Causes of unpleasant odor
Maybe the toilet itself or its cleanliness is not suitable for the pet. Another reason for dissatisfaction with a cat can be a new object in the house. For humans, subtle odors are less noticeable, but animals, especially cats, are very sensitive to unfamiliar odors.
It is quite possible that the shoes of the visiting guest will become a kind of irritant for the pet, which is why he decided to remind his owners who is “in charge”. Some felines also find it difficult to survive stressful situations: moving, having a new pet, punishment for misdeeds, the absence of a beloved owner.
All this leads to various problems with the cat, including problems associated with the smell of cat urine. The cat tends to relieve itself in front of its owners or in a visible place if it tries to say that it is sick.
In this case, first of all, you need to collect the remaining cat urine and go to the veterinarian so that he can determine what the cat is sick with (whether he is sick). And, of course, do not forget about the true nature of cats - to mark territory.
Perhaps in this way the cat is trying to strengthen its position among family members or is trying to attract other cats due to the special pungent odor of the discharge in its urine.
As for urination (although spraying urine on objects cannot be called feces in the usual sense of the word), cats and female cats that have not been spayed or neutered are prone to this.
If these problems are taken into account in time, all these situations can be avoided, so the smell of cat urine will have to be eliminated.
Preventive measures
“Marking” is a natural process among mature cats, who use their own urine to invite cats to have intercourse. In addition, cats who mark want to show who is really the owner of the house. And this is the prerogative of not only stray animals, but also pets whose owners did not want to castrate. If upholstered furniture, shoes, interior items, etc. suffer from attacks by pets in the form of “marking,” then it is recommended to periodically treat the surfaces with table vinegar.
When the cat feels that someone else has processed the item, and this mysterious “someone” has a stronger smell, he will abandon his idea. Alternative options could be: vodka, red pepper tincture, lemon juice, perhydrol, or professional products. Industrially manufactured drugs are most often presented in aerosol form. Some of them have self-explanatory names, for example, “Antimetka”.
Why does cat urine smell so bad?
To understand how to quickly deal with the smell of cat urine, you need to know the components of this liquid, which causes so many problems.
- These are urochrome (a substance that gives urine a yellowish tint), urea (the sticky part that can be easily washed off with a damp or dry cloth) and uric acid crystals.
- The latter, due to their chemical properties, cause a lot of trouble - they dissolve in water for a very long time, practically do not dissolve in alcohol, and upon contact with a liquid or humid environment they begin to emit an even stronger odor.
Therefore, the main principle of combating the unpleasant odor emanating from cat urine is speed. The sooner you remove the urine puddle, the easier it will be to clean the air in the room.
The nature of the surface on which the cat walks is also important. Only depending on the floor covering - parquet, linoleum - or the object - carpet, sofa, etc. - you can choose the right cleaning method.
Preparing to Remove Cat Odor in the House
In order for the cat smell to disappear from the apartment without leaving a trace, you need to correctly approach the process of removing “traces” of your pet.
To begin with, the puddle is covered with paper napkins (as they are absorbed, they are collected in a plastic bag). Alternatively, you can use cat litter instead of paper.
The purpose of such actions is to collect urine as quickly as possible, without waiting for it to be absorbed or smeared on the surface.
It is strictly unacceptable:
- cover up the cat’s “traces”;
- rub the surface with a brush or sponge;
- rub the urine on the floor with a wet rag.
Such manipulations will lead to an even greater spread of odor and absorption of urine.
Ways to deal with the unpleasant smell of cat urine
Most products are aimed at eliminating the first two components of cat urine - they help cope with the problem in a short time. In order not to be constantly tormented by the smell of urine, you need to get rid of it with the help of deeper cleansing. However, this does not mean that you should look for any serious cleaning products.
On the contrary, the choice of a product that can not only remove a puddle of urine, but also does not leave a trace of odor from it, must be approached carefully and responsibly, because cats are in close contact with the floor and furniture, and a strong chemical reagent can harm their health.
The following methods can be distinguished to combat the unpleasant odor from cat urine: Homemade and folk remedies; Specialized tools.
Prevention measures
To prevent such troubles from happening again, there are some recommendations. It is important to monitor the behavior and health of your pet, and follow the rules of keeping. A cat may shit if it is not happy with the litter box. This item must meet some requirements:
- always be in a clean state;
- have high sides;
- have a sufficient amount of filler inside;
- have dimensions corresponding to the size of the cat itself;
- located in a suitable place that is comfortable for the animal.
In order for the kitten to quickly get used to the right place, when an urge or suspicious behavior appears, the person must move it. This process can take from several days to a week. Sometimes there are cases when the animal needs a longer time.
Interesting read: Turkish Van cats.
Antigadin spray
This remedy is well known to all cat owners. With its help, a person points out where the pet should not shit and put marks. This effect is achieved by a special composition to which the animal reacts sensitively. A person does not smell it at all.
It is necessary to treat with it those places where the cat often tries to go to the toilet. You can buy it in veterinary stores or supermarkets, in the pet products department.
