Sorry your family didn’t scoop the litter box everyday (at least!) or clean up any accidents when they happened. I have 3 cats and you’d never know it.
My ex-MIL kept a bunch of cats. Their litter boxes
were in the kitchen. There’s nothing like eating
breakfast to the acrid smell of cat piss.
She fed them table scraps. It was hilarious watching
two old tomcats fight over mashed potatoes.
Some things have no basis ...
My Filipina wife (50) has heard of Mickey Mouse and Superman, but has no clue.
Exactly the same thing I was thinking. Also, it sounds like you had unneutered males, whose urine is quite pungent. I have 2 spayed female kitties and you'd never know, except for the myriad of toys, that I have a cat. Certainly not by any odor.