How to remove cat spray odors: A complete guide
A Cat can be a very comfortable cute pet to have in your house, but when your cats start spraying their urine all over your house it can get stinky a lot.
The best way to remove cat spray odors is preventing your cats from spraying everywhere but if it is too late, you can use some of our tips to regain control on your house’s scent.
- Locate the source
The first step after smelling that stinky odor of urine and getting mad on your cat is to locate where the crime happened. This is not as easy as it seems some spots can’t be observed by your naked eye as a small amount of cat spray is sprayed or it is just a hidden spot.
A black light can be very useful as chemical compounds in urine spark under it. You should mark these spots to easily find them when the lights are back on. The black light is normally found in a puppy store.
- Rub it down
After locating the crime scene precisely your first step should be to use paper or cloth towels to wipe up the spray. If it is too late and the urine is dry, pour a cup of cold water then wipe with the towels.
If there is a stain never rub it with cloth. You would rather impair it with water instead.
- Use the right cleanser
There are many products to help you remove the cat spray odor but the best we recommend here is an enzymatic cleaner. They can be found in many stores and once you follow the instructions on the bottle, it will degrade the chemicals causing the foul smell of urine. You can use vinegar as an alternative; you might also need to repeat the process several times, as those smells are known to be persistent.
- Don’t beat the kitty
After this mess, you will usually be pissed of your cat especially if this has been happening for a long time removing the cat spray odor is not so amusing after all, but here is the thing beating or yelling at your cat won’t help but it will worsen this habit, as one of the main causes is the stress. When you punish the cat, it will be more stressed and urinate more. The most probable cause of spraying is the desire to mate so you might solve these problems first with your vet. Another possible reason might be that your cat suffers from arthritis, which makes it more it difficult for the cat to get into litter box due to pain. Other conditions such as kidney diseases, diabetes, Feline lower urinary tract, bladder inflammation (cystitis).
- Some unexpected causes
While discussing the conditions causing the cats to spray, the most common ones are easy to eliminate but here are some out of the box reasons.
*A new cat/dog is in the house. Cats can get so jealous; make sure each one has its own box at first until they get along.
*A new baby in the house. The same jealousy rule applies; the cat will need extra cuddling and love.
*An old trauma associated with the litter box or its place. The cat will avoid any situation causing her discomfort even if it is physical or emotional, their mind can link the place or the tool with previous trauma.
- Change the behavior
Once you ruled out all other medical conditions then the problem, is mostly behavior and needs immediate intervention here is few tips.
*Add additional litter boxes in the house
*Change the types and shapes of existing ones
*Remove the cover of the box if present
*Reward the cat when it uses the box by a biscuit or so.
*Clean the box more often and change the litter frequently
- Introduce better scents
May be completely removing the odors of cat spray is difficult but adding other good smells can help accelerate the process too. Use ready air fresheners after cleaning thoroughly especially ones containing baking soda as it absorbs bad odors thanks to sodium bicarbonate component.
Use charcoal pieces, they are great at absorbing the odors anywhere and they can be put in the fridge to remove any unpleasant food smells keeping your food fresh and healthy.
