What's the best way to deodorize a cat's room?...

[lame54]

We recently inherited a cat from my brother
She lives in our spare bedroom while the dogs get the rest of the house
The room is starting to reek and although the window is constantly open the smell is getting worse
Any ideas?

[cpamomfromtexas]

1. Scoe is product you need look online

[lame54]

2. thanks

[iscooterliberally]

3. Hydrogen Peroxide and/or Vinegar solution.

They both work great on cat urine smell. The vinegar can smell like dirty socks though, but it clears up quickly. The peroxide might bleach carpet, but it works great on tile floors. We have about 6 cats in our house right now. We tried all the expensive cleaners and found out the least expensive solution worked the best.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

4. GET RID OF THE CAT?

Heh heh. Good luck w that one. Once an animal starts to reduce your home, it's time to re-evaluate your choices. imho. How's your brothers house smell? Pretty sure he'd be the best to ask regarding this issue and how it was handled.

[lame54]

5. He passed...

when we went to clean out his apartment we walked in to find his cat which we didn't know he owned
he automatically became ours because the pound was not an option

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

7. Oh shit

sorry about that.

[brewens]

10. The cat should not make your house smell. Does he use a litter box? Is he neutered?

If he's been fixed and using the box, is it on carpet? Even good kitties miss. Mines box is in the laundry room where I can easily sweep and mop up any mess. I clean it every morning for her. My girlfriend confirms, never any trace of cat odor.

My old cat Fatty was a little different. He was a big part Siamese. His occasional miss would make the whole lace smell, until I got home and cleaned it up. He was fixed but would still occasionally spray. Actually I only knew for sure he did twice.

[Sanity Claws]

6. Why does it smell

Is it the litter box? Perhaps you should clean out more often.
Is the cat peeing outside of the litter box? If so, find out the reason.
To get rid of urine smells because of errant peeing try a spray called Zero Odor. You can get it at pet supply stores and Bed Bath & Beyond.

Btw, I have had at least two cats in my households ever since 2000. I have never had an issue with cat smells. Cats are usually very clean animals.

[lame54]

8. she uses the litter box but...

I think she is marking the room because of the dogs

[CurtEastPoint]

9. 'she?' Females usually don't spray. The advice given above re: box, etc. is valid; also vet visit.

[Sanity Claws]

11. That doesn't sound right for a female cat

I have a foster cat currently in my care. He had spraying issues and the Vet put him onProzac. Problem solved. Really.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

22. Actually females can spray too - poor thing is freaked out and trying to establish her space- look

into Feliway (as I mentioned in previous post).

Unless you can keep the dogs from harrassing her this may not be the best place for her.

[procon]

12. Frightened cats have litter box problems.

From the poor cat's aspect, she's lost her owner and all the peace, safety, comfort and sense of security that went with their home life together. Now she's been captured by strangers and put into a lonely cell with nothing to do, no affection, no play interaction with anyone, and terrifying dogs that want to eat her. If she's locked away and alone most of the time she's telling you how she feels in the only way she can.

Cats are curious by nature and they need lots of mental and physical stimulation. They will not thrive and be happy if they are locked away in solitary confinement. That's not a good arrangement for any living creature. You won't change her pee problems until you change her living environment.

Get her out of her jail room. You can train your dogs, and there are many methods for successfully introducing cats and dogs so they can live together in harmony. One way is to crate the dogs or put them out and let the cat come into the house for a few hours a day to become familiar with the new place. Then let them see each other at a distance, but immediately correct the dogs when they bark or act with aggression, and offer a reward for calm behavior. It just takes time and persistence, but it's not too difficult to train most dogs to accept a cat.

If that isn't something you can do then consider rehoming the cat so she can live with people who will be able give her a good life and fully integrate her into their home and family.

Best of luck to all.

[IcyPeas]

18. Great advice above from procon.

[lame54]

20. maybe i didn't go into enough detail...

you're way off

she was a homeless cat my brother took in
my brothers place was a bug infested sty
we cleaned her up and she lives in our spare room but is not locked in - she chooses to hang out in there
we are working on getting her to come out and hang with us but are giving her time to get comfortable
she is not scared of the dogs and we are in there giving her attention quite a bit

I would hate to meet the people described in your comment - they sound like real assholes

[procon]

23. My only concern is the welfare of the cat.

Initially you said that the cat lives alone in your spare room while the dogs get the rest of the house. You even suspected that she was peeing because of your dogs. Like everyone else who offered advice, thinking that you wanted to help a cat that was not behaving normally, that's the information I responded to. The story has evolved and now you say the cat chooses to be alone and the dogs aren't causing her to pee in stress. BTAIM, something is causing her pee problem behavior and I hope you can find a way to help the cat, that's all I intended.

[Dave Starsky]

28. You gave excellent advice.

I don't know why that person jumped down your shirt like that. Good Lord.

People have no manners these days.

[Fla Dem]

31. Nope you didn't. I deleted my initial response to you once I read this post.

I was pretty much going to suggest she not be cooped up in one room and gradually be introduced to the dogs more for companionship than anything else. Glad to read that's exactly what you're doing. Be patient with her, she is adjusting.

Cats who live in houses might not have to hunt for their food or find a mate, but they still look at their world in the same way as cats who must survive on their own. They can only use the social and communication skills that nature gave them. If their world is predictable, there are no conflicts, they are spayed or neutered and they don’t need a mate, cats have little reason to mark and probably will not. But, if they want a mate or they are distressed about something, they’ll deal with their distress like any cat: they’ll mark their territory. To a cat, marking helps keep unwanted individuals away—whoever and whatever those individuals may be—and it creates an atmosphere of familiarity that makes them feel more secure.

https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/cat-care/common-cat-behavior-issues/urine-marking-cats

This is the only reason I would think you have a cat odor problem. As long as you're keeping her litter box clean at least once a day there should be no odor.

