Cats are capable of bringing a lot of positive emotions to their owners with their cozy purring, devotion and good disposition, but there is one “but” - they are neutralized by the animal’s instinct to mark its territory, leaving stinking puddles on the fluffy parquet carpet, on clothes and shoes. The smell of cat “marks” is extremely difficult to get rid of. The fact is that it is impossible to get rid of it with ordinary detergents, even the most expensive and advertised ones; you need heavy artillery - a mix of folk recipes and chemicals. When used correctly, they give excellent results, especially if they are supplemented with psychotherapy sessions for the pet - strict scaring with weaning, as well as castration and sterilization. Drastic methods will rid your home of stinking puddles and marks, but they are only suitable for those who are satisfied with an docile and calm companion, into whom your tailed bully will turn after the operation.
About the problem
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The main reason why cats go to the toilet in the wrong place is because they mark their territory. Many animals are attached to their habitat and cats are no exception.
Marks on one's territory in the form of excrement, odorous gland secretions, and urine are a kind of calling card of the owner of this place.
Cats are amazing creatures, they are very cute, but they also have a lot of selfishness. They have their own vision of this world and they are sure that it revolves around them.
If something goes wrong, little attention is paid to the cat, if another pet appears, the cat’s revenge will not take long to arrive. The smell of cat urine is a signal that something is not going the way the animal wants.
I know of a case when a cat, for no apparent reason, began to defecate in the owner’s shoes, on his sleeping place. And after some time it turned out that the man was cheating on his wife. The cat somehow sensed this and began to quietly take revenge. The smell of cat urine was extremely difficult to remove.
Our Malyava is the kindest and most harmless cat. But for some reason all the neighborhood cats don’t like her. Maybe because she’s too beautiful...
She is persecuted, insulted and she is afraid to go out into the street again. I think it is for this reason that it happens that she does her toilet chores at home.
We try not to scold her too much for this, but try to clean everything up quickly. After all, if the urine is absorbed, it will be more difficult to get rid of the smell of cat urine.
Stain and odor prevention products
To prevent furry residents from getting the idea of pooping in the wrong place again, it is worth using repellents with a strong odor, such as black pepper and orange peels.
More effective means:
- "Mr.Fresh." Unlearning to shit”;
- "Antigadin";
- “Doesn’t spoil, doesn’t mark”;
- Doctor Vic. Repellent spray.
Such sprays cost from 60 to 400 rubles, are applied locally in small quantities, and are usually effective and economical. You can choose any product available at the pet store, because preventing the appearance of puddles on the floor is more reasonable than removing urine stains and odors every day.
Why is the smell of cat urine persistent?
Cat urine has several components: urea, urochrome, and uric acid.
- Urea is highly soluble in water and can be easily removed.
- Urochrome is a bile pigment that gives urine its yellow color.
- Uric acid is the end product of the conversion reactions of purine bases.
Uric acid contains nitrogen, has a low molecular weight and appears as colorless crystals. They are poorly soluble in water and ethanol, but dissolve in alkali solution.
Uric acid is what makes cat urine smell so strong. Uric acid, after drying, crystallizes and strengthens in the fabric fiber.
How to remove the smell of cat urine
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There is only one way out - wash! The place that the animal has marked needs to be washed in any case, and the sooner you start doing this, the better it will be.
Put on rubber gloves, take a rag, fill a bucket with water and start washing. You will have to wash a lot, change the water and rag often.
The essence of cleaning is not only to remove the puddle or excrement, but also to remove the smell of cat urine. Unpleasant odors need to be overcome with more persistent aromas, preferably ones that cats and cats do not like.
- After the initial cleaning of urine, you need to wipe the area where you shit with a vinegar solution.
- For secondary wiping, you can use a weak solution of potassium permanganate, iodine, hydrogen peroxide, and alcohol.
- A strong aqueous solution of citric acid will also help eliminate the smell of cat urine.
It is better not to use bleach for treatment, since the smell of chlorine is unpleasant only for humans. For the cat fraternity, bleach does not have any deterrent effect.
