Why Does Cat Pee Smell So Bad
The smell of feline urine is not among a cats charms. Cats pee has a strong and pungent aroma. A senior cat with a strong urine odor is particularly troublesome as they often struggle to reach the litter box in time.
To understand why cat urine smells so strong, we need to consider evolution. Domesticated cats are descended from desert-dwelling animals. Water was rare in such arid climes, so cats evolved to hydrate by absorbing water through their urine.
This means that the kidneys of a cat absorb as much water as possible from the urine. This is why cats rarely drink and typically urinate less than other animals.
Unfortunately, removing this water means the urine is not diluted in any way. When a cat uses the litter box, it is releasing pure urine. This pee is comprised of the following:
- Urea and uric acid, waste proteins filtered by the kidneys
- Urobilin , a pigment that gives urine its traditional yellow shade
- Sodium, which is again filtered by the kidneys
- Electrolytes, which would ordinarily provide hydration
- Creatinine, a waste chemical compound generated by physical movement
- Waste bacteria, potentially including Toxoplasma gondii
- Pheromones for communication with other felines
Urea is the biggest offender of all, especially when left to linger without cleaning. Urea breaks down over time, releasing an increasingly strong scent. This is often where the smell of ammonia connected to cat urine stems from.
Causes Of Uti’s In Cats
Bacteria causes urinary tract infections when it enters a cat’s bladder. Typically bacteria enters a bladder through a cat’s urethra, which is the path urine takes from the bladder to exit the body. Once in the bladder, bacteria grow and reproduce to create more bacteria and infiltrate this once sterile space. Simple things like a dirty litter box, dirty bed, or an overall dirty environment that a cat spends time in can allow bacteria to enter a urethra and cause a urinary tract infection.
Remedies And Treatments For Cat Urinary Tract Infection
Urinary tract diseases are common in cats and can cause discomfort and distress. If left untreated, a UTI can lead to partial or complete blockage of the urethra. This can lead to kidney failure or rupture of the bladder, which could be deadly.
Depending on the severity of the infection, a cat UTI can be treated using at-home remedies and treatments.
Cranberries
While cranberries are known as a UTI treatment in humans, they can also be used to treat a cat UTI. The acidity of cranberries can lower the pH of your cats urine, which can help treat a UTI and stop it from coming back.
Many cranberry juices are high in sugar. Instead, you can find cranberry capsules , supplements, or powder to add to your cats diet.
Before giving your cat cranberry, you should first test the pH levels in your cats urine. While the acidity of cranberries may help with some UTIs, in other cases, it could make the condition worse. Only provide cranberry supplements if your cats urine is too alkaline.
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Apple cider vinegar can also lower the pH in your cats urine, eliminating and preventing any harmful bacteria. Add half a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to your cats food each day. To reduce the bitter taste, you can mix it in with chicken or beef broth. Just make sure the broth doesnt contain onions, as this is toxic to cats.
Glucosamine and Chondroitin
Bone Broth
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Why Cat Urine Smells So Badand What You Can Do About It
Were all familiar with the offensive smell of cat pee, but why is it that cat urine smells so bad? The answer lies in the species evolution. Todays cat descended from desert dwellers whose bodies needed to be very efficient at absorbing water, an efficiency modern cats still possess. Cats are able to absorb a large amount of water from their urine to maintain hydration. This is the reason why cats dont drink much water and also why their urine is so concentrated and thus smelly.
Contributing factors. Older cats with diminished or compromised kidney function will have worse smelling urine. Urine from male cats also tends to smell worse than female urine, due to the presence of steroids such as testosterone.
Science Behind Cats Urine
Cat urine may not be potentially harmful to your soil or your plants, but it may cause the garden area to stink. Do you want to cover up the odor or want to get rid of the smell once and for all?
At first, you should know about the components present in a cats urine and to what extent it is hazardous to your garden plants. Lets start digging!
Cats prefer to urinate and defecate in the garden soil. It is one of their favorite spots to finish their business in. If it is not its owners garden, then the neighbors garden, but garden it is!
When garden soil is exposed to the sun and rain, the odor may turn intolerable. Cats urine may not be particularly harmful to plants, but observations have revealed that grass-covered areas that have been urinated on, appear brownish with time.
This is because of the uric acid present in the cats urine that dissolves through the chlorophyll in plants. If there are cemented areas around your garden or wooden ornaments, they might have stains of urine left on them. Cemented surfaces may appear yellowish-green over time, instead of the usual grey-white appearance.
