Dealing with Cat Urine

Cat urine is one of the most difficult things on the planet to completely remove. Regular household cleaning products will not get rid of it. Not even bleach.

Like all urine, cat urine is made up of urea, urochrome, and uric acid. Uric acid is the component which makes it so hard to clean. Most cleaning products will get rid of urea and urochrome, often creating the illusion that the urine has been removed. The uric acid is made of crystals which are non-soluble and bond tightly with surfaces.

Because the crystals are insoluble traditional cleaning products cannot break them loose or dissolve them. When the other components of urine are removed the appearance and odor often go away temporarily, only to come back when the area becomes damp. The traces left behind may not be noticeable to humans, but cats can still smell them and will continue to be attracted to the area for urination. Enzyme cleaners remove uric acid by actually eating the crystals.

Effective methods for getting rid of cat urine vary depending on the age of the stain.

For immediate cleaning try vinegar first. If the urine is on a solid surface, such as linoleum, a 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water in a spray bottle should work just fine. For fabric and carpets try to absorb the urine first with paper towels then saturate the area with vinegar. Let the area soak and air dry. This may take more than one application. If the odor is still there in a couple of days or if your cat keeps returning to the area to urinate you will need to use an enzyme cleaner.

There are many brands of enzyme cleaners. Some work very well. Others seem to do nothing at all. An effective enzyme cleaner actually eats the uric acid crystals. The key to making them work is time, patience, and saturation. Enzymes take time to do their job and the area must stay moist or they stop working. One way to keep the area from drying out is to cover it with plastic. Dry stains should be moistened, not soaked, with water prior to application of the enzyme cleaner.

Very old stains may require several applications before all of the uric acid is removed.

Cats learn to use the litter box with virtually no training. It is instinctive and they prefer to live in a clean place. Prevention is far easier than cleaning up cat urine. When cats urinate away from the litter box there is always a reason.

Cats will not use a dirty litter box. If your cat is frequently “going outside the box” make sure that the litter is changed frequently, some cats are pickier than others about this.

Some cats will stop using a litter box that has been moved, is not in a private location, or that is being used by other cats.

Urinating is a marking behavior. Intact cats, cats under stress, and cats that feel threatened by the presence of a new pet will often spray to mark their territory and to feel more secure. Old urine stains may be causing the problem. If a cat is spraying the urine will usually be up high, about nose level for the cat, rather than on the floor, unless the cat is covering the smell of old urine. Even urine that is unperceivable to humans can be smelled by cats and dogs. They will continue to use the spot if there is any residue left behind.

Spaying and neutering will often solve this behavior.

Urinating in inappropriate places may be a sign of health problems. Bladder infections, kidney problems, and crystals in the urine are some of the many health problems which may cause a cat to urinate in strange places. If your cat has always been good about using the litter box, and no changes have occurred within the household, take him to the vet right away. He could have a life-threatening illness.

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