How to Own Cats Without Smelling Like One

by Hailey Hudson

You love everything about your cat … except for the way they smell. We don’t blame you. From litter box odors to urine stains and more, unpleasant scents are just part of being a pet parent. But just because your cat smells, doesn’t mean you or your home have to smell bad too. Here’s how to ensure that your house, furniture and clothes don’t take on their unpleasant smells.

Groom Your Cat

Your cat is probably pretty good at grooming themself, but they still could use help from time to time, especially as they get older. Brush your cat regularly — ideally, every day — to prevent mats in the fur. If your cat becomes especially smelly, you might need to give him or her a bath.

To give your cat a bath, you’ll need shampoo that’s designed specifically for cats, like our Probiotic Shampoo that’s safe for both dogs and cats. Brush your cat first and then gently apply shampoo and warm water, massaging it into your cat’s fur before carefully rinsing it off. If needed, you can get help from a friend or family member or outsource this job to a local groomer. A cat-safe deodorizer, like Skout’s Honor Probiotic Deodorizer is also a great option for cats that want nothing to do with the water part of a bath. This will help with odor and overall skin and coat health.

Regularly grooming is also a good opportunity to examine your cat’s ears, eyes, nose, and mouth. If you notice any discharge, redness or especially unpleasant smells, check in with your vet.

Clean Your Furniture

While grooming your cat is one way to help control unpleasant odors, it’s also essential to clean and deodorize your home. If you’ve ever wondered what the best way is to get rid of cat pee smell in carpet is, start with our Cat Essentials Kit. This kit includes:

1 Skout's Honor Cat Urine & Odor Destroyer - awesome for quickly removing cat urine from carpet, rugs, bedding, upholstery and more! It also eliminates cat urine odor for good!
1 Skout's Honor Litter Box Deodorizer - great at eliminating cat urine and feces odor in between and during litter box cleanings.

Use these tools to get rid of cat pee smell (and general cat odor) on your carpet, litter box or furniture. If you need a more immediate solution before grabbing these cleaning items at your local pet store or online, you can also grab some baking soda out of your pantry. Sprinkle some baking soda on the stain and let it sit for an hour or so before vacuuming it up. If your cat pees on your carpet, it is best to clean it up as soon as possible to prevent a possible permanent stain to the carpet or other material.

Clean Your Clothing

When it comes to removing cat odors and stains from your laundry, the same general principles apply: Get to work as soon as possible. To get rid of cat pee smell on clothes, bedding or blankets, use Skout’s Honor Laundry Booster with your regular detergent to remove funky feline smells. Just add a few ounces to your laundry machine and use with your regular detergent for best results.

It might feel like a losing battle if your whole house smells like cats, but with the right know-how and the right tools, it doesn’t have to be. Use these tips to keep your house, your furniture and your clothing smelling as fresh and clean as possible.

Hailey Hudson is a full-time freelance writer and content marketer based out of Atlanta, Georgia, where her cat acts as her co-worker and supervisor. She writes about pet-based topics for clients such as PetFirst Pet Insurance, Just Labs Magazine and Pet Product News.

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