Ammonia smell coming from litter box ?!?!

Well, cleaning the litter box a little bit ago and there was fresh pee in it. I started scooping out some stuff and I started to smell something like ammonia! It about gagged me! I had to open the window and get some air! I don't clean with ammonia. Was it her pee? A bad chemical reaction with the litter? I hadn't noticed it before. Is it all in my head? Should I be concerned?
Thanks!

misstoviah,

Was the litterbox totally clean before the kitty peed? If not, it could be coming from the other times the kitty has gone and buried. If the box WAS totally clean, then that's usually a sign of concentrated urine, which means they're not getting enough water. Is the cat male or female?? Unneutered males usually have a stronger urine odor. If it's a neutered male, you might want to call the vet. It could be a sign of the beginning of a urinary tract infection.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Emma is a two year old spayed female. She drinks water regularly.

The litter box was not clean and there were other clumps of pee. I don't clean it until it really needs it and I have never noticed it before.

Then the ammonia smell is probably because the box has gone too long in cleaning. I totally dump my scoopable litter once a month, clean the box out with hot water and cleaner and replace the litter with new stuff. I also scoop every day (I have one box for each cat).

Originally posted by donna
Then the ammonia smell is probably because the box has gone too long in cleaning. I totally dump my scoopable litter once a month, clean the box out with hot water and cleaner and replace the litter with new stuff. I also scoop every day (I have one box for each cat).

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crikey...i think i must be miss paranoia then when it comes to clean litter. my 2 cats get fresh litter almost every day! courtesy of my other half, Matthew, who does it all! (well...he's a man...he's got to have 1 job to do hasn't he - makes up for not cooking & cleaning!)

Normal urine naturally has an ammonia smell. This is why, if your cat urinates outside the litter box, you should never never clean it up with an ammonia-based cleanser. The cat will smell the ammonia and return to the spot, because to the cat it still smells like urine, even though it is clean.
I have to agree, you are probably going too long between cleanings. As long as you are sure that they are drinking enough water, that is the other option that makes sense.

Clairey-pooh,
How'd you manage to get your man to do that!? I can get mine to scoop the boxes, but not totally clean them...LOL!
We scoop our boxes(we have four,one for each cat) 2 times a day and the two that are upstairs(we have two in the basement too) have fresh litter put into them every week and the two downstairs are scooped twice a day and have new litter put into them(and cleaned out with dawn) every two weeks. Everyone who comes into our house cannot believe we have 4 cats. they say they cannot smell them or see any hair or anything(besides lots and lots of toys) that would make you think that there are 4 cats here. it is always an ego boost for me when they say things like that...

crikey...you've got your work cut out!

i have enough trouble keeping my eye on 2!!!!!

i find the fur thing a problem tho.....i am forever going round with my sticky roller & dustbuster!

I have six cats, and thank heavens for the invention the the self cleaning cat box that scoops itself 10 minutes after the cat uses it. However, storing all that scooped stuff in the plastic container still has its own issues...

However, the odors can be controlled with ordinary baking soda, and the "children" don't mind it at all. One box on the bottom of the litter pan to start with, add more anytime you notice an odor. Cheap and effective.

hello there cat lovers

just a quick question, i clean my litter try all the time but there is dry wee on the bottom of the tray have tried all sorts to remove it just wondered if any of you could give me some more ideas thanks

Originally Posted by daisys mam

hello there cat lovers

just a quick question, i clean my litter try all the time but there is dry wee on the bottom of the tray have tried all sorts to remove it just wondered if any of you could give me some more ideas thanks

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What litter do you use, and how deep is it?. To stop it sticking to the bottom l have it about 4" deep.

I see your from the UK, so you can buy a good quality clumping litter from Zooplus which is much cheaper than pets at home etc... and it lasts ages. I buy "Tigerino" which is a very fine grain and hardly any dust

To get "dried wee" ( ) off of litterboxes, soak them in white vinegar for at least half an hour, then scrub well with a good detergent (rinse well so the cat isn't bothered by the soap residue!)

I also have many cats and would love to try a self cleaning box, but have read negative reviews on them.. Do you mind sharing what brand you have/had?

Hey... I was wondering how you can have so many cats & not have any cat hair??? I have one 4 yr. old cat (my first ever) and it seems like there is cat hair everywhere!!

I'm sorry for the loss of your cat Isis!

Thanks

Sandi