Need to stop my cats from stinking up the apartment !PART 2: Cleaning a beanbag chair

Sipex

Alright, so I live in a two bedroom apartment, one room is used for storage and that's also where we keep the cat box. Usually the smell isn't a problem, I do my best to keep the litter clear and we have good airflow when the windows are open.

Thing is, it's the middle of summer and it's hot out so we've closed up our windows to use the AC. Top that off with the fact we got a new kitten who decided to start peeing on the floor and things can get pretty stinky before I get a chance to take care of them (ie: when I get home).

I hate stink so much, it's one of the most embarressing things and it's usually the hardest thing to self diagnose.

I've currently got a window open in the storage room and have a fan pointing towards it but it doesn't do much. Is there something I'm missing?

Chanus

You can use Puppy Pads (not endorsing brand or Target... just an example link) under the litter box to keep a barrier between the box and floor for when the new kitten misses. They're easier to clean up, too.

Get one of those plug-in air fresheners as well. We keep our two cats in the office (as there really isn't any other place) and the stink is very manageable just doing this. We don't have any windows open or anything either.

Sipex

Air fresheners?

I never thought they'd be very effective but I'll try it.

Also, we keep boxes down currently (and toss em when they get peed on) but a cleanable mat would be nicer and more eco friendly.

Spacemilk

I would suggest air fresheners as well, I use these one plug-in nite light type things from Glade (you have to buy refills so it gets a bit expensive). They're nice because you can change the setting on them to vary the amount of freshener released. Obviously on the highest setting you go through them like gangbusters but it's a good fix til your kitten learns his/her business.

The other option is maybe a home-sized air filter/freshener? I've seen them used to deal with allergens and whatnot but it might work to purify the air and make it smell nicer. Obviously this option is if you have industrial-strength stench in your room.

Also, you probably already know this but make sure you clean the area REALLY well when your kitten has a mishap. Otherwise he/she will begin to "learn" the spot, based on its smell, as the spot where peeing happens. [edit, just saw your post about putting boxes down, good idea! not sure about a more eco-friendly solution though...] This may also sound a bit weird but don't be anal about cleaning your litterbox frequently, at least at first - you want the kitten to be able to identify it by smell. [this is based on practical experience and internet research with raising and box-training a few kittens, I Am Not A Vet!]

Chanus

Yeah, the one we use is:

http://housekeeping.about.com/od/productreviews/gr/febrezenotice.htm

I dunno that the alternating scent things is really useful, but they're really mild so it doesn't smell like you're perfuming over stink.

Esh

I know you said you clean the box regularly, but make sure you're cleaning it EVERYDAY. If not twice. That should completely eliminate that problem. Otherwise, if you want to spend the money, I recommend the Litter Robot. I have one and it is amaaaaazing.

Maybe also try switching your brand of litter? Make sure you're using clumping.

As for the kitten, no idea.

DiscoZombie

I was in a similar situation and posted a similar thread a few months ago. Basically one of my cats decided it was OK to go on the floor. I fixed that habit by getting an extra litter box and putting it in the room where she started peeing. I didn't want to put a litter box in the kitchen but it beat having the whole place smell like pee.

Does the new kitten go on the floor near the litter box, or somewhere completely different? The general rule is you should have 1 litter box per cat, and 1 extra. I "just" have 3 boxes for my 3 cats, but it seems to be enough. Also, you have to keep the boxes clean for the cats to want to use them, but not use any strong smelling cleaners on them, because cats hate that.

So yeah, first priority should be getting the kitten in the habit of using the box or you will never have a decent smelling apartment. My apartment has good days and bad days for smelliness. Multiple cats in an apartment means you'll pretty much never have an apartment that smells 100% springtime fresh all the time, but if you can get them to go in the box and you keep the box clean, then it can smell pretty good.

This is my favorite litter system. Cat pee diapers ftw. they suck up the smell, and so easy to clean. Only have to change the pellets like once a month.

Sipex

Ah, I should probably clean the area better, yeah, I usually get the spot but I forgot about the residual smell, might stop him from peeing.

I'll do a nice full clean up tonight.

We actually have a febreeze noticable we just need to buy a refill for it.

Spacemilk

Esh wrote: »

I know you said you clean the box regularly, but make sure you're cleaning it EVERYDAY. If not twice. That should completely eliminate that problem. Otherwise, if you want to spend the money, I recommend the Litter Robot. I have one and it is amaaaaazing.

Maybe also try switching your brand of litter? Make sure you're using clumping.

As for the kitten, no idea.

I know this is gross but I have to disagree if he's still mid-training with the kitten. An adult cat who KNOWS where to pee - yeah clean the box frequently if you have smells. The kittens is going to get confused.

You know those stupid litter ads that show the cat standing there with his paws crossed in front of his legs and it says something silly like "hurf durf your cat won't know where to find the box because the odor is gone!" That's actually got a grain of truth in it.

edit: although there is a balance - if the box is too full they will refuse to go there. if the kitten has his/her own box, clean it once a day or every other day depending on how old/big he is.

also, where are the pictures?!?!

EggyToast

Is the kitty old enough to be fixed yet, or have you neutered him already? Pee never smells good, but it smells MUCH worse if a cat is going through puberty (or is an adult) and isn't neutered.

Sipex

Also, I use Maxx Multicat litter and I know it works well. I used to use no-name stuff (figuring it wouldn't matter since I clean so often).