Thank you for taking her in, others may not have been so kind.

[Tipperary]

29. Very well said.

I cannot imagine locking a cat in a room day and night. That makes me very sad.

[COLGATE4]

13. Flamethrower?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

14. It shouldn't smell unless the cat isn't using the box.

And if the cat isn't using the box it's probably because of territorial issues. The cat is in unfamiliar territory. She's lost her human, she's in a new place and she is aware of the dogs even if she's kept separate from them. She needs to know she's safe - give her lots of attention, which will help her adjust. To deal with the smell you can get enzyme products that neutralize urine odors at any pet store. It might be a good idea to remove upholstered stuff or bedding until you've dealt with the smell and the cat has settled down. Try a Feliway diffuser and a Sentry calming collar. These products have pheromones that help cats cope with stress. My experience with them has been that they really do work.

[backtoblue]

15. Baking soda, baby power, and pull out all carpet if you can

Try to keep all laundry and blankets put up. Put a kitty bed in there and odd some catnip. Also helps if the cat is spayed/neutered. It can be very hard, but can be done. Good luck!

And lots of trinkets and toys to keep them busy!

[yortsed snacilbuper]

16. Try this.

[WhiteTara]

17. In time does kitty get to join the household?

or will she always be shut away by herself? They can become quite neurotic shut away like that. It's sort of like a prison.

[FSogol]

19. Move to a cat free house?

HTH.

[Kashkakat v.2.0]

21. Clean out the litter box daily - twice or thrice a day even better

Use clumping litter, several inches in a LARGE box. Has to be thick enuogh layer so the pee forms clumps and doesnt soak down all the way to the bottom and soak into the plastic of the ox. Then when you scoop out the clumps, you are sure of removing all pee. If you dont get it all out, it starts to ferment and stink. Same with poop - get it out of the box and into your trash bag ASAP. Get the bag out of the house and into the trash outside asap or it will start to ferment and stink. About once every week or two, clean the box thoroughouly and refill with fresh clean litter.

I am assuming you are not planning to keep her imprisoned in a room forever - just till she starts to adjust... correct? You might want to get Feliway spray which is a calming pheremone for cats. I would suggest the plug in but not if its a small confined space. Spray her bedding and places where she has been spraying. Also create higher up spaces for her so she can feel safe from the dogs.

[Rhiannon12866]

25. Ah, yes! Feliway! That's what I was advised to get for the kitty I rescued.

Last edited Tue May 22, 2018, 06:21 AM - Edit history (1)

It's a synthetic cat calming pheromone and is available at pet supply stores like PetsMart and PetCo.


https://www.feliway.com/us#redirected

[LisaL]

24. Not sure why the room is reeking to begin with. Cats are generally not smelly animals.

If cat is peeing outside litterbox, it's a good idea to have cat checked by a vet. To destroy the urine, you can use Nature's Miracle.

[Doreen]

26. Please find a no kill shelter ( there are more than you would think ) and

get her placed there. She just lost her person and now she has been put into a room by herself with strange people and dogs on the other side of the door. She is probably depressed and frightened. For the smell there is some stuff you can get from Petsmart or Petco that is made specifically for cat urine. I wish I could remember what it is called but it comes in these huge white gallon jugs. It also comes in spray bottles also. It works very well.

[jpak]

27. That kitty has a broken heart

She needs lots of love and attention.

Pheromone plug-ins help - but snuggles and ear scratchings are better.

I use Out! spray around my cat box - does a great job removing oodors.

[Runningdawg]

32. Kitty was on the street

and then with a person that had their own health problems. Has she been to the vet? She could have a bladder/kidney infection that could be causing the smell.

[lame54]

35. Yes we took her to the vet right away...

She now is up to date on shots and her bloodwork was good

[skypilot]

33. Try some of this.

https://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/store/product/bad-air-sponge/5162335?skuId=64669434&mcid=PS_googlepla_nonbrand_kitchenaccessories_online&product_id=64669434&adtype=pla&product_channel=online&adpos=1o3&creative=224122300524&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&mrkgadid=558387116&mrkgcl=609&rkg_id=h-82e28334c18184eb9f37d331b949d447_t-1527007442&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIpe6L_uGZ2wIVCJyzCh2bzQ_bEAQYAyABEgL4_vD_BwE

I don't have a cat but I smoke. The smell of cig smoke in my apartment was bothering me so when I spotted this at Bed, Bath and Beyond I gave it a shot. I've been very happy with it. Not sure if it will work on an odor as strong and pungent as cat urine but I'm sure it will at least make a dent.

[lame54]

34. Thanks...

How long does it last?

[skypilot]

37. It lasts for several months...

...and I just bought a large one (almost a quart size) which will no doubt last even longer. All you have to do is take off the lid and put the container where you want it.

[crazycatlady]

36. Rule out any health issues first

Take Kitty to a vet. Have her fixed (if she isn't already) and make sure there are no health issues like UTIs.

Secondly clean the litter box daily. Cats aren't smelly animals (IMO dogs have a distinct odor that linger while cats do not). They groom themselves.

My late Tabby only started to smell as he became elderly and his health deteriorated.

[ailsagirl]

38. Whenever my place gets too "odorous" I do this:

Fill a large pot about halfway with water.

Pour white vinegar-- a cup or so-- into it

Let it boil-- probably best without the lid

Then turn down to simmer

The vinegar smell will eradicate the cat smell, then it (the vinegar small) will itself disappear

Magic!

https://lifehacker.com/remove-odors-from-your-entire-home-by-simmering-vinegar-1734127248