Getting rid of cat smell?

[kanga1]

I am not a cat lover. I can smell "cat" when I go in a house even if it is very clean and the litter box is hid. Would the "cat smell" ever leave a house after the cats are gone?

[panicked]

Jul 23, 2014 11:13:06 GMT -5 kanga1 said:

I am not a cat lover. I can smell "cat" when I go in a house even if it is very clean and the litter box is hid. Would the "cat smell" ever leave a house after the cats are gone?

Not if they had pissed anywhere, unless there had been serious remediation. Friends of mine bought a house that used to have a cat with an apparent bladder problem. They ended up ripping out the floors, taking down drywall, and doing serious "anti-cat piss" smell stuff. 

However, if it's mild, a thorough carpet/floor cleaning with pet odor removal, some open windows, and some activated charcoal in closed rooms will help. 

[msmerymac]

If there is one accident spot, there are enzymatic cleaners, like Nature's Miracle, that can remove the odor of cat urine. But if there is a lot of cat accident damage, ripping things out is necessary.

But if we're not talking cat urine everywhere, just that cats have lived in the house with a litter box, then yes. Like anything else, airing out and maybe new paint, plus time will solve the problem. If there are carpets, you might want to rip them out, too. My house didn't have pets, but it had OLD carpet, which just contributed to an overall musty smell.

[Blueper]

My house has a cat stench. My cat went on a marking spree last year, and nothing was safe. Curtains, walls, air duct covers, carpet. I finally have the top floor taken care of with enzyme cleaners, but for some reason the lower level is still an issue. I'm probably going to have to peel up the carpet and treat the pad and cement separately. If you are considering buying a house with this issue, I would bypass it unless you have the extra cash to replace a lot of stuff.

[juliahenry]

Cat smell is usually related to peeing accidents outside the litter box, and not to the box itself. If there's ever been even one incident that wasn't fixed right away, it can linger for years. I feel the same way about cat smell and smoking. Old smoke can linger forever. Our house has a very faint old smoke smell when it's been closed up for a few hours, even though we don't smoke. We've painted the main floor and it's a lot better, but I wonder if it will ever be fully gone. The smell is really faint, and dh doesn't always notice it, but...yuck.

[thatgirl2478]

If you have to replace carpet & padding, take that time between removal & replacement to treat the sub floor. If it's ply wood, you may need to replace it if it's obviously stained. If it's not stained, or it's concrete, you can paint over it with a shellac based sealer/paint and that will help contain the stink. Same goes for the walls - shellac based paint will encapsulate the smell.


But yeah, it's time consuming & expensive.

[lavender444]

My BIL lives with us for a short time, and his cat peed at the bottom of our basement stairs. We tried every cleaner/pet neutralizer out there, and the only thing that worked was ripping out the carpet and pad, cutting out the drywall, and using a sealer on the concrete and studs. Stooped cat.

[michemccall]

Jul 23, 2014 11:13:06 GMT -5 kanga1 said:

I am not a cat lover. I can smell "cat" when I go in a house even if it is very clean and the litter box is hid. Would the "cat smell" ever leave a house after the cats are gone?

OMG, I am so with you. That smell makes my eyes water and I can smell it anywhere I am. Please please please try something that someone recommended to me. Totally gets rid of the smell like they were never there. It's called Freshana. Google it. It will change your life! Ha, ok, a little over dramatic there. lol

[hisgirlcridey]

Aug 5, 2014 12:51:21 GMT -5 michemccall said:

Jul 23, 2014 11:13:06 GMT -5 kanga1 said:

I am not a cat lover. I can smell "cat" when I go in a house even if it is very clean and the litter box is hid. Would the "cat smell" ever leave a house after the cats are gone?

OMG, I am so with you. That smell makes my eyes water and I can smell it anywhere I am. Please please please try something that someone recommended to me. Totally gets rid of the smell like they were never there. It's called Freshana. Google it. It will change your life! Ha, ok, a little over dramatic there. lol

Thanks for the Freshana recommendation. I have a very, very sensitive nose, and a very, very adorable cat who keeps it in the litter box, but I feel like I still smell it. Just bought some of the Freshana air freshener on Amazon. Thanks again!

[treedimensional]

I can't smell my cat unless I bury my face in his fur. I guess you mean URINE smell, which is especially obnoxious and persistent in unneutered male cats. Try an enzymatic treatment (from pet store) and good luck.