Had to take one of my barn cats into the vet. Since I don't have a animal carrier, I just used a hardware wire cage. Well, on the way he urinated on the cloth truck seat. When the truck cab gets hot it will almost knock you out. Any suggestions for how to block the odor?

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), November 30, 2000

Answers

ken, my freind.

is this the cat whose tail you dropped the hot iron on?

just curious, fred

-- fred in wi (sixuvusmeyers@aol.com), November 30, 2000.

Fred:

Yes, but..

He went in for another purpose. 3-4 weeks ago they were banded to neuter them. On one the scrotum fell off fine. On this one when the scrotum detached, it was still attached to about 1 1/2" of vessel. Called vet and he said it would be best to bring him in to be tied and probably a stitch or two put in. This was the one fighting the holder (me) and the bander (a friend). I think what happened is we didn't put on the band close enough to the body. Vet doesn't think much of this neutering technique.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), November 30, 2000.

Id pee in your truck also

-- STAN (sopal@net-port.com), November 30, 2000.

yeah ouch!! he won't have the b**Ls to do that again!

-- fred in wi (sixuvusmeyers@aol.com), November 30, 2000.

Cats used to pee in my Jeep now and then because I'd leave the top down and they would get in. It'll eventually go away. I just used regular cleaner stuff you get at the auto parts store and after a few weeks it'll go away. Just keep the windows open as much as you can.

Rubber band around his things...Man, that sounds kinda painful.

-- Joe (jcole@apha.com), November 30, 2000.

Hi,

If it's a cloth seat, I'll suggest getting the area good & damp and then apply a nice thick paste of baking soda. Rub it into the fabric and let it dry; then re-wet and work it in some more. After a few times, vaccum it out. You'll have to wait till warmer weather to find out how well it worked.

We use a Foster & Smith product around the house that seem to work okay; it has a nice cinnimon smell to boot.

One of our cats decided to 'grace' my car on the way to the vet and the baking soda method worked for me. Your mileage may vary.

jd

-- jd (jw_hsv@yahoo.com), November 30, 2000.

My husband (with a very overactive sniffer)is notorious for throwing out anything that a cat has peed on rather than try to get the smell out (which he says you can't do). However, I've had luck with those products created especially for getting out pet urine smells. They apparently contain microbacteria that go to work on the source of the smell and break it down instead of just cover it up with deodorizer. Foster & Smith carries one, your vet may also sell something. If you have a Farm & Fleet in your area they sell a product called Out! that works pretty well and isn't too expensive. Cat urine is tougher than dog urine but these products should work. Maybe you'd have to do a double application but it beats throwing out the truck!

-- Amy (gshep@aeroinc.net), November 30, 2000.

I am sorry Ken but right I am laughing so hard it hurts! Revenge from the cat! a smell that keeps giving,good to the last drop! sorry had to say it. ok for real now, try that stuff they sell {fabreez?}it worked when a kitten like the door mat a little to much.

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), November 30, 2000.

Look guys, I am a livestock farmer so I guess my attitude toward neutering them (and my barn cats are livestock)is a bit different than others. It is the same procedures I use on my calves, even so young they havn't stopped bouncing yet if I am out in the pasture at the time. Generally accepted theory is there is a discomfort for a couple of hours and then it goes away. Next day the cats didn't even seem to notice.

Of course I could have used the procedure I use for larger calves I miss. That is to make slits in the scrotum to exposure the testicles, work them out of their protective covering and then yank them until the connective cord snaps. Even here, the calves don't seem to show any discomfort.

I have been neutered also. Am told once they got me in the headgate I calmed right on down.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), November 30, 2000.

Ken, if you have a Sams store in your area, they carry a product called Odo-Ban. I used it on wood floors in a house that dogs had saturated very thoroughly before my daughter bought it. The odor was really terrible after carpeting was taken up. It does wonders doing away with strong odors. I've used it on carpeting in my home also. It really worked good. You might try it on your seat (diluted per instructions) and soak up with towels. Then after dry, spray with Febreze which is used in cars with strong smoke odor.

