Are you conscious of how pet owner's homes smell?
By Amber
@AmbiePam (92491)
United States
January 21, 2010 11:50am CST
Let me preface by saying that I understand some people do the best they can. And all that matters is that they are comfortable in their own homes and that they love the animals they have. Now moving on, have you ever stepped in someone's home and you automatically know they have a pet because of the way it smells? I don't know if they realize it, or are used to the smell.
I have a dog. And because on occasion I've been to people's homes that smell like animals, one cannot step into my apartment and tell by the smell that a dog lives there. I have a friend with 8 pets (dogs and cats), and her home does not smell good. At all. But what matters is that she loves and cares for the animals, and she definitely does!
I had a neighbor who owned a cat. She moved out a few months ago. I went over to her apartment one day to bring her cat a treat. She invited me in. I let the cat sit on my lap and cuddled the cat. Domino (the cat) went about his business, and my eyes started to water. I had smelled an odor when I first stepped inside. After about 40 minutes of chatting, I went home. I immediately took a shower. I'm not allergic to cats. And I have never felt dirty leaving anyone's home that had a pet, even if their home didn't smell good. But her apartment (and she isn't disabled, she gets around fine, she isn't old, and isn't busy) literally made me ill. I think that is probably rare, but you get the picture.
I hope I haven't made anyone feel defensive. After all, I do have a pet. I keep my apartment clean of course, but I also have candles, and sticks of air fresheners in a couple rooms. So no animal odor will you smell. However, the cigarette smoke from the apartments below me are another matter....
10 people like this
41 responses
@OpinionatedLady (5965)
• United States
21 Jan 10
I too have pets and have felt the way you do when in some one else's home. I am over concerned at times about how my home might smell as it bothers me greatly. I too burn candles when I know folks are coming over. I have no carpets as they hold pet dander too well and then smell. I clean like a crazy woman (so says my husband) and am crazy about pet hair. Now we have a lot of pets with hair. That would be 2 cats, 2 dogs and a rabbit who thinks he's a dog. I know I am insane about the litter box which is cleaned twice a day and fully emptied and filled with fresh litter once a day. That smell just kills me. I know there are others who either do not notice or don't care but I do.
@candrewpets (1)
• United States
28 May 10
you must try this spray as well. its called nose offense for pets and it works wonderfully. doesn't even mask odor with flowers or vanilla scents, it leaves the area odor-free. i think its just available online - www.noseoffense.com, funny video too!
@mentalward (14690)
• United States
21 Jan 10
I think most of us pet owners do our best to keep our homes clean and smelling good. Some don't.
Sometimes, though, an odor is not the pet owner's fault. I had a cat a few years back whose poop stunk so bad I encouraged him to go outside instead of using the litter box! We always knew when he used the litter box. PU!!!! I fed him exactly the same food as I'm feeding our current cats and their poop doesn't smell anywhere near as bad as that cat's did! Mercy!
I told the vet about his, uh, problem, even though it was more of a problem for me than for the cat. He didn't seem to mind that his poop stank. The vet advised switching food brands, slowly, as always advised, which I did, several times. Nope. Didn't help. The cat was healthy otherwise.
It didn't even matter if I was right behind him, cleaning the litter as soon as he got out of the box, either. That smell permeated the house! I tried all kinds of things in his litter, including baking soda and litter additives specifically made to eliminate the odor. Nothing worked. He was a stinky cat! Or, if you watch the show 'Friends', he was that "Smelly Cat" that Phoebe was always singing about.
@PurpleTeddyBear (6685)
• Canada
23 Jan 10
I loved that episode of Friends where she sang "Smelly Cat" hahaha! In a later episode it went on to be a jingle for a cat litter commercial!1 person likes this
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
21 Jan 10
First of all I'd like to say You are one lucky person to be able to have a pet in an apartment. I looked hard to find an apartment that would allow me to have a pet because my ex told me I could have my puppy for visits whenever I wanted her. No such luck here anywhere, but because he knows my love for her (avatar) he came for a visit and brought my 4 pound dog. I was told the next time the dog came for a visit I would be evicted.
