Cats and odors

A tip about some cats' sensitivity to odors:

My cat (female) reacts quite viciously to the smell of Clorox. I use it
sometimes as a disinfectant and if I get it on my hands, all hell breaks
loose when she gets a even a slight whiff of it. She will sniff the
hand, lick it once or twice, then her eyes dilate and she attacks my
hand as if it were a mortal enemy, biting if she gets a chance. It
obviously makes her quite angry.

Since I've learned she has this reaction, I usually try to forego using
Clorox but when I can't, I've discovered a solution to the problem. Wash
the hands twice with a scented bath soap, then liberally coat the hands
with Noxzema skin cream. She will still sniff the hand suspiciously but
doesn't attack it in anger.

Just washing with soap twice doesn't work -- even I, with my inferior
human sense of smell, can still detect the Clorox, so she most certainly
can. I don't have a clue as to why it angers her so; perhaps it is
something that smells like another animal. Given her reaction toward
other cats, that must be the answer, but I really don't know.

It just occurred to me that perhaps the anger reaction sets in after she
licks the hand; it must taste awful.

In all other respects she is a wonderful, loving cat.

George

in article , George Thomas at
wrote on 2/21/05 10:07 PM:

A tip about some cats' sensitivity to odors:

My cat (female) reacts quite viciously to the smell of Clorox. I use it
sometimes as a disinfectant and if I get it on my hands, all hell breaks
loose when she gets a even a slight whiff of it. She will sniff the
hand, lick it once or twice, then her eyes dilate and she attacks my
hand as if it were a mortal enemy, biting if she gets a chance. It
obviously makes her quite angry.

Since I've learned she has this reaction, I usually try to forego using
Clorox but when I can't, I've discovered a solution to the problem. Wash
the hands twice with a scented bath soap, then liberally coat the hands
with Noxzema skin cream. She will still sniff the hand suspiciously but
doesn't attack it in anger.

Just washing with soap twice doesn't work -- even I, with my inferior
human sense of smell, can still detect the Clorox, so she most certainly
can. I don't have a clue as to why it angers her so; perhaps it is
something that smells like another animal. Given her reaction toward
other cats, that must be the answer, but I really don't know.

It just occurred to me that perhaps the anger reaction sets in after she
licks the hand; it must taste awful.

In all other respects she is a wonderful, loving cat.

George

Some cats act like it is catnip when they smell it. No idea why.

Karen wrote:
in article , George Thomas at
wrote on 2/21/05 10:07 PM:


A tip about some cats' sensitivity to odors:

My cat (female) reacts quite viciously to the smell of Clorox. I use it
sometimes as a disinfectant and if I get it on my hands, all hell breaks
loose when she gets a even a slight whiff of it. She will sniff the
hand, lick it once or twice, then her eyes dilate and she attacks my
hand as if it were a mortal enemy, biting if she gets a chance. It
obviously makes her quite angry.

Since I've learned she has this reaction, I usually try to forego using
Clorox but when I can't, I've discovered a solution to the problem. Wash
the hands twice with a scented bath soap, then liberally coat the hands
with Noxzema skin cream. She will still sniff the hand suspiciously but
doesn't attack it in anger.

Just washing with soap twice doesn't work -- even I, with my inferior
human sense of smell, can still detect the Clorox, so she most certainly
can. I don't have a clue as to why it angers her so; perhaps it is
something that smells like another animal. Given her reaction toward
other cats, that must be the answer, but I really don't know.

It just occurred to me that perhaps the anger reaction sets in after she
licks the hand; it must taste awful.

In all other respects she is a wonderful, loving cat.

George


Some cats act like it is catnip when they smell it. No idea why.


Hmm. Catnip, you say? So weird...

Someone else wrote me off-list and suggested rubber gloves. Of course!
Such a simple solution, and someone as simple as I am usually doesn't
think of the best solution until the bite marks have healed.

Now my goal is to remember to buy some... and then remember to wear them.

George

"George Thomas" wrote in message
...
Karen wrote:
in article , George Thomas at
wrote on 2/21/05 10:07 PM:


A tip about some cats' sensitivity to odors:

My cat (female) reacts quite viciously to the smell of Clorox. I use it
sometimes as a disinfectant and if I get it on my hands, all hell breaks
loose when she gets a even a slight whiff of it. She will sniff the
hand, lick it once or twice, then her eyes dilate and she attacks my
hand as if it were a mortal enemy, biting if she gets a chance. It
obviously makes her quite angry.

Since I've learned she has this reaction, I usually try to forego using
Clorox but when I can't, I've discovered a solution to the problem. Wash
the hands twice with a scented bath soap, then liberally coat the hands
with Noxzema skin cream. She will still sniff the hand suspiciously but
doesn't attack it in anger.

Just washing with soap twice doesn't work -- even I, with my inferior
human sense of smell, can still detect the Clorox, so she most certainly
can. I don't have a clue as to why it angers her so; perhaps it is
something that smells like another animal. Given her reaction toward
other cats, that must be the answer, but I really don't know.

It just occurred to me that perhaps the anger reaction sets in after she
licks the hand; it must taste awful.

In all other respects she is a wonderful, loving cat.

George


Some cats act like it is catnip when they smell it. No idea why.


Hmm. Catnip, you say? So weird...

Someone else wrote me off-list and suggested rubber gloves. Of course!
Such a simple solution, and someone as simple as I am usually doesn't
think of the best solution until the bite marks have healed.

Now my goal is to remember to buy some... and then remember to wear them.

George

Seeing as that Clorox recommends the wearing of gloves while using this
product, hopefully you will remember to do so.

Take heed in the reaction of your cat.