Many people share their homes with pets. Unfortunately, pets don’t always understand why we’re upset with them over the mess they’ve made. Cats are notorious for littering our homes with “accidents.” Over time, these “accidents” just become standard because your little furry goblin might smell the cleaned-up spot from long ago and think it’s a good idea to remark on it. This obviously isn’t what you want to happen. Let’s consider what it takes to truly rid your floor of cat pee accidents and their smell.
Why Do Cats Pee Outside of Their Litterbox?
Male cats not neutered or neutered late may spray foul-smelling urine to mark their territory. If you have an outdoor male cat, you are probably familiar with your cat or neighborhood cats spraying outside. If your cat is female and is peeing where she shouldn’t, it could be a urinary tract infection or behavioral. Female cats do not typically spray but are known for peeing on their owner’s bed or clothing to get the point across.
There are a number of reasons your cat might start urinating outside of the litterbox. Some have to do with health issues, while others are behavioral. Figuring out what might be causing the accidents or what change may have led to your cat’s decision to no longer urinate in the litterbox is your first step.
Causes
Bringing a New Cat Home
Cats are territorial, and bringing a new cat home can cause your cat to become upset about the invasion. Even if the other cat is a kitten, your adult cat will feel their territory is threatened. When cats feel territorial, they will mark their “belongings” by rubbing them, peeing on the floor/bed/clothes, or spraying somewhere inside and possibly outside your home.
Changing their Cat Litter Brand or Type
Cats are very picky about litter, food, and anything else. Switching litter can make your cat pee outside the litterbox because the litter might smell bad to them, hurt their paws, or just upset them in some way. Sticking to a fragrance-free, low-dust clumping litter is best.
Having a Baby
Cats are jealous animals, and when we bring home a new baby, it can upset your cat and drive it to pee on your stuff as a message that it isn’t happy with you. Therefore, ensure that you include your cat even if you are busy with a new baby.
Moving to a New Home
Cats aren’t wild about change. Taking them out of their familiar, comfortable territory and placing them in a weird-smelling new environment scares them, and most of the time, they will hide until they feel better about it. Other cats might scope out the new territory and mark it as their own. This can especially be the case when the previous homeowner had pets.
Urinary Blockages, Urinary Tract Infections, and Other Issues
Male cats can develop crystals in their urine, which can make urinating painful. The crystals can even block the passageway entirely, making the issue an emergency. Female cats are prone to UTIs, but they seem to happen more frequently in unaltered cats (not spayed or neutered).
It can be tough to tell when a cat is ill, but if you see your male or female cat struggling in the litterbox, visiting it frequently, or meowing, growling, or hissing while trying to go, you know your cat is in pain.
The Cat is Not Spayed or Neutered
One way to stop your cat from marking or peeing in unacceptable places is to spay or neuter them. It works best when it’s done while they are a kitten. If you do so late with a male cat, there’s a chance they might spray. If you only have one cat, you may not have this issue
How to Clean Up and Remove Any Trace of Lingering Smell
Cleaning up after your cat has an accident outside the litterbox isn’t much fun on its own, but it can become a repeat problem if there is even the slightest lingering smell. Cats will smell where they or another cat has peed or marked before and redo it. This is seen in big wild cats who mark their territory. Cat pee is not an easy scent to get rid of, but we have some suggestions that are sure to work.
Best Cleaners for Removing Cat Urine Stains and Smells
White Vinegar
When you first find the pee stain, try to soak up as much as possible with dry paper towels. Then, get out your white vinegar, pour some on the spot, and let it sit for a few minutes. Vinegar is excellent at removing the smell.
Lemon
Lemon is also great at getting rid of smells. You can add lemon juice to your spray bottle.
Oxiclean
OxiClean is very good at removing odors, as are enzymatic cleaners, which don’t cover up the smell but actually lift it away. These are good choices to keep on hand. Many are geared specifically toward removing cat pee.
Clorox Urine Stopper
This product is excellent and a go-to for cat rescues. It has a nice smell and completely gets rid of the pee smell. This isn’t an enzymatic cleaner, but it does contain hydrogen peroxide, which neutralizes the uric acid (what makes it smell bad) in cat pee.
Baking Soda
Once you’ve cleaned the spot, baking soda can help draw out the moisture. Afterward, you can vacuum it up. Baking soda is also great for keeping the litterbox orderly. Always remember to clean it daily, or your cat might not want to use it. Happy scooping!
