Washing a cat is rarely worth the fight, and for most cats it is not necessary anyway, since they groom constantly and make a decent job of it. What they cannot always fix is a smell picked up from a litter tray, a damp coat after a rainy trip round the garden, or the general stale note that settles into long fur between proper baths. That narrow job is what this spray is for.

It works in two directions at once, neutralising odour rather than simply layering scent over the top of it, and conditioning the coat while it dries. Aloe vera and panthenol, better known as pro-vitamin B5, are the conditioning half, and both are mild enough for skin that reacts badly to stronger grooming products. The formula is vegan and lick-safe, which matters more with cats than with dogs, because a cat will start grooming the sprayed area within about a minute of you putting the bottle down.

• 200ml spray bottle
• Papaya and coconut fragrance
• Deodorises and conditions in the same application
• Contains aloe vera and panthenol, or pro-vitamin B5
• Lick-safe and vegan throughout
• Made for use between washes rather than instead of veterinary care

Two things worth knowing. Cats have a far better nose than we do and some simply object to being scented at all, so spray onto your hands and stroke it through the coat rather than spraying at the animal, and stop if they clearly dislike it. And a persistent bad smell is a symptom rather than a grooming problem: dental disease, ear infections and anal gland trouble all announce themselves this way, and a cologne will only mask them.

Who it's for: Indoor cats, long-haired cats between baths, and owners whose cats will not tolerate water but still need freshening up.