Unbearable smell in friends house

[kcchiefette]

My friend had to go away for the day (a drive about 2 hours away) and asked me to check on hIs cats during the day.

I have been up a fair few times and the house is a bit messy as you can imagine a single man's house to be.

Anyhow, the last time I was up for a visit, the smell of amonia was dreadful from the litter trays. They were full, the cats had started flicking their poo out and playing with it on the floor. I had to leave after half an hour because I was getting a headache and the next day I felt really sick as well.

I called up today, and the smell is there again, only worse. The litter trays are full again and the smell was so intense, I had to put my jumper over my nose to mask the smell. I checked on the cats, left them food and left. Friend will be back 8pm.

For those that have cats, I am assuming this is not normal?

I have never owned cats so dont know much but anybody else's house who has owned them has never had this smell and I am assuming litter trays need to be cleared out at least once a day?

How do I approach this with my friend? I dont want to go up there again to visit if the house will be smelling so badly of amonia and making me feel unwell.

Me too.

Why should I know that your daughter picked up a cat poo? It wasn't my cats poo, which they bury, as do most cats. If my cats were unwelcome in a neighbour's garden I'd have no problem with them being chased out.

I would be judgemental as hell.

We buy catsan so entire tray needs less changing but poo pick every day.

I have had cats for many years...... this is not normal. Any solids are emptied. Trays are changed weekly and cleaned with mild bleach and boiling hot water. Also have puppy training pads underneath the trays for any misfires. Sorry but your friend sounds like a lazy owner

@kcchiefette "I have been up a fair few times and the house is a bit messy as you can imagine a single man's house to be."

WTF, you must know so really awful group of men.

Via work, the most disgusting smelly homes were those of cats, often had more than 4/5 and the majority were women. IMO, they just get used to the cat pee stench.
A workmate of mine, a really clean lady clothing wise arrived at work one day stank of cat pee. Someone asked her if she had sat on a client's sofa soaked in cat pee. Only then did the woman realise that one of her cats must have sprayed her long coat. Thank god we had our own desks and chairs at the time

People with dogs their home smelt some stank but the homes that stnak the most were the ones with cats. I'm not referring to every house but I could tell without seeing the cat or the dog that they had one, even if it was years ago. I'd car spare pair of shoes and clothing and I did not sit down in some clients homes when assessing them

Go round spontaneously in the next few days. Bring the cats a toy or something.

You'll see then if he has bothered cleaning them.

Either way, tell him you're concerned about the impact on his health and the dangers of an unclean litter box on his health. See if he is depressed and that's why he int cleaning them or if he is just selfish or clueless.

Then talk firmly about the impact on the cats and open up a gentle conversation about how they are a big responsibility and understand neutering costs are high etc. but neutering will help the toileting.

Open the conversation for him to admit that he made a mistake getting them and then say the longer he has them the more ingrained their behaviour will become and if he wants to rehome them or wventually meet and move in with someone he needs to sort it out.

Cats Protection can support neutering costs and may also be another voice in his ear on the appointment day.

I think he is an unsuitable cat owner but rescues are drowning at the moment so you may need to help him get to the conclusion of rehoming in steps.

Offer to support him for any depression if he brings that up. A man doent just get two cats that he cant be bothered to care for for no reason.

This

This is animal neglect. Cat’s sense of smell is 14 times better than that of humans. Being forced to breathe in acrid ammonia stench 24 x 7 is very unpleasant and very unhealthy for them, as well as for your friend. I hope you will confront him and shame him into doing much better.

I have two trays for one cat! Scoop poo soon as and do a full clean & fresh litter every week. The cats will hate it- they're clean animals.

Trays need to be completely emptied.
I would have double bagged the contents and removed.
I would refill with Kitty Litter that inhibits odour, it's natural and can be emptied on garden..
I would also air the house and clean all floors, particularly sweeping up over-spills and mopping floors around trays.

Your friend should be sift cleaning litter trays every day and replacing Kitty Litter more regularly.

