health "threat" from breathing cat urine odor?

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health "threat" from breathing cat urine odor?
« on: November 11, 2008, 09:19:17 AM » by IMPersuadd

Does anyone know of any health risks, particularly to children, of being in an enclosed (not alot of ventilation) room that reeks of cat urine? Or is it just an aesthetic thing? Obviously it is stinky (to the point of burning the nostrils/throat) but does one have a valid health reason NOT to be there?

And semi-related but how does one discreetly and kindly tell the homeowners that you cannot/will not come to their home because of this? And are there any good, non-toxic ways to suggest getting rid of it?

Thanx,
Lori

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Re: health "threat" from breathing cat urine odor?
« Reply #1 on: November 19, 2008, 09:43:43 PM » by healthybratt

OUT! from Walmart works really well on cat odors. We always have it around for those certain kitty mishaps. NOTHING works better for this than LIVE enzyme sprays. Certain pet stores carry them too.

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Re: health "threat" from breathing cat urine odor?
« Reply #2 on: November 20, 2008, 05:41:24 AM » by 809

And are there any good, non-toxic ways to suggest getting rid of it?

I don't have cats, but do this when our dog has had accidents: use white vinegar (not diluted), straight up...directly on the smelly carpet. I just drizzle the vinegar over top of the urine spot & let it soak it for a bit, then use a towl to absorb the excess moisture. The smells have never lingered! (also have forgotten to absorb moisture & let it completely dry...same results). Also, we have used a little green carpet cleaner with vinegar in it & it completely cleaned/disenfected our carpet (took all odors & stains out!...it was a dark colored carpet though...so stains were harder to mask anyway.). Maybe this will help.

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Re: health "threat" from breathing cat urine odor?
« Reply #3 on: November 20, 2008, 12:49:10 PM » by hi_itsgwen

Quote from: IMPersuadd on November 11, 2008, 09:19:17 AM

I think what you're talking about it not the average 'kitty' smell from missing the litter box a few times. I've been in a house where two elderly cats started using the bathroom under the beds, and it REEKED of ammonia.

Ammonia is catagorized as highly toxic...including the fumes. It is an irritant to the eyes and skin, and especially to sensative or asthmatic individuals.
http://healthychild.org/resources/chemical-pop/ammonia/

As far as telling them nicely, you might just want to say that some of your family members are sensative to certain types of cats (the stinky types!) Grin

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Re: health "threat" from breathing cat urine odor?
« Reply #4 on: November 20, 2008, 01:11:26 PM » by healthybratt

Quote from: 809 on November 20, 2008, 05:41:24 AM

Vinegar does work for dogs, but it will not take care of cat smell, nor will ammonia, baking soda or bleach. We've had cats for 20+ years and nothing works as well as the enzyme stuff.

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Re: health "threat" from breathing cat urine odor?
« Reply #5 on: November 20, 2008, 04:30:31 PM » by herbalmom

Quote from: healthybratt on November 20, 2008, 01:11:26 PM

Vinegar does work for dogs, but it will not take care of cat smell, nor will ammonia, baking soda or bleach. We've had cats for 20+ years and nothing works as well as the enzyme stuff.

I second HB. Good enzyme formulas are they only thing that will completely get out cat urine. We use Nature's Miracle (we get it at PetSmart or our HFS) but same difference. What we do is to get the spray bottle so we have an easily identifiable bottle w/the label, etc then get a gal jug & refill the spray bottle as needed. Not that we go through it all that fast but with 3 cats, a dachshund & a dachshund/pug mix it gets used up eventually. We could use something else to clean up after the dogs but it's easier & does a better job to use the enzymes for ALL animal accidents.

(dachshund's are known for having accidents. Ours don't have them too often but Thumper- the full Dachshund- will in particular have one if he really has to go & is upstairs- by the time he goes down the stairs it gets things 'moving' sometimes. Also we he gets really excited he will wet a little sometimes. He reminds me of a toddler- sometimes he gets so excited he forgets & leaks. I personally believe it has to do with the breeding to get the long backs; I think it's caused problems with the nerves for bowel/urine control)

As far as the situation you're referring to, if it's that the cats are urinating on carpet in that room, they may need to pull out the carpet, padding & tack strips, fully treat the floor under it with enzymes (& if it's a concrete or wood floor will probably have to seal it with a sealant) Concrete in particular will absorb the urine so far down into the concrete that you can't fully treat it but it will keep working it's way back out which is why you have to seal it. A good sealant will keep the smell from coming back up the concrete. If the cats can smell it (& they can smell urine even when you can't if it's still there at all) they will go there again. The thing is, you can treat treat carpet & padding with enzymes but in a situation like you're describing it would require so much enzymes to soak (& soaking clear through the carpet AND padding is what it would require) the carpet & padding as much as the urine has that it wouldn't be cost effective. The enzymes has to soak every spot that the urine did so in a situation like you're talking about she would need A LOT of the enzyme formula & like I said, it's cheaper in the long run to just replace the carpet & padding & then the floor under it can be fully treated at the same time. My DH & I have done property management before & have pulled out more than one urine soaked carpet- you would be amazed at haw much it soaks though carpet, padding, tack strips & floor. Also, if she has male cats, it's possible they are spraying/marking (which is concertrated urine) the walls as well.

A good quality 'blacklight' will show where they have been going. If the cat owners happen to have an aquarium that has a light in the hood then they can get a blacklight bulb that will fit the hood & use it as a hand held light fixture to check the room. It needs to be a true blacklight bulb, (which is a fluorescent bulb) NOT one of reg light bulbs that has colored glass to look like a blacklight.

It's also possible that it's JUST the cat box & they don't clean it enough. One badly maintained cat box can stink out a whole house. Getting a new cat box will help as well. When it's that's bad, the smell will not come out of the plastic & it needs to be replaced.

Also if the cat(s) are being feed low quality food their urine will reek of ammonia. Just changing the food could cut the odor dramatically. Here's a post of mine that talks about it:

Quote from: herbalmom on April 09, 2008, 03:27:39 PM

We have 3 cats. EVERY time they eat standard dry cat food (the only time they get it is if we run out of the HFS type) they get cranky, short tempered, fight constantly, eat LOTS more, LOTS more waste in the litter box & the urine has much more ammonia & the poo stinks a lot more. Tongue

They QUICKLY get addicted to it also. When they get reg cat food they will refuse their good cat food, tuna, meat, etc- they want the reg cat food & nothing else- & my cats are used to eating meat, veggies, a WIDE variety of other foods. When we go to switch back to the good cat food, they refuse it at first & we can't keep any of the old food around. They will smell it & do just about anything to get it- & that's after only 1 day of the reg cat food. Shocked

We have found that just with the smaller amount they eat & going through less litter the good cat food really doesn't cost any more & that's not even counting the benefits of happer cats & a better smelling litter box. That's been our experience with it anyway & it worked out the very same for my mom with her cats. Blessings ~herbalmom

HTH Blessings ~herbalmom

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