Am I being made ill by cat ammonia and odour?

[Elliebes]

Really weird question but you never know! LOL

 

Not long after I moved into a flat and after enjoying quite good health I suddenly started to feel ill. I was constantly getting migraines on waking first thing in the morning nearly every other day. My eyes were itchy. I felt light headed and seemed to always have catarrh in my nose and throat. I have never smoked. Also my nose is always blocked on rising and I seem to have a permanent sore throat. I never know when Im going to get these headaches. I eat a clean diet. I thought I was going mad. The doctor doesnt know whats wrong. Until a friend of mine sent me an article on dirty cat tray odour and ammonia from cat uriine and what its capable of doing. I was astonished looking at the list of symptoms some of which I had and Im wondering if I could be suffering illness because of this. It all seems to correlate now. Problem is proving it! Although a friend I write to every day knows how much Ive suffered living in this flat.

 

The flat I live in is like a chalet. Thin walls etc. Now the weather has got warmer I noticed a really bad smell eminating from flat below me. I found out this guy has got three cats that are crapping and urinating in his fllat. the smell comes up through the floor and permeates my living room and my kitchen. So ive been to the housing association and asked them to investigate it but they are not in any hurry to do this. Its foul and making me feel like not eating or even being in the flat. The housing association are not seeing me until May 3rd so its going to be a high volume ripe smelly Easter for me here. If I spray air freshener it makes it worse. Is there anything I can do meanwhile to mask this disgusting smell?? Its just coming up through the floor as I have no carpets at present because of decoration.

 

Notably my health has only improved in the last couple of weeks when I was able to open my windows!

 

Here is the article. I dont know where my friend got this from but I will find out.

 

The Effects of Breathing Ammonia in Cat Urine

 

Ammonia is a colorless, pungent compound of hydrogen and nitrogen. Cat urine is composed of ammonia--a byproduct of metabolism--which imparts it its characteristic foul odor. Cats suffering from renal diseases often have urine high in ammonia content. Cat owners who are exposed to excessive amounts of cat urine inhale large quantities of ammonia vapors. Ammonia reacts with available moisture in the respiratory tract, oral cavity, eyes and the skin to produce ammonium hydroxide. Excessive ammonium hydroxide leads to cellular destruction by disrupting lipids in the cell membrane.

Fainting & Vomiting

Inhalation of large quantities of ammonia causes immediate burning of the throat, respiratory tract and nose. As a person is exposed to larger quantities of ammonia, he or she may start to feel lightheaded and faint. Ammonia levels less than 1ppm (part per million) are deemed harmless. Levels greater than 25ppm cause nausea and headaches. Breathing in concentrations of ammonia greater than 300ppm can lead to death. However, ammonia in cat urine typically remains at lower levels.

 

Eye & Skin Irritation

 

Excessive exposure to ammonia causes eye and skin irritation. Cat urine becomes embedded in furniture, baseboards, carpeting and other areas, and causes health hazards. Individuals with weak immune systems, allergies, asthma and other health conditions--such as migraines--are especially susceptible to the risks associated with ammonia inhalation. Low concentrations of ammonia (50ppm) also cause rapid eye and skin irritation. Prolonged exposure to a higher concentration of ammonia may cause permanent eye damage--or blindness--and skin burns.

 

Lung Irritation & Bronchitis

 

Inhalation of cat urine high in ammonia content causes tracheal burns, nasopharyngeal, alveolar edema, bronchiolar edema and airway damage--leading to respiratory distress or malfunction. Continual ammonia inhalation causes olfactory adaptation and fatigue. Presence of low levels of ammonia is difficult to detect accurately, delaying corrective action and medical care till serious damage has set in. Asphyxiation results in enclosed areas or those that are poorly ventilated. Inhaling small to medium quantities of ammonia in cat urine causes cough, phlegm and leads to shortness of breath. Inhalation of ammonia irritates the airways of the lungs, making it difficult for an individual to breathe easily. Coughs that bring up phlegm are an indication of a respiratory infection.

Edited April 21, 2011 by Elliebes

[watchinginvestigation2011]

My daughter has four rats and they are clean animals, but with asthma I get her to clean them religiously and on top of it daily, as I had noticed my chest problems seem to go on for longer periods of time. For instance they pee on a shelf and daughter has to clean it straight away as the smell flows into my bedroom.

 

I have had asthma for some time so dont blame the rats, but you sure can smell cat, rat, whatever pee and if a house is not changing the cat litter often enough it sure would stink out a house and possible an upper flat.

