House stinks of cat ****! What's happening?

House stinks of cat ****! What's happening?

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anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Hi all,

It's driving me mad this one.

I have a cat who is 7 (male and neutered) and he never pees in the house, or smells funny or anything really.

He has a microchip cat flap and comes and goes as he wants.

Over the last few months, the stench of what I assume is cat piss, has appeared in the house every few weeks. The house will be spotless and not smell of anything, and then I'll come home from work and it will stink. Or sometimes I'll to go to bed, and when I wake up in the morning the smell coming from downstairs will be eye-watering.

This maybe happens every 2-3 weeks.

I went and bought a bottle of that spray stuff that uses enzymes to remove the smell of pet urine and also one of those UV 'pet torches' that is supposed to show urine but I can never find anything. I spray the enzyme spray everywhere on the hard floors, skirting boards, and clean the front and rear doors of the house inside and outside, and after that the smell seems to disappear.

But it honestly driving me nuts.

Any ideas what is happening?

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
The obvious first suggestion is that your microchip cat flap is less secure than you think it is.

zollburgers

1,278 posts

182 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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NinjaPower said:
I have a cat.

The stench of what I assume is cat piss, has appeared in the house every few weeks.

Any ideas what is happening?
Yeah I've seen this before and know the cause. A cat is pissing in your house.

bitchstewie

50,813 posts

209 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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NinjaPower said:
Any ideas what is happening?
I have never owned a cat, but why isn't "the cat is pissing in your house" the obvious answer here? confused

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
The obvious first suggestion is that your microchip cat flap is less secure than you think it is.
I've just replaced it with a new one, and having sat in my kitchen in the dark and watched other neighbourhood cats desperately try to get in with absolutely zero success, I'm fairly confident it is only allowing my cat in.

wombleh

1,778 posts

121 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
I've read about cats tailgating through those flaps but it doesn't sound very likely.

Smoking certain prohibited substances can smell very much like cat piss....

Wacky Racer

38,099 posts

246 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
NinjaPower said:
TooMany2cvs said:
The obvious first suggestion is that your microchip cat flap is less secure than you think it is.
I've just replaced it with a new one, and having sat in my kitchen in the dark and watched other neighbourhood cats desperately try to get in with absolutely zero success, I'm fairly confident it is only allowing my cat in.
If a cat is determined enough it will head butt and beat any type of cat flap, magnetic or otherwise, unless it is securely locked.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Wacky Racer said:
If a cat is determined enough it will head butt and beat any type of cat flap, magnetic or otherwise, unless it is securely locked.
The microchip ones have a mechanical lock that only opens and release the flap when the correct cat has put its head in the aperture.

I would agree with your point if it was a different type of cat flap. I used to have a 'Staywell' infra red flap that unlocked when my cat approached and had an infrared collar on. It just didn't work as other cats could actually lift it open towards themselves and batter at it. It was crap.

This one is a Sureflap and they seem to have gone to extraordinary lengths to make it impenetrable to all other cats. I've never seen another cat through it and many have tried, even the really clever ones that used to open the old flap outwards towards themselves.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
NinjaPower said:
The microchip ones have a mechanical lock that only opens and release the flap when the correct cat has put its head in the aperture.
Mechanical? Magnetic, on the ones I've seen. So easily forceable, if the cat's determined enough.

So some local cats have been seen failing to get in. I wonder if there are other local cats who also have magnetic catflap collars...?

Saleen836

11,061 posts

208 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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Are you finding the pee patch where it has gone? I find a cat spraying smells a lot worse than a cat peeing

Wacky Racer

38,099 posts

246 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
NinjaPower said:
Wacky Racer said:
If a cat is determined enough it will head butt and beat any type of cat flap, magnetic or otherwise, unless it is securely locked.
The microchip ones have a mechanical lock that only opens and release the flap when the correct cat has put its head in the aperture.

I would agree with your point if it was a different type of cat flap. I used to have a 'Staywell' infra red flap that unlocked when my cat approached and had an infrared collar on. It just didn't work as other cats could actually lift it open towards themselves and batter at it. It was crap.

This one is a Sureflap and they seem to have gone to extraordinary lengths to make it impenetrable to all other cats. I've never seen another cat through it and many have tried, even the really clever ones that used to open the old flap outwards towards themselves.
Fair enough soz.

