Sprayed by a skunk!!

miss mew

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I just got off the phone with my mom and dad and they told me that last night their 15 year old cat decided to pick a fight with a skunk and lost!

They have done the tomato juice thing to try and get rid of the smell but they say she is still pretty ripe...any ideas??
 

arlyn

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Recipe #1
A formula for neutralizing skunk spray developed by Illinois chemist Paul Krebaum:
1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide,
1/4 cup of baking soda
1 teaspoon of liquid soap.

Apply it to the sprayed areas, then wash off with tap water. The solution must be mixed as needed; it can't be contained in a bottle.

Recipe #2
1 pint hydrogen peroxide
2/3 cup baking soda
1 tablespoon liquid soap, preferably citrus based

Mix this up at the time of use (will not work if not "right now fresh"). Sponge on dog (or cat). Let sit two to five minutes then rinse with plain water. If a second dose is needed mix a new batch from scratch. The mix reacts with the mercaptans (smelly chemicals in the skunk spray) and oxidizes them. If the mix is not fresh, the reaction will not work.

Tomato juice, Masengill and Selsun Blue work because they tend to cut the oil base of the skunk spray but they do not really "kill" the odor. They just strip off the bulk of it. Skunk oil is meant to be persistent. A lasting memory of your encounter with the stripped kitty. Once it gets a grip just washing away the oil does not remove the smell, just reduces it.

Clothing can also be washed in the mix to remove the "perfume."
 

jolynn

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Our neighbor just brought a young kitten to us last evening. It can eat & drink on its own, and she caught onto the litter box real quick! But it doesn't seem to be able to groom itself. So I am not sure how old she is.
But, I did notice, that she smells! And I am now positive, that she smells like skunk! I have already tried the tomatoe bath...and the kitten did not even put up a fight! So, I know she is young...but, after a couple of repeat bathes, she still stinks. NOT, as bad, but still not good.
I have found this recipe for skunk odor, but I wanted to see if anyone thought that it would hurt her?
 

arlyn

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I have not tried either of them, but I would think a quick call to a vet can probably answer your questions.
 
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