How to remove cat urine from a couch or mattress?

The smell of cat urine is undoubtedly not pleasant. Unfortunately, many guardians face the problem of pets taking care of their needs outside the litter box or designated places. Moreover, cat urine is often difficult to remove from various upholstery, and its smell is difficult to neutralize. We will tell you how to solve the problem of urinating outside the litter box, as well as how to effectively eliminate any unpleasant odors associated with it.

See also: How to choose the perfect litter box for your cat?

Cats are known for their love of cleanliness. These pets often spend their time taking care of the appearance of their fur, although they also appreciate tidiness in their place. By default, cats do their needs in a specific place, which, in the vast majority of cases, is a classic litter box. However, kittens that go outside may demand to be let outside when they need to “use the toilet”.

However, there are situations when cats unexpectedly begin to relieve themselves outside the designated areas, which creates a big problem for household members. The causes of this type of events can be extremely diverse, and among them it is certainly worth mentioning:

• Litter box problems (e.g. too small size, incorrect location, too few litter boxes for a larger number of cats);
• Inappropriately fitting litter (e.g. hurting the cat’s paws or having an odor unacceptable to the cat);
• Poor quality of litter in the litter box (caused by infrequent cleaning of the container and/or lack of disinfection);
• Health problems (e.g. cystitis, kidney disease);
• Unpleasant associations with the litter box (e.g. related to human activities or an attack by another animal);
• Long-term stress or frustration (caused by e.g. lack of interest on the part of caregivers, loneliness, being locked up or other incorrect practices).

Moreover, cats may also urinate in certain places due to the desire to do so markings. Marking is one of the forms of communication for cats, thanks to which they express particular emotions (e.g. uncertainty, fear, frustration), but also signal sexual or emotional arousal. Marking, however, sometimes differs from ordinary urination, because cats mainly choose vertical surfaces for this purpose (e.g. doors or walls), and the odors left behind often turn out to be much more intense, which especially applies to unneutered male cats.

Methods for removing cat urine from furniture include both “homemade” methods, i.e. using commonly available products, and specialized agents designed to combat unpleasant odors and stains on upholstery.

A mixture of baking soda and vinegar is one of the most frequently used methods for removing cat urine from furniture. To do this, combine two or three teaspoons of baking soda and a slightly larger amount of vinegar to finally obtain a thick “mash”. The mixture prepared in this way should be applied to the contaminated surface, then wait a few minutes and wash it thoroughly. It is also recommended to wipe the upholstery with a cloth and clean water at the end.

When deciding to use vinegar and baking soda, it is worth bearing in mind that this mixture has a specific smell that may remain on the furniture for even the next few days.

It should also be noted that the above mixture can also be prepared using water instead of vinegar, or you can decide to clean a given surface using water mixed with vinegar.

Hydrogen peroxide is a product that is basically found in every house or apartment. In addition to washing wounds or scratches, it is also used to neutralize the smell of cat urine. To do this, you only need to pour a relatively large amount of hydrogen peroxide onto the contaminated surface, although you should pay special attention to the fact that this agent may cause discoloration or even damage to individual fabrics. Therefore, before using hydrogen peroxide on home furniture, it is definitely worth testing its effect on an invisible and small piece of upholstery.

Corn flour can be used as a substitute for baking soda because it has similar properties. Using it, household members are able to neutralize the unpleasant smell of cat urine on furniture, mattresses or carpets. To do this, sprinkle flour on the contaminated area and then leave it for a while to absorb the odor particles.

When home remedies turn out to be insufficient or unreliable, cat owners have various cleaning products at their disposal in the form of stain removers, neutralizers and odor absorbers. These types of preparations are perfect for many different situations in which cat owners are unable to effectively remove all stains or permanently remove unpleasant odors from the surfaces of furniture and various textiles. What’s more, professional products turn out to be completely safe for the cats themselves, so their guardians do not have to worry about the harmful or threatening effects of their use.

So, if you have a cat (or several) at home, it is certainly worth purchasing appropriately tailored preparations that will be on standby if necessary.

As already mentioned, the problem of a cat doing its business on home furniture and any textiles may result from many different reasons. In order to eliminate it, you first need to determine why your cat behaves this way. The basis should then be to check whether the litter box fits properly. Pay attention to its cleanliness, condition and the litter used. It is also necessary to observe all the cat’s behavior and consult any observed irregularities or disturbing symptoms with a trusted veterinarian.

If the cat’s health condition is normal and its litter box and litter are not a problem, as the cat also urinates and defecates in a container, it may be necessary to seek advice from a qualified behaviorist or re-execution learning to use a litter box.

See: How to teach a cat to use a litter box?

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