??Anybody know about cats spraying???

[Chinadoll]

Some background...I have a small apartment about 600 square feet. The cats are not allowed in either of the bedrooms(one is mine, the other is the ferrets) The two litter boxes(for the cats) are in the bathroom. I scoop all litterboxes at least once a day, sometimes twice a day. My apt. does IMO have a slight odor when I come home from work. This, I assumed from the litterboxes as I'm gone at work 8 hours a day and the litter box gets full. I scoop when I get home from work and if I'm not running late, I'll scoop in the morning. I use both Arm&Hammer with crystals litter and Fresh Step...both scoopable.

My point...my mother came over today and said it smells like the cats are spraying. What does cat spray smell like? And how do I get rid of it? I really think I'm immune to animal smells...the ferrets don't faze me and neither does a full litter box. Once a week I completely clean all litter boxes(they get dumped and scrubbed). I do the kitchen floors with a little bleach and lots of hot water. The carpets are sprinkled with baking soda and pet odor stuff and vaccummed once or twice a week.

Scout is fixed and the two babies are 6 months old and getting fixed this Thursday(hopefully if they still have the appt. open if not , next week)

It really irks me when any of my family come over or Joey and says the place smells. I don't smell it...but like I said I must be immune. They make me feel like I'm not keeping a clean, neat apartment...when in actuality I'm almost anal about cleaning.

Any advice about odor? Any products that you like and use? Thanks!

[Cookiebaker]

My understanding on cat spray is that they actually urinate, but just a little bit to mark their territory. I also was under the impression that only male cats did this, but a little while back I caught Marigold (definitely female) doing this. It IS very annoying, and worries me that she has done it elsewhere and I just don't know about it. I, too, would appreciate info on how to stop them if possible!!!

[Chinadoll]

I know you can use a black light to find urine markings.

I don't think they are spraying. I don't see any obvious marks of urine on the walls(the walls are white..I would think if they sprayed it would be discolored)There's no part of the apartment that smells stronger than others. And believe me, I'm really sensitive about people saying the place smells so as soon as mom left today, I got on my hands and knees and went over every inch of the living room, kitchen and bathroom.


I don't know what to do about it. I'm cleaning as much as I think I should...maybe I should be scrubbing down the whole place more than once a week....*sigh* I'm guessing it must be coming from the litter boxes...I scoop at least once sometimes twice a day...but short of dumping and scrubbing more often than once a week I don't know what to do. I'm not sure why I'm having such a smell problem when I've heard of some people that only scoop the boxes every other day and change out the box only once a month.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Miss Meow]

Are Joey and your mom visiting just before cleaning time when your litter trays are soiled, or can they still smell that odour after you've cleaned your apartment?

Our cleaning routine is almost identical to yours and we can only detect odour when the litter trays are used or it's a really warm day and we don't have the windows open. I don't know what else you can do except maybe have any carpets and rugs steam cleaned, just in case they've urinated on the carpets because it sounds like the rest of your routine is fine

[Chinadoll]

Originally posted by Miss Meow
Are Joey and your mom visiting just before cleaning time when your litter trays are soiled, or can they still smell that odour after you've cleaned your apartment?

Our cleaning routine is almost identical to yours and we can only detect odour when the litter trays are used or it's a really warm day and we don't have the windows open. I don't know what else you can do except maybe have any carpets and rugs steam cleaned, just in case they've urinated on the carpets because it sounds like the rest of your routine is fine

After the place is scrubbed down...my once a wek cleaning they say it smells fine. It's the during the week sometimes before scooping and sometimes after that they say it smells.

Your mention of the windows makes sense. Since it's chilly here...I haven't had to turn on the Air conditioner. The temp stays at a constant 70 degress F in the apartment. Not cold enough for the heater, not warm enough for AC. The temp is fine for me. The circulation of air is probably my problem. Thank you.

[JillLovesMinnie14yrs]

FORGET ABOUT THE SCOOPABLE LITTER.

