Why Does My Cat Smell Like Urine
A common cause behind urine odor is a urinary tract infection. If its accompanied by the following symptoms, have your cat seen by a vet:
- More frequent trips to the litter box than usual
- Crying out while going
- Cat cleans its bottom area more frequently than usual
One thing to keep in mind is that UTIs are most common in cats that are overweight and get little exercise. At the same time, when cats carry extra bulk, its more difficult to reach everything during grooming, leading to unpleasant litter box scents lingering on your cats fur. If your cat needs help, read our tips to help your cat lose weight the healthy way.
What Is Cat Urine Composed Of
Before we go into the details of ammonia smell in the urine of cats, it is important to note, what is cat urine composed of. It is made up of different chemicals like urea, uric acid, and creatinine. You will even find presence of some electrolytes in the urine. The cat urine contains other waste chemicals as well as bilirubin, ketones, nitrates, and leukocytes. Urea is a nitrogenous waste, that is highly concentrated in the urine of cats. When urea is broken down, it will produce amines that contain the ammonia group . The amines will further break down into mercaptans, the same molecule found in skunk spray and other animal feces. This shows us that cat urine is primarily ammonia based. This is the reason you always tend to get a mild, lingering smell of ammonia from cat urine.
Strong Ammonia Odor From Cat Litter Box
Believe it or not, litter boxes dont have to smell awful or be the telltale sign of a cat family. If you have a strong ammonia odor coming from your litter box, its time for a change. You may need to do one or more of the following:
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Remove Cat Urine Smell For Good
How to get rid of cat odors in the house is a top concern among pet parents. Cat smell removal is an important thing to tackle as soon as you notice it. The smell can be a huge turn-offnot only for you and your family but for visitors as well. Avoid the smell by utilizing an enzyme cleaner to rapidly treat any spots where your cat misses the mark, and ensure they have access to a constantly clean litter box. The most important thing to remember is there is a root cause to your cat’s behavior. Identify it to ensure that your cat stops urinating in the wrong places. You will then have a fresh-smelling home that is free from cat urine odors!
Is it normal for my cat to pee outside of the litter box?
If your cat is litter box trained, it is not normal for them to pee outside of the litter box. They may do so if they are stressed, have a medical condition, or do not have access to a clean litter box.
Will the cat pee smell eventually go away?
Uric acid is what causes cat pee to smell so pungent. It can remain on surfaces for years and will continue to return unless it is properly treated.
Why does my house smell like cat pee when I don’t have a cat?
Multiple things can cause your house to smell like cat urine, even if you dont have a cat. Investigate if there is mold, leaking Freon, sewer gases, smelly plants, spoiled food, or even stains from previous pet owners.
Why Foul Smelling Cat Urine Is A Persistent Issue In Many Homes With Cats
Cat pee is foul smelling because it contains urea and nitrogen compounds that bacteria decompose bacteria to form ammonia. The strong, pungent cat urine is because of ammonia.
Over time, the bacteria around the cat urine continues to decompose, releasing a strong and ammonia-like smell that gets worse each time you smell it. The breakdown of urea to ammonia through bacterial action is the leading cause of the horrible smell in cat urine.
Also, cat urine contains the communication chemical pheromones they use to interact with other cats and mark territory. Pheromones give cat urine an even more pungent smell.
Cat urine smell also varies with the age and the sex of the cat. It also matters if the cat is natured or spayed to tone down the cats spraying behavior. Other factors influencing cat pee smell include the cats stress levels, dietary plan, medication , and sometimes, the length of fur .
So, what does cat pee smell like? There is no one straight-forward answer as you will see below.
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Cat Urine Gets Worse With Time
Cat urine thats outside the litter box is usually unnoticed until it becomes a problem.
After a while, the bacterium in the urine decomposes and gives off an ammonia-like odor thats characteristic of stale, old urine.
In the second stage of the decomposition process, the urine emits mercaptans, which are compounds that give skunk spray its characteristic bad smell.
How Is Urine That Smells Like Ammonia Treated
If urine that smells like ammonia is caused by an underlying infection, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics. These can reduce the incidence and overgrowth of bacteria in the urinary tract.
You should also take steps to practice good bladder health, which can reduce the incidence of dehydration and the likelihood that you will get a UTI.
Examples include drinking at least six 8-ounce glasses of water a day. Drinking a glass of cranberry juice a day or adding lemon to your water changes the urines acidity. This could be beneficial to your bladder health if you experience a lot of infections.