 

Luckily my daughter keeps on top of these critters as I am not allergic to them themselves, but if she didnt they would have to go due to the pee as if almost hitting me. So if you regulary have a hovering stink it could make you ill if prone to it.

 

I know when lived with hubby we had two cats, and they sure stunk our a one bedroom flat quick enough when cleaned as it was a small flat. If left phew.

 

Could you get enviromental health to look into it perhaps? xx

[Elliebes]

Hi yes I spoke to the housing association and the council and the council said wait and see what the housing association do first. If necessary the environmental health will be contacted but they will only refer me back to the housing association. I have to wait for a visitor on May 3rd. Thank you for your input and support x

[watchinginvestigation2011]

xx

[PriorityOne]

OMG.... how awful for you!!

 

I have 5 cats but mine are free to go in and out as they please (cat flap), I have no trays and they never mess in the house.

 

Male cat urine wll be much more pungent than female cat urine and, if the person downstairs hasn't had his Tom cats neutered either, it will smell absolutely vile!!! I suspect he doesn't clean his trays out often enough because most cat litters absorb odours. Also, cats don't like to pee/poo in already dirty trays, so will pee/poo outside of the trays if they're not cleaned regularly by lazy owners....

 

My cat no. 5 adopted us some time ago and although I don't have a tray in the house and he went outside like all my other ones.... before he was neutered, the smell on his fur and around him was awful.... I cannot undertand why people don't have their male cats neutered for this very reason alone....

 

If this is starting to effect your health, then you need to make an official complaint.... If you can smell it in your flat, God only knows how bad it is in the actual flat this person loves in and/or, the conditions the animals are kept in. You might even be doing his cats a favour by reporting it!

Edited April 21, 2011 by PriorityOne
typo

[Elliebes]

thanks yes Ive had cats myself and Ive had indoor trays so I understand the psychology of the cats not liking dirty trays and doing it in other areas. Ive got all the windows open and I can still smell it. Its most unpleasant. Also as you say if that man doesnt do something his health will also be affected so I might be doing him a favour too. Ive actually just been contacted by someone from the housing association and they are going to send someone to investigate the odour. It makes me laugh supposing its not the cats trays and was GAS....I could be dead by now!! xxxx

[PriorityOne]

thanks yes Ive had cats myself and Ive had indoor trays so I understand the psychology of the cats not liking dirty trays and doing it in other areas. Ive got all the windows open and I can still smell it. Its most unpleasant. Also as you say if that man doesnt do something his health will also be affected so I might be doing him a favour too. Ive actually just been contacted by someone from the housing association and they are going to send someone to investigate the odour. It makes me laugh supposing its not the cats trays and was GAS....I could be dead by now!! xxxx

 

He's probably so used to living like that, that he doesn't even smell it....

 

I s'pose there's some comfort in knowing that you can smell gas..... I had a dodgy boiler some years ago that was pumping out carbon monoxide (odourless).... which was a tad scary when I found out!!

 

[Elliebes]

Im been all round my flat smelling things just incase the housing association show up and say well you left a rotting chicken leg in the oven and forgot about it or something. ha ha! Ive smelt my furniture and nope its not me. Im sitting in my flat now on my couch and it reeks. If I walk in my kitchen it reeks but if I go in the bedroom there is no smell and neither is any on the landing which is my hallway I suppose or in the bathroom. Its highly concentrated in the living room and the kitchen. Which is were his cats are doing it!

 

Well when you live in your own stink you dont notice do you? Im going out for a bottle of bleach to clean the place! But then again if the HA show up I want the place as smelly as possible. Maybe I should get a smell witness. Ask someone to come in and take a whiff and then be my witness.

[SOD'EM]

Why don't you post a copy of the symptoms your friend found you and post them through your neighbours letterbox? (anonymously of course). The chances are, they are suffering themselves and don't know why.

[Elliebes]

I did think about this but I have to be careful as Ive been to the housing association and complained to them and they might take the view Im now harassing the neighbour when they said they would sort it out. Oddly enough and I know this is conjecture but its people like the neighbour who would probably have built up some sort of immunity to it but all around are affected like a pollutant!

 

Update: Coincidentally I was sat in my living room typing away last night around 5pm and suddenly I became aware that the air suddenly smelt fresher and that the smell had reduced considerably to the point of non-existence. I'd heard some shuffling around outside by the bins and I can only assume this neighbour might very well have emptied the trays. Its either a coincidence or hes had a telephone call. I can still smell his flat a bit through the floor but its nowhere near anything like yesterday the smell almost built up to a crescendo and then suddenly vanished and if my memory serves me correct then this is usually the result of a clean cat tray. Its probably always been like this and Ive only become aware of it now the warmer weather has arrived.

