Mancat Monday

 It's Mancat Monday, so how about a cozy mancat named Evan to kick off your week?

That there is Evan enjoying a nap by the back door he loves so much, and he's enjoying that nap on his beloved cube. Some of you might remember that Evan occasionally has urinary incontinence when sleeping, very likely related to his hind limb paralysis. Sometimes, Evan's cube falls victim to this incontinence. Since it's not exactly plausible to stick a giant cube in the washing machine, it very often gets sprayed down with soap and water and then gets a final wash with enzyme cleaner. For a bit of info on cat urine and enzyme cleaners, see our tip at the end of this post.

Happy Monday to all!

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Doodle of the Day

Today's doodle in our newest series, starring Edgar Allan Poe and his tortie Catterina, was inspired by my favorite of Poe's short stories, that being The Fall of the House Usher. This is more or less the story of a haunted house, but of course with a few twists and turns in there.

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Tip of the Day

Cat urine is composed of a variety of chemicals. Most of these chemicals, such as the urea in urine, are water soluble. This means that soap and water, as well as other traditional cleaners, will work to remove them. However, cat urine also contains uric acid, which is not water soluble. Initially, soap and water or other basic cleaners might mask the remnants and odor of uric acid. However, especially when exposed to humidity, uric acid essentially reforms and that odor of cat smell is thereby reinvigorated. To further explain this in a more scientific sense, because of its uric acid content, cat urine has a half-life of 6 years. This means that in 6 years, only half of the original content of the urine, or uric acid, has decayed or disappeared.

All of the above being said, due to the fact that uric acid is not water soluble, enzymes are often required to fully break down the uric acid. So, if your cat urinates outside of their litter box, and especially if they urinate on carpet or a piece of furniture, consider using an enzyme cleaner to eliminate the stain and odor. For safety and efficiency, it is of course best to get a pet-friendly enzyme cleaner, such as one specifically designed to remove cat urine. Also follow the directions of the enzyme cleaner, as even instructions to let the cleaner air dry are there for reasons related to chemical reactions and efficiency. These enzyme cleaners can help reduce that stubborn odor of cat urine, thereby leaving your house smelling fresh, but they are also crucial in helping reduce the potential for future behaviors related to urinating outside of the litter box. After all, if a cat stumbles upon an area of the carpet that smells of cat urine, they might think it perfectly justified to urinate there again. So, grab yourself some pet-friendly enzyme cleaner and remove that odor.