Last Updated: 5 months ago
This is a common question among cat parents trying to ensure the safety of their feline friends.
Yes, baking soda can be used in cat litter to help control odors. However, it’s important to consider some potential drawbacks, which we will address below.
During your cat’s pee decomposition, urea is broken down into ammonia. Baking soda eliminates odors, including the obstinate ammonia-based smells in your cat’s litter.
How is ammonia neutralized in cat litter? Ammonia is neutralized in cat litter by the addition of sodium bicarbonate.
Sodium bicarbonate is a natural deodorizer. It absorbs ammonia and other bad smells from the cat box. After absorbing the ammonia, the sandbox is left smelling fresh.
Will My Cat Be Safe if I Put Baking Soda in Its Litter?
The resounding answer is yes. There are no health risks associated with baking soda in cat litter.
Baking soda is a non-toxic, salt-based product that is not harmful to cats. It’s recommended to sprinkle a small amount of baking soda into the cat litter when you scoop out solid waste.
If you are using unscented litter, adding baking soda can also help control any smells. Baking soda is a natural deodorizer. It ensures the litter box smells fresh and ammonia-free.
In today’s busy world, you may lack time to scoop your cat’s litter box. which may lead to odors in the house due to cat urine and poop.
Adding bicarbonate of soda to the litter box helps take care of the smell without having to scoop as often.
Adding Baking Soda to the Cat Litter
As with anything, there are pros and cons to adding bicarbonate of soda to cat litter.
Pros
- It’s a natural deodorizer. Baking soda provides a natural way to keep the cat box smelling fresh. This is because it neutralizes acidic and basic odors. This is not only good for your house but also for your feline friend, as it makes the litter tray comfortable.
- You don’t have to scoop as often. Adding baking soda to your cat’s box will eliminate the need to scoop it.
- Ease of cleaning: Baking soda makes the clump harder and drier. Harder and drier clumps are easier to clean as they do not stick to the sides of the litter tray.
- It saves you money. Sodium bicarbonate is cheaper than other household cleaning products, like Febreze.
- Prevents fleas: Sodium bicarbonate dehydrates and kills flea larvae and eggs. This prevents the outbreak of fleas in the cat box and your home.
Cons
- It can be dusty. If you’re not careful, adding sodium hydrogen carbonate to the cat box can create a lot of dust. Dust is dangerous for your lungs and your feline friend. It can cause respiratory problems like asthma.
- Can reduce the frequency of cleaning the litter tray. Because the cat box does not produce odor, you’ll most clean it less. This leads to a build-up of feces and urine over time. A dirty sandbox leads to the various dangers of cat litter dust.
- Some cats don’t like it: Although this is rare, some cats don’t like being around sodium hydrogen carbonate. If this is the case, experiment with different brands of sodium bicarbonate to find the one she loves.
If your cat is infested with fleas, wash it with baking soda to kill larvae and eggs within its skin.
“Just treat the baking soda as a dry shampoo. Sprinkle it all over your pet, and massage it through his fur and make sure you work it into his skin, which is where the oil comes from. Leave” Patty Korman.
How Much Baking Soda to Add to Cat Litter?
Too much of anything is dangerous, and this applies to sodium bicarbonate in your cat’s litter. When sprinkling sodium bicarbonate in the cat box, aim for a small amount.
One to two tablespoons is enough per box. If this doesn’t work, increase the amount to three tablespoons.
After using the sandbox, your pal will kick it up to cover her fresh litter.
This mixes the litter with sodium bicarbonate. Which plays a significant role in controlling the odor in your house.
Will Baking Soda Hurt Cats?
Baking soda will not hurt your cat if used in the correct quantity as stated above. Being a non-toxic salt, the chances of sodium bicarbonate hurting your cat are close to zero.
Excessive sodium bicarbonate is not recommended will increase the litter’s pH level. which will lead to the release of excessive ammonia instead of absorbing it.
This is harmful as it releases odors, making the sandbox uncomfortable for the cat.
Try using different types of cat litter, for instance, clay litter and clumping litter.
A comparison between clay litter and clumping litter will help you choose the best for your cat.
What Will Happen if a Cat Eats Baking Soda?
Your cat can eat sodium bicarbonate either accidentally or out of curiosity. Nothing will happen to her if she ingests a small amount of sodium bicarbonate.
Yet, if your cat ingests a large amount of sodium bicarbonate, it can be harmful to her health. For this to happen, the cat must eat at least a teaspoon per pound of her weight.
A cat can’t eat a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate per pound of its weight. This is because sodium bicarbonate is salty with a bitter taste.
If a cat ingests excess sodium bicarbonate, she will suffer from electrolyte imbalance. This is because of the high sodium and low calcium and potassium levels.
Symptoms of sodium bicarbonate toxicity in cats include:
What About Scented Litters or Litters With Baking Soda?
Buying scented litter for your cat is not a bad idea. These litters are made with scented additives to absorb bad smells.
In some situations, the scent in a commercial litter box can be too strong, making the cat avoid the sandbox. If this is the case, try a different scent or unscented litter.
Some scents may also contain harmful chemicals that can lead to a chemical reaction.
Litters with bicarbonate of soda are excellent for controlling bad smells. Bicarbonate of soda does not have any smell that can be strong or discouraging for the cat.
Conclusion
Bicarbonate of soda is a non-toxic salt that will not harm your cat. Yet, you must be careful when adding it to the cat’s box. Too much of it can make the cat box uncomfortable for the cat.
Bicarbonate of soda is an excellent choice for controlling bad smells in your cat’s box. The small amount added to the sandbox helps absorb all the odors, which keeps your house fresh.
As a cat owner, always keep the litter tray clean by removing cat poop with clean water.
Now you know the answer to the burning question, “Can you put baking soda in cat litter?”
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Hi, I’m Tamsin. I’m a serious animal lover and dog behaviorist and trainer. In fact, I live on a farm with nine rescues! So, I love writing about and creating awareness around the health and wellness of all animals.