Cats are one of nature’s most fascinating creatures and are so enjoyable to watch. There are many reasons to love cats, but cat urine is not one of them. Felines have probably the most pungent smelling urine and feces of any other domesticated animal. Feces can easily be picked up and disposed of properly, but what about cat urine? Urine will soak into a carpet and many people find it nearly impossible to completely get rid of it, but it is possible. There are a few simple rules one must go by to get rid of cat urine on carpet for good, but first it’s a good idea to understand the physics behind the problem.

When an animal urinates on carpet, it doesn’t just soak into the carpet, but also into the padding. If left untreated it will even soak into wood or particle board floors. A product that simply sits on the stain or is rubbed into the carpet fibers will not do anything about the urine in the padding. Those kinds of cleaners will eliminate the stain on the carpet itself, but the stain always comes back the next day once the urine in the padding has time to soak back up into the newly cleaned carpet fibers. Even when a cat owner thinks they have won the battle, it’s usually not the case.

The next problem is the residual odor. Just because the human residents cannot smell it, doesn’t mean the cat cannot. If a cat smells the residual odor of urine, it will likely think that spot is an appropriate place to go and use it again. Only a truly effective cat urine remover product will remove the odor to such a degree the cat doesn’t even know the stain was ever there.

The best answer so far is enzymatic and bacterial cleaners. Enzymatic cleaners have components that actually eat the urine, thus removing the stain. Of this category of cat urine removers, here is a list of the most highly praised:

1. Nature’s Miracle Stain and Odor Remover
This product uses bacteria that consume the urine. It does a great job of this and receives many positive reviews from consumers. There is another product on the market by the same company called, Nature’s Miracle Urine Destroyer with which consumers are not quite as happy, stating the urine smells better than the product. A 32 ounce squirt bottle of Nature’s Miracle sells for about $7.

2. MisterMax Anti Icky Poo
This is another urine remover that garners high praise from consumers. Not only does it use live bacteria to destroy stains, but it’s also nontoxic to humans and pets in addition to being environmentally friendly. This product can be found in a gallon size jug for about $32.

3. Simple Solution Extreme
This is a spray on product, which is not typically the best choice to get down into the carpet padding, but still receives high marks from reviewers. It touts itself as being the only pro-bacteria formula. Cat owners can pick up a 32 ounce spray bottle of this for about $9.

4. Equalizer Stain and Odor Remover
Consumer reviews of this product are stellar; stating it not only eliminates the stain, but neutralizes the odor completely ensuring the cat will not use the same spot again. This product sells for approximately $10 for a 20 oz aerosol can.

5. Fizzion
Another highly praised urine remover is Fizzion. One of the nice things about this product is that they sell tablets the consumer can mix with water to refill the spray bottle once it’s empty. This eliminates waste in the landfills and saves the consumer time and money. A 32 ounce spray bottle of Fizzion, complete with a two-pack refill, sells for about $7.

After one or two applications of any of these products, it’s a good idea to then follow-up with a steam cleaner. Only use the steam cleaner after the product has been given good time to work its magic. If the carpet is steamed right away, the heat will kill the bacteria. The steam cleaner will get down into the padding and lift any residual urine that may be left over. Once the carpet has then been allowed to cool off and dry somewhat, follow-up once again with another shot of the urine remover. This will ensure the stain and odor are gone forever.

By following these instructions and recommendations nearly any urine stain can be completely removed, even those stains that have been around awhile. In fact, that spot on the carpet will probably be the cleanest of the entire house. Not even the cat will know they ever went there.

If you’re a cat owner, then no doubt you have a litter box for your kitty. Unfortunately, some cats do need encouragement to use the litter box, and some owners end up wondering why they are not doing so.

First and foremost, if you’re having problems with your cat peeing outside the litter box; take your cat to the vet to have them examined to make certain that it’s not a medical condition causing the problem. If your cat checks out okay, then let’s take a look at some ways to encourage kitty to use the litter box:

Location, location, location…the first thing you’ll need to consider is the location of the litter box. Cats like their privacy, so if you have a basement or laundry room that is quiet, this can be an ideal place; it’s private and will keep odors away from the living areas of your home. If you don’t have a basement, laundry room or a suitable closet, try putting the litter tray under a table, preferably in a tiled or non-carpeted room for easy cleaning.

If you have more than one cat, make sure to give each cat their own litter box. It is recommended that you have one litter box per cat, with one additional. For example, if you have two cats, I would suggest having three litter boxes.

If your cat was using the litter box, but suddenly stopped, it may be a change you’ve made in the environment to cause the problem. For example, have you recently moved the box to a less private, higher traffic area?  Or perhaps the box needs cleaning more regularly, or you’ve changed to a different brand of kitty litter which is highly scented?

Other possible causes could be that your cat has simply outgrown their litter box and a bigger one is needed, or perhaps the litter isn’t deep enough for them to be able to dig and bury their business.

Cats are by nature very clean creatures, so make sure you keep their food area separate from their toilet area.  This is actually a good trick if your cat has started using a particular room that is off limits to do their business – either keep the door closed, or if that’s not practical, put their food in that room to discourage its use as a toilet.

Cats are creatures of habit, so any change in their environment or their routine can make them anxious until they adapt to the changes.  Always be patient if your cat is new to your family because it takes time for them to settle into their environment.  Likewise if you’ve recently moved, the cat has to get used to its new home all over again.  This can take anywhere from three weeks up to eight weeks to fully settle in.

A new home can be disturbing for your cat if they can smell that the previous owner had pets, especially if there is a lingering smell of the other cat’s urine. It goes without saying that you should never physically punish your cat for doing something you don’t like.  Rubbing your cat’s nose in the urine if they’ve peed where you didn’t want them to will not make them use the litter tray because the smell isn’t pungent to them like it is to humans.  Additionally, they won’t understand why you are punishing them – they will only know that you’ve hurt them and this can only make matters worse.

In conclusion, if your cat is peeing outside the litter box, always remember to be patient with your cat while you try the tips suggested above and you should soon have a well trained cat using their litter box as second nature.

Learn More on How to Stop Your Cat From Peeing Outside the Litter Box

Learn More on How to Stop Your Cat From Peeing Outside the Litter Box