I was so wrong.

edit: He's like, 2 months, so he's not neutered but you're thinking of cat spray anyways which is different than pee.

Usagi

I though the general rule was one littler box per cat? So maybe adding another one would help, at least after your kitten figures out not pee on the floor

Also, I'd suggest enzyme-based cleaners to get rid of the peed-on-floor smell, they really work and it can sometimes act as a deterrent to the animal so they don't pee there again. I had really good luck with those and my rabbits, and believe me - bunny pee is WAY stinkier than cat pee.

Sipex

Enzyme based cleaners? You've piqued my interest.

Any recommendations?

Usagi

I think I used this stuff

but they're pretty easy to find at Petco and Target

onceling

Nature's Miracle is the most recommended.

The cat will continue to pee there unless you use an enzyme cleaner. As far as he is concerned the spot smells like pee. Febreeze and "people cleaners" make zero impact on the smell for a cat.

Also: diet and litter can make an enormous impact on how much your cats stink. If you are interested in this there's a few people around that can provide good information. Didn't want to go off topic though.

EggyToast

Sipex wrote: »

Also, I use Maxx Multicat litter and I know it works well. I used to use no-name stuff (figuring it wouldn't matter since I clean so often).

I was so wrong.

edit: He's like, 2 months, so he's not neutered but you're thinking of cat spray anyways which is different than pee.

OK, enough euphemism: cats spray urine, and pee is urine, so it is the same stuff. It's just that one is on your wall, while the other is in a litter box.

We got a cat at 10 weeks and he wasn't stinky at the start, but we neutered him at 6 months and that last month he was getting pretty stinky in the litter box. His urine just became very acidic-smelling and such, and there was no change in diet or litter. Within a week of being neutered, his urine-stench went away.

I will also echo what Onceling says about diet. One of my cats is on a raw-food diet, while the other likes kibble, and the raw-foodie cat's poops don't smell like anything. The kibble-head's a little ripe, but not that bad since it's a good quality food (no grain or potato). Both get a fair amount of water, though, and that mirrors what happens for humans -- if you don't drink enough water, your urine smells strongly than if it's mostly water.

JaysonFour

When your kitteh is two months old, it still doesn't know a whole lot (aside from the fact that hands seem to make good things to pounce/claw/chew on). It sounds like you have other cats- are they accepting the new kitten into the family, or are they still acting hostile torwards it? He could be missing the litter because the other cats assume it's thier territory and won't let him near it. Cats are crazy that way.

I'd also say nueter him if you don't want him to make babies. If you get it done early enough, he won't learn to spray, which is such a damned godsend.

Sipex

Okay, apartment is no longer stinky but I've run into a new problem.

In his confusion my kitten peed on my bean bag chair a few times which is sad.

How does one effectively clean a beanbag chair?

mts

JaysonFour wrote: »

When your kitteh is two months old, it still doesn't know a whole lot (aside from the fact that hands seem to make good things to pounce/claw/chew on). It sounds like you have other cats- are they accepting the new kitten into the family, or are they still acting hostile torwards it? He could be missing the litter because the other cats assume it's thier territory and won't let him near it. Cats are crazy that way.

I'd also say nueter him if you don't want him to make babies. If you get it done early enough, he won't learn to spray, which is such a damned godsend.

at 2 months a kitten should be using the litter box effectively. we had bottle babies doing it at 5-6 weeks so a healthy well adjusted kitten should be fine at 8wks, especially if it has an adult cat around and you took the time to show it the box.

as far as the bean bag chair, if it soaked though into the liner/filling the most effective way to clean it is to throw it out.

Improvolone

Sorry man, you probably have to toss it. You can try an enzyme cleaner, but I wouldn't count on it.

Sipex

But they're so expensive

At the harshest we'll buying a new cover and putting all the beans in it instead.

Improvolone

The beans might have gotten soaked though. Imagine sitting on it and poof; powdered cat pee.
Time will tell, I hope this isn't the case.

mts

what material keeps the beans in? if plastic, you can probably hose it off, wash the outercase and be done with it. if its a cloth material, apply gasoline, light a match and be done with it.

Sipex

Well, he is a kitten and he doesn't pee that much so we're hoping it's just the cover.

If we swap the beans we should be able to smell if they're soaked.

An-D

My roommate had a cat once that decided that my bean-bag chair was a better place to pee than its litterbox. She would pee on it in the middle of the night, and we wouldn't know until hours later when we woke up (and sometimes not until one of us sat down on it ). We would clean it when it happened, but after one or two nights of it just...soaking, it was pretty much completely unusable. I used every cleaner imaginable to no avail. So...it might be a lost cause, my friend.

Sipex

Well, we did kind of catch it early too, I'm not talking a mega soaking here.

Just a few spots.

mts

kittens pee a surprisingly large amount and a little bit goes a long way.

Sipex

Well, still not giving up hope unless it prooves to be fruitless. Someone might have success stories on cleaning these things.

Worst case scenario, we get a new case, find out the beans are bad too, throw out the old chair and buy new beans.

It's what we would have to do in the end anyways.

GungHo

Yeah... make sure you tell anyone that's gonna cozy up on that chair that it's the catpiss chair if you're gonna keep it. I'd sure take it personally if I came over to hang out and you let me sit on the catpiss chair.