Cats and their litter trays

• Foil litter-tray smells

Once odour penetrates the bottom of a litter tray, it is almost impossible to remove completely — a good reason to whip up this easy-to-make aluminium-foil odour-barrier. Cut a piece of cardboard box to size, cover it with heavy-duty aluminium foil and secure the foil to the cardboard with masking tape. When changing the cat litter, don’t throw away your homemade liner; instead, wipe over the foil with a wet sponge soaked in a solution of 2 parts vinegar to 1 part bicarbonate of soda. If you treat the liner gently, you should be able to get at least three or four uses out of it.

• Slice a lemon to neutralize odour

There’s nothing pleasant about the smell of a litter tray — but here’s a way to control odour in the area where the box sits. Place half a lemon, cut-side up, on a saucer and put it on the floor a few centimetres from the litter tray. (A scientist could explain to you why the smell of lemon in the air neutralizes unpleasant odours, but suffice to say that lemon gives bicarbonate of soda a run for its money when it comes to odour control.) For tough odours, place several lemon halves on a paper plate or try a combination of orange, lemon and lime halves.

• Three ways to sweeten a litter tray

If you’re buying the kind of cat litter that neutralizes litter-tray odours, you’re probably, spending a lot every week on this essential. Here are three suggestions that will help you to achieve the same result for less expense:

1. Add 1/3 cup (60g) bicarbonate of soda to ordinary litter and mix well.
2. Sprinkle 1/2 cup (60g) baby powder onto the litter to keep it fresh.
3. Stir a handful of dried parsley or other aromatic dried herb into the litter.

• No-cost litter-tray cleaners

Instead of using branded or supermarket own-brand cleaning products, choose one of these kitchen cupboard or under-the-sink items to keep a litter tray as fresh as possible. After removing the litter and liner (if you use one), clean the litter tray weekly with:

1. Vinegar
2. Household ammonia
3. Lemon oil
4. A solution of 1 part household bleach to 10 parts water.

Finish the job by rinsing the litter box with plain water. Then wipe it completely dry with a clean cloth before refilling again.

• A doormat for cats

To keep your cat from tracking dusty paw prints onto the floor when she leaves her litter tray, place a carpet remnant or an old placemat on the side of the tray where she makes her exit.