As for your question with all the products on the market in todays society to clean and keep a house clean there is absolutely no excuse in my personal opinion for anyones home to smell like a barn.
My dog is paper trained because I am a disabled person and found it way better for both the dog and myself for winter months, she is only little and our winters here are severely cold and icy. I don't use sprays and candles and my house was always clean and didn't stink. The trick was to keep the dog clean and as soon as the paper was soiled it got changed. She is a very clean dog and has never gone pee or poop on our carpet. Actually when we sold the house when we separated the real estate lady old me many who looked at the house made the first two comments Oh good they don't have a pet and they don't smoke no bad odors. The real estate lady knew darn well we had our Maltese and she also knew the dog only used paper in the house. True we don't smoke. I always removed the dog and the dog bathroom when I knew the house was being shown. I know there were better houses for sale but the cleanliness made my sale sell easier.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (92491)
• United States
21 Jan 10
I had to pay a $500 pet deposit to let Sherlock live with me. Of course I would have done anything to be able to have a pet. I don't know how I did it, but I managed to pay the $500 in three installments as they asked.
I too use puppy pads for my dog during winter months. My back and the winter together make for painful periods of time. But using odor blocking trash bags, I've never had a problem.
@Grandmaof2 (7579)
• Canada
21 Jan 10
Sounds to me the owners are not against pets by having you pay 500 dollars tells me there must have been pet problems in the past.
As always people like them spoil it for responsible pet owners like us.
@AmbiePam (92491)
• United States
22 Jan 10
The manager (this new one is very nice) told me since only low income families are allowed to live here (disabled, elderly, single moms on welfare...), the complex ownership thought none of the people here would be able to pay the pet deposit. That is why it is so high, to deter us from having them. But we already have to pay a deposit down, so if a pet did damage, they would not only have the pet depost to back it up, but also our cleaning deposit to boot. The owners would really clean up on the deal.
@ElicBxn (63594)
• United States
22 Jan 10
oh, we could exercise more diligence with the cat boxes and I'm sure others can smell it, but we are numb to it - probably this lady was too - at least we do try to keep up - but we all have problems and we'd like to have fewer cats, anyone want to adopt one?
1 person likes this
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
22 Jan 10
I have 2 cats and 2 dogs, and our house doesn't smell at all. When people come over for the 1st time they're always surprised that there isn't any smell. For cat owners, mostly it's a matter of selecting the right cat litter and keeping it clean. Why anyone buys the old fashioned clay litter is beyond me. It may be cheaper by the pound, but it doesn't control order, nor does it last as long. There's nothing worse that the look on visitors faces when they're hit with an 'ammonia wall'.
Some people too, just don't know how to properly 'plan' for their pets bathroom needs. When I got married and moved here to Oklahoma, my husband apologized to me, telling me that neither of his two adult cats would use the litter box. His home, which he shared with a relative was so bad that it brought tears to the eyes. When I asked what was in the litter box, he proudly pointed out the clean, shredded newspaper in it. Can you imagine? I bought two new litter boxes and real cat litter for own new apartment, and both cats used them with no problem at all and have ever since.
1 person likes this
@catdla1 (6005)
• United States
22 Jan 10
What's funnier is that his mother has a cat, and also uses newspaper with a tiny amount of litter on it. Her cat won't use it either. I avoid going to her house whenever possible. When she comes here, she comments on how clean out house smells and asks what I do. I show her...and have been for six years now. I even bought her a jug of scoopable litter. She used it to sprinkle onto the shredded newspaper. 
I just don't understand....
I just don't understand....1 person likes this
@jaiho2009 (39141)
• Philippines
21 Jan 10
hello Ambie,
This is very true,my brother in-law had a dog inside their house,and when you entered their house...you can tell by the smell that,it's not only humans were living inside that house.
I had 4 dogs,and i always clean our house becoz,i can't stand the smell of it whenver my dogs do their thing,or even pee..it really smell awful and,i am not used to it.
Sometimes i even throws-up when i'm cleaning those sh*t.
That is why i wonder how can people stand up the smell when they are having pets inside their homes,and not taking proper care and hygiene?
Have a good day always
@GardenGerty (160624)
• United States
21 Jan 10
If they seldom go out, they get so used to it that they do not notice it. I know, my Mom was that way.