We have a magnetic one (which is OK), but if you push it hard enough it will open.

I've no experience of microchipped ones tbh.

Good luck anyway.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
NinjaPower said:
The microchip ones have a mechanical lock that only opens and release the flap when the correct cat has put its head in the aperture.
Mechanical? Magnetic, on the ones I've seen. So easily forceable, if the cat's determined enough.

So some local cats have been seen failing to get in. I wonder if there are other local cats who also have magnetic catflap collars...?
I'm not sure what you mean?

The cat flap has batteries, solenoids, RFID microchip readers and other gubbins in it. It's nothing to do with magnets or collars.

Cat sticks it's head in the hole for the cat flap, RFID microchip scanner reads the chip under that cats skin, checks the cat is the correct one, the solenoids then trigger which mechanically unlocks the flap and the car enters.

Once the cat is inside the flap swings shut and the solenoids release and lock the flap shut.

TooMany2cvs

29,008 posts

125 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Wacky Racer said:
Fair enough soz.

We have a magnetic one (which is OK), but if you push it hard enough it will open.

I've no experience of microchipped ones tbh.
The latching's the same - an electromagnet. It's only how clever the cat's "key" is which differs.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Saleen836 said:
Are you finding the pee patch where it has gone? I find a cat spraying smells a lot worse than a cat peeing
Well this is the thing, I don't know if it's pee or spray?

It makes your eyes water I can tell you that... like someone has been peeling onions soaked in ammonia.

Someone told me it might be Tom cats spraying the front or back door of the house, and wondered if it might be that?

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
The latching's the same - an electromagnet. It's only how clever the cat's "key" is which differs.
Incorrect.

The magnetic ones have no batteries and no electromagnets. They are just a flimsy bit of plastic with a metal piece on them that lifts up when pulled by the magnet on the cats collar.

This is why they are crap, because the lock has to be light and flimsy enough to be pulled open by a small magnet hanging round the neck of the cat. They can therefore be pushed or battered open by an aggressive cat.

The microchip reader ones are electrical/mechanical/solenoid operated and as such are very decent locks. They cannot be pulled open by force and they will not open unless the correct microchip is read.

HappyMidget

6,788 posts

114 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
TooMany2cvs said:
The latching's the same - an electromagnet. It's only how clever the cat's "key" is which differs.
Completely incorrect. They have a solenoid operated locking mechanism actuated by an rfid reader programmed to our cats.

Apart from that, yes other very determined cats CAN get in. We have one and have had tailgaters and just out right forced entry by other cats. Usually have to reset the locking spring after this happens though.

Evanivitch

19,808 posts

121 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
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OP, have you noticed any new cats in the neighbourhood? Perhaps one of the locals in getting quite territorial.

Ours have been equally an issue recently, but largely due to a new Tom in the neighbourhood.

bexVN

14,682 posts

210 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
OK lots of cat flap discussion but not so much about what to do.

It is far more likely to be the resident cat. Outsiders tend to spray outside the doors etc. It is actually quite unusual for outside cars to get in via microchip cat flaps (not impossible but not that likely)

A stressed cat (eg a cat being picked on by another) will often spray inside to reinforce their feelings of security.

Firstly your cat should have medical reasons for it ruled out (cystitis, early renal issues, age behaviour changes etc) so vet check first. If clean bill of health then start looking at reasons for it and therapies to resolve it (see link)

If it is an outsider(set up a web cam?) then put your house on lock down. Keep your cat in for a few weeks so unwelcome visitor gets the message!

https://icatcare.org/advice/problem-behaviour/urin...

Though I may be tempted to try Pet remedy over feliway these days.

Edited by bexVN on Wednesday 22 March 22:13

garythesign

2,056 posts

87 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
Ours has peed and pood in one of the bedrooms.

Only the once and I have no idea why. The doors are firmly shut now

However it is a truly awful smell so you have my full sympathy

might it be useful to restrict access to some of the rooms until you work out the cause?

bexVN

14,682 posts

210 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2017
quotequote all
garythesign said:
Ours has peed and pood in one of the bedrooms.

Only the once and I have no idea why. The doors are firmly shut now

However it is a truly awful smell so you have my full sympathy

might it be useful to restrict access to some of the rooms until you work out the cause?
That could help but just need to be careful that shutting the cat out of rooms does not stress it further and incite more spraying.