Advice from cat owners

Advice from cat owners (Full Version)

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tazzygirl -> Advice from cat owners (6/23/2011 11:49:36 PM)
Ok, i seldom seek advice, but I have no clue what to do. The cats found the electric blanket and decided to use it as a little box. It reeks! But its also an expensive blanket and I hate to toss it out. The cord disconnects from the blanket, and the directions say it can be hand washed. What do I wash it with?

Hillwilliam -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 6:21:31 AM)
Woolite? Give it a good dose of Febreze before and after.

Muttling -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 6:25:09 AM)
Call up a dry cleaners and ask them for suggestions or what they would charge to clean it (if they can.) The odor of cat urine is very difficult to neutralize.

Gypsy44 -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 6:39:11 AM)
IF the care instructions say you can wash it. Try washing it on the gentle cycle with warm water in your machine. And your laundry soap and 1/2 a cup of baking soda let it dissolve before adding the blanket. The Baking soda should help neutralize the ammonia in the urine. When the spin cycle starts just let it run a minute to get out some of the water. So its not dripping wet. Then hang it over your shower curtain rod to dry. Or if possible dry it outside. I had the same thing happen with a Dry clean only bed spread. As I did not want to pay a fortune for the dry cleaning. I tried the above solution and it worked.

pahunkboy -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 6:44:11 AM)
Tazz, I almost never wash an electric blanket. They are not designed to be washed. In the past 2 years- I dont even bother with them any more.

Aneirin -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 7:57:03 AM)
But the question is, when the blanket has been cleaned by whatever method, will the cat use it again as a litter box ? And that because there is an enzyme in cat's piss that is very hard to shift, we might not smell it, but cats can and if my cat is anything to go on, with the recent remodelling of my place, no matter how often one cleans, the cat always comes back to top up the odour, I believe as part of marking the cat's boundaries to be comfortable in the enviroment. As to why the cat chose to piss on the blanket, well, I have heard cats can be attracted to certain electrical smells that immitate things cats are attracted to, the same as with dogs and car brake disc dust ( why dogs piss on car wheels). Further to that, perhaps the blanket had a smell on it the cat wanted to eradicate and that by 'owning' it. So personally, myself, I would clean the blanket as best I can and give it the cat, as I feel the cat will be back. Get a new blanket and keep it away from the cat.

pahunkboy -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 8:13:53 AM)
Yeah Anerin, went thru quite an ordeal over a neighbors welcome mat. I hope that is still working out for you. Tazz, I don't think you should toss the cat in the washer and dryer. You cant just wash a cat that way.

ChatteParfaitt -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 8:15:47 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Aneirin But the question is, when the blanket has been cleaned by whatever method, will the cat use it again as a litter box ? And that because there is an enzyme in cat's piss that is very hard to shift, we might not smell it, but cats can and if my cat is anything to go on, with the recent remodelling of my place, no matter how often one cleans, the cat always comes back to top up the odour, I believe as part of marking the cat's boundaries to be comfortable in the enviroment. As to why the cat chose to piss on the blanket, well, I have heard cats can be attracted to certain electrical smells that immitate things cats are attracted to, the same as with dogs and car brake disc dust ( why dogs piss on car wheels). Further to that, perhaps the blanket had a smell on it the cat wanted to eradicate and that by 'owning' it. So personally, myself, I would clean the blanket as best I can and give it the cat, as I feel the cat will be back. Get a new blanket and keep it away from the cat. I agree the cat will be back, no matter what trouble and expense you take to clean the blanket. But electric blankets are pricey. Sooooo......clean it as best you can (the baking soda idea sounded good), and then follow up with Febreeze. And THEN keep it away from the cat (if you can).

ChatteParfaitt -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 8:18:13 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: pahunkboy Yeah Anerin, went thru quite an ordeal over a neighbors welcome mat. I hope that is still working out for you. Tazz, I don't think you should toss the cat in the washer and dryer. You cant just wash a cat that way. This reminds me of a story about a family who's cat got in the dryer, and they didn't know until their little girl announced "kitty go round."

Muttling -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 8:36:34 AM)
How to Wash the Cat... 1. Put both lids of the toilet up and add 1/8 cup of pet shampoo to the water in the bowl. 2. Pick up the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom. 3. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close both lids. You may need to stand on the lid. 4. The cat will self agitate and make ample suds. Never mind the noises that come from the toilet, the cat is actually enjoying this. 5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a "power-wash and rinse". 6. Have someone open the front door of your home. Be sure that there are no people between the bathroom and the front door. 7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly lift both lids. 8. The cat will rocket out of the toilet, streak through the bathroom, and run outside where he will dry himself off. 9. Both the commode and the cat will be sparkling clean. [img]http://bp2.blogger.com/_ySCIT3KO9Zc/RdXXIFWHtMI/AAAAAAAABj4/I2x2Q-JN3ik/s400/wetcat5.jpg[/img]

ChatteParfaitt -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 8:38:13 AM)
Sounds great !! You get to put the cat in the toilet and let him out, though. I'll hold the door. Helpful Chatte