 

Heat rises in my apartment this last few days its been like a furnace........great I feel like Im back in Turkey. So if heat rises and it smacks you in the face on walking up my stairs to my flat then car urine ammonia odour can do the same!

[SOD'EM]

 

 

So if heat rises and it smacks you in the face on walking up my stairs to my flat then car urine ammonia odour can do the same!

 

I hope it stays fresh for you.

 

By the way.........I didn't know cars could wee?????8-)

[Elliebes]

HA HA HA! that reminds me when I worked in the hospitals I took a peek at my own medical records for the time when I was run over by a car at the age of 17. It said ' this patient was hit by a speeding cat'' and another doctor wrote in the notes SOME CAT!!!

 

 

this article is interesting

 

http://ezinearticles.com/?Is-Clumping-Cat-Litter-Dangerous?&id=557635

 

When I lived in Istanbul the Turks would not have an animal in their homes they said it was dirty and neither were you allowed to walk around anyone's home in your outdoor shoes. I think this is a great way to live. Sadly though a whole industry of pet shops has sprung up all over Istanbul and I was distressed to see cages and tanks packed with animals....all the things that we BANNED here and made against the law. I hope it dies a death because it really made me angry when i saw it and there was nothing I could do about it. Every pet shop had a vet next to it at least.

[hilaryfrances]

cats are fastidious and hate being kept in filth, If I were you I would contact the R S P C A

[Elliebes]

From what Ive seen of them they do look healthy and are well cared for food wise and they also get let out. All they've been doing is their business on his carpets and hes not been fastidious in cleaning out those trays. I will leave it up to the housing association to decide whats best for him and his situation.

[PriorityOne]

cats are fastidious and hate being kept in filth, If I were you I would contact the R S P C A

 

I was thinking the same earlier....

 

From what Ive seen of them they do look healthy and are well cared for food wise and they also get let out. All they've been doing is their business on his carpets and hes not been fastidious in cleaning out those trays. I will leave it up to the housing association to decide whats best for him and his situation.

 

That's the thing though..... cats don't mess on carpets and furniture unless they're unhappy or kept in filth. The RSPCA would be able to determine the living conditions and act on that, which could also benefit you in the long term.

 

[Elliebes]

Not really - looking at the broader picture Im living directly above this gentleman and he could make life quite unpleasant for me here if its not unpleasant enough at the moment. Again the housing association can deal with it.

[Elliebes]

I used to be a cat lover myself. I nursed a sick cat for 6 months because I attached a human personality to it. However living in Istanbul changed my view of domestic pets and hardened me considerably. In Istanbul the streets are full of cats. I will never attach a human personality to an animal again because thats all they are.....animals.

 

On the streets of Istanbul there are at least 100 or more cats in every area living under cars and anywhere else they can go.

 

Round the back of my apartment in Istanbul there were also families of cats who would come to my window for food despite the fact that just round the corner was a huge fish market where the cats would be fed. I learnt that cats are just scavengers and there is no personality involved with them whatsoever despite what people may think in other countries. They are very clever and master manipulators at getting what they want.

 

One cat would come around to my window on a regular basis and I only realised after a time that the cat wasnt demonstrating any personality it was only interested in filling its belly and just following a habit that I'd established (more fool me) and that once established it would keep coming back and was very hard to break.

 

We think they love us and attach human personalities to them but basically they dont give a rats ass and are just with you for the food and the warmth and only concerned with themselves and thats it!

[watchinginvestigation2011]

Reminds me of when at aquarium shop and i fell in live with possibility of rehoming a huge chichlid oscar. It followed me side to side and followed my finger and I was saying oh look it likes me etc......

 

Shop assistant pointed out is was after food:roll:

 

They said most people thought it was being friendly, so you see we do put personalities to our pets as you say.

 

Of course my golly I have now does love me:madgrin:When I am feeding him:lol:

[PriorityOne]

I used to be a cat lover myself. I nursed a sick cat for 6 months because I attached a human personality to it. However living in Istanbul changed my view of domestic pets and hardened me considerably. In Istanbul the streets are full of cats. I will never attach a human personality to an animal again because thats all they are.....animals.

 

On the streets of Istanbul there are at least 100 or more cats in every area living under cars and anywhere else they can go.

