As seen at CatCon 2018, here is …..
… of my favorite foster products.
One step deodorizer, disinfectant, and sanitizer. Kills pathogens in 60 seconds. Used by shelters and vets. Safe for use around pregnant moms and kittens.
Minimize odor by replacing the litter box each week: toss the used litter; compost the litter box. No cross-contamination concerns between litters.
Scoop the solids as they occur. The crystals absorb the urine, so there’s no ammonia smell.
4. Litter Mat
Place in front of and under litter boxes to minimize litter tracking. Toss in the washing machine to clean.
Peel and stick onto the bottom third of your walls. Protects your drywall from splatters and scrubbing. Easy to wipe clean. Remove and replace as necessary.
6. Food Mat
Protects your floor from water spills and food smears. Toss in the dishwasher or washing machine to clean.
7. Litter Genie
Set it right next to your litter box to make scooping easy. Seals off waste to minimize smell.
Easily cleans cat trees and other large toys.
Keeps carpeted trees and cat furniture fresh and clean.
10. Enzyme Cleaner
I saved this for last because I have a lot to say about it.
There is a chemically important reason to use an enzyme cleaner to clean cat urine stains. Cat urine is composed of elements that require enzymes to break down the chemical bonds.
When cat urine dries, the urea in the urine is broken down by bacteria into uric acid and salt. This is what makes it smell like ammonia.
Traditional household or carpet cleaners take care of many of components in cat urine, but uric acid and its salts will be left behind.
Uric acid is not water soluble and bonds tightly to whatever surface it touches. It has a half life of six years. I don’t actually know what half life means, but it makes me think of Voldemort drinking unicorn blood, so I know it’s not a good thing.
This is why it is absolutely essential to use a cleaner that can break down the uric acid. Common household cleaners simply are not chemically capable of breaking down the uric acid in cat urine. They can make the smell go away, and may appear to work because they do clean up the other components of the cat urine. But when exposed to humidity, the uric acid salts cause the uric acid crystals to re-form. This process releases the smell again.
The only thing that will break down the uric acid to permanently remove the smell is an enzyme cleaner. The enzymes break down uric acid into carbon dioxide and ammonia, both gasses that then easily evaporate. This is why it is also essential to allow the enzyme cleaner to air dry. It needs the “natural” drying time to break down the uric acid salts, allowing the resulting gases to evaporate.
Enzyme cleaners can be sprayed on or poured into your carpet shampooer. Follow the instructions closely, and allow it to air dry.
Yes, I really do need all these cats. 