Home Remedy for Cat Smells

Cat smells can be persistent and offensive. It's easy to treat cat smells with home remedies, but you should also look at underlying causes for urination and marking in the home to prevent future smells.

  1. Types

    • Cat smells usually originate in the litter box or from cat urine on porous surfaces.

      Reduce litter box odor by scooping often, using recycled litter box liners and adding baking soda to the litter.

      You can remove cat urine odors from furniture and carpets with the following home remedy: start by saturating the area with a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water. Apply baking soda to the surface, then add 1/4 cup hydrogen peroxide and 1 tsp. of dish detergent. Work the mixture into the fabric, allow it to dry and then vacuum.

    Misconceptions

    • Never use ammonia alone to clean up cat smells. Cat urine contains ammonia and the smell may impel your cat to urinate on the cleaned areas. Vinegar in the above home remedy will neutralize the ammonia smell.

    Prevention/Solution

    • Prevent cat marking by keeping the litter box free of smells and scooping often. If spraying and urinating is a persistent problem, spay and neuter your cats.