Pheromones & Household Cleaning?

[Dawn F]

we adopted quickly after loosing bluto - we were advised that would take a couple of weeks for his smell to go from the house and Algie and Oscar would probably pick up on it but not to worry

[Fire Fox]

I think you might be 'over thinking' things FF 

You are probably right! I realised I have never brought a cat into a home where another cat has been recently, just the same as I have never had a kitten - whereas many of you have done both time and time again. Seems silly not to take advantage of the wealth of experience. 

[Tiggy's Mum]

I think you might be 'over thinking' things FF 

As Frances said, the sensory overload of a new home will mean that everything smells new/different so I wouldn't be overly worried about Noah's smell.

I personally would get rid of the litter itself but the trays will be fine after a clean out. Same for the cardboard scratchy toys, no reason why another cat can't enjoy them the same as Noah did 

Lucas & Riley came home 2 months after I lost Tiggy, although I chose them as two week old babies just a week after I lost her. I would have adopted much sooner but had a holiday in the middle and didn't want to leave them on their own so soon after getting them.  They didn't seem to notice any cat smells ie no prolonged sniffing etc

[Frances]

I'm no domestic goddess either! 

I did hoover up all Woody's fur from his hiding places and the places he rubbed up against like the corners of the sofas but didn't wash my quilted bedspread (definitely a summer job!).  I did throw out his unused litter and tray and all his toys.  If you want a "new" cat to identify their litter tray, better to take some of their own used litter (if possible) and put it in a new tray.

I think the sensory overload for a cat in a totally unfamliar place is probably so great that the smell of an absent cat is just part of the picture.  Christopher and James sniffed everything when they arrived but I never got the feeling they were "looking for Woody".  I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[Fire Fox]

I have done little cleaning since Noah went to rainbow bridge.   If I adopt or foster another cat chances are they will be nervous and/ or not fond of other cats and/ or FIV (unlikely). This means I may need to use Feliway, but what do I do about the Noah smells that are already here? Will Feliway mask them or might they still stress a new cat? Should I try to remove or disguise them and if so what with?

As a linked issue I have two cardboard scratch boxes which I assume I need to recycle and replace? Also two trays full of litter, which were used but had been fully replaced not long before I lost Noah.  It may sound a disgusting question to some but I try hard not to be green/ not send to landfill needlessly. I wondered if it might help any new cat locate the litter tray, or are lingering Noah smells likely to be a deterrent?

AFAIK Noah had no parasites or infections, was neutered, did not spray and was not big on scent marking but clearly his scent will be all over fabrics that cannot easily be cleaned - bedding, carpet, sofa.