 

Round the back of my apartment in Istanbul there were also families of cats who would come to my window for food despite the fact that just round the corner was a huge fish market where the cats would be fed. I learnt that cats are just scavengers and there is no personality involved with them whatsoever despite what people may think in other countries. They are very clever and master manipulators at getting what they want.

 

One cat would come around to my window on a regular basis and I only realised after a time that the cat wasnt demonstrating any personality it was only interested in filling its belly and just following a habit that I'd established (more fool me) and that once established it would keep coming back and was very hard to break.

 

We think they love us and attach human personalities to them but basically they dont give a rats ass and are just with you for the food and the warmth and only concerned with themselves and thats it!

 

Disagree with you there.... sorry. Hunger is a basic need and any creature (including humans) will focus on getting their basic needs met any way they can to survive, especially in the absence of someone to care for them.

 

All of my cats are different and the interration between them and with me is fascinating at times..... but keeping animals in this country is very different from being surrounded by hundreds in the barbaric-sounding country that you describe. Fortunately, we are a nation of animal lovers.... and whatever you give to an animal you will get back; whether that's kindness (affection/loyalty) or cruelty (fear/aggression). The key is in the type of interraction that takes place.....

 

I'm sorry that your views have been tarnished by your expereinces in Istanbul but maybe they needed to be for you to live with the things you saw on a daily basis.

 

I wouldn't have survived 5 minutes in a place like that.

[locutus]

Wait 'till the housing association inspection, ask them to have a word with him, then report him to the RSPCA. That way he'll assume whoever did the inspection reported him .

[Elliebes]

ha ha ha good idea locutus! Ive got all my windows open this morning but I can still smell it!

 

Priority One I think living in Istanbul was a reality check as opposed to being tarnished.

 

Lets face it we had pet shops here inflicting suffering on animals until the laws put a stop to it.

 

Any nation of human beings are capable of being barbaric until they have to abide by laws.

 

The cats have two uses. One is to keep the level of vermin down and the other to serve as a warning of an earthquake. They might be on the streets but if they come for food the Turks feed them so they are not all barbaric. If a cat is suffering a Turk will do something about it. A cat can go anywhere in Istanbul and be fed. Needless to say they are also greedy.

 

When I look at a cat now I dont see a human personality, or a friend or companion I just see an animal. In Istanbul its mainly cats. On the south coast its mainly dogs.

 

If they were a barbaric nation they wouldnt have Vets would they? But this industry has only sprung up in the tourist residential areas because they know its mostly the West, brainwashed by big business, that take animals indoors and give them human status and will pay hundreds of pounds to have their 'furry humans' taken care of.

 

Of course when I lived in the UK I fell for this line too but not anymore. 8-)

[PriorityOne]

ha ha ha good idea locutus! Ive got all my windows open this morning but I can still smell it!

 

Priority One I think living in Istanbul was a reality check as opposed to being tarnished.

 

Lets face it we had pet shops here inflicting suffering on animals until the laws put a stop to it. Very true.... we also had child labour before laws put a stop to that as well. It still goes on in some parts of the world though.....

 

Any nation of human beings are capable of being barbaric until they have to abide by laws. Very true again....

 

The cats have two uses. One is to keep the level of vermin down and the other to serve as a warning of an earthquake. They might be on the streets but if they come for food the Turks feed them so they are not all barbaric. If a cat is suffering a Turk will do something about it. A cat can go anywhere in Istanbul and be fed. Needless to say they are also greedy.

 

When I look at a cat now I dont see a human personality, or a friend or companion I just see an animal. In Istanbul its mainly cats. On the south coast its mainly dogs.

 

If they were a barbaric nation they wouldnt have Vets would they? But this industry has only sprung up in the tourist residential areas because they know its mostly the West, brainwashed by big business, that take animals indoors and give them human status and will pay hundreds of pounds to have their 'furry humans' taken care of. That's a bit of a contradiction there.... since I've read that as meaning that vets have only sprung up as a result of the tourist industry from the West.... so if it wasn't for them, they wouldn't care.

 

Of course when I lived in the UK I fell for this line too but not anymore. 8-)

 

Oh well.... there you go. Not much more I can add to that really..... but hope you get your problem sorted anyway 'coz sniffing that up every day is not a nice way to live.

 

[Elliebes]

Ta chuck! yeah me too! X

[sillygirl1]

Has your flat had a gas check, you might also be suffering from gas exposure... very similar symptoms which also increase in hot weather.

[Elliebes]

All the stuff in this flat is new, new boiler some new radiators new cooker some new central heating pipes installed etc but of course I will mention this when the people come to visit me. At least they will investigate. )