Unfortuneatly you will have to change the boxes every day. I have 7 cats, so I figured I'd take the shortcut of changing the litter every now and than, scooping in the meantime. Problem is, you can't get rid of the urine already stuck to the pan. Every morning I get up , empty all 5 boxes, scrub them with dish soap and a brush, and they are good to go. Scoopable is so expensive, too. Just buy 1.99 litter you'll use to for one day. What's probably happening is the boxes are dirty and smelly to them (even though you scoop) , and a cat will not use a dirty box, especailly a finicky one, and urinate/deficate elsewhere

[Chinadoll]

Originally posted by JillLovesMinnie14yrs
FORGET ABOUT THE SCOOPABLE LITTER.

Unfortuneatly you will have to change the boxes every day. I have 7 cats, so I figured I'd take the shortcut of changing the litter every now and than, scooping in the meantime. Problem is, you can't get rid of the urine already stuck to the pan. Every morning I get up , empty all 5 boxes, scrub them with dish soap and a brush, and they are good to go. Scoopable is so expensive, too. Just buy 1.99 litter you'll use to for one day. What's probably happening is the boxes are dirty and smelly to them (even though you scoop) , and a cat will not use a dirty box, especailly a finicky one, and urinate/deficate elsewhere

Actually, I've only found one scoopable litter where the urine + litter stuck to the bottom of the box. It was the cheap kind and I found that I had to scrape the bottom of the box along with scooping the litter. Ever since I switched back to the slightly more expensive stuff, it clumps just fine. I only have 3 kitties so it may not be as big of a problem as with 7. I guess we all have our own preferences. My boxes get scrubbed completely ever week along with scooped completely once, mostly twice a day.

Miss Meow helped me solve my problem. I couldn't figure out why I was having more of of smell problem now than before and it is the circulation of air. I haven't had to turn on the air or heat since the weather became much cooler because chilly outside keeps the perfect temp inside. I'm going to start running the fan for a few hours a day and that should take care of the problem.
Thanks for your input.

[boscibo]

Maybe it is the ferrets that smell like cat spray. I have never owned a ferret, but all that I have been around have a musky "pee" smell no matter how clean the owners keep them, or their cages.

[Chinadoll]

Originally posted by boscibo
Maybe it is the ferrets that smell like cat spray. I have never owned a ferret, but all that I have been around have a musky "pee" smell no matter how clean the owners keep them, or their cages.

No, it's not the ferts. Fert smell is definetly different. Even fert litter boxes smell different from cats. Fert smell is musky....but what I can smell of it doesn't bother me at all. Yes some people's ferts can smell worse than others...especially those from a pet store. Diet plays a big part in how ferts smell. Yucky food equals a yucky coat and smelly fert. Also if people bathe them too much like more than once a month it causes the oils to over reproduce and makes for a smelly fert along with not cleaning out the ears.

Most fert owners are either immune to fert smell or love it. We're just weird I guess.

I think that becasue my apt. is such a small place and the fact that I haven't had any kind of air unit running these last few weeks that thats why others have started telling me about the smell. I feel so stupid for not realizing that sooner. I'm still going to get a black light, shampoo the carpets, and I live for Febreeze in between cleanings.

Thanks for your input.

[wayne0214]

China doll, I have 10 cats in my home, with 8 litter boxes scattered about the 5 rooms that they have access to. I usually clean them out at least once every 2 days. However, when I come in from the outside and I smell odors, which I beleive are from cooking with garlic and onions -but not from my pets. When ever it is warm outside (even in the winter months), I will place a box fan in a window and turn it on until the odor gets out. My home seldom smells of animals. In the summer months I will leave a fan in the window and turn it on during the cooler times of the day, and sometimes I leave it on all night.

Sometimes when we clean the inside of our homes, without allowing fresh air in, what we may smell could be the accumulated cleaning stuff that is used. If it has been a long time since you let in fresh air, sometimes the odor will begin to accumulate in the drapes and curtains. Washing them will take care of that problem. Also, burning a scented candle will not only clean the air but will de-odorize it, while emitting a pleasant odor.

