Cat owners- how do you keep the smell and fur at bay?

[piddocktrumperiness]

Hi everyone
Just that really- My brother has two cats, a year old now. He lives in a 1930's semi, and keeps a litter tray in the back of the kitchen (close to the outside door, by the bin).
He's not able to keep onto of them and is getting frustrated with how they molt, and how to ensure the house is super clean. I try and help but I don't have pets so don't know.
We don't know where to put the litter tray for example- I said keep it outside but he won't fearing the cats may do something inside the house. I said hoover twice a day but I know in the interim things will get cat hair on it. They don't like to be groomed either, they just can't sit still.
I also said leave the tray of food and litter tray outside in a cat house/shed type of thing he could buy, and only let them in at night, but he thinks that's cruel.

Their cat food stinks too- He buys Whiskas pouches.

So for those that have cats, how do you ensure your house is clean from smell and hair?

Thank you

He should have 3 litter trays for 2 cats. Are they going elsewhere and that's leading the the smell?

Litter trays are supposed to be indoors. Outside, cats can just go in the ground You keep the smell down by skipping them out and replacing the litter regularly

Cat food is supposed to smell, it's what cats like. But when they've eaten it, the smell has gone. If it smells all day, he is leaving out too much food.

Cats need brushing whether they like it or not. You need to get your cat used to it and experiment with brushes. Also each grooming session will probably be v brief.

Keeping the house super clean? If you want to do this don't have a cat. There will always be some pet hair even with a short hair cat who loves being groomed.

It honestly sounds like he wants to have a cat, without actually having a cat.

In all honesty it sounds like he isn't at all suited to cat ownership and he should probably rehome them. Of course a cat will shed fur and yes cat food smells. There's not a lot he can do about that!

Clean litter tray several times in the day. Use a deodoriser on it. Maybe he needs a better litter? Get a plug in near it. Feed wet food at only certain times then remove. Ive always had cats and no big issues with moulting.

Get them off Whiskas will help with the 'litter tray' smell

My cat eats purina one cat biscuits, the smell is minimal. She's short haired so easy to care for.

Having a catflap means that they can do their business outside. You can get ones that are linked to their microchips. (We only use litter trays when ours are ill or injured ).
Dry food doesn't smell. Our vet says it's better for their teeth.

Actually not all cat food smells. DCat has a mix of Untamed and Katkin, which are both 100% meat, and it doesn't really smell at all. It is expensive though. Cheap cat food smells disgusting, completely different.

Litter trays shouldn't smell at all if they are cleaned regularly and the cats are eating a decent grain free high meat diet.

Better food does lead to less smelly cat poo. Although the food itself still smells. Whiskas is the MaccyDs of cat food.

However if you are fretting about any cat hair at all, even with twice daily hoovering, perhaps a soft toy would suit better.

The smell can also depend on the litter. We have found the Cats Best smart pellets to be the best at minimising odour (obviously scooped regularly), and we have two large breed cats.

I'd also recommend a covered litter tray. It has a sort of cat flap, a scoop that fits into a little compartment in the lid and a holder for litter bags. There's also a little step in the lott box the cat has to walk over to minimise tracking so the floor around the box stays tidy.

I keep a separate small, lidded bin in the bathroom too for the bagged up litter and empty that 3/4 times a week. Finding the right litter helps too. I use a natural wooden pellet one from asda that I find very good.

I keep mine in the bathroom rather than the kitchen (made more sense to me to keep what is essentially the cats toilet in the room designed to have a toilet in, rather than the room I make food in).

Dry food smells less than wet food, and the higher the animal protein content the better, cats can't actually digest carbs very well. They are also lactose intolerant so no ordinary dairy, bit of cat milk or cheese cat treats are fine but no bowls of milk or cream.

Hard floors, hoover lots and the cat gets groomed whether they like it or not!

It sounds as if he is unrealistic and wants his house to look as if he doesn't have cats. That isn't going to happen. He can hoover twice a day if he wants to but that sounds extreme to me.

Fur - get them accustomed to being brushed. Not many cats like it straight away. Start with quick sessions, a handstroke followed by a brushstroke, only brush round neck and back. Build up to longer sessions as they become more comfortable with it.

Food - Whiskas is particularly stenchy, but he should only put down as much as they are going to eat, so it isn't left sitting in the bowl. He could try switching to a less stenchy alternative (most cat food is less stenchy than Whiskas!)

Litter - sounds like the litter tray is in a good position. Clean the litter tray promptly when they've been in it, and change the litter completely as needed.

And finally, the obvious. Open windows as much as possible to provide ventilation. If they are indoor cats, he needs to get window limiters so he can still open windows without them escaping.

But you don't say if these cats do go outside. It would help a lot if they are able to access the outdoors as it will mean some fur shedding and toileting will happen out there. They would need a cat flap to be able to come and go easily.

Litter trays need cleaning daily and ideally as soon as they are soiled. Use liners to make the task easier. Food should not stay out. We give a pouch in morning and remove any left over food and wash dish. Dried food like cat biscuits can stay out. Wash cat blankets regularly.

