Why Cat Urine Smells So Bad and Doesn't Go Away

Cat urine odor is unique among the many smells we know. While there are other smells that are worse, most of us probably don't come across them.

Many people wonder why cat urine odor is so hard to get rid of. This article talks a little bit about the composition of cat urine.

Cat urine is composed of five different bacteria strains. Two of the bacteria strains are associated with the cat's marking scent. The other strains are in the cat spray, urine, and uric acid.

The sticky, tacky part of cat urine is urea. Urochrome is the pigment, and then there are the uric acid crystals and salts.

The first two components are not difficult to clean. The uric acid with its crystals and salts are what we continually see and smell, long after we’ve tried to clean the cat urine spot.

The crystals are insoluble, and they bond tightly to any surface they land on. This is why cat urine is immune to common household cleaners. Any type of moisture that gets on the crystals reactivates them. This is why we smell cat urine odor more distinctly when the weather is very humid.

The only way to completely and permanently clean up cat urine odor from any surface in your home is to use an enzyme cleaner. These cleaners are special formulas that actually eat the bacteria and crystals in cat urine.

Common household cleaners don’t contain enzymes. If they do, the enzymes are probably specific to cleaning up blood. Pet odor and stain removers use enzymes that attack and get rid of urine bacteria.

The worst type of cleaner you can use on cat urine odor puddles is any ammonia cleaner! Cat urine contains ammonia. Pour one of these cleaners onto that puddle, and its calling kitty’s name to come over and mark the spot again!

Now you know more about cat urine and its' odor than you probably wanted. However, if you or someone you know has a cat urine odor problem, this is why it's so difficult to get rid of.

Nancy stopped the cat urine odor problem at her home, and kept the kitty that caused it. "18 Ways to Stop Cat Urine Odor Problems" saves you money, time and frustration by solving your cat urine odor problem - permanently.

http://www.stopcaturineodor.com

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Comments on this article:

» left by samantha from st.john (1 year 145 days ago.)
this article was not helpful. My cats urine stinks, even when he is peeing in the cat box. what should i do to help my cats urine. Is there something wrong with my cat? please help my cat

samantha nelson
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» left by newigal ^(2,973) (1 year 145 days ago.)

Cat urine smells, whether it's in the box or out. It's because of the bacteria and other urine components. I recommend scooping your cat's waste from the box as soon as you discover it to keep the odor to a minimum.
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» left by Anon (58 days 16 hours ago.)
We used Feline Pine as litter until the cat decided that outdoors was better (haven't touched a litter box in 2  years). The Feline Pine breaks down immediately to a sawdust looking material and the smell is completely neutralized.
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» left by CD from GA (1 year 70 days ago.)

I also did not find this article helpful. In regards to the response of samantha from st. john's question, I cannot believe that someone would actually type, "I recommend scooping your cat's waste as soon as you discover it..." Please, I have a life and a job and that job is not to sit by my cat's box and clean it everytime he uses it. That is what the litter is supposed to do. It's supposed to cover the odor until it can be cleaned. Newigal obviously does not have a job or kids or a life and must enjoy being her cat's slave.
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» left by Anonymous (339 days 10 hours ago.)

I think there is a glaring error here. The author mentions 5 "bacteria strains" in cat urine, listing urea and uric acid as some. These are not bacteria at all, but chemical compounds. Very improper terminology.
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» left by C. Trevino from San Angelo, Tx (297 days 21 hours ago.)
My question was not answered I still have smelly urine to deal with.
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» left by ALF from Minnesota (283 days 5 hours ago.)

this article was not very helpful in what it's seeming purpose was though I luckily have found what I'd like to call a miracle solution for most pet messes 'Nature's Miracle' .there is some time involved of course and it is pretty expensive compared with some other cleaners. but it actually works. on both cat and dog messes anything feces. vomit urine. the key is follow the directions and repeat if necessary usually not unless of course your dealing with the runs...then it's repeat till there is no color left...and as far as litterboxes go .a good suggestion is actually to have one litterbox more than there are cats. so you have 1 cat .it's a good idea to have 2 litterboxes located in different areas of the home to help minimize those unwanted messes if for some reason the cat may feel unsafe or the other location may be too far to travel to if they really must go..and make sure they are kept clean best to clean them once a week and completely change the litter about every other week or so I hope this helps
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» left by StaciD from Raleigh NC (184 days 2 hours ago.)

Please go back in and REVISE this article to make it more factual (using correct terminology about the uric acid, etc.) and helpful to pet owners instead it merely being a teaser for the 18 Ways to Get Rid of Cat Urine book. You get a score of 1 for using the article for the sole purpose of being blatantly self-promotional, or at least promotional of the "18 Ways" book, as well as for disseminating information that is not factual. You can do much better!
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» left by Anonymous (156 days 17 hours ago.)
Inaccurate and comletely useless!!
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» left by Anonymous (128 days 5 hours ago.)
I actually added a small ventilation system to mine which pumps the stinkies out of the house through a hose. I also installed a vinyl curtain to hold back the smell. I know this is a bit extreme but allergies are a killer.

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» left by Cat Lover from Florida (90 days 10 hours ago.)

The article is actually true, cats will go where you have used ammonia in the house, my sisters home proves it. We bought a toilet litter box and for the last month have used our back bathroom as a kitty toilet. Hopefully they will be trained to use the toilet as the instructions say...but until then we have a fan going in the room where the litter is 24X7

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» left by Anonymous (17 days 6 hours ago.)

Sort of helpful, but not accurate. I taught my cat to pee down the drain, but we live on the top floor and it seems that the cat pee is always eroding the copper pipes... so we had to untrain him. I don't have a problem with cat pee smell though. We just get the type of litter that you can flush down the toilet. I might get the cat one of those toilet covers so he can pee straight in the toilet... you might see "18 ways to train your cat to pee in the toilet" very soon...

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