As an odor removal specialist, I have often had to remove odor issues caused by anal glands from cats and dogs and because of this I have researched the components of anal gland secretions to better understand what is in the anal gland fluid or as better described the anal sacs so I could apply the correct chemicals to remove the smell. This article shares my findings.
A cat anal gland expression contains volatile compounds including oils, waste chemical profiles from the anal sac, and other fluids that create a cat anal gland smell that only is described as a foul odor. Pet owners can remove the cat anal gland smell by using a carpet cleaning machine with an injection wand in conjunction with an alkaline cleaning chemical. Inject into the carpet fibres or fabric the alkaline cleaning agent and then flush and extract the anal gland secretions with hot water extraction.
What to Look For to See If Your Cat Has Anal Gland Issues.
The anal gland is shown as swollen in some animals such as a cat if there is an anal gland infection. So it is obvious to the expression of fluids and be careful not to get any of that foul odor on your clothing or car seats as it can be very strong smelling.
However, with cats, it is harder to detect as the anal gland is a lot smaller and it is not as obvious if the anal gland is clogged or leaking. However there is nothing quite like a cat anal gland smell and it will have you dry wrenching in a short period of time.
The best way to detect if your cat has anal gland issues is to watch as they clean their bum (sorry) and then try and detect if there is any swelling and redness. It may help you determine if that foul odor in your sitting room is coming from the cat anal gland expression. If your odor issue is more from your dog, we have an article, on how to remove dog anal gland expression here and this will be a similar technique as removing cat anal gland secretions in your carpet or furniture.
Quick checklist for what to look for if you cat has anal gland issues:
- Licking or chewing excessively underneath their tail
- Redness or swelling around the anus
- A foul, offensive odor
- Leakage of anal fluid, most commonly on their resting areas.
Of course if you do notice these things, it’s time to see the vet!
How To Remove Cat Anal Gland Smell From Your Carpet in FOUR Easy Steps.
Step One: Identify the worst areas first.
Typically there 2 to 3 areas that are worst affected and these are usually the areas where the cat has spent the bulk of its time when sleeping or relaxing. Look for a darker area on the carpet, look for dirty areas, or any other obvious signs.
Look in social areas such the TV room, near the dining areas and as mentioned a usual sign of cat odor is a darkening in the carpet caused by the oil in the fur.
It is also possible to smell the carpet up close which will find the cat odor contamination very quickly, however a lot of folk won’t be keen on this!
Once you have located the main areas of cat odor, mark them by laying a small piece of cloth on the carpet or use a piece of chalk. This helps you remember where the main cat odor contamination’s are before applying the cat odor removal product.
Step Two: Apply an alkaline based carpet cleaner to the contaminated areas you located in step one and spray a heavy application.
Apply a generous amount of diluted alkaline carpet cleaning solution via a spray bottle onto the affected areas you located following instructions above. Allow the solution to sit for 5 minutes and then simultaneously inject hot water and extract with a commercial grade carpet cleaning machine. Put hot water into the Carpet Extractor Machine and proceed to inject warm water and extract all residues at the same time. Apply a generous spray of water and extract at the same time as it flushes the carpet to remove chemical and contamination’s.
Step Three: Spray or inject a heavy dose of warm water on top of the Alkaline solution
This pushes the alkaline solution deeper into the carpet and gets you ready for the next step which is the extraction step.
Step Four: Extract the carpet with an injection wand.
Put warm water into the Carpet Extractor Machine and proceed to inject warm water and extract all residues at the same time. If you have a wet vac then apply more water and extract the area to remove chemicals and contamination’s. Open doors and windows to allow plenty of fresh air or alternatively put a heater or dehumidifier in the room.
Once you have extracted the area test for smell using your own nose. If you can still smell cat odor then repeat the process. Once you are happy, open the doors and windows to allow plenty of fresh air or alternatively put a heater or dehumidifier in the room and leave on until the carpet dries thoroughly.
TIP: A good indication is the color of the water. If it is brown and continues to be brown you know there are more contaminants in the carpet fibres and you have more work to do.
Watch our video below showing the steps to remove cat and dog odor from carpet and furnishings
In Summary:
Anal gland smell from your cat is unpleasant and needs to be dealt with the quickly. Once you’ve taken your cat to the vet, it’s time to resolve the lingering odor issue.
I hope these four easy steps will help you locate and treat cat anal gland smell successfully and FAST.
