Litter Box Smell

[nunnc84]

So I use to feed my Havanese Primal Freezed Raw and their poop had more odor than it does now eating The Farmer’s Dog which is a fresh cooked food. I haven’t tried freeze dried with the cats b cause they are doing so well on the products they are being fed. It might do to experiment a bit with diet for a few months to see if a different diet helps with the smell. Do they get a probiotic daily? That might help some too.

I tried the probiotic powder on wet version of the dry food, her stools stank even more. At the same time I couldn't tell if I messed up her gut bacteria with the probiotics or the Revolution was giving her diarrhea.
Maybe the wet food wasn't right for her?
I'm not sure. I've learned that I was giving her too much Revolution that comes in the tiny squeeze thing. So I put her near her litter box for a couple days after I give her the Revolution. She has had accidents running to the bathroom.
I'm nervous about changing her food.

 

[nunnc84]

I have concerns about ozone generators. I'm no expert but I've heard it repeated over the years now. My FIL is a now-retired physician's assistant but extraordinarily health conscious and has had sensitive lungs from childhood. (He will send his grilled chicken back if it has charred marks. While informing the restaurant manager of the dangers of eating blackened foods. ) He was the first one I heard say that these can be dangerous. I believe the dangers are when ozone concentrations are too high; but he convinced the fitness center he uses that they are not good and they did remove them. So putting something like that near an enclosed litter box doesn't seem like it would be safe for our much smaller furbabies lungs either. Again; I'm not an expert. But please do research and consider your sources when you make your decisions.

Thanks I won't use that.

 

[Azazel]

I

I found this website, after googling grain free cat food; Best Gluten Free Cat Food : Expert Buying Guide

And the top choices are:
Food Price Nutrition Rating

Nature’s Variety Instinct Grain-Free
Read Reviews Where To Buy $3.45/lb

Halo Grain-Free Cat Food
Read Reviews Where To Buy $1.63/5.5 oz can

Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain-Free
Read Reviews Where To Buy $2.91/lb

Nutro Grain-Free Cat Food
Read Reviews Where To Buy $.95/3 oz can

Dry food is the only option! I'm considering Natures Variety Instinct!

Why is dry food the only option? Wet food will make poop smell less and is healthier.

Pretty sure the website you linked is sponsored.

 

[nunnc84]

Yeah well oops, I already ordered the food off line.
The automatic feeder is for dry food. I thought about what you said I didn’t know that wet food smells better for the litter box.
So I ordered wet food. It’ll be here this week.
I think the food will work regardless because it’s grain free.
Maybe the article was bought and posted, I think the options are of a wide variety.

 

[Furballsmom]

Awww, what a sweetheart!! The food hopefully works for you. If she's reluctant, there are enticements that might help....

You could maybe try a different brand of probiotics, just as an example there is Tummyworks, and animal essentials.

Good on you about the water!!

Hang in there!

 

[MoochNNoodles]

It sounds like she might have a sensitive tummy. The Nutrition Forum is the best place to post questions. But the first piece of advice I'd give is to go slow and gradual with any food changes. That alone can give a cat stinky runs or make them throw up even if the food is actually ok for them.

Food choices can be overwhelming and sometimes it's a process of elimination (no pun intended) to figure out what is best for each cat. There is no one right answer for every person. So keep that in mind.

 

[Azazel]

Yeah well oops, I already ordered the food off line.
The automatic feeder is for dry food. I thought about what you said I didn’t know that wet food smells better for the litter box.
So I ordered wet food. It’ll be here this week.
I think the food will work regardless because it’s grain free.
Maybe the article was bought and posted, I think the options are of a wide variety.

Hopefully the ones you ordered work well with her tummy and I’m glad you ordered wet food too. Remember to make any food changes very slowly and only introduce one new food at a time.

Grain free may or may not help. Sometimes there is a specific ingredient that upsets the stomach and it’s a process of elimination to figure it out. But grain free foods typically have more meat and fewer unnecessary ingredients (especially the cans), so they are probably less likely to irritate, unless of course if the irritant is something like peas or potatoes which a lot of grain free foods use.

 

[nunnc84]

Hopefully the ones you ordered work well with her tummy and I’m glad you ordered wet food too. Remember to make any food changes very slowly and only introduce one new food at a time.

Grain free may or may not help. Sometimes there is a specific ingredient that upsets the stomach and it’s a process of elimination to figure it out. But grain free foods typically have more meat and fewer unnecessary ingredients (especially the cans), so they are probably less likely to irritate, unless of course if the irritant is something like peas or potatoes which a lot of grain free foods use.

I. Only know one way to switch food, cold turkey.
She is doing much better! More affectate! Her coat is shiner! She is drinking more water since I cleaned the pump. Her stools are formed. She purrs when I pet her, she never did that before.

