Worst thing about owning a cat is litter box odor, survey shows

There's nothing cuter than a kitten. But there's nothing cute about getting a whiff of the litter box before you even see the adorable little ball of purring fur.

For millions of American cat owners, it's probably no surprise that a recent survey found that 69 percent of cat owners said the worst thing about living with a feline friend is dealing with litter box odor. And almost all cat owners (88 percent) polled by StrategyOne for Arm & Hammer's Litter Box Blues survey are concerned with the litter box's overall maintenance.

One of the advantages of having a cat is that they are smart enough to litter-train themselves. However, this benefit has its downside. Nearly half of cat owners (44 percent) report that the biggest concern they have is how their cat's litter box affects their home's general hygiene. Since smelly litter boxes can be a source of major embarrassment, some have taken to hiding away the litter box to avoid these situations. One-quarter of cat owners place their cat's litter box in the bathroom, 23 percent stick the litter box in the basement and 8 percent go so far as to hide the litter box in the closet.

The Litter Box Blues survey also reports females are more finicky cat owners -- 61 percent change the litter box more than once a week compared to only 35 percent of men. Despite their best efforts, one in five cat owners report that they've been embarrassed in front of guests because of their cat's litter box odor.

Now cat owners can avoid litter-box induced embarrassment thanks to the most significant innovation in the cat litter category since clumping technology was developed in 1984. Arm & Hammer Odor Alert Clumping Cat Litter with preodor indicators is the first and only cat litter featuring preodor indicators that turn blue to alert cat owners to odor problems before they begin to develop.

Small pieces are often the most troubling source of odor, since they are hardest to locate within the litter box. Odor Alert turns large clumps and these smaller, hard-to-find pieces a bright blue with its preodor indicators. Consumers can identify and remove the source of the odor without having to change the entire litter box. Odor Alert also features six times more baking soda, an ingredient that safely and naturally eliminates odors on contact.

"As a cat owner, I know firsthand what a dilemma the litter box can be. I'm constantly hunting for clumps or changing the entire box because I can't locate the source of odor," said cat owner Jill Cordes. "When I tried Odor Alert, I found it easy to identify and remove odor-causing clumps before they became an embarrassing problem, and it's 100 percent safe for my cat."

Arm & Hammer Odor Alert Clumping Cat Litter with pre-odor indicators is available nationally in 12-, 16- and 26-pound boxes. Suggested retail prices range from $6.79 to $12.99. For more information, visit www.armandhammer.com.

Courtesy of Family Features