Can Scented Cat Litter Eliminate the Smell of Your Cat’s Litter Box? The Truth Might Be Even “Smellier”!

The smell of a cat’s litter box has always been a concern for cat owners. With the rise of scented cat litters, many people wonder whether these products can really tackle the smell problem. If you’re about to eat or have just finished a meal, we suggest you bookmark this article and come back to it later, as it may have a “distinctive” scent to it!

A Wide Variety of Cat Litters

When you search “cat litter” on an online shopping platform, you’ll be overwhelmed by the variety of options. I remember when I first started keeping cats, I was completely lost looking at all the different types. What should I choose? In addition to the vast variety, each type of cat litter comes with various brands, which left me with choice paralysis as a beginner.

Cat owners today are luckier because there are numerous reviews and tests of cat litters online, allowing them to pick the right one based on others’ experiences. When I was new, I didn’t have these resources, so I simply relied on personal use or buyer reviews to make my decisions.

In my experience, I’ve tried pine litter, bentonite litter, and tofu cat litter. After considering safety, my cats’ adaptation, and ease of disposal, I eventually chose tofu cat litter. What’s special about tofu cat litter is that it offers various scents, like green tea or peach, claiming to neutralize odors. I bought one out of curiosity, but the question is: Can scented cat litter really eliminate the smell of the litter box?

Does Scented Cat Litter Actually Deodorize?

Deodorants can be categorized into physical, chemical, and microbial types. Physical deodorants are further divided into masking and adsorbent deodorants, with activated carbon being a classic example of the adsorbent kind. Chemical deodorants work by chemically transforming the odorous substances into odorless compounds. Microbial deodorants use microbes to metabolize and degrade the foul-smelling substances.

So, what about the scented tofu cat litter mentioned earlier? It’s primarily made from plant-based materials, emphasizing safety and non-toxicity. However, it doesn’t contain any microbes that metabolize odors, nor does it chemically react with foul smells. This means it doesn’t directly eliminate odors; instead, it relies on scent masking, which falls under the category of physical deodorizing. It’s similar to how some people use perfume to cover body odor. While most people might not notice the body odor when perfume is applied, the scent of the perfume masks it.

Scented cat litter works in the same way: it doesn’t break down or eliminate the odors but uses fragrance to mask the smell of waste. The question remains: does this method actually make the litter box smell better?

When Scent and Waste Smell Combine: A Tangy Surprise

I once bought a bag of green tea-scented cat litter. When I opened the bag, the fragrance was pleasant. But after my two cats used the litter box, the combined scent was quite unpleasant. If the litter box was placed on the balcony and exposed to sunlight, it was like green tea and waste smells were brewed together.

It’s undeniable that masking deodorants work to a certain extent, or else they wouldn’t be so popular. But does it work in your case? The key factor is the intensity of the odor. If your cat’s waste doesn’t smell particularly strong, scented cat litter can help mask it. But if your cat’s waste has a strong odor, using scented cat litter will likely just mix the bad smell with the fragrance, creating an even worse odor. Think of it like a person who doesn’t sweat much and uses perfume—most people won’t notice the body odor. But if someone has a very strong body odor, no amount of perfume will mask it, and you’ll end up with a strange combination of body odor and fragrance.

Cats Are More Sensitive to Scents Than Humans

Throughout the article, we’ve discussed the scent issue from a human perspective. But we haven’t considered how cats perceive these smells. As mentioned earlier, the smell is masked for humans, but cats have a much more sensitive sense of smell. Humans and cats both have “olfactory receptors” in their noses, but cats have around 60 million of these cells, while humans only have 10 million.

Cats can detect both the fragrance and the waste smell mixed together, and some cats simply don’t like added scents in their litter. If you’re curious about whether scented cat litter is suitable for your cat, try buying a small amount first to see how your cat reacts. Don’t buy too much in case your cat doesn’t like it, as it would be a waste.

Conclusion: The Pros and Cons of Scented Cat Litter

Scented cat litter does help mask the odor to some extent, especially if your cat’s waste doesn’t smell too strong. However, if your cat’s waste has a particularly strong odor, scented cat litter may just make the situation worse by combining unpleasant smells with the added fragrance. Also, due to cats’ highly sensitive sense of smell, some may dislike additional fragrances in their litter. For new cat owners, it’s best to purchase a small amount of scented cat litter and observe your cat’s reaction before making a larger investment.