Do you think your house stinks? Lighthearted

[Want2beme]

AIBU to ask? Just reading a thread on AIBU re landlords not renting property to pet owners. Some of the responses are making me wonder if my own house stinks because of my 3 cats

I'm a really tidy person and try to keep on top of litter tray cleaning, no wet food hanging around, etc. I know my house is hairy and that's actually the worst aspect of living with furry friends. I hoover regularly, but I realise that their fur is all around.

I'd be mortified if my house pongs of cats

I only have the one cat and we own our own house but in the past he’s been successfully hidden from 3 landlords. So I’m going to go with no he doesn’t smell! And the house isn’t hairy because we brush the cat every other day and vacuum regularly.

Not of cat no (I have 3 house cats) but definitely of blinkin guinea pig. I cannot wait until the guinea pigs move outside.

I’ve got four cats, and don’t think my house smells. I’ve got a very honest friend with a keen nose and I always asked her 😀 she comes around often.
I do always have windows open, come sunshine or rain. Wash soft furnishing regularly, and keep on top of dusting and cleaning. I think their wet food is what smells the most 🙈🙈🙈
Also had a long term problem of one of cats spraying, but he would spray and wee around 5 times a day on a good day. As you can imagine that did smell, even if I kept on top of the cleaning. I then bought one of those CSI blue torches on Amazon to detect secretions and was then able to clean every little spot.
Litter trays can also smell and need to be kept on top off.
None of my cats themselves were ever smelly unless they had health issues or when they were really old. My old lady didn’t stink but she did smell a bit less fresh.

Once I got my boy cat neutered the stink left the building. Entire cat pee reeks.

Now I just smell the wet food while it’s out waiting to be finished. And sometimes a waft from the tray if someones just left me a present.

Ive been in lots of houses and people's houses with cats or dogs always have a whiff. Sometimes its not too bad just "doggy" or "definitely cat." Sometimes it reeks. I don't think pet owners are aware at all. But its not nec a problem as pet owning is quite usual.

No, my last landlord (I’m now an owner occupier) used to comment how nice it was to go into a property that didn’t stink of awful cats. I had a cat, I just used to pop her in with the neighbours on inspection day.

@PineappleUpsideDownCake

Ive been in lots of houses and people's houses with cats or dogs always have a whiff. Sometimes its not too bad just "doggy" or "definitely cat." Sometimes it reeks. I don't think pet owners are aware at all. But its not nec a problem as pet owning is quite usual.

There were similar comments on the AIBU thread. That's what got me wondering.

Pancakeorcrepe the idea of a CSI blue torch.

Like the idea of a CSI blue torch!

Nope, my cats mostly go outside, and we keep the house clean & aired. Obviously it smells immediately after a litter tray is used, but we empty it into a litter locker, which is sealed & doesn't smell. My mother, non-pet-owner & wielder of an extraordinary nose, would definitely tell me if it did. Got a dog, too. It's a hilarious thing how smugly they all think they can smell every pet ever. I've been in smelly houses that don't have any animals in.

Theres a huge difference between a doggy/cat smell and "stinks!"

Im not sure I'd be impolite as to ever mention it. I suspect my house smelt of small children when they were small too... its just life.

The only house that I've been in that stinks is a neighbour's house and he has an old labrador that really hums.

I had 2 cats for years no one ever said my house stank of cat, we didn't have the cats weeing and pooing everywhere so I can't see that the house would have smelt. My sil has a dog and a cat and her house stinks of dog. It's awful tbh even after visiting for a short time you leave and it's all you can smell on your clothes and even your shoes? Her animals are not dirty in the house but they aren't bathed enough I don't think.

I was just talking to my DM about this and she said that my house doesn't stink! Phew!! She would def tell me if it did. However, she took the opportunity to tell me that she wonders how I cope with the ca hair everywhere and having pets at all. She's not an animal person

I forgot to add, I do think carpet makes an enormous difference in all this. I’ve got hard floors in the majority of the house and it makes it much easier to keep clean. Carpets do absorb smells and dirt, and are much more difficult to keep fresh. I’d rather have hard floors with some big area rugs. I wash these rugs in those massive machines in the launderette. I’m quite houseproud in the sense I’m clean, but my home revolves around my pets. I will always buy washable rugs even if a dry clean only option is nicer looking. I have blinds only where I can, in a wipe clean fabric. My bedding is decent quality but not too expensive so I throw it in the wash every week. Not many ornaments, cushions or things. Basically nice but practical things, and nothing too fancy or delicate so it doesn’t annoy me if it breaks or gets ruined. This then makes it easier to keep all clean and smell free.

Cats don't have a body odour (well, not one that is detectable to humans anyway). Dogs do, mice do, rabbits don't ... Some places certainly smell doggy, but then a lot of places with dogs don't smell. There is only a smell with cats if the litter tray isn't clean or if they spray. There is never any smell from cat body odour as there can be with dogs. Avoiding carpets always helps of course. Certainly I've been in places that smell so bad I could hardly breathe - but that's down to bad owners - not providing trays, not cleaning trays, not neutering etc.

People are bonkers. I'd love to put some of those 'all pets smell' folks to the test. I have hidden many cats for people during landlord inspections. The landlord never noticed any smell.

That's very true, thecatneuterer, cats don't have a body odour. That hadn't occurred to me before you said it. I've got hard floors which are so much easier to keep clean.

@thecatneuterer completely true. I pick up stroke many random cats I come across and a smell never gets left behind like with majority of dogs.

No - we have three house cats and a dog.

My mum is very sensitive to any pet hair and smell as she's asthmatic and last time she came over, she said she couldn't smell pet at all.

I vacuum daily, scoop the litter trays regularly, vacuum the sofas weekly, and wash and change blankets and cushion covers weekly as well. I also wash bowls etc. right after use, sweep hard surfaces daily and make sure the house gets a good airing.

It doesn't really take that long but it's worth it.

No - we have three house cats and a dog.

My mum is very sensitive to any pet hair and smell as she's asthmatic and last time she came over, she said she couldn't smell pet at all.

I vacuum daily, scoop the litter trays regularly, vacuum the sofas weekly, and wash and change blankets and cushion covers weekly as well. I also wash bowls etc. right after use, sweep hard surfaces daily and make sure the house gets a good airing.

It doesn't really take that long but it's worth it.

Any cat owner who thinks their house doesn't stink of cat is kidding themselves