Conference misery::feline_v1

    Hmm.  I'm not sure I know what the liquid is, but I have a male that
    bestows this liquid in various places when he is startled or excited.
    The smell is disgusting!  If I pick him up too quickly or pick him
    up when he doesn't wish to be picked up, or when I'm trying to trim
    his nails and he isn't in the mood, he will excreete a bit of this
    liquid either on my sweatshirt, or whatever is nearest to him. I
    think it's the liquid that scents the urine when they spray.
    
    I'm sure someone in the file has a more technical term for this 
    behavior and the liquid.  Maybe they will post it.  I don't think
    it's a serious problem - with my cat it isn't.  
    
    Oh, and it's probably not the food.  But, you might consider not
    using tuna - generally fish will increase the odor in the litter box.
    But, you don't seem to be giving them very large quanities of it so it
    probably isn't a problem.
    
    E.T.

    
    ET
    Thank you for the info.  But howcome my female kitty stinks too?
    
    Rachael
    

    Gee Rachel, I dunno!@  As I said, I'm not even sure why the boys do it.
    I'm hoping some one out there will help us both !!
    
    E.

    
    
    My cats (a boy and a girl) don't have the problem that your cats have
    but boy does it smell when they use the cat box.  It's their urine
    that smells.  It reeks of Ammonia and the box has just been cleaned
    out.  Can anyone tell me what the problem is?  Am I feeding them the
    wrong foods?  I feed them a large can of 9-Lives which last the whole
    day and Purina Cat Chow dried food and water (at all times).  Is it
    the cheap food like .1 said?  Last nite one of them was in the cat
    box peeing and the smell was so bad everyone in my house noticed it :(.
    Cleaning the cat box is not one of my favorite things to do but I know
    that it has to be done and especially with 2 indoor cats.  We clean
    the box almost every day.
    
    Any idea or advice?
    Thanks,
    Chris_Callie_and_Tigger

    Well, how old are they?  If they are youngsters, they may be cutting
    teeth, and like human babies, their urine will have an odor of
    amonia.  It could also be the food - I will admit that supermarket
    brands are not my favorite to feed - fish flavored food will also
    cause odor in the box.
    
    Their urine could also be strong if they are not drinking enough water
    to dilute the urine.  
    
    Anyone else have any ideas?
    
    E.

    
    My 2 cats' urine doesn't stink, just their stool.  However, I used to
    notice alot more ammonia smell before I started using Control kitty
    litter.  My girlfriend also had the same problem and solved it with
    Control.  I tried cheaper brands, but even if they said they were
    clay-based, only Control worked.  Another stranged suggestion, if your
    cats aren't getting enough water, leave the toilet bowl open.  My cats
    don't like water from a dish.  They, however, will drink for minutes
    from the toilet.  I just make sure that the toilet is really clean.
    
    Rachael
    

    I have three cats: 1 neutered male, 1 spayed female, 1 whole female.
    
    They all use one litter box and I scoop the poop every day.  As far as
    the fluids go... I wouldn't say I have an odor problem.  The litter
    gets changed anywhere from 2 to 3 times a week.  They seem to need to
    pee more in the summer than winter though.
    
    The food I give is Iams regular or less active if they need it and 1
    can of food in the morning and 1 at night.  Stinky won't eat anything
    if it has to do with fish so they get the chicken, turkey, beef and
    liver stuff. The brands they will eat also vary week to week: 9-lives,
    whiskas, fancy feast, friskies buffet and of course sheba!  I guess I
    have good luck with the little critters, but it may help that I change
    the placemat frequently and also wash the bowls alot too.  
    
    Do you think it could be a protozoa bug in their stomach?
    
    Another thought as to the little puddle and odor problem:  in dogs if
    they don't have a proper bowel movement, the anal glands are not
    expressed enough.  Then the poor groomer has to do it by hand (egads!).
    Maybe with the poor little things past problems, this could be
    related?.
    
    Karen, Ruby, Stinky, Wing
    

    urine: I believe unaltered cats have a much stronger smelling urine than
    altered cats?  Are you cats altered?  
    
    tuna:  You might try using regular canned tuna as a replacement for the
    occasional treat of 9 Lives.  There is a Nine Lives flavor (Tuna and Chicken,
    if I recall correctly) that makes my cats throw up, so I am suspicious
    of Nine Lives in general.
    

    
    
    Re. 8
    
    Both my cats are fixed.  I heard that Science Diet makes your cats
    fat, is this true?  I'll be moving out in 2 weeks and will be taking
    my cats with me.  I'm thinking of changing their food also.
    My mom buys the 9-Lives.  What could I substitute for 9-Lives or
    any other store brand food?  And, should I have Science Diet as
    their dry food?
    
