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Conference misery::feline_v1

Title:Meower Power is Valuing Differences
Notice:FELINE_V1 is moving 1/11/94 5pm PST to MISERY
Moderator:MISERY::VANZUYLEN_RO
Created:Sun Feb 09 1986
Last Modified:Tue Jan 11 1994
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:5089
Total number of notes:60366

1602.0. "A Tough act to Follow..." by HPSTEK::JORGENSEN () Mon Aug 01 1988 13:04

    
    	As a new noter to this file, please exuse me if I missed some
    	previous discussion on this subject and kindly point the way.
    	After a dir/title="litterbox_problems" I didn't find too much
    	help. Recently my cat had a litter of 5 kittens. After the
    	kittens were 2 weeks old I moved them from under my bed to a
    	box in a spare bedroom... within a few hours the mother seemed
    	satisfied with her new environment and there the kittens stayed
    	until they were old enough to find new homes. I had taken great
    	care to line the cats home/box with plastic in the event of
    	an accidental 'wet', and had even put a litterbox in the room.
    	Well this recent onslaught of humid weather has brought out
    	a host of unpleasant smells from the spare room, and after steam
    	cleaning the carpet... to no avail, I decided to remove the
    	carpet thinking that would cure the problem. WRONG... apparently
    	the cats had been urinating far more than I could have dreamed
    	... not in the litter box, but in the corner of the room. The
    	hardwood floors were black with mildew and STUNK! I have sanded
    	the floors down hoping that most of the urine was trapped in
    	the varnish, but no such luck. After I got the finish off I
    	used X-14 (basically clorox) to kill the mildew, but the urine
    	odor is still trapped in the wood. I really don't want to rip
    	up the floors, so short of that has anyone got any 'surefire'
    	odor killing solutions that can tackle a job this tough? Any
    	help much appreciated as 130 square feet of my house are basically
    	unuseable until I solve this one.
    
    /Kevin
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1602.1Discussion within the last 20 or so notes...JAWS::COTESuperBowl '89 OR YOUR MONEY BACK!Mon Aug 01 1988 13:097
    It sounds like you're looking for an immediate solution. Frankly,
    I doubt you'll find one. 
    
    There's a fairly recent note that deals with this problem; you could
    start with that.
    
    Edd
1602.2Cat Urine Cleaner!!!AIMHI::BOYKOMon Aug 01 1988 13:459
    There is a cleaner used for cat urine that is sold at "Food for
    Pets" on Amherst St. - 101 in Nashua.  I don't know the name off
    hand, but it is a large plastic bottle that the liquid is green
    in color.  I have used this cleaner on my rugs and stains.  It
    is great and took all the smell away.  
    Give it a try or call them to see if they have it on hand!
    
    Nancy
    
1602.3white vinigarCLEVER::SULLIVANEileenMon Aug 01 1988 15:115
    I recently read in Heloise that a small bowl of water mixed with
    white vinigar left in a room will eleminate all unpleasant odors.
    I don't know if it will work with cat urine but, I am a smoker with
    air conditioner in my bedroom, I could not stand the smell of my
    own filthy habit, I tried it and it worked.
1602.4I find Odor-Disposers the best stuff on the marketVAXWRK::SKALTSISDebMon Aug 01 1988 15:1216
    You want to get something that actually destroys the odors rather
    than covers them up. Most of products on the market that do this
    non-toxic enzymatic mixtures. I'd suggest odor-disposers. You can
    get this in bulk powder form (which you've then got to mix with
    a gallon of water) or as a "tablet" that you crush and then mix
    with 5 oz of warm water in a squirt bottle. Instructions are on
    the box, but basically you saturate the area and then wipe up the
    excess water. By the time it dries (a few hours) the odor will be
    gone.
    
    Since it is such a small amount of water (which is quickly wiped
    up) you shouldn't have to worry about your floors getting warped.
    I usually buy this stuff at Debby's Pet Land in Newton, but I've
    seen it at other places like Boston Pet.
    
    Deb
1602.5? club soda/soda water ?TOPDOC::TRACHMANMon Aug 01 1988 16:076
    I have heard (please don't laugh !) that club soda works for odors.
    I have not tried it myself, so I can't tell you if it does or not. 
    
    Might be worth a try...
    
    E.T.
1602.6WITNES::MACONEMon Aug 01 1988 16:316
    I always thought that the soda water was for stains, not odors.
    
    I know alot of people keep the stuff in their drawers for spaghetti
    day in the cafeteria. . .
    
    	-Nancy
1602.7Any No Oder in the West?HPSTEK::JORGENSENMon Aug 01 1988 17:357
    
    	Thanks for the replies. I've seen oder disposers mentioned
    	elswere in this conference, so it sounds like it might be
    	worth a try. Newton is about an hour away however... anyone
    	seen oder-disposers in a greater Maynard area pet care store?
    
