Cat spraying

Dilly

Hi guys,

My sister has a huge problem. She has a couple of cats and one of them has been inviting the neighbours cats around to the house when she is at work. Just yesterday, it seems that one of these cats was invited in during the morning and when she locked up the house to head to work, it was also locked in. He has destroyed her house by spraying and pooping EVERYWHERE. Her entire house stinks, all the carpets, the beds, everything.

Does anybody know of the best way to eliminate the smell?? She's starting to wonder if she'll have to take up the carpets to get rid of it??

Please, please let someone out there have the solution for her and her very smelly house!!

Thanks!

Arcadian

Biological washing powder will help get rid of the worst of the smell, you can also get enzyme cleaners from petshops to help with whatever's left.

And maybe a collar with bell for next doors cat so he can't sneak in again !!

Dilly

That's some great advice, thanks a lot! As for the bell idea - while it's a good one, the owners don't even have a collar on him so it might not be so easy to get them to agree to a bell!

Our man in Havana

Is your sisters cat SPAYED??? why else would a tom enter the house if its not spayed this will happen again & again!

Dilly

She has two cats, one male one female and both are neutered.

Our man in Havana

Tis very unusual that a male will enter another males territory!

I would probably grab the neighbours cat & pay for him to be neutured - heck of a lot cheaper & easier than changing or cleaning carpets & furniture.

Can she have a word with the neighbours??

Dilly

Her male is a rescue cat and because of his experiences is by nature very meek - to the point of being bullied a lot by other cats. The neighbours are not the friendliest of people, but I suppose anything is worth trying!

Arcadian

Where we used to live there were 5 houses in a row, all with cats. It was like having kids, i'd open the door and my own cat would barge in with several 'mates' close behind. They used to do this every day, going to whatever house had somebody at home to run around after them:D

luckat

It may be that the cats aren't being invited in, but are coming in to bully your sister's cats. It may also be that a wild cat followed her cat in, couldn't get out and panicked, hence all the spraying and pooing.

I'd suggest that the cat door be got rid of for the moment, and that the cats either be left outside to take their chances during the day or left inside with water and a litter tray during the day, and let out for a stroll in the evening (but then called in so they won't eat the birds at dawn).

Dilly

Quick update - she is going to replace her standard cat flap for one of the ones that opens in reaction to a magnet in her cats' collars which might go someway to helping. In the meantime she's still scrubbing to get rid of the smell...

luckat

Apparently those magnet cat doors don't work that well - a big cat can shoulder in as the other cat is going through.

I had some success with a cat door that could be set to open inwards *or* outwards *or* both *or* be shut both ways. I'd set it so my cats could get out but not back in.

But if the cats are being bullied I'd just keep them in while she's not there.