    I'm thinking that maybe they are not getting enough water and that's
    why their pee smells so bad.  It could literally make your eyes water
    when you walk by the box.  I do not want this to happen when I move
    in 2 weeks.  
    
    Does anyone have any suggestions on a "new menu" for Tigger and 
    Callie?  Cost is not a problem, even though my funds are low, my
    kitties are worth it. :)
    
    Thanks,
    Chris

Hi Chris, this is Jan Brown (remember Ron?).  We feed our horde a mix of Science
Diet and Blue Seal Kat Kare, both of which are good foods.  I have found that
the Science Diet seems to cause most of mine to get porky, and it is hard to
lower the quantity enough -- when you wind up giving them a teeny tiny dollop
of food they holler starvation, even though it is enough for proper nutrition.

Fear not, the folks who make Science Diet have a solution:  Science Diet Lite!
Still good quality food but with less fat for those cats who just don't get the
same amount of exercise as other more active cats.  Mine like both "flavors"
equally well, so I would suggest trying the regular and then switch to the diet
formula if you find that you need it.  I don't think the Blue Seal comes in a
reduced calorie version, and you might prefer that due to cost if you don't
need a diet food.

If you also want to feed canned food I would recommend the Old Mother Hubbard;
we have been feeding it to ours for years and are very satisifed with the
results.  It's low in ash and whatever and seems to be good quality.

Good luck, hope your cats like whatever you choose -- we are blessed with 
kitties who eat whatever is put in front of them ('cause if they don't eat it
someone else will!).


Jan

suggestions:

catbox duty schedule:

sift out solids/turn litter well twice a day...it only takes a few minutes
and can be part of the "getting ready for work" and then "coming home from
work" rituals.  Change box completely twice a week - Wednesday and Saturday,
is a good suggestion.  Use a JUMBO size box and put in a full 10 lbs. of
litter each time.  I have two JUMBO boxes for 4 cats and it works well.

food suggestions:

high quality, dye-free cat food (dry and/or wet) is the best bet..I have
great luck with IAMS, but that's the only kibble all 4 can eat without
upset.  I feed Science Diet or Fancy Feast (occasionally) canned as a treat
for my skinny boy.

getting enough water in them:

this is probably the root of the problem...move the water dish AWAY from
the food and litter.  Place the water dish so that the cats can get to it
and not expose their backs to the doorway or the greater part of the room.
I know you aren't sneaking up on them, but they operate by instinct much
of the time and they need to feel secure when in a "vulnerable" position.
Change the water RELIGEOUSLY at least once a day - I strongly recommend twice
a day.  It must be fresh.  If you have a strong smell of chlorine in the
tap water, use bottled water - cats have very sensitive noses and they won't
drink water that isn't "fresh" to them.  Also use glass or metal dishes for 
water.  Plastic dishes have an oily film that can be released and cats 
won't drink water from them sometimes.  Bring out the champagne glasses and
the perrier and they'll throw a water tasting party!! (well, only if you
let the perrier go flat first - no bubbles please)...8^}

    re: Blue seal - note that the Kat Krunchies is higher in calories
    and ash than the Kat Kare.  If fat is a concern, stick with the Kat
    Kare.
    

    It doesn't take long for my boxes to have a strong Ammonia odor from
    the urine.  I don't think that it's the stool that causes the odor.
    
    I have two big boxes for 2 cats.  (one is a covered Dockosil).  I
    change them weekly and every morning, the first thing I do, is sift out
    the solids (my eyes are still closed) and completey turn the litter
    over.  Do it again at night.  The covered box does seem to smell more
    when I open it (it has been mentioned that it is probably because the
    litter can't dry out as easily).  It does help though.  We now don't
    know every time that go (stool).  Before, you would know the second
    they started.
    
    They eat Fromms dry and Old Mother Hubbard canned.
    
    They both drink TONS of water and constanly urinate.
    
    I just bought Control Litter for the first time.  I want to see if it
    really works in controlling the ammonia odor.  The boxes usually start
    smelling a day or two after I change the litter and clean out the box.
    
    Supposedly 7 lbs goes as far as a 10 lb bag of regular litter.
    
    Pam

    RE: 11
    Jo.. Er um HRH prefers her Perrier  with a dash of lime.. and with 
    the "bubbles"... or When in Paris.. etc..
    Kate.. who is feeling silly today..