New Adventures In Cat Pee
Posted by Jim at March 16th, 2004
Our cats use the litter box approximately 99% of the time.
That anomalous 1% results from the litter boxes not meeting the cats’ standards. In short, it is my fault, due to an utter lack of interest in dealing with the nastiness found within your average litter box. I’ve sometimes thought that I ought to invest in an automated litter box, but a suspicion that it probably wouldn’t work (now justified) has always stopped me from buying one.
In the meantime, our cats have chosen new and exciting places to demonstrate their displeasure. One once urinated in my wife’s hair dryer. Another kindly removed the peaches before using a basket on the counter. A final cat (possibly more than one) will indicate its displeasure with the state of the litter box by urinating in the toaster.
I can think of few things I like less than waking in the morning, putting bread into the toaster, and smelling burnt cat pee. I cannot describe the smell, but I can assure you that it does not smell good. Worse, it lingers.
More than most things, this possibility motivates me to clean the litter box.
Well, that and one other thing. I don’t really want burnt cat urine to be a normal part of Abby and Rebecca’s lives .
Of course, I may be too late for that. I remember walking into the kitchen to find a mess completely unrelated to cats, making a disgusted noise and hearing Abby say “Daddy? Cat pee in toaster?”
Of course I found your site as I was cruzing for solutions to my problem household of 11+ rescue cats- many of whom lately are thinking ‘ out of the box’ when it comes to where should I pee? I am about one drop of pee from the edge and going over. However after finding several wonderful and imformative sites I stumbled on yours and now I am smiling again (and giggling) because of course I thought I was the only poor sod on the planet to have had my toaster pee’ed in. I feel much better now. hee hee -I am having a breakdown.
Cat lover in CT
Ack. Good luck. Having multiple cats is particularly bad for that, I think. When one starts using innovative spots, the others view it as an invitation to try new things as well.
My only solution has been to keep the boxes as clean as possible at all times. And that one’s not quite perfect…
Jim Zoetewey
I have thrown away the third toaster this morning. All I can say is that thank goodness for the $7 toaster from target. And I can say in all honesty, this has nothing to do with a dirty cat box. My BAD kitty KNOWS this gets my attention in a way that endangers her mortality. The vet has not solution. Fellaway helps but it ain’t perfect. The toaster solution is getting a cover, like grandma had.
Noxious Fumes
Cat Pee UGH, How do I get rid of the smell????
Pam
Sadly, I’ve got some experience in removing the smell of cat urine.
Here are your options:
1. A biological agent that eats the protiens that make the smell.
2. A chemical solution that breaks down the protiens in a different way.
Both work, but each will get spots that the other can’t and unfortunately there’s no way to tell which will do better ahead of time. My general understanding is that chemical solutions do better with stains that have been there for a long time.
Personally, I can recommend Enzyme Action (biological) and Simple Solution (chemical). Simple Solution also comes in the form of carpet cleaner for those situations in which you just don’t know where the smell is coming from so you may as well do the whole carpet…
Jim Zoetewey