How do I clean out my cat’s carrier?
Monday, February 8th, 2010 at
9:33 am
I met a really sweet stray cat that had fur matted to the skin and I had my cat’s carrier in the car. I asked local people and they said that she had been living on the street for over a year getting fed table scraps. I put her in my cat’s carrier and took hr to a no kill shelter. I don’t know what she might have had so how should I clean my cat’s carrier?
Will bleach work?
Filed under: Cat Supplies
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I would advise scrubbing the carrier with soap and water, then disinfecting it. Sometimes greasy dirt will actually form a protective barrier under which germs can hide. Bleach is an excellent disinfectant, diluted in water 3/4 cup to 1 gallon of water. It has the advantage of not leaving residue behind after the cleaning solution dries. http://www.factsaboutbleach.com/bleach_public_health.html Other disinfectants such as tea tree oil and other essential oils such as eucalyptus will leave a residue behind, and can be toxic to cats. Here is a link that tells more about that, from a company that sells tea tree oil: http://www.teatreewonders.com/toxic.html
Yes bleach will be fine or some disinfectant.
Bleach will work fine or you might want to try any anti-bacterial soap
Awww, thanks for helping a little stray! Yes, a solution of 1 part bleach to 2 parts water is perfect. It’s what they use in shelters and clinics since it kills all the germs and dries without a scent or leaving a film. Give the kennel a good scrubbing and then let it soak for 10 minutes then rinse it with hot water. I clean my cats’ litter box this way too.
I don’t suggest bleach. Bleach has a very strong smell to us as humans. A cats sense of smell is much more powerful than ours, so a smell that is strong to us would be over-powering to the poor kitty inside. Also, bleach is an irritant, so it would be painful to its genitals, eyes and even their skin.
Your best option is to use something non-irritating. If you wouldn’t rub on your skin, you shouldn’t use it to clean the carrier.
I suggest dish soap and hot water. If you want to go the chemical route, use a watered-down all-natural cleaner. All-natural cleaners are not irritating and have a less powerful smell than regular chemicals.
No bleach please. Just wash it out thoroughly with hot soapy water with a couple of drops of eucalyptus or tea-tree oil added – these are both natural disinfectants. Don’t overdo the oil as your cat may not like the smell.