Only on MN! 🤣

That’s pretty cheeky of him to have you call round with a house like that. I’ve two cats, and I’d honestly be mortified.

no, it’s not normal. Poor animals! If he can’t care for them properly, he needs to adopt them off.

It’s probably been WEEKS since it was last changed. Gross.

I wonder why he asked you to go round in the first place? Cats don’t need looking after in the same way that dogs do so can happily be left all day assuming adequate food and water.

As the litter tray was already overflowing, chances are that the cats have started peeing on the carpets somewhere and that’s why you’re smelling the ammonia smell. (It’s not from the poo) I’m also guessing that’s why it smells so bad in the house because the pee is everywhere. I bought a house that stunk badly in one room and realised that the previous owner had put a litter tray in there to pretend the smell was from the tray. We had to replace the carpets and underlay and that resolved the problem.

We scoop everyday and now change once a month. We have 1 cat and 3 trays so they don't get that dirty. If he's missed We obviously clean that tray. If the smell is that bad I wonder if the cats are also peeing on the carpet. As others have said they don't like dirty trays. Mine also will use as soon as I scoop it.

So he is not cleaning the litter trays enough? That's disgusting. We recently removed a cat and our house is relatively small, we still have 2 litter trays and as soon as there's mess in them the mess or wet litter gets removed. The trays get completely changed one or twice a week. I can't put up with the smell of cats poo and wee but keeping on top of it helps. I don't know how to tell your friend other than simply tell him next time you are there that he needs to change the litter trays as cats don't like dirty ones and it stinks

Thanks all

He came home that evening and had said as a thank you, he could call round with a couple of drinks and a takeaway (its not what you think - he is a gay friend)

Anyhow, I text back and told him I was tired and that I think he should spend the evening with his cats and getting the litter boxes sorted properly. Basically told him that they seemed to be really full and smelly and would need a good scrub and clean.

He said "ah yes, they are a bit smelly, so I will definitely clean them out properly tomorrow morning"

I havent heard from him since but the next day I am free on my own is Tuesday during my lunch break so I will arrange a coffee at his and check its been done and if not, I will be having more serious words with him.

I would check sooner but I have my DS, who I dont want being exposed to dirty cat litter and a family birthday this afternoon. Then I am in work (office) all day tomorrow before picking up DS on the way home.

Great, well done OP for standing up for these cats! They don’t have a voice otherwise.

He may not realise, but this is cruel and unacceptable.

Hope it goes well on Tuesday.

This is why they smelt. Litter trays need to be emptied and cleaned. Bag it and bin it straight into the outside bin.

You really don’t need to change the litter and do a full scrub everyday - think of how much litter you’ll be getting through! You do, however, need to check daily for poo and clumps and remove those. We wouldn’t like to use a dirty toilet and a cat’s delicate nose finds it even worse.

He sounds a bit neglectful of his cats; it’s horrid for them. I cat-sit for my daughter and clean her cat’s litter tray after every pee or poo. Cats hate using dirty litter trays. Had he run out of litter? I’d buy a bag next time and do the trays. Just chuck the smelly stuff in the bin outside and replenish with fresh - it’s that easy. Tell what you did and say you couldn’t find his stuff.

We have cats and as soon as they poo we scoop it out and put it in a cat nappy bag and put it in the outside bin. We scoop wee every day, at most every other day. I feel so sorry for those poor cats! They will start messing around the home if they can not use a clean tray!

Poor cats. We have 3, 2 indoor and one outdoor. Spot clean after every use (scoop out used litter) then new litter and full scrub of trays every other day. We use catsan which is expensive but it is the best we have found for absorbing odour. Our cats are really fussy as well, refuse to go if we don't do the trays that often!

I empty and clean DGirlcat's tray every day. Cats are really clean animals and it's awful he doesn't clean up for them.

Sometimes in the morning her tray can be a bit smelly.

DGirlcat is also fond of a fresh tray to do a poop in!

I'd have to say something to him!