Everyone wants their cat to be happy with their litter box situation, but sometimes a stinky litter box can permeate throughout your home. Even the best cat litter leaves some odor, and depending on the type of litter you have and your home, that could lead to lingering stenches.
While smelly cat litter is nothing new, foul odors coming from the litter are incredibly off-putting, even for your cat. And if your cat is unhappy about its litter situation, they may look for somewhere else to relieve themself.
For many cat owners, scented cat litter is the fix-all solution. But is scented cat litter bad for your cats? Before you can decide, you should learn how scented cat litter works.
What Is Scented Cat Litter? How It Works
Scented cat litter is any type of cat litter that comes with an intentional scent meant to mask odors. In most cases, these scents are subtle, but should work well enough to cover up any unwanted smells.
To give the litter a scent, cat litter producers add fragrances, perfumes, or other natural scents.
While scented cat litter might be great for you, cats can react differently. Some cats may find the scented cat litter off-putting, making them want to avoid their litter box. Other cats might enjoy that the litter box has a fresher scent.
So, while not outright bad for every cat, scented cat litter might be bad for your cat.
What Is Unscented Cat Litter? How It Works
Unlike scented cat litter, unscented cat litter comes with no added scent. However, this doesn’t mean that unscented cat litter has no scent at all. For example, if you chose to use pine litter at home, the litter might smell like wood. Even clay litter can carry a scent.
What unscented cat litter doesn’t do is actively fight odors from a litter box. At best, the unscented litter can cover whatever is causing odors, even though those odors remain under the litter.
Many cat owners prefer to go with unscented litter as they find it to be the healthiest cat litter option. Unscented is also our pick for the best type of litter, though we do acknowledge that some cat owners find better success with scented litter.
Scented vs Unscented Cat Litter: Which Is Best?
If you’re stuck trying to decide between scented and unscented cat litter, the best thing to do is check with your cat! After all, your cat is the one who uses the litter box on a regular basis.
Cats can be incredibly picky, and that extends to their litter boxes. While some cats may prefer a scented litter, others may prefer unscented.
Anyone dealing with odors from a cat litter box at home doesn’t want to make the problem worse by switching to a litter their cat won’t use. When in doubt, stick with the litter that works best for your cat.
Final Thoughts: Is Scented Cat Litter Unhealthy?
In the vast majority of cases, scented cat litter is perfectly healthy for your cat. While some cats might have an adverse health reaction to scented litter, most cats who don’t like the litter dislike it for the scent, not health reasons.
That being said, we believe that unscented litter is the best overall option. Of course, you should pick what’s best for your cat.
If you’re interested in finding the healthiest cat litter option for your cat, it’s best to try multiple types of litter and see how your cat reacts to them. Any litter your cat doesn’t like could cause them to avoid their litter box, potentially leading to more odors and, in extreme cases, adverse health conditions for your cat. So, if you think you and your cat might prefer scented litter, give it a try!
Is Scented Litter Bad for Cats? FAQs
No, most scented litter is not harmful to cats. Cats with allergies may react negatively to some scents, which could make scented litter dangerous. Consult your vet if you’re concerned that your cat has allergies.
Yes, the odors from dirty cat litter can be harmful to people. Dirty cat litter carries ammonia fumes and potentially the Toxoplasma gondii parasite. Litter boxes should be cleaned regularly to prevent any airborne allergens or irritants.
Stay away from cat litters that come with overpowering scents and heavy dust. Both of these can create respiratory issues for you and your cat.
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