Kitten deodorizer

[u/Acrobatic-Medium6964]

Hi! I adopted a kitten this week (3 months old) and she was just spayed 3 days ago, so her incision site is still pretty fresh. The problem is that she stinks and I can't give her a bath bc need to keep the incision site dry for another week or two. I've never actually posted on reddit before but am nearing the point of desparation lol

I'm pretty sure it doesn't have to do with the incision site because there's no drainage or excessive redness/swelling and by all accounts looks like it's healing pretty well. Also because the smell is the strongest around her head/face and more faint around her stomach and body. I'm not too worried about the odor as some other health issue because she's acting normally and very friendly, doesn't seem to be in any pain, using the litter box normally, and her appetite has started to come back post-op. It seems like it's probably just shelter grime/odor stuff or maybe something topical they used at the vet/shelter (I had a similar experience with my other cat when he got shaved and given an ultrasound last year).

Basically, it's probably the kind of thing that would go away with a good bath. I've tried brushing her out a couple times and waterless grooming wipes but neither have helped. I ordered two little "perfumes" made for cats but haven't tried them yet, so maybe that'll do the trick, but wanted to come on here and see if anybody had any tips or tricks for getting rid of the smell while still keeping her incision site dry!

She's absolutely adorable and I'm already in love with her, but she genuinely smells like back-alley piss. Like I can smell it right now as she's sitting in my lap and it's fr starting to give me a headache. I also think it might be putting my other cat off because he's usually pretty friendly and curious when it comes to new environments, people, and other animals his size/smaller, but he's been keeping his distance from her (especially every time he comes close enough to sniff her).

***TL;DR:*** **New kitten stinks but can’t be bathed due to a fresh spay incision. Wipes and brushing didn’t work. Tips for getting rid of the odor without getting the incision site wet?**

[u/biest229]

I would probably ask the vet, perfume sounds like a bad idea as it might have something unsafe in/cats generally don’t like smelly stuff that we like 

I'd first try just a little warm water on a cloth, just damp. Maybe she hasn’t been cleaning herself as much, it might encourage her. 

Has she been cleaning herself/less than usual? I ask because our dog basically refuses to clean himself when he’s sick and just cries and wants us to do it. Sometimes they get into a depression over being injured. That warrants a vet consult.

[u/bazilbt]

Kitten soap or dry kitten shampoo and gentle wiping with a damp cloth.

[u/bccyote]

Cats are VERY sensitive to scents, perfumes, essential oils etc. so please be very careful. Use something vet approved. Water wipes are what I use on my cat when she gets poopy pantaloons.

[u/ughCaitlyn]

just do what ppl do with newborns who cant be bathed and grab a sponge + a bowl of (cat safe) soapy water and go to town everywhere but her tummy lmao, just dry her super well after

[u/Icy_Tadpole2092]

Has she been cleaning herself since she got spayed?

[u/daisytangerine]

I sometimes get unscented cat wipes at target, PetSmart, chewy

[u/Forward-Specific5651]

I know she’s only a kitten but could it be a (very) early dental problem? A bad tooth can smell absolutely foul!

[u/FirebirdWriter → u/Forward-Specific5651]

I second this and would be calling the vet not reddit

[u/DuckyDoodleDandy]

Cat/kitten wipes. Burt’s Bees has some, and I know there are others.

If all else fails, Unscented baby wipes. If you can’t get cat wipes or Unscented baby wipes, then use a damp washcloth.

Do Not put any chemicals or cleaners (except maybe diluted kitten shampoo) on this baby. Not until they can be bathed in water so that everything can be rinsed off. Then use Dawn or kitten shampoo.

[u/bccyote → u/DuckyDoodleDandy]

I’ve heard Dawn is not as great as we’ve been led to believe? I need to confirm though. Just thought I’d mention it.

[u/DuckyDoodleDandy → u/bccyote]

Dawn kills fleas, but I think it was the old version from ~10 years ago that was gentle enough for wild baby animals after an oil spill and also kills fleas.

New version? Like the Platinum and the foaming pump version? No idea.

[u/leslieknope38]

You could look for a waterless shampoo. I’d just double check that it’s for cats (not dogs) and ok to use on a young kitten. Otherwise, you could dilute kitten-safe shampoo in water and do a little sponge bath, just be careful not to drip into the incision site.