This is a couple thousand $$ at risk for both of us, which I understand is the nature of the business but just wondering if there's a more creative way to avoid this?

If you want top dollar, I'd consider at least trying to find the cat's favorite places and blast it with some Nature's Miracle. 

You sound like a sharp young man with quite a bit of natural intuition and entrepreneurial spirit who is not afraid to work. 

NOTICE: If Landlord fails to repair a condition that materially affects the physical health or safety of an ordinary tenant as required by this lease or the Property Code, Tenant may be entitled to exercise remedies under §92.056 and §92.0561 of the Property Code.span>If Tenant follows the procedures under those sections, the following remedies may be available to Tenant: (1) terminate the lease and obtain an appropriate refund under §92.056(f); (2) have the condition repaired or remedied according to §92.0561; (3) deduct from the rent the cost of the repair or remedy according to §92.0561; and (4) obtain judicial remedies according to §92.0563.

Then another with 2 different industrial odor removing agents (like odo ban and natures miracle I think). 2.

Vinyl tiles are on the lower end of asbestos risk, so the remediation company doesn’t need to follow all the same procedures as if say they were removing asbestos plaster.

Since he had no proof he notified you legally, you could sue him in small claims, which I seen many times on TV court shows how  landlord lose these cases because they didn't follow procedures. 

When you provide any kind of extra service to guests it changes the taxable nature of the rental.Julie, I am really looking forward to your assessment on this.

Perhaps it’s time for some policies and procedures to be put in writing and shared with future and current employees to eliminate any grey areas. 

The longer a tenant stays, the more likely that they will get more of their security deposit back because things naturally age and need to be updated over time and we can't charge tenants for "normal wear and tear."