As far as your cats spraying. It is unlikely, especially for the two kittens- as they are a bit young for that. A mature female may spray but it is a rare situation. And when a cat does spray it is because they are marking territory. Are your two kitties related to the famale cat? Do they all get along OK? I hope this helps.

.........wayne

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I think cirulating the air more will definitely help.

Our 3 litterboxes are in the basement. It's not a huge basement, but it's not small by any means either. With Tubby getting older, he sometimes doesn't squat as much as he should, and the very little of the urine actually gets in the litterbox. Most of it ends up being soaked up by the throw rugs I have under each litterbox. This doesn't happen too often, but after a few times there is a definite urine odor when you go to the basement. I wash the rugs every couple of months, but that only helps to a point because as you know, once the smell is in there, there's not much that can get it out.

So last year when I went to a cat show with Sara (Edwina's Secretary), there was this deodorizer thing. It's almost like a mesh bag and there's something like lava rocks in it. It's actually more of an odor "absorber." It says it will last forever, and if it seems to be losing odor absorbing power, to put it in the sun for an afternoon and it will rejuvenate itself. I was skeptical, but Sara said she had one in their basement for the mustiness and it worked real well. I went ahead and bought one (don't remember if it was $10.00 or $20.00) and hung it near one of the litter boxes (all three are scattered throughout the basement). I then went and washed the rugs and the litterboxes to get rid of the worst of the odor. And I have to say I'm am amazed at how well this thing works! Not once since I hung it up has there even been a hint of odor. Terry has a work table right near one of the boxes and he has complained about the odor before - even when everything is cleaned - and since I hung this thing up he hasn't complained once.

I don't remember the name of the thing, and I have no idea where to get them except at this cat show. If no one else knows what I'm talking about and where to get it, I will check it out tonight when I get home and give you a name and hopefully an email address. I would think that since you have a small apt., one of these should really do the trick, as long as you don't hang it in a closet or something.

I was actually thinking of getting one more for the basement, just to be sure. I was going to wait until the next cat show, but if someone knows where to get them, I'd order one right now. I've never seen them anywhere else, not even in the hundreds of catalogs I get.

[Cataholic]

I am with Wayne on this one...I think it is very unlikely it is spraying you smell. Chinadoll- I have had one or two people INSIST my house smells like cat. Frankly, because the overwhelming people that come over do not, I ignore them. It is possible that your mom/brother are imagining the smell?? When I go to houses with small children...I smell different smells than at my house..not good/bad, just different. So, maybe it is that.

I have six cats and six boxes. I do not clean mine with anywhere near the frequency that you do, and I don't have a problem. I do scoop once, sometimes twice a day. Now, sometimes, as Miss Meow says, the heat/humidity makes things smell. It isn't any different, in my opinion, then a human that, uh, you know!!! It smells!

Because of the incredible cold right now, most of my windows are closed. BUT, I still open things up once a week, and let some new air come in...sends the heat system in overload for an hour, but, I think you need to rid your house of old air.

Bottom line- if it doesn't bother you...well, it is YOUR place, right?

[catmandu]

Very puzzling! when there are odors in the lost cats hotel it is because the cats aregetting older and they miss the litter boxes or kick it out when they play engineers , digging as if they are digging a pit! Try Max Cat Scoopable , pricey but its the best!

[Chinadoll]

Thanks everyone for your input. It is very appreciated. I do burn a scented candle at least once a week. I buy the honeysuckle candles from Linens and Things. Smells great. I'm going run the fan a few hours a day. I don't really like to open my windows because I live in an apartment complex on the bottom floor right next to the parking lot. People are coming and going all the time. But I'm going to give the place a good airing out this evening anyway. I have heard of those lava rock things. For the life of me, I can't remember what store people got them at...but I do remember it was a store we had around here. Once I figure out where to get some, I'll try that to.

Thank you all for your advice!!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Click here to go to the website for the odor-eater thing I was talking about. I love it and think it works great!

Hope this helps, Chinadoll.