The science of cat odor
Cat urine and feces are composed of about 90% water and only about 10% organic matter. The organic molecules are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen. These elements combine with other elements to create molecules called acids, which are responsible for the strong odors that cats produce. The specific chemical compounds that makeup cat urine and feces vary depending on the diet of the cat, but they all contain sulfur, nitrogen, and carbon.
When these molecules mix with oxygen in the air, they form sulfides and nitriles. These chemicals have a strong urine-like smell that cats rely on to communicate with each other and scare away predators. Unfortunately, this smell is also incredibly pungent to humans.