Cat urine odor keeping visitors away?

Use cat urine cleaning products you find around your home.

There are several cat urine cleaning products on the market today. I've tried several of them and listed the ones I like here. But before you invest in cat urine cleaning products, try this home remedy.

A lesson in Acids and Bases

Think back to grade school science. Most stains, dirt and grime is a base and the only way to clean a base is to use a base. So most cleaners are bases. But urine is an acid, so the cleaner you use needs to be an acid too. Plain White Vinegar goes a long way to getting rid of urine stains and odors.

A three-step solution to cat urine odor

• Dilute it and Mop it up. The best thing to do for fresh or wet urine is to dilute it with water and mop up as much as you can. I use disposable, compostable paper towels that you can throw into your compost or green bin. The benefit is you don't get your mop smelling like urine, which can transfer to other floors.
• Vinegar and Water. For older urine spots or after you wipe it up with water, you should use plain white vinegar diluted with water. Spray or pour it onto the area and wipe it away or soak it up. Do this a few times and cover an area wider than the stain itself. You should notice a significant reduction in the smell of urine.
• Check the spot with a black light. If the spot is still there it will show up under the black light. If it still shows up you'll have to use a heavy duty cleaner. Why? Because if you can still see it with the black light, then your cats can still smell it. the funny thing about cats is if they can still smell it, then they think it is okay to keep peeing there. So you have to get rid of he spot completely.

Here are some that we have tried and seem to work. Now you have to choose the one that is best for you. I personally don't like ones with heavy perfumes in them. It seems to bother the cats and they want to cover up the perfume smell with their own urine so it may cause the problem to worsen. On the other hand, sometimes the perfume is a refreshing difference from the smell of cat urine. Here are the ones we recommend:

What is your cat trying to tell you?

It seems that cats are forever blamed for their smelly urine. But the truth of the matter is, if cats are spraying or going outside their litter boxes it is not their fault, it is just a way for them to communicate that there is an issue that needs resolving.

Cats don't spray to be irritating nor do they go outside the litter box just to make a mess, cats spray because they have a need to mark their territory or sometimes even because the litter box doesn't get cleaned out often enough. And in the case of my cat Neo, he just has poor aim.

Be gentle with your cat

It does not help to put the cat's nose into it, or yell or hit or scold the cat. That usually makes the situation worse. The best thing to do is find the root cause of the problem. Maybe your cat needs to see the vet? Tell the vet about the problem, they might find a medical condition that is causing it.

Cat psychology is a very complicated thing too. It could be that the litter box is not in an ideal location, too much traffic or no privacy, or too close to other cats, or an open window where they can see other cats.

Reasons your cat might spray outside the litter box:

• An infection or some other physical problem - ask your vet.
• The litter box needs cleaning - scoop daily. Cats are very clean animals and will look for a clean place to go if their litter box is not cleaned out often enough.
• The litter box needs a good cleaning - use a mild detergent or warm soapy water to wash it out at least once a month.
• Location is not ideal - move the litter box away from windows, family traffic and other situations that might make your cat nervous. Noise, light and vibrations are a no-no.
• New additions to your family - cats need even more loving when there is a new family member or new pet added to the household.
• Change the type of litter you use - cats are very sensitive and cat react to smells and irritants by peeing in inappropriate places.

Cats are clean animals so if they are spraying or peeing outside their litter box, there is an issue you need to find.

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