Phoenixpower -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 8:43:06 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: Muttling How to Wash the Cat... 1. Put both lids of the toilet up and add 1/8 cup of pet shampoo to the water in the bowl. 2. Pick up the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bathroom. 3. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close both lids. You may need to stand on the lid. 4. The cat will self agitate and make ample suds. Never mind the noises that come from the toilet, the cat is actually enjoying this. 5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a "power-wash and rinse". 6. Have someone open the front door of your home. Be sure that there are no people between the bathroom and the front door. 7. Stand behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly lift both lids. 8. The cat will rocket out of the toilet, streak through the bathroom, and run outside where he will dry himself off. 9. Both the commode and the cat will be sparkling clean. [image]http://bp2.blogger.com/_ySCIT3KO9Zc/RdXXIFWHtMI/AAAAAAAABj4/I2x2Q-JN3ik/s400/wetcat5.jpg[/image] Though be careful [>:][>:][>:][>:][>:] Make sure the cat is big enough for that sort of wash...cause otherwise you might need some help to get it back [8\|] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1193098/Puppy-survives-boy-accidentally-flushes-toilet-washing-him.htm

Phoenixpower -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 8:47:35 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: ChatteParfaitt I agree the cat will be back, no matter what trouble and expense you take to clean the blanket. But electric blankets are pricey. Sooooo......clean it as best you can (the baking soda idea sounded good), and then follow up with Febreeze. And THEN keep it away from the cat (if you can). (only quoting this to add to this advice). I don't know if it helps but the breeder from my birman cat wrote this on her homepage: quote: Behaviour Management using Citronella Oil My little lovely felines since being in-door cats have developed a few extra behaviour issues, one in particular is the neuter boys spraying up my front door in response to the entire local skanky toms spraying the other side of my front door. As you can imagine I was not impressed. After speaking to a fellow breeder friend, she told me about using citronella oil and that it will deter the cats from a particular area. She was at the time using some oil put on a cloth in front of her TV to stop her cats climbing up the TV. She had said that she had used this for some time for various different reasons and had found it to be very effective. With this knowledge off I went and purchased some citronella. I have used it on a cloth behind the front door and various other key areas that my cats will spray and dosed the front door area outside. Since I have used the citronella (1 week) I have not had any spraying and haven't seen any Toms loitering, which is great as I have had 3 cats in call and no smelly Toms at my front door to stress my other cats out. I would recommend trying this if you want to reduce unwanted behaviours such as spraying, clawing furniture etc.

Aneirin -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 8:48:06 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: pahunkboy Yeah Anerin, went thru quite an ordeal over a neighbors welcome mat. I hope that is still working out for you. Tazz, I don't think you should toss the cat in the washer and dryer. You cant just wash a cat that way. The welcome mat is cat free and that because I put my hand in my pocket and bought a sonic cat scarer and posited it next to the neighbour's door mat. It has a 180 deree arc of coverage and is activated by PIR, so her property is safe from the mogs around here. When the batteries die, I replace the batteries and that because I believe as in letting the cat stay with me, I am imposing the animal on others who don't want the intrusion of another's cat on their property. Yeah, it was expensive, perhaps more than I could afford given my status, but to me the importance was on my responsibility as a pet owner and ensuring the peace and quiet in the area in which I live. The result besides the welcome mat being cat free, is the inhabitant of the property has become a friendly neighbour whom I now see eye to eye with. Of course the installation of the cat deterrant was not without its problems, other cat owners objected and there was even a hint of a suggestion that the device was to be sabotaged, to which I informed the affected property owner about the rumour and the bugger who had said it, if it ceases to work one day, the police will be involved and to that the complainer backed down as the police and he have a history.

LadyConstanze -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 9:10:05 AM)
The citronella just like the vinegar can go wrong, I know a couple of people who used it since cats hate the smell, they thought they would discourage them from marking, unfortunately the cats hated the smell so much, that they sprayed much much more to get rid of the - for them offensive - citronella and vinegar smells...

windchymes -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 9:13:47 AM)
There is a product called "Nature's Miracle", and it truly is miraculous at removing urine smells. It's a little pricey, but worth it. You might have to go to PetSmart or PetCo to get it, though I've seen it at the Walmart/Kmart type stores. Since the blanket says "hand washable", a large jug or two should be enough. You have to really soak down/immerse the spot for it to work. It works so well because it has enzymes that actually change the chemical composition of the ammonia so that it CAN'T smell, lol. (If your cats are female or neutered males, you'll have a better chance of getting rid of the smell. Non-neutered male urine is harder.)

Phoenixpower -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 9:17:30 AM)
quote: ORIGINAL: LadyConstanze The citronella just like the vinegar can go wrong, I know a couple of people who used it since cats hate the smell, they thought they would discourage them from marking, unfortunately the cats hated the smell so much, that they sprayed much much more to get rid of the - for them offensive - citronella and vinegar smells... ok...cause, there are always some exceptions to the theory [&:] I know mine hate the smell of tea tree oil...so I would put a few sprinkles from that on it...but again, with LC's experience, thats just as good as vinegor and citronella....

CaHeaven -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 9:21:58 AM)
There is a product called Fresh N Clean by Lambert Kay, I purchased it at Petco. I had a senior cat who went senile and began urinating on my desk leg. This is a desk that weighs too much to move easily by myself, and the smell was choking me. I sprayed this cleaner on the legs of the desk, it foamed up where the urine was, and after it dried, the smell was gone. I just mopped it up with rags. (pergo flooring) I had a stray male decide my screen door and concrete porch were fair game for spraying. Again, the smell was horrifying. I sprayed the porch down liberally with this product, then was going to rinse it, when I realized my lame neighbor had borrowed my hose. I let the product dry, no rinsing. The smell was gone. Not just gone until it dried, gone entirely. I have used the product to wash linens that old Smoosh dribbled urine on, and again, no smell, not a trace.

windchymes -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 9:37:22 AM)
A product like that is worth its weight in gold, lol

pahunkboy -> RE: Advice from cat owners (6/24/2011 9:45:31 AM)
To the poster who mentioned febreaze, after working in group homes- I never want to smell that product again. It masks the oder- it does not remove it.

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