Wednesday, April 9, 2008

BAKING SODA IN THE LITTER BOX... BAD OR GOOD?


Today, I need to call on all the cats in the blogosphere to help resolve a dispute between Steve and his female about the use of baking soda to help keep my litter box clean and reduce the odor (although it smells perfectly fine to me). Steve says “baking soda, si!,” but his female thinks it might be harmful to me if I get some on my paws and lick it off. Personally, I think Steve is correct on this one, but the female, a would-be nuclear physicist, is adamant that she's right. Of course, they'll check with my vet for the definitive answer, but fellow cats, I want to hear from you. Baking soda in the litter box… good or no good?

28 comments:

Daisy said...

I wish I knew the answer to that, but I do not. I could make something up though!

ps: I think they might make something like that just for litterboxes. I don't know if it is different to make it safe for cats, or if it just has different packaging and marketing though.

The Furry Kids said...

We don't know the answer, but Momma sides with the female. She thinks there might be too much sodium or something in it for dawgs and cats to ingest.

Angel Junior, Orion and Sammy said...

I have no idea but it will be interesting to see what you learn from your v-e-t.

zevo hussein calamari said...

Hmmmm not sure.. my human puts a box of it outside the litter box hoping it will absorb the smell. She also lights tons of incense whenever she thinks it stinks.(what stink?)

Our house smells like a Buddhist temple and the Vatican.

The Misadventures Of Me said...

Our vet said it was good to use cuz it was not toxic. Personally I do not know the difference if there is thats in my box or not, it all smells good to me!

Anonymous said...

Steve's female here, and yes, I'm also an organic chemist. Quasi, licking baking soda off your paws is like having an alka seltzer every time you use the litterbox. If your tummy is not quesy, there's no need for plop-plop-fizz-fizz. Plus, it makes biscuits rise. Your stomach does not need to "rise" as you are not a yeast product. I think we should just use Chanel No. 5.

Empress Bee (of the high sea) said...

don't know but i am very glad to meet you! and thanks for stopping by, hope to see more of you!

smiles, auntie bee
xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox

michico*Adan*Lego-小芥*阿丹*樂高 said...

Oahhh My~
I don't know!

Team Tabby said...

I know we don't add any baking soda to our litterboxes, but is it bad/good, we don't really know the answer. However, it will be interesting to hear what your vet says about this. It is good to meet you, Quasi, and thanks for visiting us.

purrs,
Mindy & Moe

Skeezix the Cat said...

Arm an Hammer makes a produkt spesifkly for litter boxes. Yoo shood try that since it shood be safe for cats.

Dragonheart, Merlin, Devi, and Chloe said...

We don't know about baking soda, but here in Germany, they make special products just for the litterbox that are "bio" (organic) and safe for kitties.

Anonymous said...

Mom just used plain old litter from Walmart and keeps it scooped and stirred and changes it once a week. That has been working just fine without adding Baking Soda.

dennis said...

Dennis has 2 boxes in the garage, they get changed 2x a week because he demands it. they are filled with a small amount of litter, and there is newspaper underneath. the litter is slightly scented, but Dennis tried natural Wheat litters and Feline pine and hated those!

Litter will always to an interesting topic of conversation and they will always be making new litter s and designing new boxes (Dennis has one that is round and one that is rectangle!) both have hoods/tops.

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Anonymous said...

Those who say baking soda is potentially harmful are being a little overly finicky. Baking soda is not harmful for anyone to ingest in small amounts. It's surely a lot better than using scented litter, for example. Let alone dry cat food. "Arm and hammer makes a product," please, arm and hammer makes products for the litter box that contain baking soda. Arm and hammer also makes artificially scented cat litter, which nobody should ever use (if only because the artificial scents don't need to be tested for tolerance of ingestion over the cat's lifetime, if at all, because they aren't food.) While baking soda does neutralize stomach acid, cats, like anyone, will react to this imbalance by producing more stomach acid as necessary. If it makes you feel safer to buy a product than to use a natural, effective deodorizer like baking soda, then the advertisers have already won over your human rational faculties.

I would recommend mixing the baking soda into the litter, rather than simply sprinkling it on top of the litter, so the cat's paws aren't getting coated in it. A little will do the trick but even a lot wouldn't be terribly harmful.

Anonymous said...

This post is very interesting.
Cat Litters

Unknown said...

Favorite Jumbo Enclosed Litter Box Blue from Bizarkdeal
These are great! I have two large male cats and they spray the back of the box; the high rear wall of these boxes keeps liquid from escaping and running down the exterior. In addition, the clear tops allow me to see the boxes' contents for thorough scooping without the extra step of removing the lids. And the cats seem to enjoy the increased visibility as well as the extra-large size.

NOTE: I received this product at a discount for sharing my unbiased experience.

Simon Says said...

I just started buying a 5 kg bucket of it. I just thought it was useful especially as it does many things around the house - probably got similar amount of uses as vinegar. (don't put vinegar in cat litter) 😂

Simon Says said...

I just started buying a 5 kg bucket of it. I just thought it was useful especially as it does many things around the house - probably got similar amount of uses as vinegar. (don't put vinegar in cat litter) 😂

Jesse the Cat said...

I don't like to think that if I have baking soda in my cat litter box (mixed or spread on the bottom of box] - I can lick my paws and start to 'raise' like a bread dough or having stomach discomfort:). I am thinking that even if it is a small amount of baking soda that I ingest, this would produce bloating and non comfortable feeling for me [even if it is in a small amount)....and I wouldn't like this.

My Mom is experimenting with leaving on a higher shelf (that I cannot get to it) close to the litter box - a small container filled with vinegar, and another small container filled with baking soda - both containers left opened.
I'll see how it gows - if the smell will be absorbed. Also, I use Tiddy Cats litter in my litter box - scented or not scented - I am okay with it.

I want to tell to my Mom that maybe she can try to make a mix of vinegar and baking soda and to spray the walls of my litter box....this would be another idea that came in my mind.

My litter box is cleaned 3 times a week and sometimes right away after I go to the bathroom. I like a clean litter box...:).
Cheers,
Jesse the Cat

Jesse the Cat said...

As I said, I am back to tell you how it worked with using small containers with vinegar and baking soda [open containers] in the area where my litter box is located...There are already 3-4 days now from the time I had the containers with vinegar and baking soda placed on a shelf, in my little space where I have my litter box - and I can tell you there is no smell of any kind coming from my litter box. The smell was totally neutralized. My litter box is located in an enclosed area [a small closet, where the door is always open for me to get in at any time]. I am happy with the results, my Mom is very smart in doing this - and not mix the baking soda in my litter sand, because I feel I wouldn't like the taste of baking soda when I lick my paws...in this way, I am feeling safe healthwise.
Cheers,
Jesse the Cat

Anonymous said...


Read this article on cays with kidney disease and the use of baking soda to treat one of the nasty conditions associated with it.

http://www.felinecrf.org/metabolic_acidosis.htm

Nicolai Doan said...

This is a great post about cat litter. Thank for share it here. read flushable cat litter reviews

Jen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Too much bicarb can cause metabolic alkalosis as a result of the ph increasing. Cats will always clean their paws so I don't think using it would be safe.

Unknown said...

How about putting a thin layer of baking powder on the bottom of litter box then cover with a layer of tissue paper or news paper then adding the litter?

lucy said...

Best Pretty Litters

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