 

[nunnc84]

I

I found this website, after googling grain free cat food; Best Gluten Free Cat Food : Expert Buying Guide

And the top choices are:
Food Price Nutrition Rating

Nature’s Variety Instinct Grain-Free
Read Reviews Where To Buy $3.45/lb

Halo Grain-Free Cat Food
Read Reviews Where To Buy $1.63/5.5 oz can

Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain-Free
Read Reviews Where To Buy $2.91/lb

Nutro Grain-Free Cat Food
Read Reviews Where To Buy $.95/3 oz can

Dry food is the only option! I'm considering Natures Variety Instinct!

I went with instinct food, one can a day.

 

[Azazel]

I. Only know one way to switch food, cold turkey.
She is doing much better! More affectate! Her coat is shiner! She is drinking more water since I cleaned the pump. Her stools are formed. She purrs when I pet her, she never did that before.

I'm glad she's doing better - but something to keep in mind for the future is that making sudden changes to cat food can cause stomach upset and loose stools. Part of the reason for this is that many cat foods, especially dry, use specific base formulas. Cats' systems get used to eating the same thing over and over and sometimes can't handle when something completely new is introduced.

 

[MoochNNoodles]

but something to keep in mind for the future is that making sudden changes to cat food can cause stomach upset and loose stools.

That is exactly what brought me to TCS 13 years ago. I will never forget the white t-shirt my DH was wearing. He picked up baby Mooch and lets just say his t-shirt was no longer white and baby Mooch got her first bath. None of my cats growing up had that happen; but it's good to keep in mind that it's pretty common!

 

[nunnc84]

I'm glad she's doing better - but something to keep in mind for the future is that making sudden changes to cat food can cause stomach upset and loose stools. Part of the reason for this is that many cat foods, especially dry, use specific base formulas. Cats' systems get used to eating the same thing over and over and sometimes can't handle when something completely new is introduced.

Changing the diet has a smelly time at first. I’m checking the house for accidents. It’s just her litter box.

 

[DreamerRose]

I feel like I'm crying in the wilderness, but Fresh Step litter has no odor. I've recommended it over and over. There is no smell, and I scoop only every other day for two cats (three pans). It does track because it's very fine grained, but I don't mind sweeping it up. There is a new version of it called "Clean Paws" that is not supposed to track. I haven't tried it because it comes in 25-lb boxes, which I can't lift or carry. I tried Slide, and it does help with the clumps sticking to the bottom of the pan, but right away, there was an odor.

 

[Furballsmom]

I've heard other members being unimpressed with Slide.
DreamerRose don't give up, it's amazing the people you influence and you don't even know

 

[DreamerRose]

Thanks, Furballsmom .

 

[nunnc84]

I feel like I'm crying in the wilderness, but Fresh Step litter has no odor. I've recommended it over and over. There is no smell, and I scoop only every other day for two cats (three pans). It does track because it's very fine grained, but I don't mind sweeping it up. There is a new version of it called "Clean Paws" that is not supposed to track. I haven't tried it because it comes in 25-lb boxes, which I can't lift or carry. I tried Slide, and it does help with the clumps sticking to the bottom of the pan, but right away, there was an odor.

I enjoy your posts, I agree with Fuballsmom; except changing litter is not an option for me.
Using the litter from the Robot Litterbox website will lengthen the life of the robot litter box, and reduce dust in the air from the rotating self cleaning feature.
I've tried corn, that was too heavy. Later I tried Tidy Cat, its TOO dusty; and heard from cat breeders that creates respiratory issues for cats and humans.
I appreciate your comments DreamerRose,

 

[nunnc84]

The diarrhea stage is still going on. Later on, I think I'm going to look for an article about keeping her a healthy weight. The vet is on me about trimming her down. She cries so much, and she gets her WAY as in food in the bowl.

 

[ailish]

I feel like I'm crying in the wilderness, but Fresh Step litter has no odor. I've recommended it over and over. There is no smell, and I scoop only every other day for two cats (three pans). It does track because it's very fine grained, but I don't mind sweeping it up.

I second this notion. I scoop once or twice a day, one cat two litter boxes. I'm not exactly going to the limit of the litter, but absolutely no smell whatsoever. It claims to be low dust, which it is not, but I'll take the dust over smell. Also, Ailish is a digger, so I keep it pretty deep.

 

[nunnc84]

Electricians came by today, to give me an estimate on an exhaust fan. My current fan does not go any where, not even out side. So, before snow falls, he said we could put a fan in the wall. Then route hang the fan from the floor sticking on the basement ceiling. Then route the fan outside through the cider block via plumbing pipe.
It sounds expensive doesn't it! He hasn't called to give me an estimate. We spoke about putting the litter box in the kitchen, it isn't an option for Sassy who likes to hide; and likes privacy. She avoids the litter box in this busy area.
Sassy has changed over to the other food ok. I wouldn't know about the smell because the windows have been open.

 

[nunnc84]

Hi Furballsmom# I just found out I have a Chantilly from Cats 101 YouTube video:
Do you have a Chantilly also?