I recently rescued a kitten and she's been using her litter box just fine. However, she discovered my potted plants - a fiddle fig and a monstera - and I found she's pooped in one of them and, I'm pretty sure, peed in both! What can I do to get rid of the smell without completely repotting the plants? I've covered the pots to prevent her from accessing them again, but the damage is done and I'm left with a stinky mess!
3 Answers
I've dealt with this issue before, and while the smell will eventually fade on its own, there are some things you can do to speed up the process. A really diluted vinegar solution can help neutralize the ammonia smell. You might also want to flush the soil by running water through it. Just make sure the pot drains well! Pee can harm roots by 'burning' them, so if it's just a little, it might be okay, but too much can definitely hurt the plants.
I completely understand your frustration! For stuff like this, I recommend a Cat Skat Mat. It's a humane way to keep kitties off your plants. They're basically large plastic mats with spikes that don't hurt your cat, kind of like an acupuncture mat. I’ve used it and it worked wonders for keeping my kitty off the soil!
Honestly, I'd think about repotting since cat pee can be pretty harsh on plants. I've noticed that when my dogs peed on the grass, it would leave dead patches, so I'm worried the same might happen here.