7 Tips for Living with Multiple Cats

I participated in this sampling on behalf of Smiley360.com. All experiences and opinions are my own. You can join Smiley360 at www.smiley360.com. #ClumpAndSeal

Wherever you go in our house, you are likely to be watched. Our cats are very social and never seem to be far away. I would much rather see our cats watching us than know they are around by lingering cat odors. It is bound to happen with them inside the house, but I have a few new tools from Arm & Hammer to help my cat's watchful eyes be the only thing people notice when they come over to visit.

We have a few cats in our house. Okay, we actually have 3, and I know I am pushing the borders of crazy cat lady. But, I do love my cats. I always had them growing up, but three was the most we ever had. I should point out that currently having three cats ruling our house was not intentional, it just kinda happened.

When we moved in we got Chloe.

Chloe has made several appearances here on the blog. She was a mature cat when she came to our home but adapted to life on the farm quite well. She likes to spend time outside and her favorite place is the hay barn. She comes in at night to eat and sleep, but spends most of her day mousing around the farm.

Then there is Loo-Loo. Loo, so named for her first few weeks in our downstairs bathroom was abandoned on the farm with her sisters. We took her in adding to the cat craziness... She has it in for my husband but tolerates me and the kids.

Then we come to Hook. Hook was born in the same bathroom that Loo-Loo started out in. Loo almost gave birth to her 6 kittens in my daughter's bed. Instead, I helped to make her a nice spot in a laundry basket downstairs. Hook can be spotted slung over a little shoulder or being toted around the house by one of my 3 kids. Somehow I find him happily tucked into my daughter's bed each morning. He also is notorious for settling in on my craft projects when I turn to grab my camera.

This was for the No-Sew Captain America tutorial and it definitely didn't need a kitten planted in the middle!

All of our cats have one big thing in common, they each create more for me to clean up after. It isn't just the occasional messes on the floors from a hairball or getting sick, but there was litter box training fiascoes for the kittens and then the day to day needs of keeping up a communal litter box.

For weekly upkeep of our carpeted areas in the living room and bedrooms, I have started using Arm & Hammer with Oxi Clean Pet Stain and Odor Eliminator and Pet Fresh Carpet Odor Eliminator.

I have found the key to living happily with 3 felines (and retaining my sanity!) is to keep things clean and smelling fresh for everyone. Having these products on hand means I can get stains cleaned up when they happen, giving me a better chance of erasing the mess without a trace. With small children we still play on the floor a lot, so I need my floors to be clean and smelling fresh.

The Pet Stain and Odor Eliminator has been great for both kitten and puppy stains. It is a great way to treat a bad spot.

Then to keep my carpet smelling it's best, I can sprinkle on the Pet Fresh Carpet Odor Eliminator on my floor and then vacuum it up. It doesn't add any extra time to my cleaning schedule, but I love how it leaves my floor smelling afterwards.

But my absolute favorite way to keep my house smelling less like cat and more like a home is the Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal Naturals. This Odor Sealing Litter does a great job of keeping our litter box odor down, and moisture-activated micro-granules clump well for easy and quick removal of waste. It is made of plant-derived particles, so natural and safe for everyone.

Because multiple cats can be a little overwhelming, here are my 7 Tips for Living with Multiple Cats:

1. Treat Stains as they happen - Pet odor is much easier to manage if cleaned up quickly. Arm & Hammer Plus OxiClean, Pet Stain and Odor Eliminator can be sprayed directly on the stain and then wiped/blotted or deep cleaned.A small spot carpet cleaner is also a great tool to have handy. I like to treat the stain right away with spray, then deep clean it to remove all traces, both visible marks and odors.
2. Refresh Carpeted Areas - Even if there aren't any visible spots on the carpet, pet odors can linger. The Arm & Hammer Plus OxiClean is a great way to refresh the carpet during my regular cleaning.  I just sprinkle it on the carpet and then vacuum the room as usual.
3. Get a high-sided litter box - Cat litter just seems to get everywhere, doesn't it? Once we added our second and third cat, there was more fervent scattering of litter. You can find litter boxes with high sides to help keep more of the litter where it belongs.
4. Get a Clump & Seal Litter - I have been using the Arm & Hammer Clump and Seal Naturals to help keep the litter box odor down, and make for easy cleaning. The finer litter helps to cover and dry pet waste, making it easier for me to scoop. With multiple cats, I try to scoop several times a day, usually when I am going in and out of our laundry room. This keeps our litter box and the whole room smelling better.
5. Scoop more often with a Litter Genie - Since I scoop multiple times a day to keep our litter box pleasant, I needed a good place to put the waste. The Litter Genie allows me to scoop as little or as much as needed and it pushes the waste down inside keeping it smelling better. I do scoop more often now that I have this gadget. I even decorated my Litter Genie with vinyl to fit into the decor. 
6. Place the Litter Box in a well ventilated area - Keeping the litter box near a window or well ventilated area can help everyone get along better. Our laundry room was the perfect place to station the cat box. They cat's have privacy and I can have the window open for fresh air.
7. Control stray sand with Cat Litter Mat - Though the Arm & Hammer Clump & Seal litter does a great job of cutting down on the litter getting tracked through the house, there is a little that finds it's way outside the box. A Black Hole Cat Litter Mat paired with the new litter eliminated any problems. It has holes to help trap stray litter, and soft rounded ridges on top to help knock sand off of paws. The litter collects in the bottom and the pocket design allows me to easily pour collected sand back into the litter box. 

Be sure to visit the Arm & Hammer site to grab a $2 coupon on Arm & Hammer Clump and Seal litters. And be sure to check out their Facebook page for more great cleaning solutions and products.

Do you have any tips for living with multiple cats? I would love to hear them in the comments below.