Litter Box Stealth for the Holidays – Tips and Tricks from petMD

This post is sponsored by petMD and ARM & HAMMER™ Clump & Seal™, and the BlogPaws Professional Pet Blogger Network. I am being compensated for helping spread the word about The petMD Cat Care Center, but I only share information on sparklecat.com that I feel is relevant to my readers. ARM & HAMMER™ Clump & Seal™ and petMD are not responsible for the content of this article.

I’m reporting from the powder room for today’s blog post! A lot of you humans will be entertaining friends and family during the holiday season, and you are probably a little worried about your cat’s litter box. In an ideal world, all your guests would be passionate cat lovers who don’t care about scattered kitty litter, unattractive litter boxes and, um, the occasional smell. But the reality is that you would rather have the whole cat litter thing sort of “disappear” while you have company so that the visiting humans think your cats are so fabulous, they don’t even need a litter box. Well, fabulous we are, but we are not quite that magical. But don’t worry, I have some tips for you to keep litter boxes under cover for the holiday season, some inspired by petMD’s Cat Care Center and some inspired from around the web. I hope a few of them work for your situation.

Hide both cats and litter boxes in another part of the house.

If you are having big get-togethers, with lots of people coming and going, loud noises and active children, your best solution would be to sequester the cats and their litter boxes away from all the madness. You may like large gatherings, but they stress out most cats, and cats would be happier if you put them in a quiet room where they won’t be disturbed (except maybe by a feline loving friend or relative who wants to visit with them privately). And of course, you’d put the litter box there too so they have somewhere to relieve themselves.
Put up a decorative screen.

If the litter box is in the corner of a room, it’s easy to hide with an accordion-style screen. Just find one that matches the decor of your home and stretch it in front of the litter box, leaving enough space for your cat to enter and exit.
Hide the litter box with an end table and some curtains.

A good-sized end table, especially one with a drawer or a lip, can hide a litter box. Use one that the litter box fits under, and then tack curtains or fabric all around the inside of the lip so that it encloses the litter box. Leave a space open, or tie a space open for your cat to come and go.
Use a large wicker basket to disguise the litter box.

Cut a hole for your cat to get in and it’s an inexpensive, DIY version of litter box furniture.
If you have the budget, go ahead and buy litter box furniture.

There are different styles to fit every home, although they are a bit of an investment. If you are good with carpentry, you can also make your own, or modify a cabinet to enclose a litter box. Just make sure your cat is okay using this new house for his restroom.

Are you just worried about the litter box smell? There are a number of ways to keep that in check.

Baking soda is great for absorbing odor. Add a box when you change the litter and it really helps. If you’d prefer to try a litter deodorizer, use one that relies on eliminating scent rather than merely masking it with perfume. Perfume alone fools nobody, and we cats find it offensive.
Try carbon or charcoal. These are another way to absorb litter box smells. There are carbon litter box filters — or you can make little, odor-eating activated charcoal sachets to put in your cat’s litter box.
Scoop frequently! If you get rid of your cat’s litter box deposits promptly, their odors have less of a chance to permeate the house. Make sure somebody keeps an eye on the litter box and is ready to get rid of anything left in it.
Use enzymatic cleaners on any accidents. These are the most effective to get rid of odors… but you must follow the directions on the label.
Use the right kind of litter. The best litter for your cat is one that she likes, of course — but if it is also a type of litter that absorbs odor well, so much the better! Do a little research and see what works for your cat, and for you.

Want more information on eliminating litter box odor? PetMD has it right here.

I hope you got something useful from my tips! Now, if you will excuse me, I’ve got some business to take care of.

The Pet MD Cat Care Center is sponsored by ARM & HAMMER™ Clump & Seal™ Lightweight Cat Litter. This litter is dust-free and 50% lighter than regular cat litter, while still powerfully destroying odor. If you want to give it a try, click here for a $2 off coupon.

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