DIY repeller
There are special means that protect the apartment, interior items, and furniture from cat surprises. You can use improvised means for these purposes. Cats cannot stand the smell of lemon and orange. The zest of these fruits is perfect for this. It must be placed in fabric bags that allow air to pass through.
Household chemicals
It is worth noting that methods of combating unpleasant odors from this group are not always quite effective. In addition, they require a lot of energy. However, they remain popular due to their low price.
The first and most important rule is that you cannot use chlorine-containing mixtures. Although chlorine is a very good cleaning agent that kills all types of microorganisms, it is also very toxic.
Ammonia also applies to this rule - adding perfume will mix the odors and only worsen the situation. So, to remove the smell of cat urine in an apartment, you need strong oxidizing agents.
The most powerful of them, which are often at hand, are the following:
- Lemon juice;
- Hydrogen peroxide;
- Aqueous solution of vinegar;
- Aqueous solution of iodine.
When the urine stain is fresh, you can use simple antiseptics - alcohol, vodka, laundry soap, soda and much more.
You should look for mixtures with glycerin - it effectively breaks down uric acid crystals, so after such treatment there is nothing left in the air.
Some owners use fragrances in an attempt to get rid of the smell of cat feces.
The use of ground coffee, dried parsley, aromatic oils and salts is not prohibited, provided that the animal is not allergic to these substances, but it is important to remember that the aroma lamp cannot permanently remove the smell of cats, but removes them for a short period of time while the oil molecules will not evaporate from the room.
The above components are mixed with each other or with any detergents to achieve the best elimination of the smell of cat urine. You can find tons of these recipes and other tips online.
Carpet treatment
You cannot flood the “crime scene” with water. This will make the area of pollution even larger. If the stain is fresh, it is better to gently blot the moisture with paper towels or sprinkle with salt. Afterwards, treat this area of the carpet with antibacterial agents. For example, vodka, diluted alcohol or a solution of citric acid and water (1:2). When the carpet is dry, you need to rinse it with water and apply a few drops of lavender oil to the area to be cleaned. This will discourage the animal from shitting on the rug.
You can remove ingrained odor from the carpet in the same way as from the sofa. Only now you won’t need a syringe.
When getting rid of stench using vinegar, baking soda and peroxide, the main thing is not to break the sequence of actions. By mixing up the order of components, you can ruin the carpet.
Professional products that eliminate the smell of cat urine
As mentioned above, folk remedies are not always enough to clean an apartment. Special solutions and mixtures, including those containing special enzymes, help to completely and permanently eliminate the smell of cat urine - they destroy uric acid crystals and neutralize the smell.
When using this product, you must strictly follow the instructions included with the product so as not to harm the animal - sometimes the effect of such mixtures does not appear immediately, perhaps even after a few days, at which point cat owners begin to repeat the procedure again and again, causing pain to their pet.
If cat urine gets on a sofa or the upholstery of other upholstered furniture, it is better to use specialized products for cleaning carpets and fabrics. These include Zoovorsin, Pet Stain & Smell, Cleansan and others.
- The above-mentioned products are suitable not only for cleaning premises, but also for neutralizing the smell of urine in the cat's litter box.
- However, there is a separate line of products for these purposes, for example, Bio-Vax toilet deodorants.
- They will help solve the problem of the smell of cat urine in the area where her litter box is located.
- A special ultraviolet lamp can be a good help in the fight against cat odor.
- In its light, all vital products, especially cat urine, will glow with a characteristic shade - for urine it is yellow.
Yes, such a lamp is worth it, but thanks to it the owner can be sure that all the “scars” of his cat will be eliminated and unpleasant odors will not bother him. Thus, we can conclude that the arsenal of anti-aromatic agents is quite wide; you can choose any method you like.
However, nothing can replace the timely cleaning of cat puddles and treatment of its litter box - only this will save the owner from problems with the cat, and their home from unpleasant odors from urine.
You can add a variety of incense sticks, herbal pads, and scent lamps, but cleaning and maintaining a clean “home” for your cat is the key to clean, odor-free air in your home.
Cleaning service
When you don’t have the energy and time to properly clean a foul-smelling carpet or carpet yourself, you can use the services of special cleaning companies. Representatives of these services come to your home and carry out cleaning using highly effective professional products, methods and equipment. At the request of the owner, they can take the product to a specialized dry cleaner.
Cleaning company employees will visit your home if necessary.
A good friend of mine’s cat, in her old age, began to shit everywhere. The housewife is already tired of constantly washing all the bedside table rugs and rugs. She periodically washed large carpets and rugs with Vanish, and in the summer she took them to the dacha and washed them there with some kind of super powder. But the corrosive cat odor was never completely removed, and therefore the harmful animal returned to the scene of the crime and repeated its deed. Several times a friend called a cleaning service worker who cleaned everything on the spot. In the end, I had to take all the carpet products to a dry cleaner, but their appearance after a long wash suffered a little and became a little “crooked.”
