Author: MJT

There are many cat urine remover home remedy solutions floating around that claim to help in removing pet stains but the fact of the matter is they simply do not work:

Home Remedy	Why it doesn’t work…
Ammonia	Might remove stains but not urine odor. Also can make your cat want to pee more because the smell of ammonia is close to the smell of urine.
Any type of citrus based product	Only temporarily masks urine smell.
Any type of liquid soap	Just plain doesn’t work.
Bleach	Besides the strong smell bleach can also fade carpet and fabrics.
Carpet shampooing	Only works on the surface of the affected area and not deep down where the urine crystals are.
Hydrogen peroxide	Only temporary relief before the urine odor comes back as strong as ever.
Oxygenated products	Only works on the surface of the affected area. Doesn’t get rid of cat urine smell and could cause discoloration in fabrics and carpet.
Vinegar	Locks in pet odor and can cause the stain to set.
Water	Used by itself just makes the problem area that much bigger.

Here are some super cat urine prevention tips that will help you find the source of the problem…

The litter box is the first thing you should check. It should be in a quiet, private area of the house.

Many people put litter boxes in their basements and leave the door open a little as this not only creates a private environment but also keeps urine odor to a minimum in the rest of the house.

Some use a closet but if you do this be sure and keep the litter box clean to reduce the odor and don’t forget to leave the door open!

Another litter box placement possibility is under a table. Many people find a place without carpeting is best from a maintenance point of view as tile or cement is a lot easier to clean urine off of than carpet.

Ask yourself if you changed the litter box in any way:

Has the box been moved to a high traffic area recently?

Does the litter box need cleaning? Maybe you should look into getting a self cleaning litter box.

Is a new brand of litter being used or does it have too heavy a scent (clumping and unscented is best). Cats have very sensitive noses and a scented litter might irritate their sinuses.

Has the depth of the litter in the box changed? Some cats like their litter deep, others shallow.

Your cat may have outgrown their litter box and need a larger one. Once again perhaps a self cleaning cat litter box would be helpful.

The box is too hard to enter and exit. This can be an issue for older felines.

Do not put food and water near the litter box. Cats like these two areas kept separate (don’t you?).

If your cat has picked out a particular room to spray try closing the door to that room if you can or cover the target area with furniture.

Put a bowl of food over the area where the cat has been peeing as cats like to keep their eating area away from their “bathroom”.

Take your cat to the Vet on a regular basis.

If you have more than one cat buy each one of them their own litter box.

Have you recently moved? A cat might smell an area where the previous owner’s cat urinated. If so, you need to get the urine off of this area as soon as possible.

Let the cat alone while it urinates so it can have some privacy.

If it is a new cat in your home it could take from three to eight weeks to get adjusted to the new environment. Be patient!

Was there a recent addition or loss to the family? A new baby, spouse? This is usually temporary until the cat adjusts to the change in their environment.

A change in your schedule can throw off your cat’s schedule as well and cause problems. Try and phase in major lifestyle changes gradually.

NEVER EVER punish the cat by kicking, hitting, chasing, screaming or rubbing their nose in their urine (remember the smell doesn’t bother them). Cats cannot make the cause and effect connection like we can so punishment after the fact is useless and will only make matters worse.

Cats are naturally very clean animals and they know where they are going. It is important to remember this and try and help your cat overcome any stress or anxiety they might be having in a caring and loving manner.

Just follow the easy tips above and you should reduce or eliminate any spraying or urination problems you might be having and remember to use a good cat urine remover product.

Cat spraying is defined as a cat urinating on a vertical surface like a doorway or furniture leg as opposed to peeing on a flat surface like the floor.

Note that female cats do sometimes spray on a flat surface. Also watch out for a cat scratching furniture.

Neutered cats of both sexes can spray but it is the un-neutered cat that sprays more often. Sometimes neutering will stop the spraying but this does not always work and you should always discuss the pros and cons of neutering with your Vet.

One reason a cat sprays is due to their territorial nature and they will often mark their little piece of the world by leaving behind some urine. Another reason is due to anxiety, the cat feels stressed or threatened.

For instance:

Too many other cats in the house.

Adding another cat to the household.

Outdoor cats passing by or in your yard.

Any stressful situation such as moving or someone new living in the house.

Problems with an individual in the house (personal items being sprayed).

How to avoid cat urine spraying?

To permanently eliminate the spraying problem you must find out the reason for your cat’s behavior and change it. This must be done before you buy a cat urine stain remover or you will just be wasting your money. A Vet can only offer temporary relief through medication so you might have to spend some time observing your cat to see if you can discover the motivation behind the spraying and take the appropriate corrective action.

There is also a possibility that your cat has Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). Your Vet can perform a urine test to determine if your cat has FLUTD and it is very treatable.

To discourage kitty while you try and discover why they are spraying you might try putting some lemon juice on the areas they normally mark as cats do not like the smell of lemons. Be sure that the surface won’t be damaged because of the acidic nature of the lemon juice before applying.

I recommend Urine Gone cat urine remover for cat spray stain and odor removal. It works on carpets, mattresses, furniture and clothes and is an effective cat urine stain eliminator. All you have to do is darken the room and use the included stain detector black light to make the pee stains glow. Spray Urine Gone on the stains and let it dry. Stains and odors will disappear and keep your cat from remarking their territory.

Sometimes you will need to resort to cat behavior training. If the cause of the inappropriate urination is not physical or spraying then there must be something in the cat’s environment that is causing the problem.

One thing is for certain, the longer the problem is left unresolved the harder it is to fix and you will become frustrated in removing pet urine odors from your house over and over.

No matter what the cause it is absolutely wrong to punish the cat because this is their way of telling you that they have a problem so please try and resolve the issue without punishment.

Many times the litter box is the problem. Every cat has their own ideas on what constitutes a clean box with some requiring daily cleaning while others happy if their litter box is cleaned every couple of days.

If you have more than one cat this could also be an issue as some cats will not use a litter box another cat has used while other cats may prefer it because of the smell of the other cat. A good rule of thumb is to have one litter box per cat and some experts suggest having one extra litter box as well.

Changing the brand of litter they are used to can also cause a cat to reject their box.

Some cats are very sensitive and will target specific items of an individual in your household to spray because of some perceived issue or threat. Jealously can also play a role like a new baby getting all of the attention. Any changes to your cat’s normal routine or environment is also a factor to consider.

Cat urine behavior issues can be very hard to determine and resolve so you must have patience and watch your kitty closely. Try the prevention tips first and if nothing seems to work you might consider talking to your Vet or a pet behavioral specialist. These steps should go a long way in your efforts in removing urine odors in your home.

To completely remove cat pee stains and odors I recommend a good cat urine remover.

Super cat urine problems could be physiological. During their life many cats will have a health problem that causes them to urinate outside their litter box.

If this is the case you should immediately take your cat to the Vet where they can run the necessary tests to determine if it is indeed a physical or behavioral problem. If your cat does have a health problem it could prove to be fatal if you do not take action as soon as possible.

Some of the indications that it is a physical problem include:

Your cat will not use the litter box if it is in pain during urination
Straining while peeing.
Blood in your cat’s urine.
Increased frequency of urination.
Increased thirst.
Decreased urine volume.

If in doubt have your feline checked by your Vet as soon as possible because if it is a physical problem it could indicate a disease such as:

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD)
Cancer
Diabetes
Hyperthyroidism
Bladder infection
Incontinence due to old age
Arthritis

Yes you want the urine gone as soon as possible but remember, your cat is peeing outside of their litter box for a reason and you must take the time to find out why and correct it.