I need to talk about cat pee, and I need your help

[gozf]

So, my monsters have developed bad litterbox etiquette.  It started with Ol' One Eye deciding it was cool to poop RIGHT OUTSIDE of the box.  Gross, right?  I hate her for it, but I've been thinking, "well, at least it isn't pee."

Clearly one of these dicks can read my mind, because this week someone has started peeing outside of the box too.  Last night, I spot cleaned THREE TIMES with white vinegar, because someone is persistent.  And then I mopped. 

I know that I need to take them both to the vet to see if something is wrong.  I've taken PoopButt to the vet already, and they were like, "Pooping on the floor?  What a bad kitty.  But she's healthy!!"  But this is a new issue, so off they both go.

My question is, how the eff do I get this smell to go away?  Everyone says white vinegar, but it's not cutting it, smell-wise, and it's clearly not deterring the offender(s).  My instinct is BLEACH, because when I get grossed out, bleach makes me feel sanitary and in control.  Is that right?  Do I need Nature's Miracle?  Does that stuff even work?

Help me.  My house smells like an animal shelter, and I don't like it.

ETA:  I have two giant litterboxes that are kept very clean.  And the girls get along, it's not like Feline WW3 up in here.

ETA2:  Fortunately, this isn't carpet I'm dealing with.

[Deleted]

1.)Nature's miracle
2.)Try a different brand of litter
3.)Add another litterbox if you can

ETA: I was typing when you edited, so 2 litterboxes should be good, but cats are weird.  Try a different kind of box? Are yours uncovered? Maybe try a covered one? Try moving them to a different area if possible? Put down a rubber mat?

[gozf]

Jul 25, 2014 10:28:42 GMT -5 kevin arnold said:

Remember that time I really wanted a cat?

Lolz. Nevermind.

We've had these cats for years.  This is a brand new problem.  I'm confused and annoyed.

Thor's solution is to have their legs removed so they are like little cat sausages, and we just keep them on pee pads.*






*Calm down, PETA, this isn't an actual thought. 

[gozf]

Jul 25, 2014 10:30:23 GMT -5 RexManningDay said:

Is it on carpet or a hard surface?

Hard surface.

[dottyblue]

Go get Nature's Miracle. It'll work wonders.

If you STILL smell the urine, you are going to need to scour the house. Because they probably peed somewhere you aren't seeing...

And definitely get that cat to the vet. Changes in elimination habits are usually a sign of other problems.

[gozf]

Jul 25, 2014 10:30:44 GMT -5 @fucksticklegit said:

1.)Nature's miracle
2.)Try a different brand of litter
3.)Add another litterbox if you can

We even got the Cat Attract to see if it'd help with the pooping!  Apparently, for them, it's Cat Repell!

[gummy]

You need an enzyme based cleaner or you'll forever smell it and they'll be attracted to it. Lots of people recommend Nature's Miracle, or Got Pee but my favorite is Fizzion

www.amazon.com/Fizzion-Remover-32-Ounce-Bottle-2-Pack/dp/B002DXA43U

It's what Jackson Galaxy recommends! LOL.

[gozf]

Jul 25, 2014 10:33:12 GMT -5 gummy said:

You need an enzyme based cleaner or you'll forever smell it and they'll be attracted to it. Lots of people recommend Nature's Miracle, or Got Pee but my favorite is Fizzion

www.amazon.com/Fizzion-Remover-32-Ounce-Bottle-2-Pack/dp/B002DXA43U

It's what Jackson Galaxy recommends! LOL.

I do love Jackson Galaxy!  SOLD!

[gozf]

Jul 25, 2014 10:34:52 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

No bleach with cat pee! Too much ammonia in the pee.

Is it tile or wood? You could try NM, but I know from experience that it's especially hard to get the smell of cat pee out of older wood floors. Maybe move the litter box on top of the spot where they're peeing?

It's the kitchen (I know, sooo gross -- but LL smartly said we can't have litter boxes on the hardwood floors, so the kitchen and bathroom are the only options!) on top of linoleum. 

If we moved the box, it would be in the center of the floor.

ETA:  I wondered about the ammonia!  Thank you for the clarification!

[gozf]

Jul 25, 2014 10:41:50 GMT -5 @astrid said:

Has anything changed? Schedule? Noise? Windows opened or closed? Maybe try feliway if this is an anxiety/mad kitty thing?