Covered litter tray with a filter. I like wood pellets for reducing smell. Important to take out anything as soon as possible after the litter tray has been used to an outside bin, don't put it into the kitchen/indoor bin and use mini disposable compostable bags.

Regular grooming might help with moulting and hair balls.

Cats don't really like covered litter trays and they definitely don't like liners - if yours are fine with them, then you have got lucky.

The cat is already doing you a massive favour by going in the litter tray at all.

I use dry food as that it's preferred by my cats, and it doesn't smell.

Thank you everyone- some really great tips!
I did say to him a house with any pets is not always going to be sparkly, but we can do things to limit the smell and he needs to be ontop of it rather than doing things once a day or whatever.

I don't know much about cat food at all but will let him know there are better alternatives to whiskas- He gives them one pouch each twice a day, and half pouch each once a day, and some dried food.

He lets the cats out to play for a bit, but they do come in to use the litter tray.
The cats do their business in the litter tray but leave the turd there and don't cover it with litter which I thought cats do?

I'l pass on the tips- thank you!

Can he wean them off wet food and onto dry? Or is it too late at 1 years old?

Always had a cat (and dog). No litter tray as have a garden and a cat flap. No wet food, just dry biscuits. Used to use wet food- smell and attracting flies in summer put me off. Cat is happy and healthy. Don't think I have ever brushed my cat (short haired). They groom themselves so are pretty clean.

The cat needs brushing a few times a week to cut down on hair. Had he got a decent Hoover ? You can buy ones suitable for cat hair . He needs to look at the food he gives them . Good quality food does not smell , and it also makes their poo smell better as well. What cat litter does he use ? Has he got good cat litter hygiene ?
agree he needs more trays . We remove poo as soon as it's been done . We also remove wees several times a day ( we use wood pellet ) as it clumps. Our house does not smell and the cat does not smell .

Cats are pretty random about whether they cover their poo or not. They may do some dramatic digging and remodelling of the bin but this may well not actually cover the poo.

Your options are:

1. Feed better food so the poo is less smelly (it does still smell, after all it is poo but it's better)
2. Clean poo out ASAP every single time
3. Change cat litter. Unfortunately the perfect cat litter of eliminates smells, no tracking and loved by cats does not exist. If he hasn't tried wood pellets, or Cat's Best he can experiment.
4. Dramatically lower your standards and live with it

Are they male or female? Male cats on dry diets are at risk of cystitis

I had to switch my three year old cats onto a mixed wet/dry diet they managed it OK but they only like whiskers 😷

I scoop twice daily and if I'm home after a poo that gets removed immediately

Worlds best cat litter is Fantastic I tried van cat but the stench is still around after a poo but they do suck up wees well and brilliant clumping

Food, if they leave it feed less your ideal is not hungry not overfilled I feed wet food followed by a few biscuits a couple of times a day

My cat doesn't cover her poop either.

I scoop as soon as I know she has used the tray, and if it is poop bag it and straight into outside bin.

I put down wet food for max 2 hours then throw out what she hasn't eaten. I don't even leave dry down all day if I can help it, just if I'm at work and know I might be home late.

I haven't cracked how to make the poop smell less yet. Whiskas and Kitekat was horrendous, the smell used to literally wake me up through shut doors and a floor away. I've got her on Thrive dry and Harringtons wet now, which is a big improvement but need to research a bit as to what to upgrade her to, especially now winter is coming and I can't have windows open as much as I do now to air the house.

For fur I have 2 blankets down on her favourite sleeping places, which I wash weekly, that deals with most of the hair issue. She is shorthair though.

We never had litter trays for our outdoor cats, they never used them anyway so no smell. Food bowls need cleaning after use in my experience. Only dry food should be left down. Wet cat food also goes stinky in the bin so it's worth bagging and popping outside as quickly as possible.

Rubber brush for fur but I once had a cat i could get 4-5 tennis balls size fur balls off him every brush. I had no idea how he wasn't bald! You also need one of those horse bag things to go in the wash and stick all clothes through the dryer to catch it.

Cats have not evolved to eat dry food so it should only be given alongside wet food. Cheap food is smelly and leads to smelly litter trays. I have sensory issues and cheap cat food makes me retch, I have no problem with things like Encore or Cosma as it looks and smells like human food as it's human grade food.

I don't know why people choose to have their cats wee and poo in their kitchen where they cook and eat, seems like the worst place. Try putting them in the bathroom where toilets go, a utility or a cupboard with a catflap. We use the red World's Best cat litter after trying many, many others, it lasts a lot longer so works out better value and has no smell.

Short haired cats don't really need brushed, they usually groom themselves frequently and like to keep very clean. I can't imagine them shedding so much that hoovering twice a day isn't keeping on top of it. Food quality also impacts their skin and fur so you could solve both problems with a healthier wet food. Suggest he has a look on Zooplus at the range of foods, the loyalty points and 5% discount with the deals can make it quite good. We also get things on Amazon subscribe and save for the 15% discount.