The Science of Lasting Freshness

Feline urine odor is driven primarily by ammonia and by the thiol compound 3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol. Freshly voided urine contains negligible amounts of ammonia or 3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol and is therefore essentially odorless. Instead, fresh urine contains large amounts of urea and felinine, which later break down into ammonia and 3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol after the urine sits in the litter box and ferments.

The enzyme urease converts urea into ammonia, while the enzyme cysteine-conjugate β-lyase converts felinine into 3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol (Figure 1). These enzymes are produced by bacteria in the litter box, introduced from feces and from the surrounding litter box environment. These enzymatic reactions generate the strong, persistent odor associated with litter boxes and contribute to aversive cat behaviors and inappropriate elimination.

Litter Glitter is designed to inhibit both urease and cysteine-conjugate β-lyase, preventing the formation of ammonia and 3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol. By blocking both enzymes, Litter Glitter prevents the initial formation of feline urine odor before it occurs.

Figure 1. Urease converts urea into ammonia, and cysteine-conjugate β-lyase converts felinine into 3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol. These two bacterial reactions are responsible for the strong odor that develops after urine sits in the litter box.

The cinnamon bark may also directly reduce urine odor by reducing the concentration of thiols responsible for urine odor. Thiols can readily react with unsaturated aldehydes at room temperature [1]. We believe the cinnamaldehyde and 2-methoxy cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon bark react with thiols, transforming them into non-odorous compounds to alleviate urine odor (Figure 2). 

When cinnamon bark powder is mixed with boric acid under high-speed conditions, the mixture’s ability to prevent ammonia formation increases to more than double the inhibitory effect of either component alone.

Figure 2. Cinnamaldehyde reacts with a thiol, such as the released odor-causing 3-mercapto-3-methylbutan-1-ol to transform the thiol into a less obnoxious-smelling molecule.