Nope!  We're running air conditioners, which they don't seem to love, but they just choose not to hang out in the rooms with air conditioners.  We have a very boring house, no disturbances.  They don't seem mad or anxious.  The little one is a little more withdrawn, but she's one of those cats who doesn't really want you to look at her or touch her, so it's hard to tell if something's wrong.

A Feliway can't hurt, though.

I was also thinking about getting them a cat tree, just because.  Maybe they'll be so happy with their gift that they'll straighten up and start acting right!

[pegasuskat]

For my cat's new bad habit I found a spray called kids n pets, it really works! I found it at Wal-Mart near the carpet cleaner products.

[gozf]

Jul 25, 2014 10:42:59 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

Oh hmm linoleum shouldn't be such a problem to get the smell out of, I wouldn't think. Wait, is it real linoleum or vinyl? I don't know much about real linoleum. It might be porous. I hope the product PP suggested works!

I odn't even know.  It was hideous when we saw the house before we signed the lease. And then the landlords put down slightly less hideous stick-on tiles that were still pretty hideous.  Thor put down different sticky tiles on top of those.  My fear is that the pee has sunk to the bottom level and we're gonna have to rip it all up.


Anyone want some cats?  Anyone have pet abandoning tips?  Lhc??

[gozf]

Jul 25, 2014 10:44:05 GMT -5 cjoy said:

You need an enzyme cleaner and you need to use it liberally. God, cats are such fuckers. I have one that's like "Oh, this litter box hasn't been scooped in the last 2 hours. TIME TO SHIT ON THE FLOOR." If she wasn't so cute...

Ugh.  I'm sorry.  I'm sorry for everyone who knows my pain.

At least Annabelle is super snuggly and nice.  The other one?  I'm finding little redeeming about her right now.

[holdingthestars]

We have a problem cat. He has a liver condition that apparently creates stones that make him uncomfortable and then he decides the litter box is no longer cool.

Some of the recs we had were have as many litter boxes as cats +1, get one of those underbed storage boxes & use as one if the boxes, have a box on each level of the house.

I use resolve pet to clean it off carpet & plain Bruce's hardwood cleaner on the hardwood.

The vinegar mix is the only thing that actually took the smell away IMO.

[Deleted]

Jul 25, 2014 10:40:24 GMT -5 gozf said:

Jul 25, 2014 10:34:52 GMT -5 @tambcat said:

No bleach with cat pee! Too much ammonia in the pee.

Is it tile or wood? You could try NM, but I know from experience that it's especially hard to get the smell of cat pee out of older wood floors. Maybe move the litter box on top of the spot where they're peeing?

It's the kitchen (I know, sooo gross -- but LL smartly said we can't have litter boxes on the hardwood floors, so the kitchen and bathroom are the only options!) on top of linoleum. 

If we moved the box, it would be in the center of the floor.

ETA:  I wondered about the ammonia!  Thank you for the clarification!

I've heard of putting a litterbox wherever and then every few days moving it a bit (foot or two?) until it's where you actually want it to go. In our case the cat was using corners so we just put a box there and moved a chair in front of it.

At one point, because he would only have "accidents" when we weren't home we got an extra large wire dog crate, put it at the entrance to a tiled hallway with food and water and a bed.  Then we put the litterboxes in the tiled room at the end and whenever we went away he was crated.  He didn't mind, he could see out and it was like an extra big box. 

[gozf]

Jul 25, 2014 10:48:50 GMT -5 @booby said:

you should all see my face right now...

WANNA COME OVER??

Dude, I'm making the same face.  Promise. This is vile.

[gozf]

Jul 25, 2014 10:52:32 GMT -5 Queen Dick, Hibernating Bear said:

I will never be interested in having a toilet box in my house.

I have literally had cats all my life.  And this is the first time I've dealt with nonsense like this.

[TrickyBob]

My cats were pushing the limits with their pooing/peeing outside the box. They would fling all their litter out of the box and then go outside the box.

So I switched to pine pellets and now they happily do their business in there. Plus it smells like pine faintly and locks in odors, you use way less, and it the pee turns it to saw dust. (Let's be honest, the turning it to saw dust is the amusing part to me)

BUT! It stopped the problem - for now.

For pee spots, I use baking soda and vinegar.

[panicked]

Yet another reason why cats are evil.

Not saying it can't be, but I've never been to a house with cats that didn't smell like cat.

