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.
Stories from cat owners
Nikita: “Our cat is sterilized and we didn’t have any problems with the smell of urine before, but a couple of months ago a terrible smell of ammonia began to come from the litter box. At first we thought that the new food was to blame. But after a visit to the veterinarian, it turned out that our girl had an inflamed bladder. The strong odor was caused by this particular disease. The veterinarian prescribed us a course of antibiotics (Monural), the cat recovered, and the smell disappeared.”
Anton: “We took the cat to the veterinarian without a carrier, he puffed up on the leather car seat in fright. I removed the smell with hot mineral water (Borjomi) and salt. I watered it with mineral water, sprinkled it with salt and rubbed it all. After treatment, I thoroughly washed the interior and seats. In order not to spoil the leather, you need to try this mixture on a small piece of upholstery.”
Maria: “I removed a stain from the sofa with a solution of potassium permanganate. They say that a vinegar solution works well - I was afraid of ruining the upholstery. My sofa is brown, potassium permanganate did not leave any stains on it. I wouldn’t experiment like that with light furniture.”
The cat is a very popular pet that lives in many families. Sometimes these cute animals, for one reason or another, begin to mark their territory in a living room, not neglecting clothing. Washing cat urine from clothes is not such a simple task, but it is possible to cope with it if you know certain subtleties of this process.
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.
How to remove cat marks and remove traces of them: simple peroxide
It is sold in any pharmacy and costs a penny, so it is cheaper to buy than an expensive disinfectant. This is a very strong product, but it must be used with extreme caution: do not treat varnished surfaces or fabrics with this composition. We are talking about the well-known hydrogen peroxide.
You can try this combination: add a little liquid you buy for washing dishes to 100 ml of solution. Rub the resulting mixture onto the stain using a stiff bristle brush. Remove the remaining foam with a wet rag or damp sponge.
photo from website: HeaClub.ru
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.
Care tips and advice
Stains from clothes can be easily removed with a vinegar solution; table vinegar will do. It must be diluted with water in a ratio of 1:10. Soak the item in the solution, then wash it. A vinegar solution will come in handy if your textile shoes smell like a cat.
First wash in it, then in regular water using detergent. Leather shoes and boots should be wiped with a napkin soaked in lemon juice. But even after treatment, the smell may not disappear. The cat amber can be felt again when the feet become sweaty.
Sometimes the source of the odor is difficult to find. You can use an ultraviolet lamp to search for the mark.
In its light, a trace of urine acquires a yellowish tint and stands out on the fabric and pile. It is worth contacting a specialist if your cat makes puddles often. It will help you understand your pet's strange behavior.
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.
What substances should not be used
When removing traces of cat urine, we do not use the following solutions and products:
- Regular detergents and powders. They interact with the components of the tag and enhance its odor. It is also possible that after cleaning with such means the aroma will disappear, but since they are not capable of destroying all the components, the smell will return when the material is wetted again.
- Ammonia. It has a very strong, pungent odor, which will only irritate the animal and it will continue to mark until it stops feeling it.
- Chlorine. Like regular powders, it only enhances the smell, and its fumes are very harmful to health. In addition, this substance negatively affects the structure of any material.