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Ammonia Smelling Urine In Cats
Ammonia smell in urine of cats is a cause of major concern for many feline owners. The following CatAppy article will discuss what causes ammonia smelling urine in cats and help you find out if you need to worry about your cat’s health.
Ammonia smell in urine of cats is a cause of major concern for many feline owners. The following CatAppy article will discuss what causes ammonia smelling urine in cats and help you find out if you need to worry about your cats health.
Cats are lovable pets who tend to mind their own business. They are very fussy about their fur, and do not like soiling their precious body. The continuous grooming helps them keep their bodies neat and clean. Once trained to use the litter box, they will never urinate or defecate anywhere else in the house.
All those who have cats, and clean up the litter box, can very well identify, when the cat urine smells like ammonia. The smell is quite unpleasant and disgusting. However, one tends to worry when he/she finds very strong ammonia smelling urine in cats. The stench of ammonia is so strong that it seems to have dissipated to each single corner of the house. This makes you wonder what causes ammonia smell in urine of cats. Should you be worried as it may be a sign of some medical issue or is it normal for cats to pass strong ammonia smelling urine? Lets find out in the following paragraphs.
What Else Causes Fruity
Fruity-smelling urine can be a sign of other diseases and complications.
Diabetic ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis is a dangerous complication of diabetes that happens when ketones build up in your blood. It causes symptoms like fruity breath, sweet-smelling urine, excessive thirst, and tiredness.
Maple syrup urine disease. This rare, life-threatening genetic condition prevents the body from breaking down some amino acids. It affects babies and children.
When these build up in your blood, a compound called a branched-chain alpha-keto acid shows up in your urine and makes it, along with your earwax, smell like maple syrup. The disease can cause other serious symptoms like seizures, sleepiness, irritability, and poor feeding.
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Why Cats Urinate Outside Of The Litter Box
There are a number of reasons why a cat may start peeing outside the litter box. While some owners may think that their cat does it as a way of getting even for something, cats lack the sophisticated cognitive abilities needed to concoct that type of revenge strategy.
Despite popular belief, cats do not urinate outside the box to ‘get back’ at the owner for something, said Dr. Laura George, DVM at Cats Exclusive Veterinary Center in Shoreline, Washington.
If your cats not using the litter box, its likely that he or she is trying to tell you something important.
A Cats Inability To Properly Groom
Whether it is thanks to aging or possibly an injury, a cat being unable to properly groom itself can cause big issues. This causes dirt and possibly urine and feces to build up on the kittys hindquarters. No matter the issue with your pet, it is important you ensure they see a vet if you suspect difficulties with mobility or pain are impacting how they can groom themselves.
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What About Cat Urine Smells
The really stinky component of cat pee falls under the category of pheromones. Male cats and in particular intact male cats can have a high level of felinine in their urine. Felinine does initially have some scent to it, but as it breaks down, it gets stinkier and stinkier. This means that when a cat marks their territory in the wild, their scent doesnt dissipate quickly, which is great for a wild cat, but not great for a domestic cat owner. This is also the part of cat pee that doesnt get washed away with typical household cleaners. A quick Google search will reveal endless options of enzyme cleaners that will break down and neutralize the sulfur-based compounds.
If your cats pee is super smelly it can also be a symptom of a medical issue. If scent of your cats pee seems to have changed, get him checked out by your veterinarian to rule out a problem. Also take him to the vet if they START GOING OUTSIDE THE BOX, which can also indicate illness.
And to keep the stink at bay, get your male cats fixed which not only reduces the amount of pheromones in the urine, but also reduces the likelihood of them spraying. Keep the litter box clean and make sure there are enough boxes in the house for the number of cats your have .
Does My Cat Have An Infection
While ear and skin problems are more common in dogs, the unpleasant scents sometimes do arise in cats.
Musty odors wafting from the ear area are a sure sign of an ear infection.
Another cause is skin infections. If your cat was in a recent fight with another cat, keep an eye out for an abscess. These infections are caused when bacteria found in cat saliva enters the bitten cats body, and develop into infections within 24 hours. If your cat flinches or cries out in pain when touched in specific areas, have your cat treated by a vet before the abscess ruptures. The best treatment for an abscess is a course of antibiotics, but in more serious cases, surgery may be needed.
