for your surface, with a spot-test step
• Unscented or only lightly scented

• Ammonia-based cleaners, which smell like urine
• Mixing it with bleach or any other cleaner

We haven’t verified specific products here yet, so we list criteria instead of guessing.

Search Amazon for “enzymatic cleaner for cat urine” (opens in a new tab; affiliate link)

Search results aren’t vetted by us, so check each listing against the criteria above. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Then find out why it happened. The ASPCA says the first step is to rule out urine marking and medical problems.

If you’re pregnant or have a weakened immune system

Mistakes to avoid

• Covering the smell instead of removing it. Scented litter, deodorizers, and sprays can put your cat off the box without dealing with the waste.
• Cleaning with ammonia, vinegar, or disinfectants that turn cloudy in water, or mixing bleach with anything. See the safety note in step 2.
• One box for several cats, or food bowls beside the box. The ASPCA, Cornell, and International Cat Care all advise against both.
• Hiding the box where your cat won’t go. The ASPCA says boxes belong in accessible locations, however tempting a back closet is.

When the smell means a vet visit

• More urine than usual. If you’re scooping more clumps, or bigger ones, your cat may be drinking and urinating more. Cornell says kidney disease, thyroid disease, and diabetes often lead a cat to drink more and urinate more frequently.
• Frequent trips with little result. International Cat Care says a cat that’s trying to pass urine and can’t, or is only passing small amounts, must be seen urgently. The ASPCA warns that feline interstitial cystitis can be life-threatening and must be treated by a vet immediately.
• Going outside the box. Cornell says cats that have problems using the box consistently should be checked by a vet, and notes that cats with medical conditions may not always act sick.

For the mess around the box, see how to stop cat litter tracking. If your cat is hard on the furniture too, our guide to stopping a cat scratching the couch covers that. You’ll find more pet fixes on the pets hub.