The Cat Urine Odor Advisor will no longer be featured on this RSS feed on August 19, 2005.

I am being trained at an out-of-state location for three months, and will not have access to a computer during that time.

I'd like to thank everybody for the wonderful questions and comments.

The Cat Urine Odor Advisor website will be available until September 6, 2005.

Good luck on eliminating cat urine odor problems!

All the best,

Nancy

Have you ever wanted to know more about what a feline urinary tract infection is, and why it occurs?

Do you know the difference between urine crystals and stones?

When is surgery necessary, and is it for crystals or stones?

These questions, and more are answered in this interview with a veteriniarian who specializes in feline medical care. This doctor highlights a very important point: We should not refer to all bladder or urinary tract infections as UTIs.

Read more to find out why.

NOTE: The answers given in this interview are not only factual, but also reflect this feline vet's point of view. If you have any additional questions, comments, or concerns regarding these questions in relation to your cat(s), please consult with your personal veterinarian to determine what's right for you and your feline(s).

The Cat Urine Odor Advisor makes no judgements regarding the answers. This feline veterinarian agreed to a written interview with the caveat that the vet's name/practice not be published, because this person does not want to debate or argue other points of view regarding feline urinary tract infection issues and solutions. [Read More!]

A new enzyme cleaner - Dumb Cat!

I'm interrupting your reading of my 18 fascinating tips to remove cat urine smell from your home for this special announcement.

I'm featuring the Dumb Cat Spray and Cat Urine remover on the Cat Urine Odor Advisor.

This is an extremely effective enzyme cleaner that will get rid of cat urine odor and stains in short order.

I've been using it for a month, and it removes tough cat urine stains from rugs, concrete, tile floors, and more.

Click here to purchase Dumb Cat Anti-Marking & Cat Spray Remover!

If you have any questions regarding Dumb Cat, please contact me - I'll be glad to tell you more!

Or, you can click on the link above to go to the Cat Urine Odor Advisor and read about Dumb Cat enzyme cleaner.

Got cat litter boxes?

The rule of thumb for the MINIMUM number of cat litter boxes necessary for an odor-free home is:

"X" cats + 1 = minimum number of cat litter boxes.

So, if you have 3 cats, you need 4 cat litter boxes, as a minimum.

Add DL-Methionine to your cat's diet.

What if your cat won't eat cat food that has DL-Methionine as an ingredient?


You can get it as a powder that you put into your cat's canned food.

Want to select the right cat litter box for your cat? Here's how:

Observe the way she urinates. Does she urinate:

Standing up?
Squatting?
In one corner of the box?
Over the edge of the box, onto the floor?

Use these observations to select the best cat litter box for your kitty.

But remember, since she's The Cat, and you are staff, always, always, always TEST her reaction to the new cat litter box before making the final decison!

Many feline owners report cat anxiety and negative litter behavior after getting their cat declawed.

Consult with your vet to determine the best course of action. She or he can suggest alternatives to cat declawing.

If your cat is not declawed, and is good about using the cat litter box, but is bad about scratching, think twice about possibly inducing a problem by declawing her.

When you're retraining your cat to use the cat litter box, you may end up confining her to one room during the retraining period.

During this time, play pet/cat-specific music to relieve your cat's anxiety.

Click on the link above to see the featured pet music for your cat.

You can revise your cat urine odor control strategies after you get your kitty healthy, and solve all litter box issues.

click on the link above to read more...

Did you know that you can also use the same flowering essences that calm your cat down?

Try Bach's Rescue Remedy when you and your kitty are frazzled.

Here's a handy little chart to tell your cat's approximate age:

Chart of Cat-Human Age Equivalents


Cat Years Human Years

6 months .............. 10 years
8 months .............. 13
1 year ................ 15
2 ..................... 24
3 ..................... 28
4 ..................... 32
6 ..................... 40
8 ..................... 48
10 .................... 56
12 .................... 64
14 .................... 72
15 .................... 76
16 .................... 80
18 .................... 88
20 .................... 96
21 .................... 100
22 .................... 104

Here's some quick facts about evaluating and selecting the right cat food for your kitty that will mitigate, or eliminate feline urinary tract infections:

- Meat should always be the first ingredient. Pure meat, not meat by-products!

- DL-Methionine is an essential amino acid that helps prevent the formation of struvite crystals that causes feline UTI. Be sure this is a listed ingredient.

- The magnesium levels should be no more 0.025% maximum for any serving.

- Cranberries and blueberries are good additional ingredients for maintaining your cat's urine pH balance at approximately 6.5.

- Avoid cat food that lists any type of carbohydrates as primary ingredients. Cats are carnivores!

- The higher the protein and moisture content, the better the food is for your kitty.

As your kitty ages, her litter box habits may change. What could cause your older cat to stop using her litter box? 1. She develops stiff joints and arthritis, making it difficult to use certain types of litter boxes. Be sure you monitor your cat's ability to easily get in and out of her litter box as she ages. If you see her having difficulty, switch to litter boxes with lower sides, or a cutout for easy entry/exit. 2. Behavior that is similiar to Alzheimer's Disease in humans. Kitties may develop reduced mental capabilities as they age. One manifestation may be forgetting where her litter boxes are located. If your older cat stops using her litter box, have your vet confirm or eliminate a physical cause. Set up more boxes around your house for her, particularly in the places she now frequents for her elimination duties. 3. Physical ailments. Older cats may develop diseases or disorders that make elimination painful. If this occurs, your vet can probably prescribe different medications to alleviate her discomfort. You will also have to adjust the litter box types and locations in your home to better accomodate your senior kitty.

If a cat becomes disabled because she has lost a limb, or the use of her hind legs, good litter box habits can be challenging. A cat who has lost the use of her hind legs may also lose the ability to know when she needs to eliminate. Since she cannot feel it, her bladder and bowels will act whenever they need to. If a cat has lost a limb to amputation, she could develop balancing problems when trying to use the litter box. These are special challenges, and the feline owner who is in these situations must work closely with the cat's vet to come up with the best possible program for both kitty and her owners.

Do you want to eliminate your cat's anxiety for weeks at a time? Use the Feliway Comfort Zone Plug-In unit to relieve your cat's anxiety. It plugs into any electrical outlet. Buy several, and install them in your cat's favorite rooms.