How to Get That Icky Cat Urine Smell Out of Furniture!

Cats can be wonderful housepets. They're generally clean, friendly, and low-maintenance. But nothing is more annoying than a cat that pees on furniture! Whether the cat is marking his/her territory, is ederly and can't control his bladder, or just has an occasional accident, there is hope.

The overwhelming majority of cats returned to shelters are returned because of urine marking, commonly referred to as "behavioral problems." Cats which are nervous, easily excited, or even abused may have this problem. Also, cats that have not been neutered have natural tendency to mark. Before you get rid of your feline, there are some things to consider.

First, take your cat to the vet to make sure it's healthy. Make sure it doesn't have any urinary tract infections or other physical problems, such as diabetes. Some breeds have a tendency to bladder infections, such as Himilayans. Also this would be a good time to neuter your animal if you have not already done so. Discuss all behavior with your veterinarian.

Once you know your cat's healthy, notice their home environment and how it interacts with other family members or pets. Make sure your cat has access to clean drinking water at all times. Also, it is recommended that each cat have 1.5 litter boxes. That means if you have two cats, you should have 3 litter boxes. Cats can be very territorial, and dislike other cats in the household. Make sure to give the cat lots of affection and attention.

Generally, cats mark because they are nervous, unhappy, or upset. A contented cat generally does not mark, unless it has not been neutered. Try to refrain from scolding the cat when it goes outside of the litter box. The cat will not associate your anger with the behavior, and it may even encourage the cat to mark more. Instead, try conditioning the cat with a spray water bottle. Every time the cat goes near an area where he has marked, spray him. Soon just the sight of the bottle will be enough. Also recommended highly in the training period is Feliway, a calming Cat Pheramone product. It comes in spray and electric plug-in form, and comforts a skittish cat when moving to a new home or upon the addition of a new family member.

Now that you know a little more about cat behavior and how to prevent marking in the future, let me tell you what works and what doesn't to get urine odors out of furniture NOW.

Doesn't Work

1.) Cayenne Pepper

2.) Vinegar and or Ammonia-Based Cleaners

3.) Bleach

Vinegar and Cayenne are heard of on some cat marking website, but are useless, and may actually excalibrate the problem. Cayenne pepper is supposed to keep the cat from the said area, but whoever wrote that must've gotten housecats confused with insects out in a garden! Cayenne does nothing to stop a cat from marking an area, except maybe making them sneeze and making them sick.

Vinegar and ammonia are no-no's. To a cat, both vinegar and ammonia smell like urine, encouraging them to mark the area again even more. beware, many household cleaners contain ammonia.

DO NOT ever use bleach to clean a cat box or an area affected by urine! Bleach reacts with the natural ammonia in cat urine to produce toxic fumes! It can be dangerous to both you and your pet.

What Works

1.) Feliway

2.) Enzyme-Based Cleaners

3.) Baking soda and rubbing alcohol or peroxide

Feliway, as mentioned earlier, is a great preventative measure to help condition your cat to stop marking. It helps adjust them to their current situation, and get them out of the marking habit. I would recommend it highly as a tool in behavioral change.

As for those pesky urine stains, there are several enzyme-based cleaners available at most pet stores that do the job. I know of one, "Urine-B-Gone" which uses citrus enzymes and is effective. Just spray and let air dry.

My favorite, least expensive method would have to be Baking soda and peroxide. It works great, and is readily available in most kitchens. Simply mix baking soda with water into a paste, and spread evenly on the affected area. Work it slightly into the fabric, then douse with peroxide. Rubbing alcohol works equally well. It will foam up. Repeat as necessary, and allow to air dry. The sooner you get to the stain, the better. The longer it sits and dries before you treat it, the more the smell will have settled into the fabric.

Be patient, and persistent. Many cats can grow out of this habit. Observe your pet carefully, and notice their habits. Make it harder for them to have the same routine. Does a cat like to pee on clothes on the floor? Make sure that there aren't clothes on the floor anymore. Does he have a certain corner he likes to mark? Put something in that corner so he can't reach it. Above all, be patient, and give kitty lots of love when he's good and spray him with the water bottle when he's in affected areas sniffing around. A great website to check out is www.cat-urine.net. Good luck!