Walking into a room that assaults your nose with litter box odor is unpleasant, and cat owners spent a lot of money for products to combat the problem. Raw feeding your cat definitely reduces the initial "fragrance" of excrement, and that combined with proper management of the litter box keeps your household smelling fresh.
I want to tell you right up front that the information about litter box management is based on the informative book "Your Cat: Simple New Secrets to a Longer, Stronger Life" by Elizabeth Hodgkins DVM. Here is the condenses version of her strategy which I can testify absolutely work for my three cat household.
Multiple Litter Boxes
There is no getting around the fact that you must have multiple boxes in your home. You must have a least one for every cat. And my personal recommendation is to have two boxes even if you only own one cat. Two litter boxes in different rooms is a good idea just in case access to the favorite box is blocked off by accident.
Super Large Litter Box
Your local pet supply store has a variety of lovely litter boxes designed to be neatly stashed in a corner, or to blend in with your home dcor. Even the largest of those boxes are simply too small. In a central location with easy access, you should have at least one super large box: a large plastic storage box with the sides low enough to slide under the bed is a good choice. This box must be large enough to hold between twenty and forty pounds of clumping litter. Don't panic; with proper litter box technique, you'll find you won't have to change the litter very often.
The Right Litter
An effortless litter box routine calls for the right litter. Stay away from clay litter, or silicon litter. That stuff will cling to cats' paws; when they lick it off, it tends to accumulate in the gut and as you can imagine cause all sorts of health problems. Get an organic biodegradable litter. I found two products made from wheat that are fabulous for odor control. Yes, it is more expensive initially, but if you clean the boxes daily, using Dr. Hodgkins procedure, you rarely have need a complete change out of litter.
Litter Box Tools
The tools you need for daily box maintenance are: disposable latex or latex free gloves, a good sized litter scoop, a plastic container with sealable lid at least a gallon size, some small trash bags, and a little bit of cooking oil. Don't bother with litter pan liners-many cats don't like them and shy away if they find them in the box
Easy Litter Box Process
Before you fill the litter box, cover the bottom and sides with a very thin coat of cooking oil to prevent waste from sticking. Fill your litter pan with four inches of clumping litter. For your oversized litter pan the initial fill may require a forty pound bag.
As your cat uses the litter pan, the waste will clump and quickly dry into biodegradable lumps. At least once a day (several times is better), scoop through the litter and dump the lumps into the plastic container that you have lined with the trash bag. Close the bag, and close the lid on the container, until the either the bag is full or you are ready to make your daily trip to the trash.
If you follow this procedure at least once a day, it takes only ten minutes to clean the boxes. As the level of the litter drops, simply replenish it with a scoop or two of new litter. As long as this simple task is completed daily,your your litter boxes will be clean and odor free. There is no excuse for dirty boxes.