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Why Cat Litter Can Change The Smell
Some people do not actually notice the smell of ammonia within their cats urine until after they change the cat litter box filler they use. As a result of this, it is common for cat owners to mistakenly believe the smell is coming from the cat litter box itself, rather than from the urine. With that being said, while the cat litter is not responsible for the smell, the type of cat litter filler you use can have an impact on the potency of the smell.
Most cat litter box filler is made from either bentonite clay, silica gel or Fullers earth, and all of these are used because they have absorbent qualities, helping to draw moisture out of cat urine. This avoids the problem of having puddles of urine in your cats litter box and makes it significantly easier to clean up. However, as previously stated, the ammonia smell from cat urine becomes significantly stronger as the urine dries out.
In addition to this, different cat litter box fillers have different properties when it comes to fighting bacteria and controlling odours. Bacteria within the urine can grow rapidly in cat litter trays, and this can add to the smell. Meanwhile, some cat litter fillers focus more on odour control than the root cause. Changing cat litter can, therefore, result in the smell appearing stronger or weaker. Crucially, this does not mean the litter itself is giving off the odour.
Should You See A Doctor About Urine That Smells Like Ammonia
Occasionally having urine that smells like ammonia isnt usually cause for concern. You may need to drink more water to dilute your urine. However, if your symptoms are accompanied by pain or potential signs of infection, such as a fever, then you should see a doctor.
The doctor will start by asking questions about your symptoms. These may include:
- How long has your urine smelled like ammonia?
- Are there times when your urine smells especially strong?
- Are you experiencing any other symptoms, such as blood in your urine, fever, back or flank pain, or pain when urinating?
Your doctor will use these responses to consider the next diagnostic tests. Sometimes, a doctor will perform an exam to check a mans prostate for signs of enlargement that could be affecting urination. They may also ask for a urine test. The urine sample is sent to a laboratory and then tested for the presence of bacteria, blood, or pieces of a bladder or kidney stone or other waste components. Usually this test, along with a description of your symptoms, can help a doctor diagnose the cause for urine that smells like ammonia.
Your doctor may also order imaging studies where they test for abnormalities in the kidneys, bladder, or other areas that could be affecting the urine.
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Changes In Your Cats Diet
Changes in your cats diet can be one of the main reasons youll notice their urine smells of ammonia. This is especially true if youve added extra protein to your kittys dinner bowl. These high levels of protein can increase urea levels. This is due to the protein being broken down into amino acids.
While this may be great for your cat and allows it to rid its body of unwanted toxins, you and the family may not be pleased with the overall smell. To aid your feline during this time, make sure you offer them plenty of fresh drinking water to help fight dehydration and help dilute the heavy scent of their urine.
What Causes A Bad Urine Smell
Your food, vitamins, and medications are the most common cause of a bad urine smell.
Foods. Some foods have compounds that naturally have a strong odor and can make your urine smell. These include:
Vitamins. B vitamins are water soluble, which means your body doesnât store them, and whatever you donât need is removed in your urine. B vitamins in your multivitamin are often the culprit of smelly urine.
Medications. Some medicines like antibiotics can make your urine stink. Some antibiotics are made from mold and can make your urine smell yeasty.
Drinking lots of water throughout the day can help with these smells and keep your urine clear.
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Approximately 5% Of Encapsulated Crawl Spaces Experience What Can Best Be Described As A Cat Pee Smell
Non-professionals have blamed this odor on everything from mold and rotting wood to the poor hygiene of cats. Some so-called experts have gone so far as to blame the materials we use when encapsulating a crawlspace. They suggest that the plastic other other materials emit undesirable odors when wet. This is not the case.
In reality, the cause is simple and much more obvious. It turns out, the odor originates from the decomposition of plant material in the ground under the home. The slowly rotting botanical material, when coupled with elevated moisture levels in the ground, post encapsulation, the scent created travel up and around the encapsulated space into the home above. The odor is strangely reminiscent of the cat pee smell.
Cat pee smells like ammonia. This is because cat pee has ammonia in it. This odor is nearly universally identifiyable among pet owners. Ammonia is made up of Nitrogen and Hydrogen, NH3. When a plant breaks down in the soil, bacteria break down the plnat material. If you look at the life cycle of Nitrogen you will see how ammonia NH3 plays a role.
So what is the difference between ammonia and ammonium? For those of you who took high school chemistry class, the simple answer is pH. Higher pH levels in the soil support ammonia and lower pH in the soil support a less toxic ammonium. Ammonia is one part nitrogen and 3 parts hydrogen, NH3. Ammonium is one part nitrogen and 4 parts hydrogen.
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