I'll go against the conventional wisdom here and say that I consider skunk odor to be a really strong smell, but not a bad smell in the sense that some of the other smells on this list are or can be. I'd much rather smell skunk essence than backed up sewage, vomit, and things of that sort.

its sad that such cute little creatures could smell so bad.

Skunks are really bad. If you have a cat or dog that tangles with a skunk, get a couple of large cans of tomato juice and shampoo the animal and wash it off in a running shower if you can. The animal usually co-operates, even a cat. You should tomato juice shampoo it two or three times, but it works! The fur will have a slight whiff of scent for a while but this is a magical remedy.

Phew! Why does something so cute have to smell so bad?

If you have ever had a skunk get under your house and spray, you know this deserves a five. It is perhaps the best defense mechanism in the animal kingdom. I can't think of any other smell that has made me as physically ill as this. I couldn't go in the northeast corner of the house for days afterward, which sucks because that is where my bedroom is.

There's a bad problem with skunks this year out where I live; they're everywhere either as roadkill or as uninvited backyard pets. I don't know which predator is missing, or which food source is over-abundant, but it's a pain in the backside; dare to open the windows at night and sure enough, there's that stink-cloud again.

I've been up close to a few skunks and it was sickening.

I love my dog but if I have to give her another bath in tomato juice, I'll go crazy!

Worst smell ever, skunk, second worse, a dead skunk.