Help with cat smell
July 26, 2015 1:41 PM Subscribe
We recently returned from a three-week trip to find our house smells likes cat pee. Please help us restore it back to its (relatively) smell-free state!
We went on a long trip. Cat-sitter came every three days to scoop litter. Housekeeper came three times to do general cleaning. When we got back home, the cat smell was pretty powerful. Our house is small (1400 sq feet) and I felt like we'd done a decent job keeping it relatively smell-free up to that point. Cat sitter mentioned she thought it smelled the first time she came (three days after we left).
Important to know:
-we have wood floors
-we have two cats, and I scoop and empty litter to outside garbage daily or twice daily
-we also have a dog, who smells a bit from her boarding, so this may be contributing to general damp, musty animal smell
-assume we own the regular arsenal of cleaning products, as well as a steam mop, Nature's Miracle and are willing to purchase more.
What I did:
-immediately cleaned cat box by dumping all old litter, bleached box, put in totally fresh litter.
-cleaned box litter box is housed in with Nature's Miracle
-cleaned around cat box with Nature's Miracle and 409
-turned on ceiling fans
-turned on and ran air purifier on highest setting (been on since Tuesday)
-washed all scatter rugs with Nature's Miracle
-housekeeper came and did basic cleaning of floors -- mopped with wood floor solution
Issues:
-It is damp season here and rains every day for some period of time. It is also hot (south Florida). This seems to be making things worse. We have Damp Rid in three rooms, but could put more. We rent, so buying an expensive, massive dehumidifier is probably not going to happen.
-Our dog was sick two days this week, and threw up and had diarrhea on the floors, which I immediately cleaned up with Nature's Miracle
-There are definitely rats under our house -- we've been battling them for a while now, so it's possible they are adding to the stink, but the exterminator and the landlord have both been very lax about them
-Opening the windows and doors isn't an option with the mosquito population
What suggestions have ye, Metafilter? I absolutely hate cat smell and I work hard to keep it to a minimum as much as possible. This is bumming me out, especially because the rain and mosquitoes are keeping us inside. Alternately, what can I do to keep my sanity about me? (see my previous question on fleas to get some insight on how obsessive I can get)
We went on a long trip. Cat-sitter came every three days to scoop litter. Housekeeper came three times to do general cleaning. When we got back home, the cat smell was pretty powerful. Our house is small (1400 sq feet) and I felt like we'd done a decent job keeping it relatively smell-free up to that point. Cat sitter mentioned she thought it smelled the first time she came (three days after we left).
Important to know:
-we have wood floors
-we have two cats, and I scoop and empty litter to outside garbage daily or twice daily
-we also have a dog, who smells a bit from her boarding, so this may be contributing to general damp, musty animal smell
-assume we own the regular arsenal of cleaning products, as well as a steam mop, Nature's Miracle and are willing to purchase more.
What I did:
-immediately cleaned cat box by dumping all old litter, bleached box, put in totally fresh litter.
-cleaned box litter box is housed in with Nature's Miracle
-cleaned around cat box with Nature's Miracle and 409
-turned on ceiling fans
-turned on and ran air purifier on highest setting (been on since Tuesday)
-washed all scatter rugs with Nature's Miracle
-housekeeper came and did basic cleaning of floors -- mopped with wood floor solution
Issues:
-It is damp season here and rains every day for some period of time. It is also hot (south Florida). This seems to be making things worse. We have Damp Rid in three rooms, but could put more. We rent, so buying an expensive, massive dehumidifier is probably not going to happen.
-Our dog was sick two days this week, and threw up and had diarrhea on the floors, which I immediately cleaned up with Nature's Miracle
-There are definitely rats under our house -- we've been battling them for a while now, so it's possible they are adding to the stink, but the exterminator and the landlord have both been very lax about them
-Opening the windows and doors isn't an option with the mosquito population
What suggestions have ye, Metafilter? I absolutely hate cat smell and I work hard to keep it to a minimum as much as possible. This is bumming me out, especially because the rain and mosquitoes are keeping us inside. Alternately, what can I do to keep my sanity about me? (see my previous question on fleas to get some insight on how obsessive I can get)
I hate to break the news to you, but the possibility is strong that this is how your your house smells all the time. You're just adjusted to it by living in it every day.
When I'm away from home for more than 10-12 days, I return and the house smells completely different. I can smell the wood, the carpet, etc. After 2-3 days I get used to it again and it's gone. But actually, it's still there.
Houses with cats, especially ones where kitty has gotten away with a few carpet accidents here and there, will smell like C-A-T forever. My wife and I have gone to open houses and we can tell within 2 seconds if they have a cat.
Still, you might want to get a blacklight and see if there are pee stains around the house that have gone unnoticed until now.
posted by JoeZydeco at 1:53 PM on July 26, 2015 [15 favorites]
When I'm away from home for more than 10-12 days, I return and the house smells completely different. I can smell the wood, the carpet, etc. After 2-3 days I get used to it again and it's gone. But actually, it's still there.
