Dealing with cat urine
From time to time your cat will show his or her displeasure or anxiety by spraying or urinating on your carpet or furniture. As we all know cat urine is notoriously strong smelling and difficult to remove. There is an array of products available but do they actually work? And are there any home recipes that could be equally of not more effective?
First and foremost be aware that standard carpet cleaning products are just not up to the job. Also make sure that there is no ammonia content in the product that you use as this smells similar to cat urine and the smell will only signal to your cat that your carpet or sofa is a great place to relieve him or herself.
Vinegar is a cheap and effective way to remove the traces of cat urine. Vinegar’s acidic qualities will neutralize the ammonia content of the urine and therefore eliminate any whiffs. Mix vinegar in equal parts with water and soak the stain well. To dry either use kitchen roll or paper towels to blot any excess moisture.
If your cat is having accidents on a regular basis then you need to look at why.
Litter Tray Issues
Cats like a clean litter tray so if it’s dirty or there are any trapped odours your cat may choose somewhere else to do his business! Also cats are private creatures and if you’ve got the litter tray in a gangway or in an area where he or she feels exposed, again you’ll have problems.
Territorial Spraying
You may experience territorial spraying if the cat has any reason to stamp his mark on your home. This can happen when you move house or if a new cat or indeed person starts living with you. Basically the cat is saying ‘This is my patch!’. This can also happen if they feel jealous or spiteful. It often happens when a new partner enters the house and the cat will choose to urinate in shoes, on jackets – anywhere where there is an unfamiliar scent - just to remind the intruder who is king or queen!
Health Issues
Like humans as cats get older they can experience problems with their waterworks. However in general if a cat starts to urinate more frequently get them checked out with the vet.