Cat used potted plant as litter box

[CityGirlintheCountry]

And it stinks. A lot. I took the feces out, but it still smells like a litter box. Short of repotting the tree (which would be a HUGE pain), how do I get rid of the smell?

 

[redhen]

UGh..good luck! Maybe just keep watering it..so it dilutes the smell? Maybe do a partial dirt change??

Is the cat still using it as a litter box? I had a cat that did that too...
They say to place tin foil around the plant dirt.. cats hate stepping on tin foil..(for some reason)

 

[ranchhand]

Oh joy, been there, done that. Is it just poop or pee as well? The poop smell will go away, open the house and shiver for 10 minutes. The pee will have to be flushed out, (sorry for the punny), by thoroughly flushing the soil with water, 4-5 times. Then let it drain really well. Keep emptying the saucer, because you want it to dry out asap so the plant won't drown.

I had one cat that wouldn't quit. I covered the soil with all sorts of things, but the breakthrough was setting up a litter box with dirt and leaves. The aluminum pie pan cut to fit the plant's base helped, but she wanted dirt in her toes!

ETA: The green artificial grass door mats deter mine from going where they shouldn't. It bothers their feet. So does tape, sticky side up.

 

[Staceyfeindt]

I have your solution! Pure Citrus air freshener, orange scent one. Find it in the air freshener section at most stores. It cost a bit more than the other air fresheners, but it is all natural orange oil. Cats hate orange oil smell. We spray this on whatever we want them to stay off of. Currently the Christmas tree and our potted plants. Spray it on the soil and on the pot. It will work!
However if the cat peed in the pot I would change the soil. There isn't anything that can completely cover up cat pee. Worse smell on earth! But I promise you that your cat will never do it again once you spray this stuff in it!! After a few weeks, or when I water my plants I re-spray a bit to keep the smell there.

 

[Knock Kneed Hen]

Been there! I put my potted tree outside, tried watering it all summer to get the stink out of the soil. I just ended up trashing it. It was ancient and wasn't looking too hot anyhow. Figured it was a good time to start with a fresh one!

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

Hmmm... somehow the kitty got in the pot and pooped and peed. It is a thorny citrus tree, so I'm not sure how she got her tush in there without getting poked. But she did. I don't think she has done it since. At least I haven't caught her in it anyway. She's the one I found on the side of the road back in the summer and she clearly prefers the au natural litter locations over the pine pellets I use. She LOVED the bag of brooder shavings I had in the house. Sigh. That one went to the compost heap.

The tree is large and beautiful. I really don't want to throw it out. Once the weather warms up I can move it back outside, but it has to live in the house until late spring. I'll try flushing it with water and see if that will dilute it at least. Do you think baking soda would hurt the plant? Isn't that what you are supposed to put in little boxes to kill the smell?

I can add dirt to the top of it (as dork kitty also dug a bunch of the dirt out when she was doing her thing). Im wondering if that will smother the smell or if it will just make her more prone to go digging. I'll whip out the aluminum foil as well. She's a determined little stinker.

 

[KimberlyJ]

You could try activated charcoal. It's the stuff you put in a fish tank filter, you can get it at the pet store in the fish stuff isle.

 

[Staceyfeindt]

Did you see the Pure Citrus spray comment? I'll work.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I did see your comment. I need to kill the immediate smell before I keep the cat out of the plant. As long as it smells like a little box she is going to be drawn back to it.

I will look for some next run to the store. Thanks!

 

[Mattemma]

I am not sure if it would be good for the plant,but would squirt some enzyme cleaner in there.You know the stuff you soak *accidents* with.Then I would cover the top of the soil with some aluminum foil.