[Deleted]

I feel your pain, especially with multiple cats. Hard to tell which one is the offender. Perhaps a check up for all of them at the vet?

[Deleted]

Jul 25, 2014 11:08:39 GMT -5 Catlawdy said:

(our cat is on drugs)

Did you get an at home test and take the door off his room?

[gozf]

Jul 25, 2014 11:10:32 GMT -5 panicked said:

Yet another reason why cats are evil.

Not saying it can't be, but I've never been to a house with cats that didn't smell like cat.

Listen, I'm looking for a) helpful b) reassuring or c) funny, here.  I don't need you telling me I always smelled like an animal shelter anyway.

Your Labyrinth sig cannot save you from my wrath today.

I BET YOU SMELL BAD TOO.






GOOD DAY.

[Deleted]

Jul 25, 2014 11:10:32 GMT -5 panicked said:

Yet another reason why cats are evil.

Not saying it can't be, but I've never been to a house with cats that didn't smell like cat.

NOT HELPFUL GTFO

[copperboom]

One of my cats turned into a total dick over the winter and started peeing anywhere and everywhere. After ruling out a medical issue, our vet suggested an antidepressant. It totally solved the issue for us.

[Nonny]

Definitely douse/soak any offending areas with enzyme cleaner.

One of our cats occasionally climbs into the box and pees over the side, so we started putting large puppy pads under the box. It contains the mess, so it's a lot easier to clean with less smell.

[panicked]

Jul 25, 2014 11:15:23 GMT -5 gozf said:

Jul 25, 2014 11:10:32 GMT -5 panicked said:

Yet another reason why cats are evil.

Not saying it can't be, but I've never been to a house with cats that didn't smell like cat.

Listen, I'm looking for a) helpful b) reassuring or c) funny, here.  I don't need you telling me I always smelled like an animal shelter anyway.

Your Labyrinth sig cannot save you from my wrath today.

I BET YOU SMELL BAD TOO.






GOOD DAY.

My siggy will save me from EVERYTHING.

Listen, I'm sorry you are having a bad day. I would be totally frustrated too. The ladies here have good advice. Use an enzyme cleaner, vet visit for all the kitties, and try a different litter. Of you have to rip up the floor, you will, just don't fret about it until you've exhausted all other options. Cat pee is notoriously difficult to contend with, but it can be done. Once you get the cats squared away, call a floor cleaning service. They can help with the smell usually if nothing else works.

You'll get it taken care of. You may not rid yourself completely, but you can greatly reduce it. Just be proactive and patient.

And I smell like shampoo and dryer sheets, thankyouverymuch.

[thatgirl2478]

First, in my experience regular nature's miracle does nothing, the cat specific one is a little better but the best I found was anti icky poo (only problem is you have to either get it from a vet or online and it's $$$).

Second, get some Dr Elsey's Cat Attract litter - it really does work (unless there's an underlying medical condition).

Third, enough with the vinegar - it won't neutralize the pee & will just make it smell worse .  No Bleach - that will mix with the ammonia in the pee & make some really toxic gas (think, concentration camp killing gas ).

[thatgirl2478]

Jul 25, 2014 10:32:34 GMT -5 gozf said:

Jul 25, 2014 10:30:44 GMT -5 @fucksticklegit said:

1.)Nature's miracle
2.)Try a different brand of litter
3.)Add another litterbox if you can

We even got the Cat Attract to see if it'd help with the pooping!  Apparently, for them, it's Cat Repell!

nooo!!!

That sucks dude - it works great for my Mom's 7 cats....

[thatgirl2478]

oh - can you get a black light? If you use it at night you can see the pee spots - they glow green - and then treat each spot with an enzyme cleaner.

[sydney02]

I hope you find your solution soon! I'm like you, had cats all my life and never had a litter issue until a few years ago. It was short lived thank goodness. Turned out that using Petsmart's Everclean was the solution. And it's truly the best litter I've ever used. It clumps into tight balls (lol) and smells clean without being a fake perfumy smell.
The litter I was buying was scented and the manufacturer must have changed the scent because it just repelled my cat.

I know of two people who have multiple cats and have them trained to use a kitty door. You'd never ever know they had pets. Zero smell. Cats don't stink it's their poo and pee that does. I always say when I lose Toblerone and Lady Marmalade my next cat will be trained to use a door.
ETA the door leads to an enclosed area outside so it's not like they are running free.