    /Kevin
1602.8Maybe maybeGYPSC::SHIPLEYIs there life after DECTue Aug 02 1988 08:524
    
    Elaine - Was that 'club soda' or 'clubs oda'  8^)}
    
    		(sounds like it _should_ work)
1602.9Try Erickson's Grain Mill (Acton)TALLIS::ROBBINSTue Aug 02 1988 13:4217
    Re .7 (Where to find odor disposers in Maynard)
    
    I don't know if they carry the exact product you have in mind,
    but Erickson's Grain Mill in Acton on Rte. 27, just south of
    the bridge carries several pet-odor elimination products. The
    one I've used (with much success) is called Outright. I think
    it's probably the product refered to in .2. It comes in a green
    bottle. You mix it with warm water to use it, and that activates
    the (harmless) bacteria that eat away at the odor, and, possibly
    stains, too.
    
    If you don't see it out at Erickson's, ask for it. (Sometimes
    they forget to restock small items).
    
    ps. They're probably the cheapest source of pet food in the Maynard
    area, too.
    
1602.10there are odas, and then there are "odas" !EDUC8::TRACHMANTue Aug 02 1988 13:568
    Gee, I'm not sure - I thought that's what the lady said!!
    I can't even think of why it would work.
     
    My club sure can make some powerful oda's!!  and they
    don't even have to try hard.
    
    If anyone  tries it, let us know.
      
1602.11Listerine!CASV02::LUSTIITYWIMWYBMADTue Aug 02 1988 16:3711
    Still another idea - Listerine mouthwash!   I have used this
    successfully many times - on many different obnoxious odors - cat,
    dog, baby, etc.  The smell of the listerine can be overpowering
    at first, but when that fades, the other seems to be gone also.
    
    This is especially good if you get it while the original is still
    fresh.
    
    Good luck, whatever you try!
    
    Linda (Midnight, Gypsy, and KiKi)
1602.12And the winner is...HPSTEK::JORGENSENTue Aug 02 1988 21:1611
    
    	I found a product at a pet store in Stow that seems to have
    	worked quite well. I think that it works by the same enzymatic
    	process that has been described by others, but I also think
    	that I got taken on the price... $10.00 for only 16oz!!! Oh
    	well, anything to get rid of that smell! Thanks for all the
    	ideas and replies. BTW I found that Heartland foods in Fitchburg
    	has good pet food prices... $0.30 per 8oz can of nine lives
    	moist food, and $3.99 for a 7lb bag of friskies dry food.
    
    /Kevin
1602.13So sorry, we should have warned youJULIET::CORDESBRO_JOWed Aug 03 1988 00:0416
    oops!  We should have warned you about little kittens and litter
    boxes.  I put a shoe box top filled with litter in the maternity
    box from about three weeks old on til they are big enough to climb
    into a full size one.  I also keep a full size one right next to
    the maternity box so no one has to hop too far to find it.  This
    doesn't quarantee no accidents, but it seems to help.
    
    I have also found it necessary to confine the babies in the bathroom
    with their litter boxes sometimes for intensive litter box training.
    
    I once woke up in the morning with 5 cuddly 6 week old Birman kittens
    in bed with me, and 5 stinky piles and 5 wet pools on the comforter!!

    Yuck!!!
    
    Jo
1602.14PIGGY::LEWISWed Aug 03 1988 17:5013
         Along the same lines.....we recently took care of a mother
    and two kitten (one of which we kept) for someone....who of course
    never came back to get 'em.  Anyway, we kept them in a box with
    towels in the bottom in our spare bedroom...there was a regular
    litter box nearby.  I don't recall the towels ever being soiled
    by the kittens or any of the surrounding carpet.  Once they were
    big enough to get in they started using the litter box.  I have
    heard and read the the mother takes care of the waste for a certain
    amount of time which would explain it.....but not some of the other
    stories read here.
    
    
    Bob
1602.15IAMOK::GERRYHome is where the Cat isWed Aug 03 1988 19:5219
    re: .14
    
    The mother cat will take care of keeping the kittens clean until
    they start eatting solid food.  I don't usually start giving kittens
    solid food until they can get in the litter box.  
    
    Unfortunately, kittens are not very smart, and if a litter box isn't
    convenient (read that "close by") they will often use a close corner.
    I also find that kittens usually choose a corner, so that is where
    the litter boxes are.  
    
    Most of the time kittens pretty much train themselves, but occasionally
    you get one that just doesn't get the idea.  For these, I usually
    will cage them for a day or two.  They don't like to be caged and
    will usually get the idea pretty quickly.
    
    purrs
    cin...who has 12 little baby kittens running around!