-- Betty (MI) (brolffs@voyager.net), November 30, 2000.

Ken, We use "Out!" on our litter box. It seems to work pretty well. Walmart sells it. You can get a spray bottle or the refill bottle. Stuff's not cheap but people who come to my house do not know we have cats unless they see them.

Try the baking soda first if that doesn't do it go for the big guns.

-- Heather (heathergorden@hotmail.com), November 30, 2000.

The vet and most larger pet warehouse-type stores sell a product called FON(Feline Odor Neutralizer). It works wonders as it's a specific enzyme to treat feline urine stains. On the other subject of neutering, the second technique you describe of slicing the sac and pulling out the testicle is exactly what the vet does, no difference except some of them tie a knot in the cord before letting it go. If you can do this to an adult tomcat who is conscious, you're one tough dude! I'm impressed.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), November 30, 2000.

I have had great success using coffee...just wrap up about 6 tablespoons of ground (not instant) coffee in a filter, tape it up just to keep the coffee inside, and plop it onto the seat. Works well for stale refrigerators, used freezers, etc. I inherited a cat urine problem once when i was renting a place...carpet in the bathroom..anyway, my grandma told me about the coffee and it worked quite well. Having said that, with the price of decent coffee these days, you may just as well get some chemical stuff as mentioned above. God bless.

-- Lesley (martchas@gateway.net), November 30, 2000.

Try 409 carpet cleaner in the trigger bottle. It works great. No other comments but thanks for the laughs all!

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), November 30, 2000.

Heres another one... Mix several drops of tea tree oil with a cup of water and shake well. spray it on the spot and let it dry and spray again. Works for me. This stuff will even take goat smell out of your clothes. Peggy

-- Peggy Carr (wclpc@cookeville.com), November 30, 2000.

The cat he rode upon the seat. And then left Ken a little treat.

He left his mark for Ken to smell. His way of saying "Go to Hell".

The cat he says "He took my rack and This is how I'll pay him back"!

The seat now smells of kitty urine & makes Ken's eyes begin to blurrin'

If you'd of let him keep his scrotum. You'd not of even had to tote 'em,

To the Vet's for one more snip. To finish off the kitty clip.

He did the best that he could do, to even up the score on you!

Burma Shave. John

-- John in S IN (jsmengel@hotmail.com), November 30, 2000.

Oh, that is too good. Ken, any pet store will have their own line of products to rid urine smells. Our store sells something call Nature's Miracle. It is made from natural enzymes that eat the urine. The urine smells stronger for a little while then it is gone. Don't leave it in the sun or it will dry before if has time to finish working.

When I was out west, they put a kitten in a boot with his butt hanging out to cut him. They said it was the easiest way not to get all scratched up. If you hold a cat by the scuff of the neck and strech him by holding his back legs, he usually can't do anything.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), November 30, 2000.

Ken, Dee is right about the "Nature's Miracle", it is definitely the best product out there for removing any organic odor, the only one that works 100% of the time on cat urine, just reapply if any odor lingers, use generously the first time usually does the trick. It is available through KV Vet Supply, or most of the bigger pet stores carry it on their shelves. It is handy to keep on hand for other odor removal also, the only product that will remove human urine odor from around the toilet, baby accidents, etc. Great poem, John, I'm still laughing at that one! Annie in SE OH.

-- Annie Miller (annie@1st.net), December 01, 2000.

Picked up Nature's Miracle at the vets. I figure they sold something but then after finding out homemade skunk odor removers work better than what the vet sells, wanted some advice. Will use as soon as farm help is finished with a fence. He had been using the pickup. Probably wondering why I suddenly let him use the flatbed.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 01, 2000.

