Cat litter type; and removal of urine smell

Yorkie1

• Mum has a female tortie cat (<5 years old) who seems to use the litter tray occasionally, but often the urine ends up outside the tray rather than on it. She has a plastic placemat underneath the tray, and I got some puppy pads for the wider area too.

In this heat, the urine smell has been quite evident (even after removing everything), so I suspect the urine has leaked through onto the carpet and is now releasing its lovely odours freely.

Does anyone have any recommendations for trying to remove the smell from the carpet?

On a different topic, mum uses wood cat litter from T*sco. It comes as pellets and turns into sawdust once wet. What are peoples' experience with this, or other types of cat litter? I was wondering about whether it might be relevant to smell and/or helping mum notice when the litter needs changing. (She is not noticing the smell).

Thanks.

[edit to add - don't know why it's bulleted the first para; it doesn't seem to want to go!]

KxMx

I personally find wood pellet the best type of cat litter.

A wider tray or a different shape might help, some cats just aim bums in an awkward spot though lol so some would always come outside the tray.

Hooded trays might reduce this but it isn't guaranteed. I had a cat who would pee at the front & poo at the back of a hooded tray.

Would your Mum be comfortable with daily changes? Shaking into a bag using a garden sieve would remove all the used litter, the unused then goes back into the tray.

For the smell you could try something like a biological pet stain cleaner which should eat the odour although effectiveness depends on how saturated the carpet is.

Marmaduke123

A large litter tray with high sides may help to contain the urine. Clumping litter is the best in my opinion, you just need to remove the clumps and any solids daily, and top up as required. You do need to wash the tray periodically, but I presume she does that already.

Is it possible to move the litter tray to a room with hard flooring rather than carpet?

Yorkie1

Thanks.

I might look for a wider litter tray. Though she might continue to sit in the corner and poke her bum over the edge!

The only rooms with hard surfaces are the kitchen and bathroom / toilet. Too much of a trip risk for my mum (aged 84) to have them in there, as they aren't large rooms.

Interesting range of views re. best litter - @Marmaduke123 do you have a suggested brand? Looking at reviews, some seem to turn into sticky clay which the cat walks around the house.

I've found the Dr Beckmann's pet stain and odour remover with a brush on the head, which looks as though it might be helpful.

KittenChops

This is what we've always used (not recommending you buy it from here or that size bag)

https://www.petsathome.com/product/cats-best-plus-organic-wood-granule-clumping-cat-litter/16900P?purchaseType=easy-repeat&productId=16900&weight=4.3kg

It's easy to scoop out just the clump after they've weed - apparently it's safe to flush it but I've never done that

Some of the clay (?) ones turn to concrete if you don't scoop immediately

Silvertabby

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82051962#Comment_82051962

We use this, and it's excellent. One tray in the bathroom, the other in the utility next to the downstairs loo, so we do flush the solids and the wee clumps (after giving them a good shake in a large scoop to remove all the clean litter.

No noticable urine smells, even in hot weather - although sounds like our lady has a better aim than your mum's!

Marmaduke123

I'm not using cat litter at the moment so can't recommend a current brand. I used Waitrose own brand - I think the cheaper ones aren't any good, but the more expensive ones don't have the sticky clay problem and it's easy to remove the clumps with a perforated scoop.

I found a litter tray with high sides stopped the weeing over the edge.

Yorkie1

Thank you everyone for the suggestions.

The spray didn't really get the odour out, but in cooler temps it's less noticeable. I have changed the orientation of the puppy pad / litter tray so hopefully at least it will be more obvious to mum when her cat has weed over the edge!

I'll be back down in a couple of months and will reassess, and investigate that litter. 🐱

PrudentEllie

I hope this will help you stopping the problem recurring -

I have a 17 year old neutered rescue DSH cat who I've had and cared for since she was 5 months old, and had a very similar problem which started years ago. Frankly you will need to be a detective in some way to find out why your Mum's cat is doing this - Jackson Galaxy's website is very good, if I am allowed to mention it - he does that programme on Sky called My Cat From H*ll and he is tremendously good. When my cat started spraying I realised that it was due to gov't regulations the local council had insisted a hole be made in the bathroom wall for a fan - which allowed air to come in from outside constantly - and there is a very high feral cat population round here. Also my rescue dog had just died - which argues that she feels no confidence in me, drat it! Either she was hearing or smelling something from outside that made a delicate little house-cat frightened - and so she sprayed to prove her territory was hers.

I then got some of the thickest clear plastic I could buy and cut a piece to go round her huge litter tray, and made it about 20 inches high (it is a huge litter tray - adapt to suit), supported by two props of cut cylindrical cardboard tubing and also taped in part to the bathroom wall with masking tape (less likely to leave tape residue and replaced at intervals) with an easy gap left for her to get in and out of about 6 inches wide. The clear plastic obviously comes down inside the litter tray(!)…. and the problem was solved - she feels the need to spray, and she does so on the plastic which is replaced when needed. The reason I searched out the clear plastic is because of the cat being insecure, she needed to see what was going on around her to feel safe enough to deposit her stuff in the litter tray.

I do sympathise - there is nothing that strains love and affection like having to clear up what feels like gallons of the stuff on a daily basis, and as you say it has almost certainly gone into the carpet. You couldn't replace the carpet with a cleanable vinyl flooring could you? Much more fashionable and so very much easier to clean!

I believe that there are good biological enzyme cleaners out there - though I would have to leave it to someone else to make the recommendation. Also my cat uses Cat's Best too and has done for many years, it is consistently reliable.

Yorkie1

Thank you @PrudentEllie - appreciate you taking the time to offer these suggestions.