What would cause a catfood smell when you don't have cat food?

Question

My apartment always has this yucky cat-food smell. I don't have any cat food. I've worked to keep it clean but the smell just continues to linger.. I can open up the windows but it comes back when I get home at the end of day and the place has been closed up. I can't leave the windows open during the day because they present an easy target for thieves!

What would cause this kind of odor?

Answer 1

i think it could be cooking odors coming in from an adjacent apt. what kind of neighbors do you have and what do they cook? i had this problem,i had to close my windows whenever they cooked in their garage because it made my house smell what i called a dog food factory .  if this is not it  get a flashlight and look into deep dark corners of cupboards you might find rotting potatoes , or a dead rat .   if thats not it crawl the floors and sniff carpet something really nasty might have spilled and gone through to the carpet pad.  

Answer 2

This could be odors coming  from one of your neighbors apartment units they may have a cat the odor could be coming in from the ventilation system in the building, it is known that even cigarette smoke can enter apartments when someone else is smoking and can creep into your apartment this could be the way the cat food smell is coming in, you can try leaving a few bowls placed around the apartment of White Vinegar filled to almost full upon arriving you can pick them up and either discarding or keeping for further deodorizing of your apartment until the odor has gone Note: White Vinegar will continue to linger for about five to ten minutes after the bowls have been removed but will soon dissipate thereafter Good Luck !

Answer 3

Could be cat urine in the carpets.  Cat food smells gross enough to pass as a cat urine smell, IMHO.

Whatever it is, it's in your walls and/or carpet.  Call a cleaning service and best of luck to you.

If you rent, try the landlord first, and best wishes there.  

Could it be from a neighbor's place? assuming you live in an apartment or condo)

Answer 4

The only thing I can think of is the walls.  Walls tend to soak up the everyday smells of a house.  If you can, you may want to freshen up the apt with a new coat of paint.