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
21 Jan 10
I have two dogs and one cat. i clean my cat's litter box twice a day. My cat doesn't pee in strange places, so there is no animal odor in the house. As far as my dogs, they are very clean also and I clean my house at least once a week.
On top of it I have air filtration system and plenty of natural odor absorbents all over the house. I don't have carpets, only wooden floors, that are easy to clean.
Plus, my windows are open very often to get fresh air.
@polachicago (18716)
• United States
21 Jan 10
I got one as a gift form my friend few years ago design by The Sharper image...I love it, it is ionic and easy to clean.
1 person likes this
@wildcatsthree (289)
• United States
22 Jan 10
we have 2 dogs and 2 cats currently, and at one point had 3 cats. I am very conscious of odors and pet hair and dander especially when having guests over so I sweep twice a week, and keep the litter boxes scooped out which are kept in the basement. My brother in law recently gave me a supreme compliment - he is a tv repairman and goes into many houses during a work day - he said if he didn't see our pets in front of him, he'd never know that we had them. I had occassionally wondered if I was doing enough, because they say you grow accustomed to odors so I couldn't count on my own sniffer or my husband's anymore. It really doesn't take that much effort and if you're going to have pets, I feel it's important to clean accordingly.
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
21 Jan 10
HI, I can not stand bad odors of anykind. I have a dog & i smoke but my house does not smell bad. I guess people get use to or something but don't see how they live there w/it smelling bad. When i walk in my back door i can tell if i need to do something about the odor of my house. Wonder why they can't???
@ANTIQUELADY (36440)
• United States
21 Jan 10
I know u weren't Ambie & if anyone takes offense maybe they'll get their house smelling better.
1 person likes this
@albto_568 (1268)
• Costa Rica
21 Jan 10
Well maybe you are right, but, I have noticed that houses of people that have no animals, smells too, I think that it does nothing to do if either you have an animal or not, is just the cleanning people must have, not only pet owners.
I have two dogs, and they spend most of time inside the house, and I asure you that I have no smell at all in my home. As you just said, you have dogs yourself and you home doesn´t smell.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (92491)
• United States
21 Jan 10
My home doesn't smell because I make sure to take preventative measures so it won't. And of course people's homes smell that do not have pets. If one doesn't clean one's house, no doubt it will have a bad odor. But when a pet owner has an animal and is not careful, their house will smell, and it is a distinctly different smell than just if one's house is dirty.
1 person likes this
@albto_568 (1268)
• Costa Rica
21 Jan 10
I agree, the smell is diferent, but, smell is smell.
1 person likes this
@cynthiann (18602)
• Jamaica
25 Jan 10
I went to spend sometime with a friend a couple of weeks ago and she has four dogs and several cats. She has a beautiful cottage high in the mountains and it ws so good to be invited because she is an excellent cook as well!But oh,the smell from th animals- especially the cats.The doors and windows were open too but the odour was almost unbearable. So hard for me to be in the room but neither she not her husband seemed to mind. One ca twas smelling so badly and is so old that I feel it should be put down. It was dragging its legs as it had arthritis. Her husband is a doctor! I felt that he should say something to his wife with respect to this cat in particular. Do people get used to the smell that they do not notice?I suppose that this could be the case.
1 person likes this
@angelajoy (1825)
• Philippines
22 Jan 10
I am very conscious of the smell of a pet owner's home. I don't like it when I step into a house and smell animals. This is one of the many reasons why I hate having animals in the house. I would never have a pet. Also, a relationship with a pet is not really very satisfying for me because it's nothing compared with having a relationship with people.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (92491)
• United States
22 Jan 10
I find that there is never a conflict of interest in me having satisfying relationships with people and my pet. They are both easy and enjoyable to have. They don't play the same role in my life, and they pretty much have no effect with each other. A pet is just one more thing to love. And I have plenty of love for people and animals.
