The pretty kitty in the picture is Alexis. Our story today begins with Lexi’s uncontrolled bladder functions and what to do with pee stains.
To begin with lets review why cats don’t use the litter box.
Is the litter box clean? Cats don’t like dirty litter boxes and will look some where else to pee, so clean regularly and keep the box with enough fresh litter to give them sufficient depth to bury their feces.
Is the cat scared? A newly rescued cat might not feel comfortable enough to use the litter box especially in a multi cat family. The answer there is to isolate the new cat for a while until the kitty is comfortable. Be patient. Tenzin was like that for a short time, He peed once out of the litter box when we first brought him home.
An unaltered male cat will take to marking his territory. The solution to that is to have the kitty neutered. I rescued a senior unaltered tomcat once and he was a magnificent boy. His name was Rufus. He was well mannered and used the litter box from day one. I had him neutered and he died three months later. Maybe it was one of those times just to leave the cat be.
Is the cat sick? In Alexis’s case she developed a Urinary Tract Infection and was starting to pee where ever she sat. A trip to the vet, a clinical test and we went home with medicine. It was not until all the medicine was consumed that the problem went away. That was ten days worth of pills.
With my seven cats litter box training was relatively easy. Kittens had to be shown the box once and they were good. Some of the older cats had accidents. They are hard to avoid. This brings us now to the issue of clean up.
Pet Urine Stain Removal
Pet urine stain removal can be difficult at times. Uric acid the ingredient that causes the odor is not water soluble. this means that just water will not clean and deodorize the stain. Cleaners must be used. With items that are machine washable a soaking in vinegar for a minimum of five minutes and a wash with laundry detergent will get you started. I have had to wash blankets more than once to get the odor out.
A product that I recommend for odor/stain removal is Natures Miracle Skunk Odor Remover and Natures Miracle Urine Destroyer. I used the skunk odor remover with good success. Not only does the Skunk Odor Remover when used as directed work well on the pet, I have used it in desperation on furniture as well. It might take more than one application.
As with all chemical cleaners care must be taken not to poison your pets. Don’t leave the product open for pets to taste. I also use Spay Nine for disinfecting hard surfaces with a water wash afterwards.
If you don’t have access to the above products here is a home made solution you might like to try.
You will need – paper towels or rags, a cup of baking soda, 1/2 cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide, 1 teaspoon of eco-friendly dish soap and a mixing bowl.
Cover the stain with paper towels or rags and press into the area to soak up as much of the liquid as possible. Sprinkle a generous handful of baking soda over the stain. Mix together the hydrogen peroxide and dish soap and pour over the stain. Gently scrub the mixture into the fabric with a scrub brush or cloth and let sit for 10 – 15 minutes. Now vacuum the area thoroughly and repeat if necessary.
As with all stain removal products be sure to try the solution in a test area to avoid unnecessary discoloration. I tried straight carpet cleaner on a vomit stain only to have a bigger yellow spot. The stain came out with proper cleaning.
The Natures Miracle Products have worked well for me. I truly recommend them. I prefer these products to the home made solutions. The above products work well on vomit and poop stains also. If you have a blood stain the hydrogen peroxide works well on carpets and fabrics. One last word on cleaners, some of the spray on floor cleaners leave a toxic reside on the floor that is picked up on the paws and is ingested during grooming . Be sure to read the labels and chose wisely.
I really recommend furniture covers. They save the furniture from scratches and its easier to wash a cover than clean a sofa. When Alexis was sick we put dog diapers under her blanket for extra protection. Regardless of the steps we go through to protect our furniture accidents happen and there will be stains and odors to deal with. Having some cleaning supplies handy will make the job easier.
That’s my story for today. Keep your cats healthy with regular vet visits and feed good food. It will be cheaper in the long run. So hug a kitty and do something green for the environment.
Trevor
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