The uric acid present in a cats urine can stay in fabric, carpets, or wood for years. Washing the material in soap, vinegar or hydrogen peroxide will neutralize the cat odor but only for a short time. When the humidity level is high, then the uric acid may crystallize, causing the unbearable, foul-smell to reappear.
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Commercial Products To Neutralize Cat Urine In Garden Soil
If you find that the home remedies using stuff lying around the house are not working for your garden, you may try some commercial products.
You might be suffering through a notorious pest infestation in your neighborhood or maybe you have a lot of cats of your own, but deterring pets from the garden area becomes crucial if you want your plants to grow and bear fruits!
Some products like ODORx Un-Duz-It or Angry Orange Ready-to-Use Citrus Pet Odor Eliminator are well-known for removing the cat urine odor. After they dry off, they leave a sweet scenting or lemony odor behind.
ODORx product could be used on almost any surface including wood, plywood, cement, natural stones, quarry, bricks, or grout.
If you use artificial or synthetic turf in your garden area, products like Pure Nature Pets Turf and Kennel Deodorizer will be helpful. These are made of 100% natural Clinoptilolite Zeolite which has been extracted from volcanic ash and has natural cleansing properties.
For application on soil, grass, plants and gravel, you may use products like NaturVet Yard Odor Eliminator, or Simple Green Outdoor Odor Eliminator. They are safe to be used around animals in your house.
Removing Cat Urine Smells From The Subflooring
Urine can often soak through the carpet and into the subflooring, leaving a stain and a stench that cant be lifted with carpet cleaner and elbow grease.
If you have pet odor that will not go away despite your best carpet-cleaning efforts, neutralize the scent by using an oil-based, stain-blocking primer on the subfloor beneath the carpeting. Replace the padding as well as that area of carpet.
Here a few easy steps you can take to remove the cat pee smell from a cushion.
1. Soak the Area in Water
Soak the affected area of the cushion with water. Blot up as much of the cat urine as possible with a towel.
2. Soak the Area With an Enzyme Cleaner
Then soak the cushion by very slowly, pouring the enzyme cleaner on and around the affected area.
3. Let It Sit Before Blotting With Towels
Let it sit for 15 minutes, then squish out as much of the excess enzyme cleaner as possible before blotting with towels.
4. Let the Cushion Dry
If possible, leave the cushion outside as long as possible while it dries. Since cushions take days to dry, lay aluminum foil down before putting the cushion back, then put a second layer of foil over the top of the cushion to discourage your cat from peeing on the cushion again.
Mattresses require almost the same process as cushions.
1. Soak the Area in Water
Soak the affected area of the mattress with water. Blot up as much of the cat urine as possible with a towel.
2. Soak the Area With Enzyme Cleaner
3. Let It Sit Before Blotting With Towels
5. Rewash
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How Can I Treat My Cats Uti At Home
After a visit to the veterinary ER and some $200 later, I now know what to do when my cat has an onset of urinary tract infection .
I had a feeling Nala had a UTI, but I had to take her to the ER anyway because she had never had it, and I didnt know what to do.
I will share what I learned from this ordeal, from symptoms to look for to how to treat your cats UTI at home. I hope you and your kitty find this helpful.
Why Cat Urine Smells So Bad And What To Do About It
23 Jun, 2021
Your sweet little feline companion welcomes you home from work with a loving purr and an affectionate rub against your leg. However, if your cat has had an accident the offensive stench of the urine odor is enough to drive you away from your home and your cat. Do a quick Google search, and youll find that cat owners everywhere are looking for answers to the chronic challenge of cat pee. According to Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, house soiling is the most common behavior problem reported by cat owners. So why is your cat having accidents? Why does cat urine smell so bad? And how can you get rid of the stench once and for all? We have the answers for you here.
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> > > The Permanent Solution To Smelly Cat Urine
Think Like a Cat
Cats not only need a litter box filled with dry, clean, loose litter to dig in, they also need a place where they feel comfortable. The placement of the litter box should be for your cats convenience, not necessarily yours. And, ultimately, a litter box that is used consistently by your cat will be the most convenient for you, regardless of where its located.
What Can I Do At Home With Natural Remedies For Cat Urinary Tract Infections
There are many natural at-home treatments for a cat UTI, but the first area that must be addressed is diet.
Best cat diet
As previously discussed, the urine pH is directly affected by what youre feeding your cat.
If your cat is on a dry kibble diet, its important to start transitioning to at least a canned food diet. High carb diets cause an increase in urine pH which can lead to struvite crystals forming.
Also, cats are not great water drinkers, and its important to increase the moisture content in their food. This helps dilute the urine and flush the kidneys and bladder, helping to prevent bacterial UTIs and crystals in the urine.