@amijor (234)
• Philippines
22 Jan 10
I am conscious of how a pet owner's home smells because it somehow reflects the personality and attitude of the pet owner towards his or her pet. I also had this neighbor who has dogs that smelled bad and had ticks on their ears. I asked him why his dogs are so dirty and looked like not well taken cared of, he answered me "Why should I bother. I'm tired". I was speechless and thought to myself, 'Yeah, just as I had expected from you. You're not tired! You have maids you know! You're just plain lazy'
1 person likes this
@kaylachan (69392)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
22 Jan 10
As a pet owner,I am well aware an animal can cause an order. If the animal constantly pees on the carpeting, this would continue to worsen the problem. Its in how you keep things clean.
Living in my apartment I rarely if ever smell my pets. It is because I'm inside the home all of the time. When I do go out, its never more then for a few hours and not long enough to notice a difference. It is for this reason that I was busted by the section 8 housing athority. Without them, I wouldn't be able to pay my rent. So I'm indeted to them. And, I was completely unaware of it.
However, depending on the place, I most of the time barely notice any smells.
1 person likes this
@whiteheather39 (24403)
• United States
21 Jan 10
I have not been made aware that my home smells. I do not smell anything unpleasant and I have 3 chihuahuas. No one entering my home has never said anything about a smell. I have a simple remedy it is my home it smells nice to me as I use diffusers that smell nice so if it it offensive to anyone else they can leave and not bother coming back.
I have been to friends' homes who have small babies and their home smells but that does not bother me. So I guess in a perfect world people should not have pets or babies!
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (92491)
• United States
22 Jan 10
I think on any given day anyone's house can smell bad. I mean my mom has made some TV dinners that smell horrid! And of course her house smells like that for a while. Heck, you know how it can get in homes...someone gets sick and the bathroom smells, which causes people to spray something horrible like vanilla potpourri and then the whole house smells like someone sick who ate vanilla....
@scarlet_woman (23463)
• United States
21 Jan 10
i honestly have not known anyone (yet) who has a smelly home from pets.
i have known a few who had self created funk however.one of my ex's friends used chew and spit in whatever,whenever and his home reflected that.
gross was an understatement with him.
gross was an understatement with him.1 person likes this
@goldeneagle (6745)
• United States
27 Jan 10
My wife says that our house stinks sometimes, because we have three dogs here. I smell it sometimes, but most of the time I do not notice it at all. I usually don't notice it much if I go to someone's house either, but I am allergic to cats, so I will notice my eyes burning and stuff if they have a cat in the house...
1 person likes this
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
22 Jan 10
Hey ambie! I have two cats and I don't ever want to make anyone
feel uncomfortable when they enter my home! Meaning simply that
I try to make sure that they don't smell the litter box ever!
I take good care to clean it every other day totally and use
pet freshner too! I have the litter box right by the door so
if you were going to smell it you would smell it the minutute
you came into the apartment! I used to have it in the bathroom
for years, but that freaked my boyfriend out so we moved it!
He will soon be moving out, but I think I will leave the litter
box where it is because the cats are used to it there and the
bathroom is too small for their big box! I have walked into
homes that you can smell that they have a smelly dog or cat
right away and I feel sick when I leave! So I definitely know
what you mean!
1 person likes this
@lovinangelsinstead21 (36850)
• Pamplona, Spain
26 Jan 10
Hiya pam,
Sometimes I think that People with pets might not realise that they might have a problem they just don´t really seem to notice it all the time. All of our Dogs were always outside anyway but you could still pick up their scent when they had been in the House. I had a Parrot once and she was very clean but you could still smell her feather smell even if you opened the Windows and cleaned everything. Beside every living thing has a natural scent.
Different thing is when the pets are in the House but the House never gets cleaned or the Windows opened.
Ciggy smoke I really detest it but have to put up with it at least for now.
1 person likes this
@celerysticks (4)
• United States
21 Jan 10
Yes, I am. Animals should be kept outside especially when you have carpet.
@AmbiePam (92491)
• United States
21 Jan 10
There are some dogs that are termed "inside dogs". A poodle would be an example. And poodles are apparently the only dog that doesn't shed. I have a small dog named Sherlock (not a poodle though, lol). I also live in an apartment, so I cannot keep him outside. He weighs 7 pounds. Of course I walk him, and when he goes to my own parent's home, he plays outside a lot.
