Cat Smell

[kryptickancer]

Hi Doc.

I have a lady that lives close by who needs help cleaning her apartment. Since of course you have a clinic, I was wondering what I could use that would sanitize and deodorize as much as possible. She currently has 16 cats. :unsure: I'm pretty grossed out by the smell of her home already when she opens the door. What would you suggest I do. She's older and needs a lot of help.

Thanks so much.

Sarah

[Brad Buckley, D.V.M.]

We deal with a myriad of odors every single day and typically we clean hard surfaces. We use bacteriacidal and virucidal products that contain enymes that "eat" odors. These are the hard surface equivalents of Spot Shot. This product is available at grocery stores and is really good for carpets, upholstery and the like. This may help your neighbor but she might have to resort to a commercial cleaning outfit. It could be expensive but would most likely do the trick. One final idea (I know this will sound a bit hokey) is an odor eating candle. We have been selling these candles for about a year and they are our most popular OTC item. We light them in the clinic after certain "events" and our clients rave about how well they work. They cost about $8.50 and are well worth the price. Come by and smell a few.

Good luck and thanks for looking out for a friend.

[Msradar]

The only solution I know of getting rid of the cat piss smell....rip out everything to include walls if the cats have been spraying. Have the concrete slab professionally cleaned and start with new walls, floors and padding in putting down carpet. I would also get a through cleaning the heating/cooling system.

Just keep in mind if they have peed on the concrete slab not amount of cleaning can get rid of it. It if EVER gets damp or wet...the smell returns.

I dealt with a friend who had rental property and a old cat lady that died. She did not know she has well over 20 cats in the house. It was HORRIBLE. Cost my friend serious BIG bucks and she had many a tenent refuse rent after then heard the cat lady that died story.

Even after the deconstruction and reconstruction I could still smell cat...eww.

[Kelsey]

Please make sure that all the cats have been neutered or spayed. The lady does not need any more cats!

[engteach64]

Our dog got really sick about a year and a half ago, and she couldn't control her bladder. She was so sick she wouldn't walk. After she was made better our house (a rental) reeked of dog urine. I saw an infomerical for Urine gone. I bought 2 bottles at 10.00 each. It worked. To this day whenever there is an accident we use Urine gone. You saturate the floor and the stuff "eats away" the urine, and there is no more smell. It really does work. You can buy it at Walgreens.

[kryptickancer]

Our dog got really sick about a year and a half ago, and she couldn't control her bladder. She was so sick she wouldn't walk. After she was made better our house (a rental) reeked of dog urine. I saw an infomerical for Urine gone. I bought 2 bottles at 10.00 each. It worked. To this day whenever there is an accident we use Urine gone. You saturate the floor and the stuff "eats away" the urine, and there is no more smell. It really does work. You can buy it at Walgreens.

Thanks for the info. I gagged quite a few times while in her home. It's like she doesnt even notice how bad it is. Ive had a hard time making myself go back. There was rotten cat food everywhere along with other gross stuff. She wouldnt let me throw much away.. I just dont know what to do.. I dont wanna go back thats for sure.

[engteach64]

Animal urine all over the house can make a person ill without them really knowing why. This stuff is supposed to "eat" the urine all the way through the carpet, and even take it out of the padding. It may take a few treatments if it is that bad, but the smell will definitely go away for good. After that, I'd take the advice of a few of the guys on this site...:-$

[FieryPrincess]

Bread is good for absorbing odors in enclosed spaces.

We have two cats which is nice because they keep each other entertained and seem very well adjusted. I can easily see how a smell can get out of control in a hurry if you aren't on it all the time. The litter HAS to be scooped daily and we also sprinkle some stuff on the litter as well to cut down on odors. People don't usually know we have pets by a smell test.

I would say that 4 or more adult cats in a house is begging for trouble.

<incoming rant>
You know, if she really loves all those cats the way she says she does, then why does she have so many? They cannot possibly be cared for correctly! I spend almost $500 at thet vet last year for my two dogs and two cats for their regular checkups/shots/etc. I spent a great deal to have the cats spayed/neutered/declawed (the dogs came that way from the shelter). There is NO WAY those cats are getting the health care they need on any regular basis. Could you maybe use that tactic to get your friend's attention?

[kryptickancer]

Nah.. She doesnt have any money to afford their health care. If she didnt feed them they would be starving strays. My community is overrun with feral cats/strays and drop offs. I currently have picked up two kittens on top of the 4 I already had. I want to find homes for them because Cove told me they are so full with cats that the kittens would just be put down. It's kinda a lose/lose situation :(

[FieryPrincess]

Is there a program to to spay/neuter the feral cats? I have heard of programs like that from time to time.

Our two cats were the kittens of strays that found their way into our garage. I was planning to catch their dad (he was easy to spot) and have him neutered, but he was hit by a car before I could do that.

I completely understand how hard it is but those cats will start to interbreed until some are born with bad defects - I watched it happen with my step-great grandmothers ranch cats once. There was a litter of kittens and they were all messed up and one was even missing a leg. My great grandfather and uncle quietly took the litter and put them all down.

From what I have read, most of these people with too many pets (cats, dogs, other) start with the best of intentions and it gets out of control in a hurry and I can completely understand it. Those 16 cats will turn into 30 in the blink of an eye and eventually there will be criminal charges brought to bear by someone (likely the owner of the apartments)

Sometimes it is painful to be helpful. Keep working on your friend. Obviously you friend is a very kindhearted individual who wants to help the cats. I hope you can get her to see that what she is doing is pretty harmful in the long run.

[Rick]

My apologies to Dr. Buckley and the sane users of this forum for not monitoring this section closer. Those ignorant messages have been deleted.

[kryptickancer]

I found the kittens a home. Her landlord came by a day early and flipped a switch. He said she destroyed the apartment (she did) and he is gonna have to rip the floor out. I was thinking he was going to have to do the same, because no one else would rent it. I'm still slowly aquiring her cats she lets outside and trying to find them homes. So far this year I have found homes for 7 cats. I'm going to keep trying. THanks for the advice FP and everyone. :)

[Brad Buckley, D.V.M.]

I volunteer for an organization called Kathy's Kitties. This group helps others trap/neuter/release feral cats and also aids in the adoption of cats that are adoptable. We offer low cost spay/neuter/vaccs on the 2nd and 4th Mondays of every month at the clinic located at 308 N. Gray St. in Killeen.

For more information go to http://KathysKitties.com

[prideworks]

The only solution I know of getting rid of the cat piss smell....rip out everything to include walls if the cats have been spraying. Have the concrete slab professionally cleaned and start with new walls, floors and padding in putting down carpet. I would also get a through cleaning the heating/cooling system.

Just keep in mind if they have peed on the concrete slab not amount of cleaning can get rid of it. It if EVER gets damp or wet...the smell returns.

I dealt with a friend who had rental property and a old cat lady that died. She did not know she has well over 20 cats in the house. It was HORRIBLE. Cost my friend serious BIG bucks and she had many a tenent refuse rent after then heard the cat lady that died story.

Even after the deconstruction and reconstruction I could still smell cat...eww.

That's sad; :(sounds like a hoarding issue. Having delt with a cat who sprays I can tell you I know of nothing that will permanently remove the smell from a fabric.:banghead