Update: I used most of the bottle of Nature's Miracle. It warned the odor would be 'heightened' until it dried. They were right. Finally resorted to pouring vinegar on that side of the seat. Can't say it worked by itself, but now it does smell like the cat was on a vinegar binge before he 'blessed' the seat.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 04, 2000.

Ken,

AT least you answered one question I had. We had been discussing the possibility of banding our toms. We are blessed with quite a few. Didn't know if we should try it or not.

I guess if it doesn't work we know to put the kitty in the back of the truck now!

-- Mona in OK (jascamp@ipa.net), December 04, 2000.

Mona:

I did this to two toms. On one it worked fine. Vet said what probably happened is the band was put too high on the scrotum and couldn't get at the cord. This one was fighting me holding him so that is likely. I'd do it again. Vet charges $50 per tom.

Cat story: I had a friend in Ohio whose wife loved cats and fed every stray which came around. Sometimes had 20 or so around the yard. One day he lured them all into the back of a car and took them to the Humane Society. They had a drop-off fee per cat. His wife figured out where they were and bought all of them back. It cost him to leave them, and to get them back. After that he dropped any cat he could catch at the back door of the vet since he figured he had paid for about half the place.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), December 05, 2000.

Ken,

I hope the vinagar didn't kill the enzymes that were "eating" the cat urine. I warned you it would smell more while it was working. If it still smells, do it again, but leave it alone and give it time to do it's job. It really does work.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), December 05, 2000.

OK now Ken this is a joke right.You've just been pulling on our collective...ummm....well,you know, ok..I'll say leg instead,right? I'm picturing you wrestling that big old tomcat to put rubber bands on him...I'm laughing. Sorry but can't help myself.Well,sounds like an adventure.One of my cats pooped on me on the way to the vet,he was a little stressed.But that was easy to deal with.Good luck to you.Thanks for the chuckle.

-- sharon wt (wildflower@ekyol.com), December 06, 2000.

Ken, Got a few suggestions: First don't use warm water on the spot. Use cool! Add a little vinegar and baking soda and let sit for an hour or so then wipe with a clean damp cloth. You may also try adding hydrogen peroxide in a 50/50 ration with water to see if the extra oxygen will help release the trapped odor. It will smell worse initially but usually is better after it dries. May take a few trys. As a last resort there is a product called Odor Out made for pet odors. I've used it a few times with success, just make sure you follow the directions exactly! Good luck, theres no other odor worse than cat urine as far as I know! Barb

-- BARB (WILDETMR@YAHOO.COM), December 10, 2000.

I love to hear the authorities on cat urine and how to get it out. First of all, vinegar will set cat urine permanently into fabrics. Nature's Miracle is an liquid enzyme based product with Isopropyl alcohol which is a solvent. Liquid enzymes work if used within one hour of mixing with water. After that its pretty much useless as a urine remover. Nature's Miracle may seem like it works, but any cat or dog will smell the urine marking forever and when the fabric is made moist like cold weather or a hot summer day, the smell of the urine will instantly return. Human's assume most products work, when in reality it they clearly do not. Powdered odor removers only work on the top of the fabric, they cannot get inside. What works is super concentrated bacteria liquids like those made by a company like Life's Great Products. They make products for hotels to remove the stains and odors left by the variety of guests they get in Las Vegas. Having worked in the janitorial business for years, I know what works and those recommendations mentioned by all you nice folks, will only make the matter worse. Go to: www.lifesgreat.com

-- David Rose (pethealer@hotmail.com), March 11, 2001.

I loved all of your responses.. I have skunk smell (dog with perfume ran into home & rubbed on carpet & bed ... ugh) & urine problem with multiple cats. I am looking for solutions that are cheap & feasible (no killing all cats/dogs wont do it!!!!!!!!!) Thanks for your ideas & insight. I feel that some of the ideas you have suggested will work. I cant justify the high expense involved for the commercial things right now.. question.. why has noone responded since March???????????

-- Dolly Howard (DollyBicycle3@Aol.com), November 04, 2001.