Houses with cats, especially ones where kitty has gotten away with a few carpet accidents here and there, will smell like C-A-T forever. My wife and I have gone to open houses and we can tell within 2 seconds if they have a cat.
Still, you might want to get a blacklight and see if there are pee stains around the house that have gone unnoticed until now.
posted by JoeZydeco at 1:53 PM on July 26, 2015 [15 favorites]
Response by poster: I should add that I'm regularly gone for two+ weeks at a time, and this is the first time that I've come back and the smell has been so strong.
posted by mrfuga0 at 1:56 PM on July 26, 2015
posted by mrfuga0 at 1:56 PM on July 26, 2015
A. Your cat has definitely peed somewhere and you haven't found it yet.
B. Possibly because three days is an awfully long time to go with an unscooped box. More frequent pet sitter visits will help in the future.
posted by MsMolly at 2:59 PM on July 26, 2015 [13 favorites]
B. Possibly because three days is an awfully long time to go with an unscooped box. More frequent pet sitter visits will help in the future.
posted by MsMolly at 2:59 PM on July 26, 2015 [13 favorites]
I think they may have been urinating on something that has absorbed the odor that you're not thinking about. We once went on a long trip and had someone come in every day to feed our two cats, to scoop daily, and change the box completely every 5 days, our usual routine. When we returned, the catsitter reported that there was sometimes nothing to scoop, and the litter seemed fresher than it should have for a house with two cats. We discovered they had been urinating on upholstered furniture, something they had never, ever done. We were gone for more than 2 weeks, and they must have been very, very pissed (pun somewhat intended). We had to trash 2 armchairs - there was no saving them. Any chairs, footstools, piles of laundry, etc. with absorbent material that might have been peed on? Even if it seems totally outlandish for them to do so?
Were either of your cats rescues who might have had a feral history? We think the cat who instigated this behavior was our younger cat, who was a feral kitten rescue, and that she somehow reverted to her early behavior without the company of our family. Unfortunately, we were never able to rehabilitate her and were lucky to be able to find her a new home where she could have an ourdoors life.
posted by citygirl at 3:46 PM on July 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
Were either of your cats rescues who might have had a feral history? We think the cat who instigated this behavior was our younger cat, who was a feral kitten rescue, and that she somehow reverted to her early behavior without the company of our family. Unfortunately, we were never able to rehabilitate her and were lucky to be able to find her a new home where she could have an ourdoors life.
posted by citygirl at 3:46 PM on July 26, 2015 [2 favorites]
Vodka if the Nature's Miracle doesn't work after a while. The Nature's Miracle has to dry in order to work, and that's not happening with the weather you've got. If you can rent a dehumidifier, I recommend that.
This could also be rat urine. I would FREAK if there were rats under my home. They carry diseases. And fleas. I'm... not trying to scare you, but that situation is unacceptable.
Nthing checking your upholstered furniture. I have shared the above poster's bad experience.
posted by jbenben at 4:54 PM on July 26, 2015
This could also be rat urine. I would FREAK if there were rats under my home. They carry diseases. And fleas. I'm... not trying to scare you, but that situation is unacceptable.
Nthing checking your upholstered furniture. I have shared the above poster's bad experience.
posted by jbenben at 4:54 PM on July 26, 2015
Can you rent an industrial-grade de-humidifier for a few days? Looks like Sunbelt Rentals (among others) operate in Florida and rent dehumidifiers. This might let your enzyme cleaner dry out and do the trick.
posted by reeddavid at 10:20 PM on July 26, 2015
posted by reeddavid at 10:20 PM on July 26, 2015
Your poor cats were upset about being left alone for so long. Next time get a cat sitter who will come every day and spend time with them, not just scoop the box.
Get a blacklight and check everywhere for pee. Not just floors but furniture, mattresses, etc. too.
posted by Jacqueline at 12:16 AM on July 27, 2015
Get a blacklight and check everywhere for pee. Not just floors but furniture, mattresses, etc. too.
posted by Jacqueline at 12:16 AM on July 27, 2015
I don't think three days is too long on the scooping front, but I agree that the cat might have been lonely or even angry -- ours often act out either while we're gone or just as we get back, but having daily visits wtih loving petsitters has made a big difference. (Of course, we're as cheap as everybody else, so credit for the daily visits goes to a cat who needs meds.) I'm sorry for your nose -- few things offend me worse than Lingering Cat Pee, and you need to find it before it becomes a Spot of Regular Use!!
posted by acm at 9:42 AM on July 27, 2015
posted by acm at 9:42 AM on July 27, 2015
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Also: Nature's Miracle is an enzymatic cleaner that takes up to 2 weeks to complete the process. If you used it properly (and not like a spray cleaner), it actually smells worse as the enzymes work before it gets better.
posted by Lyn Never at 1:52 PM on July 26, 2015 [8 favorites]