One of the reasons people say they don't like cats is because of cat odor. They are usually referring to the smell of cat urine or cat feces, although some people refer to the smell of cat breath. The cats themselves usually do not have any odor at all. If any part of the body really starts to smell bad and it has nothing to do with the cat's breath, urine or feces, then this is a sign that the cat needs to go to the vet.
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Types
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Bad breath in cats is inevitable from their food, but they should not have bad breath all of the time.
Bad odor can also come from a cat's ears and is usually accompanied by a lot of black wax and the cat shaking or scratching its head. Usually, a cat's ears should not have any odor.
Cat urine and cat feces do tend to always smell bad to the human nose, no matter what the health of the cat, but the unaltered male cat will have the strongest smelling urine.
Significance
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Constant bad breath in cats is usually the sign of a digestive illness and they need to go to the vet, especially if they are having other health problems like drooling, loss of appetite, constant throwing up or signs of pain around the mouth.
A bad or peculiar odor in cat ears is due to either an infection of ear mites. They need to go to the vet at once.
The scent of cat feces is mostly determined by the food they eat. The smell should clear up in a half hour or sooner if you clean the litter box immediately after the cat uses it.
Cat urine is the big odor problem because it's meant to be long lasting in order to communicate with other cats.
Prevention/Solution
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Bad breath and bad ear odor need the vet's attention. Getting your cat's teeth and gums checked can certainly cut down on halitosis. Use of a litter box greatly cuts down on cat urine and feces smells. Unaltered male and female cats will spray urine on tail-high objects in order to advertise their sexual readiness. Only spaying and neutering will stop the behavior. Changing your cat's food can help to cut down on feces odors.
Warning
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Cats can spray after they are altered if they are already in the habit of doing so. You need to make a scary noise when you catch them in the act.
Expert Insight
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Cats can smell the slightest trace of cat urine, even if you think you've cleaned it up. They will always try to urinate over another cat's urine or even their own urine. If they smell dried cat urine anywhere in your home, they will continue to urinate there. Using a black light can help you see old urine spots.
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