Cat Urine Smell

Archive for October, 2008

Cat has kidney failure and has gone on carpet, but I can't get rid of the smell…..can anyone tell me what I can use?????

HELP HELP

Ah I pity you having a cat with kidney issues and I'm sorry he/she is going on the carpet. I sympathize as I have a 19.5 year old cat with kidney issues who has had the health issue for 3 years but is doing very well.

What you need to buy is an enzymatic cleaner. Simple Solution is a good brand. Here's a great article on the subject:

http://www.vicdata.com/cats/Enzyme_Cleaners__The_Only_Effective_Cat_Urine_Odo.php

and here is another from Drs. Foster & Smith, which recommends their products, of course:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?&acatid=233&aid=1151

Good luck with the issue. In the meantime, you might want to try using "disposable underpads" which are quite large and you can buy them at any drug store, like Walgreens. You could spread them around in the places he/she has used. If you haven't done so already, try adding some additional litterboxes. Because cats with kidney issues urinate more and often in big puddles, they tend to become very picky about their litterboxes and only want very very clean boxes. We added 3-4 additional very shallow litterboxes for our cat and we keep them very clean. Our cat has neurological problems as well and after a while, he didn't like to put his precious pads where other cats had urinated and he started using bathroom mats. So, we came up with a brilliant idea (?), we bought a whole bunch of cheap bathroom mats at the dollar store and put them into his shallow litter boxes. Once he uses them, we throw them into the washer with lots of detergent and some Clorox bleach and put a new one in the box. The other cats don't use his litterboxes as they will only use boxes with litter so they're his personal boxes that only he uses. This has worked really well. Desperate issues require desperate measures.

Please also check with your vet to make sure that your cat's potassium level isn't lowering due to the kidney issues. Often with this condition, the potassium level falls lower than the middle of the normal range of values and this can cause some back leg weakness. That makes it even harder for cats to use the litter box and tempts them to use the carpet. Also, make sure there are no signs of urinary tract infection which is also very common in cats with kidney issues (although often difficult to culture) and will cause them to have some litterbox aversion. It hurts to pee, so they think if they go somewhere other than the box, it will be easier. Not very good logic, but cat logic nonetheless. Go figure!

Is your cat on subcutaneous fluid therapy at home? Often this will alleviate the litterbox issues as well because the cat remains better hydrated and therefore, the kidneys don't have to work as hard to excrete the waste products. You probably know that when the kidneys are insufficient, it's because not enough functioning parts remain. Therefore, to excrete the same amount of waste products, the cat has to urinate more frequently and in larger amounts.

There are some excellent Yahoo Groups on this subject that you could join.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Caring-for-CRF-Felines
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SeniorCat

My favourite site on the subject is www.felinecrf.org which is chock full of information.

Good luck and thanks for taking care of your wonderful feline friend during his/her time of need. Bless your heart.

I need some really good brands of Cat Urine Odor removal. One that really works, unlike some others that I've tried. Any suggestions on what I should use?

To remove the smell of urine from just about anything, first clean it with some sort of soap or kitchen cleaner. Then clean it with lemon juice. If you don’t like the smell of lemon juice follow it up with a little bit of vanilla extract. One of the most effective formulas I’ve found for removing ANY odor was from Popular Science Magazine. Mix 1 quart of Hydrogen Peroxide, with 1/4 cup of Baking Soda, and one tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap. Saturate the affected area, rinse thoroughly with clean water, and the smell is gone. This is non-toxic and safe for your animals and children, and those with allergies. This is especially helpful for removing skunk odor from your outdoor animals. As always, test a small portion of fabric for color fastness, before treating a large area.

What Won’t Work… There are many home remedies for treating pet stains and odors, and let me stress that most of them are not too bad as far as removing odors for humans’ noses. Vinegar, ammonia, baking soda, laundry detergents, lemon juice, fabric softeners, and commercial strength pet stain removers are all great for removing the odors that humans can smell. However; you will need more to remove the odor for your cat’s nose. An enzymatic cleaner is the best answer, but it is slow and may take more than one application. (Nature’s Miracle is one of them.) The Hydrogen Peroxide/Baking Soda combo is fast, but can alter the colors of some fabrics. In the end, you must decide which application is best for your situation.

Even if you clean a pet stain with soap and water certain micro-organisms remain behind and your pet can smell them. Enzymatic Cleaners are designed to completely eliminate the source of the odor by using enzymes to eat away the micro-organisms that cause the odor. The one drawback to these cleaners is that they are slow; it could take several weeks for them to completely eliminate an odor. Enzymantic Cleaners are available at most pet stores, organic/natural/health food stores, and even some hardware stores. You can also ask your vet for suppliers.

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I have tried a product from a local pet store and also bleach and water. I can't seem to be able to get rid of the musty urine smell out of my cellar. There are 3 cat boxes down in the cellar but I keep them clean and scooped. any suggestions?

Clean with some white vinegar, then rinse well. Vinegar neutralizes cat urine odor…