People are strange. It seems some are destined to repeat the same mistakes over and over again no matter the consistency of the horrible consequences. Take my neighbours for example. Our side of the street backs onto a field where some local wild life still roam free despite the encroaching confines of the new subdivision. We have a couple of groundhogs back there, birds of course, rabbits, and skunks. Yes, skunks. There are at least three that I have identified. Igor is fat and predominantly black, he has a very pronounced waddle when he walks. Fifi has a rather beautiful full white tail, and Squirt is, well, smaller than the other two. I see them like clockwork, every Friday morning scurrying back into the field by means of my garden.

Friday, you see, is garbage day.

The neighbours I mentioned, they have yet to figure out that they need to withhold depositing the thrash at the roadside until the promise of safety arrives in the morning sun...or get garbage cans. No bags by the road side please. Skunks love garbage. And as the cold winter gave way to spring and the skunks awoke from their slumber they rediscovered the joy of tearing apart the goody laden bags every Thursday night. Not even Hefty stands a chance. And every Friday morning the neighbour is out there swearing through his teeth picking up the trash all over his lawn. And every Friday morning, as I sit with my coffee, enjoying the sunrise, I am startled by the sudden flash of skunk tail over the rim of my cup. Perhaps I am not too bright myself.

Now all of this was rather amusing until the neighbours started leaving garbage bags by the side of their house three weeks ago, as if the skunks were somehow not going to find it there. The late night snacking of Igor, Squirt and Fifi have sent waves of pungent skunk essence into my basement windows, where our master bedroom is. Aside from a fire perhaps, I could think of little worse than being awoken by such stench. I was wrong.

A husband could wake you at 2:30 in the a.m. because the cat had gotten sprayed by one of the malodorous mammals in question and he had accidentally let her in the house. It seemed on this fateful balmy May night he needed a second opinion, and someone to do all the work cleaning the cat. I am not ashamed to admit that I had a few unpleasant words for Mr. Caleo, and I can only hope that he thinks twice before awakening me so rudely again.

And this is where our story begins.


Cleansing the Cat

At 2:30 am there is little one can do to alleviate the problem of skunky pet. I immediately thought of using tomato juice, that good-old-standby. But as we never drink it, there was none in the cupboards. In vain I searched the bathroom shelf, but knowing that human shampoos and soaps can be harmful to pets I decided against that idea. All this time my poor smelly Zeena was trailing us around the house, as we argued over who was going to pick her up and put her back outside. Her little eyes, green as grapes, were begging for help, and when she tried to leap into my arms, a gesture that normally melts my heart, I coaxed her out the door. Tired, and sad, I logged onto Google to search for help. I clicked on a pet care forum at Vin.com and found the miracle I was looking for.
Hello Mr. Krebaum. Goodbye skunk.

In an article by Gina Spadafori I was to learn of a very wise chemist named Paul Krebaum. In 1993, Krebaum published his findings on a very simple solution to eliminate skunk odours from pets. As Spadafor pointed out. it is a shame the man was not able to make millions out of his discovery, but it was not to be. This miracle stuff cannot be bottled for the oxygen producing chemical reaction will cause the bottle to explode. Poor Mr. Krebaum. But the man is a saint. Instead of schlepping back to the lab with his head hung low, he decided instead to give the world a present, a simple concoction that is made from only three ingredients found in virtually every home. Except mine that is. But without further ado here is the formula:

1 quart (4 cups) 3% Hydrogen Peroxide...the same kind found readily at the drugstore
1/4 cup baking soda
1 tsp liquid dish detergent

Before I began mixing this up the following morning I got the “washing area’ ready. I ran the garden hose into the house so that I would have warm water to fill the kiddy pool with. I run a stellar operation you know. I also filled two buckets with water for rinsing and left the hose running just in case. I rounded up some old towels and a cloth, and donned my husband’s old suede coat for protection. As this was Zeena’s first bath experience I was not about to risk becoming human sushi. To complete the ensemble I wore a pair of thin non-latex gloves under my thickest pair of gardening gloves for better grip and protection.

My cat, the darling she is, came right to me when I called and actually seemed to enjoy playing with the hose. A good sign I thought. I quickly mixed the ingredients in a glass bowl and placed it in the pool where I could reach it. The mixture does not bubble and spew as vinegar and baking soda does, it has the consistency of dish soap. I worked quickly to lather it on with the rag, saving her head for last as I was afraid to get it into her eyes and ears. She behaved beautifully for a cat having a bath until it came time to rinse. Then the howling and squirming started but after a few minutes of battle we were done. Rubbing her with towels and taking her inside to dry off I took the dreaded sniff test. Even wet, there was not a trace of skunk odour left in her fur. I was amazed. I was incredibly grateful.

So dear readers, this story has a happy ending for the most part. The neighbour was picking up his garbage from the lawn bright and early this morning. I actually managed to enjoy a full cup of coffee without a skunk sighting. And the cat, who will never be allowed to remain outside at night again, was sleeping snuggly at the foot of my bed where she belongs.


Bonus Tips

~ To remove the lingering odour in the carpets I started with Arm & Hammer Carpet Deodorizer, which helped slightly

~The windows were left open to cleanse the air

~ The linoleum floors and walls that she touched were given a rinse with vinegar and water which helps to neutralize the oils found in skunk spray

~ Today, I finally tried a charcoal based air sponge which has done a fantastic job of absorbing the final odours. Air sponges are also great to have on hand for eliminating cooking, smoking and bathroom smells.

~ Don’t leave your pet outside to wander at night

~ To discourage pests such as skunks and racoons, use strong trash cans, or wait until the garbage truck is literally down the street before taking the trash out

~ Keep a copy of this simple little recipe on hand, you never know when you might need it

And don’t forget to thank Mr. Krebaum...what a wonderful gift to give the millions of pet owners around the world.


Thanks Paul!

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When I signed on for the "Silly Pet Write-Off" I had no idea my cat would inspire in such a fragrant way. Thanks for reading and please read the reviews written by some of the other participants who are listed below:

bluehawq | surferdude7 | nikjdog | catladyfromnpt

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viper1963 | KittyOKC | Third_Man | thom413

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ggrimes1221 | HazelWebster | char.mike | sherrylee

altaloma | jo.com | Presleysmama

nanct | micheich | sherrywilliam

bpotter1 | Sephiroth2000 | Macresarf1

Patch3boys | manky








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