Cat odor can be unpleasant for you and your family, and a source of embarrassment when company calls. Because germs are the leading cause of odor, odor control and good hygiene are also important to the health of your family and your pet. Odor control is not a single-source problem with a single-source solution. That's why we find a six-zone approach to odor control to be the most effective.

Odor Zone 1: The Litter Box

Fortunately, today's new litter boxes help hide the odor, and are also a quantum leap forward in pet hygiene. Hooded corner and roll-away styles are available to contain waste and spray. The Jumbo Hi-Back Litter Pan even has an integrated zeolite filter to capture odors. Others feature built-in cleaning mechanisms, both manual and automatic, to make waste removal easier and extend the life of litter.

All litter boxes will remain fresher longer if pre-treated with Stink Free. Application to the surface of the box, prior to adding litter, creates a chemical barrier to keep odors from growing. For best results, place your litter box in a well-ventilated area, a room with an open window. Also, clean the litter box daily, and change the litter at least twice a week, once a week for clumping litter.

Odor Zone 2: The Litter

The litter is the primary source of "that cat smell." Cats are very clean and fastidious. Because they are far more likely to eliminate outside their box if the litter is dirty, it is very important to change litter often. We recommend convenient, dust-free, clumpable litters which form waste into scoopable balls for easy disposal. Most contain ingredients to help fight odor. Clumpable formulas absorb and bind odor-causing matter. To get the most out of the natural clumping litters, do not be tempted to clean or change them less regularly. The odor fighting power of any litter can be further enhanced with the use of Stink Free Instantly Litter Box Spray, which contains natural enzymes that actually break down odor-causing molecules.

Odor Zone 3: Your Trash Can

Even when stored in a sealed trash bag, smelly cat litter can make you count the days until trash pick-ups. Now there is a great new way to handle used litter. The Litter Champ Disposal System bundles and seals away odor until trash day. You simply scoop your litter box, empty it into the Litter Champ Disposal System, and turn the handle! An internal liner spool bundles the waste into convenient disposable bags, sealing odor away, and making the bag ready for pick up.

Odor Zone 4: The Air

Maintaining a clean litter box will minimize odor, not eliminate it 100%. There are two types of air treatments that you can use to make the area nearly odor free: Absorbents draw odor from the air by neutralizing or bonding with odor molecules. For example, Pet-Clear Crystals, made from natural volcanic rock, actually remove pungent odor from the air. Scents sweeten the air to make it more pleasant. To maintain the area around-the-clock you can install a battery-operated, automatic aerosol-deodorizer, load it with your favorite scent, and set it to freshen the air every 7, 15, or 25 minutes. For accidents, or any time odor occurs, use a handy handheld spray like Nature's Miracle Stain & Odor Remover. Make sure to use all scents a comfortable distance from the litter box, and be careful not to overdo it. If too strong, scents can keep you cat from using her litter box.

Odor Zone 5: Your Carpet and Furniture

Unfortunately, soap and water, regular household cleaners, or perfumed sprays seldom work to satisfactorily remove pet stains or cover up their odors. With a sense of smell much more sensitive than ours, cats will still detect the smell of urine, even if the visible stain is gone. In fact, urine or feces odors may cause territorial rivalry. With ineffective clean-up you may unknowingly encourage your cat to re-soil the same spot.

For fresh, wet stains, we recommend OdorLogic® CleanAway which works very well on fresh stains. Simply apply to the stain, allow to dry, and then vacuum or brush. Another good product is Nature's Miracle, which employs both absorbent granules to soak up as much of the stain as possible, and 'live' bacteria and enzymes to break down the odor-causing bacteria, permanently removing them from the deepest fibers in your carpet and the padding below. These products also contain mild cleansers which help remove discoloration and restore carpet fibers.

Although dealing with fresh stains is best, you will not always discover accidents until after they have dried. Products developed for use on fresh stains are not as effective on set-in stains. Different, more aggressive bacteria and enzyme formulas like OdorLogic® CleanAway are available to penetrate and clean deeper to get at set-in stains and odors.

Odor Zone 6: Your Cat

Cats are fastidious groomers, but occasionally they need help. If your cat is fussy about water, you can use Bath Wipes to wipe dander and odor away. Also, Waterless Shampoo can be spritzed on and toweled off to remove oil and dirt. If your cat takes to water, a bath will help keep your cat's coat healthy and beautiful.

Don't wait until odor knocks you back. Control all six of the odor zones to keep the atmosphere in your home fresh and clean.