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Cat urine

Dealing with cat urine

If your cat has a problem using its litter tray or managing to get outside in time then you need to address this as an urgent problem.

Cat urine will make your home smell very bad - and if you have a male cat who sprays then this eneds to be address urgently too. The easy way to stop your male cat spraying is to have him neutered - this will remove the pungency of the spray.

cats are naturally very clean. They should have been house trained before they've left their mother. It is believed that removing kittens too soon means they miss some important cat-on-cat trianing which makes them more likely to be poorly house trained.

Bad habits can be hard to unlearn and you risk making a cat neurotic by screaming and shouting at it when it makes a mess.

It is useful if a cat knows what a litter tray is for even if you have plans to let it use your garden. Bad weather or illness may keen a cat inside so a trya which is available might be a useful standby.

For cats who don't go out of course there is no option. You must keep the litter tray clean all the time. Removing solid matter is easy - scooping litter out which is damp will help to eliminate any odours.

If a cat urinates on soft furnishings it is essential to remove the smell completely. This is best done with a mild bleachy solution and plenty of washing. Change the water if in any doubt. If you don't remove the smell then the cat might think that this is a good pace to pee again and the problem willl escalate.

Some people say that vinegar or baking soda can help remove the smell

Initially kittens could be kept in one room with a fully washable floor and any accidents are easily cleaned.

Keep the litter tray in the same place. A cat who has to search out a litter tray which moves round might not bother.

Unneutered male cats's urine has a revolting smell. Someone I knew said they didn't want their male kitten neutered as they thought it was cruel - as the kitten got older it sprayed and the owner changed their mind instantly! A simple operation can ensure that the urine loses its strong smell and cats don't spray any more.

Should an adult cat have a sudden change in habibts or urine scent changes then you should seek advice of your vet as this may indicate a problem.

If you ever notice blood in the litter tray contact your vet immediately.

How to clean cat urine hints:

• Warm bleachy water
• Wash area thoroughly
• If problem persists move litter tray to affected area
• Remove badly scented carpest
• Use mildly scented products to change the smell of an area
• Try eucalyptus oil to discourage cats returning to areas they've soiled.

Garden toilet for cats

Cats need an area they can scratch at to use as a toilet area. They like to cover their mess and can become quite distressed if they can't.

An area of the garden where the soil is turned over regularly will help cats have an area to use. You may need to dig it deeply over to ensure mess is buried deeply.

If your neighbour has a vegetable patch then this is likely to be target for your cats - so make sure you have a suitable area in your own garden. Some people say that taking soiled litter from the litter tray and placing in the area they want the cats to use can really help the cats learn good behaviour.

Strange things we've read about cat urine

A cat's urine glows under a blacklight.