Other diets that are optimal for cats that are an obligate carnivore include freeze-dried or even raw diets.
Many pet parents are worried about feeding a raw diet so make sure to start slow or reach out if you need additional help and guidance.
Remember, when changing your cats diet, many cats have developed a preference for eating dry food and can be stubborn to change.
Also, we need to adjust the type of beneficial bacteria in their gut microbiome to help reduce the risk of GI upset. This is why starting with a slow transition over 2 weeks can help reduce any unwanted GI effects, but some cats may take longer, especially if theyre addicted to kibble.
Patience is key.
Essential oils are not all equal, and cats can be sensitive to certain types of essential oils. to learn more about how to use essential oils safely in your pets.
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> > > No More Cat Pee Everywhere
Cats tend to be alert, somewhat nervous animals who can react with fear to a number of situations, and this can result in inappropriate. Being fraidy cats has helped cats to survive in the sometimes hostile natural world where they might make a tempting meal for a larger animal. Although living with humans has undoubtedly softened some of the cats natural skittishness, they still depend upon instinct to keep them safe, and often appear to us to overreact. Cat Weak Urine
There are a number of reasons why a cat might be avoiding the litter box, such as an infection, or a dirty box. However, fear can also be responsible for litter box avoidance and in soiling inappropriately, and this could well be the case with your cat.
The fear your cat might be showing as avoiding the litter box could stem from his or her fear of the box itself, or of the place where the box is situated. If your cat associates a certain spot in the house with an unpleasant or traumatic experience, it could cause your cat to mess outside the litter box. Cats have good memories and will associate the litter box with the incident long after the danger is gone. If simply moving the box is not an option, there are ways to help your cat overcome his or her fears.
Why Does My Cat Have Bad Breath
Yes, a cats breath can smell funky after chowing down their favorite canned entree, especially if it has fish. But if the bad breath is sticking around for several days, its time to act.
Most often, halitosis points to dental issues, especially gum disease or tooth decay, which are pretty common in cats. Various studies have found that anywhere between 50% and 90% of cats end up with some form of dental disease by the time they reach 4 years of age. So if the odor is accompanied by signs of mouth pain, see a vet.
Less frequently, foul breath can signal a serious illness, such as kidney failure or liver disease. If this accompanies other symptoms, like vomiting and lethargy, have your cat evaluated as soon as possible.
Otherwise, keep your cats gums and teeth clean and healthy with daily toothbrushing. If toothbrushing isnt realistic, your vet or your independent pet supplier may have some recommendations. Dental toys and treats containing special enzymes can help remove excess plaque that leads to decay and disease.
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The Best Cat Food For Odor Control
An inferior bargain diet is a common culprit behind intense cat box odors. Grocery store brands use corn, soy and other fillers, causing stomach upset and bigger messes in the litter box. Thats especially so if kitty is sensitive to these filler ingredients. Switch to a high-quality brand found at your independent pet supply shop, and youll quickly see a difference. Here are three things youll want to see on the label to make a true difference in cat odors.
Youll want to follow kittys lead when switching. But the good news is a high-quality diet should be pretty gentle on their system. Heres how to switch your cat to a new brand of cat food.
What Can I Give My Cat For A Very Strong Urine Smell
Our cats urine smell of ammonia. Ammonia in cat urine smells disgusting, unpleasant and lasts for quite some time. As a pet parent of a cat, you probably worry about how strong her urine smell is. Is this normal? Or should you be worried? Let’s find out.
“When urea is broken down, it produces amines that will break down further into mercaptans . Now this is why your cat’s urine smells like ammonia.”
COMPOSITION OF CAT URINE
Cat urine is made up of different chemicals like uric acid, creatinine, electrolytes, and urea. When urea is broken down, it produces amines that will break down further into mercaptans . Now this is why your cat’s urine smells like ammonia. To make it even simpler to understand, ammonia is created by the bacterial decomposition of urea, the primary component of urine.
According to Pet Health Network, a normal cat urine odor for an adult cat who has been spayed or neutered, chances are your fur-baby’s urine smell isnt too strong. Normal urine will have a slightly pungent, acidic scent that is fairly inoffensive and generally weak.
However, if you noticed your cats urine has a very strong odor that already stings the nose, there is a probability that your fur-baby might be on to something that requires veterinary attention.
WHAT COULD CAUSE THIS STRONG URINE SMELL
Aside from ammonia smell in urine, there are a lot of other factors for why your cat’s has a foul smelling urine.
WHAT TO DO FOR YOUR CAT’S STRONG URINE SMELL
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