A four-legged friend does not only represent great joy, but also constant issues. Even if you've got a trained cat that knows how to use the WC, you might occasionally find unpleasant surprises somewhere in the flat - the felines can do their dirty business near the litter as a protest, and other times they simply mark their territory using this method. You can quickly find and get rid of the source of the smell, but completely washing off the specific stinky flavor is much more difficult.
Why do cats pee and poo in the wrong places?
The most common cause is the illness. Most often, they may have problems with the urinary tract. Because of incontinence or painful urination, they refuse to go into the litter box.
The litter or filler is not suitable for the cat. The box itself might be small or, conversely, too large, and the filler might have a strong smell or poor absorption. Everything must be selected individually.
Another reason is stress. It can arise due to moving to a new place, changing food, a long absence of the owner, etc.
During the period of sexual hunting, pets mark the territory. Everything is simpler here: either you have to put up with such behavior, or opt for neutering.
Cats may refuse to go into the litter if it is dirty, if the owner forgot to change the filler or wash the litter, the pet feels the smell. For them, this is a reason to find a new toilet, as a protest.
In addition to the above-mentioned facts, there are some less common reasons. Still, none of them are good enough reasons for shouting or punishing. Owners may consider wet slippers to represent revenge, but, contrary to popular belief, cats do not know how to take revenge. Therefore, the problem must be looked for elsewhere.
Why do cats mark things?
This is an important question: by understanding the cause of this kind of unwanted behavior, you can prevent more surprises from appearing. Most often, cats mark things with pee:
to draw boundaries for other cats;
to make, in their opinion, new, previously unfamiliar objects safe;
to establish a stronger bond with the owner of things;
to cope with stress by mixing their smell with the smell of the owner;
to challenge another animal (for example, a new one in the other room);
to symbolically denote victory in an ongoing duel with another animal;
to attract a male or female during estrus, as mentioned earlier.
If the cat often leaves surprises, you may need to think about neutering: such animals are less likely to damage furniture and shoes since instincts become dull after the intervention.
Why is the scent so strong?
The ancient ancestors of modern domestic cats were wild predators. Predators mark territory - this allows them to outline "their" space, and set boundaries beyond which other individuals of the same species cannot go. To do this, the odor mark in nature must be stable.
Cat urine contains urea and uric acid. The first substance makes the liquid sticky after drying, the second promotes rapid crystallization. Urine crystals do not dissolve in water, which is why attempts to cope with an unpleasant odor simply by washing are doomed to failure.
The durability of the smell also depends on the type of surface on which it is left: it is very difficult to remove the smell from surfaces that absorb moisture well. Textiles and porous wood are the most problematic materials in this regard.
How to get rid of the cat pee smell?
The pet has marked something, and you urgently need a method in order to remove the smell of urine.
Below we will present folk remedies that might answer the question “how to get rid of the smell of cat pee”. It is worth noting that folk remedies are, in many ways, worse than professional ones, because they were invented for other purposes. Sometimes, in the absence of professional tools, you can, of course, use something from this list.
How to remove the smell from the floor?
Potassium permanganate: A solution of manganese breaks down ammonia crystals, thereby eliminating odor. However, this is not suitable for all surfaces: it can stain light-colored materials and leave brown spots on them (suitable only for smooth surfaces that do not absorb water - for example, linoleum or varnished surfaces).
Lemon Juice: Mix lemon juice with water and rub the place where the marks are. There's no need to rinse off the product: cats do not like the odor of citrus fruits and most likely will no longer go to that area. The stain must be fresh, otherwise, the method may not work.
How to get rid of the cat pee smell on the carpet?
Vinegar solution: dilute the vinegar with water in a ratio of 1:2, and spray the affected areas. After treatment, the surface must be thoroughly washed with water. The disadvantage of this method is that acetic acid can ruin the fabric, and lighten the color. Some also do not like the specific sour smell that remains afterward.
Hydrogen Peroxide with Baking Soda: apply a thick layer of baking soda to the stain, then douse it with hydrogen peroxide. It is better to leave the applied mixture overnight, then remove the residue with a damp cloth or rinse with soapy water. This composition is not suitable for cleaning bright and dark coatings - it discolors the fabric.
How to remove the smell from shoes?
It all depends on the material of the shoes. The easiest way to deal with an unpleasant odor coming from textile shoes (sneakers, slippers) is to wash them thoroughly (you should add a little bleach to the washing water).
If leather shoes are damaged, you can try treating the stain with an iodine solution (10 drops per 1 liter of water), but keep in mind that this remedy is only suitable for dark shoes. Light boots can be treated with vinegar.
Finally, if the liquid has penetrated deep into the tissue and home remedies can no longer cope, use special odor liquids.