Can long term cat ammonia seep through walls ?

Asked by Elliebes (40

) April 22nd, 2011

Ever since I moved into a flat I had nothing but illness. One headache after the other nearly every other day. Stuffy nose and catarrh always hanging down my throat. Itchy eyes etc. My flat was like a vacum in the winter and I didnt open the windows much because it was cold. However Ive discovered the man in the flat below has 3 cats and cat trays around his house that he doesnt clean too often. Ive read somewhere that cat ammonia odour can seep into walls and floors. My flat is like a chalet the walls and floors are thin. Anyhow just recently Ive been able to open the windows because of the nice weather and my health has improved. Im wondering if Im suffering the effects of this mans cats. Hes been here 10 years and has had 10 years of cat ammonia floating around his flat. Has anyone else experienced anything like this? It was only when a friend of mine made the connection that Im wondering if cat ammonia can rise into the air and walls of a thinly built flat?

I thought I was going mad or had something seriously wrong with me becoming ill time after time and getting these headaches every other day. Ive not had a headache since my windows have been opened. Ive complained to the housing association Im living in but I doubt they will do anything about this.

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3 Answers

I cannot give you a definitive answer, but I can share my experience. I lived in a big city for a time and rented 2 different apartments. They asked specifically if you would have a cat on the rental application. There was a large surcharge if you said yes, because health regulations required them to take up the carpet before you moved in, put a sealant on the flooring, replace the carpet, and finally put completely new carpeting on the floor when you moved out. From this experience, I would hazard a guess that there is something sinister about cat urine and feces.

Hawaii_Jake (37748

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If your neighbor is lazy about the litter, he’s probably generally unhygienic about cleaning up. It could be the urine contributing, but I would suspect there is also years worth of cat dander floating around in the dust that cleared out with your fresh air.

Blueroses (18261

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You may be sensitive not just to the cat smell but by and dander they create or have built up. My parents always had cats when lived with them and though I didn’t notice any allergies per se, when I left home then suddenly I didn’t get sick anymore, didn’t have horrible sleep, didn’t have skin rashes. Animals may have more of an impact on us than we suspect.

Neizvestnaya (22667

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