Author Topic: My hallway smells inexplicably of cat food  (Read 1842 times)

shelivesthedream

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My hallway smells inexplicably of cat food
« on: July 01, 2017, 01:57:01 AM »
We've lived in this house for a month. More mornings than not, when we come downstairs the hallway smells of what I can only describe as cat food (smells like dried cat food to me but husband swears it smells like tins). It is very definitely in the hallway and nowhere else, but we've never been able to trace it more specifically. A cat has lived in this house in the past but not for months, and I think I'd be able to tell if there were some secret stash of cat food somewhere.

Doesn't seem to be a specific correlation to the weather (we've had some scorchers but it's settled down to about 21 degrees now), although my husband "reckons" it's worse when it has rained overnight.

What the heck is it and/or how can I make it go away??

ETA: We ripped up the hall carpet and sanded and painted the floorboards. In case that might have something to do with it. But I smelled no cat food smell while I was doing this, and it does seem to be specific to the morning.
« Last Edit: July 01, 2017, 01:58:55 AM by shelivesthedream »

Carless

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Re: My hallway smells inexplicably of cat food
« Reply #1 on: July 01, 2017, 09:27:02 AM »
Mice storing food in the walls?

SoftwareGoddess

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Re: My hallway smells inexplicably of cat food
« Reply #2 on: July 01, 2017, 12:37:56 PM »
In your other thread, I think you said that the house is a duplex/semi-detached? Is it possible that the smell is coming from the neighbors in the other half? I used to live in a semi-detached, and I could smell the neighbors' cigarettes from time to time.

shelivesthedream

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Re: My hallway smells inexplicably of cat food
« Reply #3 on: July 02, 2017, 12:08:03 AM »
It's attached to a community building, not another house. I think it may well be coming up from the cracks in the floorboards. Sort of reluctant to investigate too much :/

HipGnosis

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Re: My hallway smells inexplicably of cat food
« Reply #4 on: July 02, 2017, 08:48:02 PM »
Apply a primer-sealer to the floor.  If the smell continues, apply it to the walls.