# Cat pee smell in carpet, but no actual cat pee - what have I done???

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-pee-smell-in-carpet-but-no-actual-cat-pee-what-have-i-done/659404>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 26, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-pee-smell-in-carpet-but-no-actual-cat-pee-what-have-i-done/659404 "2013-05-26T15:08:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rainy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c2a13f/32.png) [@rainy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rainy)\
**Post date:** [May 26, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-pee-smell-in-carpet-but-no-actual-cat-pee-what-have-i-done/659404/1 "2013-05-26T15:08:21Z")

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This is weird (and requires some explanation) so bear with me. The other night Mrs. rainy and I were sitting in the living room when we detected the undeniable odor of cat urine. Odd, since we don’t have any indoor cats. Thorough investigation yielded nothing - no chew toy the dogs take in and out smelling, no odor around the outside windows, nothing. We give up the hunt and go to bed. It is still there the next day and getting stronger.

My guess is that I walked through some cat urine in the yard (we have outside cats) and inadvertently tracked in inside on my shoes. So I am down on my hands and knees smelling the carpet. Turns out the area where we accidentally spilled a solution of Epsom salt water was the culprit. It smells exactly like cat urine. I get out the steam cleaner, mix baking soda and water and clean the area – immediately the smell begins to go away. Now, the next morning, as the carpet is drying in that area the smell is returning.

What chemical monster have I unleashed?  
And more importantly, how do I get rid of it?!?

Help,

-rainy

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**Author:** ![Measure\_for\_Measure](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/measure_for_measure/32/557_2.png) [@Measure\_for\_Measure](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Measure_for_Measure)\
**Post date:** [June 2, 2013, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-pee-smell-in-carpet-but-no-actual-cat-pee-what-have-i-done/659404/2 "2013-06-02T01:43:13Z")

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Here are 2 links on the chemistry of cat pee:

> **[Wilmington Star-News: Local News, Politics & Sports in Wilmington, NC](https://www.starnewsonline.com/)**
>
> Get the latest breaking news, sports, entertainment and obituaries in Wilmington, NC from Wilmington Star-News.

> **[Quora - A place to share knowledge and better understand the world](https://odors.quora.com/Why-Does-Cat-Pee-Smell-So-Bad)**

Apparently as cat pee is broken down by bacteria, it can create new and more smelly chemicals with exotic names. Some industries emit a few of these chemicals, making their neighbors unhappy.

> [@](#):
>
> (Newland relates a story about a bakery that ran a laboratory experimenting with different baking techniques and ingredients. Workers accidentally concocted something with a concentration of this stuff that resisted all efforts to eliminate the smell. It was so bad the company closed down the lab.)

Yikes.

As to how to get rid of cat pee, apparently it can get so bad that removing the carpet or even sanding down the wood floor become the preferred solutions, according to [Cheryl Mendelson](http://www.amazon.com/Home-Comforts-Science-Keeping-House/dp/0743272862/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370137171&sr=8-1&keywords=Cheryl+Mendelson). That said, a commercial enzyme cleaner or a visit to a pet store would probably be your next step.