Being a cat owner doesn’t mean your house should naturally smell like a litter box, or having ugly kitty bathrooms displayed everywhere, having shredded furniture (maybe a couple marks, but let's just mark that off as a learning experience for little fluffy), or having mounds of cat hair everywhere. There are indeed ways to keep your house smelling and looking fresh, even if you have multiple kitties in your home.
LITTER BOX FURNITURE
Visually, litter boxes aren't appealing for anyone. However multiple litter boxes are usually needed, especially if you have a multiple cats household. Infact, Jason Galaxy would say that you need at least three litter boxes for two cats. How do you keep your home from looking and smelling nice then? Well luckily for us, there are many cute, multi use furniture options out there now just for that question. The Merry Products Cat Washroom Bench is a larger furniture option that not only hides the litter box all together, but also is cute, can be used for cat supply storage, and will most likely turn into a cat hangout zone on top! If you don’t have the room for this large of a box, consider this smaller version.
Reducing Litter
A good litter trapping mat or rug is highly recommended in terms of making sure your kitties toes aren't full of litter and spreading it everywhere. Make sure to keep one in front of the litter box. If you have furniture with a box inside, you can put the matt inside the furniture and then get a decorative trapping rug in front for extra support. This will also allow the cats to take a few steps to clear their litter toes before walking all through the house. If this doesn't work, try a top entry litter box.
Commit to a regular cleaning routine
Removing fur and odor:
Once a month dusting of the whole house with an antibacterial cleaner that’s safe for furniture. The cats aren’t supposed to be on the coffee table, or other surfaces, but things happens.
Wash cat beds weekly in the washing machine with an unscented detergent. If it’s covered with a lot of hair, try damp rubber kitchen gloves or a moist sponge for a simple at home route, or you can purchase a Fur Daddy Sonic Pet Hair Remover or Uproot Cleaner Pro Pet Hair Remover. Making sure to clean the hair off first, instead of clogging up your washing machine.
A lint roller brush combo is an effortless way to get cat hair off your couch and your clothes. try using this pet hair remover, Mamison Dishwashing Gloves. The textured design grips the cat hair and pulls it into a ball when you brush your hand over the fabric.
Making sure to vacuum the rugs, carpeted rooms and furniture will help with fur issues. Plus there are tons of vacuums just for pets!
Neutralize deep-seated odors with a sprinkle of baking soda and vacuum with the upholstery tool. This same technique also works on rugs.
Brushing your cat with a grooming brush removes dirt, reduces shedding, and is enjoyed not only by our fur baby, but us as well. Long-haired cats may need brushing as often as every two days. Most short-haired cats only need grooming every couple of weeks.
Cleaning the litter:
Your cats will appreciate an emptied clean litter box at least once per day. Keep a broom or a hand vac near to catch any litter particles that may escape during the cleaning process.
Scoop out any mess as soon as you notice it.
The litter should be completely changed at least every two weeks and or more depending on the kind of litter purchased – during this change, you should discard the used litter, disinfect the litter box, dry it thoroughly and refill it with a fresh layer.
Some litter box systems have pee pads, this helps with odor, making sure urine just doesn't sink to the bottom of the tray, and is easy for swapping out the dirty one for the clean one.
For odor purposes, adding a little bit of baking soda to the litter is helpful
There are self-cleaning litter boxes that automatically clear away any poop and keep the box fresh and clean, which will encourage the cat to use it.
A Litter Genie is also an option to cut down on foul smells and just an easy way to pick up litter.
At least once a year, replace the whole box.
Conclusion
Your kitty’s litter box, eating area, and bed are all important parts of their life and things that they will use every day, and since due to cat logic, "If I fits I sits", everything is essentially their bed. This means that things are going to get dirty. However, your cat will not be happy having to use a litter box that hasn’t been emptied or a bed that hasn’t been cleaned. From the smell of it, you or your guests won't be happy either. Regular maintenance of these areas will ensure that your cat as well as you, remains happy and healthy.