Read more about each type of cleaning and odor removal product below...
A mixture of hydrogen peroxide and soda
To prepare the product you will need the following components:
- hydrogen peroxide in the amount of 16 g;
- soda - 30 g;
- dishwashing liquid - 1 teaspoon.
It is necessary to mix all the ingredients, you should get a thick mass. Then a small amount of water is added so that the composition can be sprayed. Wooden surfaces are wiped with a rag soaked in the solution. The mixture is highly effective.
Manganese or iodine
In order to eliminate the smell of cat urine from clothes, sofas, and carpets, you can use both iodine and potassium permanganate. These substances have a coloring effect, so light-colored clothing, carpeting and furniture upholstery cannot be treated with them.
Initially, it is necessary to remove excess cat urine on the fabric surface. Blot fresh stains with toilet paper, a paper towel, or an absorbent cloth.
- Prepare a weak solution of potassium permanganate and treat the stain with it. Wait until the stain dries and then repeat the procedure. You will have to do several treatments; this method of removing odors takes time.
- To prepare an iodine solution, dilute 30 drops of iodine in one and a half liters of water. Further actions are similar to the previous method.
Reasons why a cat doesn't go to the litter box
If a cat uses shoes or a sofa instead of a toilet, do not rush to scold it. To begin with, it is better to understand the essence and only after that think about how to solve the problem.
Serious health problems.
Pets cannot talk and cannot share what is bothering them. This could be a genitourinary problem in which your pet experiences pain when going to the toilet. And an attempt to change place may be an attempt to get rid of pain. Before scolding your animal, take it to the veterinarian for examination. A course of medication will rid your cat of the disease, and the house will regain its fresh smell.
Stress or anxiety.
This is a common reason that can be justified by a change in food, moving to another apartment, many guests, or renovations. Watch your cat. Indeed, in addition to defecation past the tray, there may be other signs: an increased level of cleanliness, severe excitability or, conversely, drowsiness, increased aggression. If there are several signs of stress, try to eliminate the causes or sedate your cat.
The cat dislikes the litter box or litter.
There could be such a reason too. You may not like the tray for several reasons:
- Insufficient cat litter size
- bad location
- dirty tray
- the litter is not suitable for your pet.
Lemon juice
Lemon juice or citric acid can also help get rid of cat urine odor.
But if you have to remove traces of cat mayhem from clothes or sofa upholstery, remember that lemon juice has lightening properties. Therefore, it is recommended to use this product only on light-colored surfaces.
- Fresh urine stains. Remove excess cat urine using paper towels. Squeeze lemon juice and soak a regular sponge in it. Treat the stained area and do not wash off the lemon juice with water, let it dry. After some time, repeat the process and wash the stain with plain water.
- Old stains. Pour lemon juice onto the old stain and sprinkle baking soda on top. Let the treatment dry, then vacuum.
Baking soda will remove cat urine stains from clothes or fabrics, but it will not remove the smell of cat urine. Therefore, it is used together with other components.
Folk remedies
Pet store products are effective, but often expensive. Even improvised means can kill cat odor. Which? Here are the best folk methods:
- Hydrogen peroxide + baking soda. Mix 15 g of peroxide, 2 tbsp. soda and a little liquid soap, rub the stain with the mixture, then rinse with warm water.
- You can take the soda separately if the smell is not too pungent. For 2 tbsp. - half a glass of water.
- Another option with peroxide is to mix the substance with dishwashing detergent. Proportions - 100 ml per 1.5 tbsp. Apply, leave for 10 minutes, rinse.
- Dilute vinegar with water in a ratio of 1:2. Treat the stain with the solution and leave until completely dry. After this, wipe the area with clean water. The cat should be repelled by the smell of vinegar.
- Cats cannot stand the smell of citrus fruits. We arm ourselves with a lemon, squeeze the juice out of it and mix it with a glass of warm water. The result is a powerful product for eliminating odor and repelling cats. Orange and grapefruit are used similarly. Rinse is not necessary and even undesirable.
