Why Cat Urine Smells & What to Do About It

In case your cat has an “accident” in the home, there’s little doubt what the pungent scent is. So what makes cat urine soooo smelly in comparison with canine urine? And what’s one of the simplest ways to take away the scent — for good?

The Chemistry Behind the Odor

Regular cat urine is usually water (about 95%), nevertheless it additionally comprises urea, ammonia, uric acid and creatinine, that are pure waste merchandise of protein breakdown and contribute to its distinctive, acidic scent. The urea is damaged down into ammonia by micro organism within the atmosphere, which is why it’s necessary to scoop the litter field day-after-day to keep away from a robust ammonia stench emanating from the field. Cat urine tends to be extra concentrated than canine urine (that means it has the next density or particular gravity), which contributes to creating the urine smellier. However that’s not the one distinction.

The Felinine Issue

One more reason cat urine smells completely different to canine or human urine is the felinine issue. Felinine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that’s solely discovered within the urine of home cats and their shut relations (e.g., bobcats and lynx). You’ll be able to’t really scent felinine (it’s odorless) nevertheless it breaks down into extremely unstable, pungent compounds. Unneutered male cats have a lot larger concentrations of felinine which, together with testosterone, sometimes makes their urine the stinkiest.

When the Odor Is Completely different

You most likely attempt to keep away from smelling your cat’s urine, nevertheless it’s necessary to concentrate (notably if additionally they went exterior the litter field) as a result of a change in scent might be as a result of a well being subject. An irregular urine odor might be from an an infection, cystitis, dehydration or diabetes. So it’s finest to contact your veterinarian in case your cat’s urine smells a bit completely different than standard.

Cat urine doesn’t include micro organism (until your kitty has an an infection), however when your cat urinates, micro organism from the encompassing pores and skin and fur can contaminate the urine. That’s why, in case your veterinarian wants to gather a urine pattern to verify an an infection, it must be achieved utilizing a “clear” methodology that can keep away from contamination from the atmosphere.

Deodorizing the Odor

In case your cat has urinated exterior the litter field, the primary (and finest) factor to do is clear it up right away. The stain might be more durable to take away and the scent will turn out to be extra concentrated the longer the urine is there. Additionally, in case your cat can scent the urine, they are going to proceed to make use of that spot. So should you see it, clear it.

The Ohio State University Indoor Pet Initiative has some nice tips about getting completely different flooring surfaces clear and ensuring your cat doesn’t begin a brand new behavior. Right here’s a abstract of OSU’s cleansing suggestions.

Carpet: Blot the world with paper towels, then stand on a towel or stack of paper towels to proceed soaking it up. Use a carpet cleaner or just a few drops of dish detergent and water to saturate the world, and let it sit for one or two hours. Rinse by gently blotting and utilizing a sponge with faucet water, then soak the world with membership soda for 10 minutes. Blot with paper towel once more, then use a pile of paper towels or a towel weighed down with one thing heavy in a single day. Lastly, spray the world with an enzymatic cleaner — don’t use ammonia or ammonia-based merchandise as this will likely appeal to your cat to the world and so they might do it once more.

Linoleum: Wipe up the urine with a paper towel or a mop soaked in soapy water. Rinse with heat water, then wipe with a sponge moistened with white vinegar and let the ground air dry.

Hardwood: Blot the urine, then use an enzymatic cleaner (that’s protected for hardwood flooring). If the stain/scent stays, it’s possible you’ll must sand, bleach and refinish the ground.

Laundry: Wash utilizing one cup of white vinegar solely then run the washer once more with detergent.

Discover the Reason for Urinary “Accidents”

In case your cat has determined the lounge rug is a greater place to urinate than the litter field, it’s necessary to seek out out why — earlier than it turns into the brand new norm. There are various causes cats break their litter field habits, together with well being points, litter field aversions, behavioral or social issues and territory marking. This publish will help you unravel the litter field drawback, or for additional recommendation, discuss together with your veterinarian. The faster you may tackle the issue, the better it will likely be to get your cat again on the precise path (to the litter field).

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