Skunk stink, what do I do?

[cgarr]

The cat got hit by a skunk this morning, whats the best thing to use to get the stink out? I am at work but the Wife wants to know

[ednj]

I'm being SERIOUS here

Use a DOUSCHE
See if you can find the powdered massengil douche and mix it yourself .

Takes the smell out right away unlike Tomato juice.

[rouxroux]

Originally Posted by ednj

I'm being SERIOUS here

Use a DOUSCHE
See if you can find the powdered massengil douche and mix it yourself .

Takes the smell out right away unlike Tomato juice.

I'm sorry, but some jokes just seem to write themselves.

[Steve Carlton]

Looking online for a bit, it seems you'll be better off dealing with it right away vs letting 12 hours pass by. What comes up frequently is this recipe. One commenter who seemed to have experience recommended this. The tomato paste solution gets less favorable reviews.

[oldE]

We use this from time to time. It has a short use time and can't be stored, but it works.
250 mls of hydregen peroxide, a couple of tablespoons of baking soda in warm water. Add a bit of gentle shampoo.
Skunks are mustilids, their spray is related to that (not quite as smelly) secretions on otters and mink. The stuff is an alkaline. The hydrogen peroxidde and baking soda breaks it down.
If the cat is a show animal, you might notice a bit of bleaching with repeated use, (say, if the cat is really stupid and attacks the skunk repeatedly).

Take heart.
Les

[TerryH]

[nostatic]

a variation on what oldE said. A bucket of warm water with a few tablespoons of dish soap (like ivory). Then a few capfuls of hydrogen peroxide. Wash the cat with it. Used this on our dog many years back and unlike the wives tales of tomato juice, etc, this one actually has a basis in chemical reality. The soap serves as an emulsifier to deliver the peroxide. The stinky compounds are sulfides and the peroxide will oxidize them to sulfones (which don't smell). But unless you dip the cat in peroxide (not recommended), you need to solublize the organic sulfides.

[john walker's workshop]

tomato juice.

[RWebb]

any of the above or vinegar or any acid

if you really want to get rid of the smell a vat of concentrated HCl will work - you won't have anything left at all.

[cgarr]

We did the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, it almost got it all out but he will be in the basement for one night, it did really work well, I was surprised. And the cat is still black!

[Fishman7]

Listen to oldE the solution will work, I had to use it two times on my hound and it is cheap!

[Dave Nordhoff]

I used tomato juice years ago on my dog. He liked licking it but afterwards he smelled
like a skunk and tomato juice. It took a couple of weeks to lose the smell.

Dave

[Laneco]

ROLFLMAO on the douche solution! And yes, the jokes just write themselves.

Or for that matter, can you imagine the Massengill ad campaign? I mean good heavens, if it will take skunk stink off a cat...

angela

[ednj]

I agree the jokes just write themselves.

But really it works.

[FastCarFan]

Get a new cat?

[cgarr]

Well its been a while now and the hydrogen peroxide and baking soda worked great but the black cat is turning brown. Hair dye maybe, or should I just bleach him at this point?

[pwd72s]

I'd just keep brushing, the cat should return to original color as new fur grows in...

[svandamme]

shave the pussy

[Heel n Toe]

I would wet the cat down real good with the hydrogen peroxide and leave it in... hoping it would go from brown to blonde.

Then get some funkimonious hair dye... green and red.

Yeah, you know what I'm thinking.

Miniature Christmas Tiger.

[RWebb]

Originally Posted by pwd72s

I'd just keep brushing, the cat should return to original color as new fur grows in...

yeh - just leave alone and wait

dyes can be somewhat harmful -- black hair dye is associated with increased cancer rates in women

+ how do you know the dye you use is safe for cats??