- Potassium permanganate will permanently eliminate the trace of a cat's mark. Prepare a solution of rich color and cover the stained area with it, then rinse.
- Iodine will help clean cat tracks. Add 10 drops of the substance to a liter of water and treat the stain.
- Alcohol and alcohol-containing products (vodka, cologne) are effective, but leave behind a pungent odor that injures the animal’s sense of smell.
Boric acid
The smell of cat urine can be removed with boric acid or regular carbonated water.
- Remove excess urine with paper towels. Dilute boric acid with water and treat the stain. Then cover the stain with baking soda. A chemical oxidation reaction will occur and the smell of urine will disappear.
After the stain has dried, remove the remaining soda using a vacuum cleaner and wash the treated surface with water.
The same effect can be achieved by using regular sparkling water. The sequence of actions is similar to the previous method.
What needs to be done to stop your cat from crapping on the floor?
- Advice 1. Provide normal conditions for her toilet (a quiet room to relieve herself, a clean and comfortable tray), no stressful situations.
- Tip 2. Develop a persistently negative attitude towards unauthorized places for defecation. To do this, treat risk areas with substances that are unpleasant for the cat (vodka, citrus fruits, vinegar, onions).
- Tip 3. Positive motivation. Praise the animal for correct behavior when it goes to its tray and feed it.
- Tip 4. It is recommended to place bowls with cat food in unauthorized places where your cat is in the habit of pooping. Due to its innate instinct, a pet will never defecate where its food is located.
- Tip 5. Find out the reason for your pet’s abnormal behavior. Deviations from the usual urination into the tray can be caused by diseases of the genitourinary system. To eliminate them, you need to contact a veterinarian.
This video will tell you how to get rid of the cat urine smell in your apartment:
Special products for removing the smell of cat urine
In addition to folk remedies for getting rid of the smell of cat urine, there are also specially developed chemicals.
- The drug Brovadez-plus is sold in powder form. The powder should be diluted in water and poured into a spray bottle. After the initial removal of cat urine, the drug should be applied to the stain and wait half an hour. Brovadez-plus will not only get rid of the smell of cat urine, but also disinfect any surface.
- Odorgon is another disinfectant. The advantages of this drug include hypoallergenic properties.
- Nature's Miracle - can be sold in bottles or spray bottles. Suitable for eliminating old cat urine odor.
- Dezosan is an effective remedy for eliminating the smell of cat urine using a singing vacuum cleaner. But if the stain and smell of cat urine are of a long-standing nature, cleansing should be carried out in two stages.
Even before using special equipment, it is necessary to carry out initial treatment of the contaminated surface.
First, you need to collect the cat urine using paper or cloth napkins so that the stain does not spread further. You can slow down the further spread of unwanted cat fluid by using cat litter.
We remove odor from different surfaces
The instructions for professional products indicate on what surfaces their use is allowed. With traditional methods the situation is more complicated. Which methods are preferable for certain materials?
- Cleaning the carpet is quite simple using lemon (citrus) juice, soda or vinegar.
- Marks from linoleum and wooden floors are removed in the same way.
- It is permissible to use special shampoos and a washing vacuum cleaner on the carpet.
- An effective way to discourage your pet from pooping: use essential oils after cleaning. Dissolve a few drops of citrus essential oil in a glass of water and spray onto the carpet.
- The upholstery of the sofa often suffers from the harmful nature of the cat. If the textiles are dark, it is allowed to use potassium permanganate or iodine. If the fabric is light, you will have to act carefully - try methods with soda, vinegar, and lemon.
- The most difficult thing is to remove odor from shoes, since uric acid mixes with human sweat, and the odor becomes persistent. Try simply washing sports sneakers in the machine with powder or powder and soda. Place newspaper folded into a tight ball into wet shoes; it will absorb the liquid. Then go over the shoes with a brush and laundry soap. If the cat’s whim is discovered late and the shoes are dry, first treat them with soap and then with a vinegar solution (1:2) until the smell goes away.
- Soiled clothes should be washed and then rinsed in a vinegar solution (1 tbsp per liter).
