How To Stop Your Cat From Peeing In The House

A cat that pees in the house does so because of a medical or behavioral reason. A kidney or bladder infection is the most common cause. Your cat should be checked out by your vet to exclude any medical issues. If your cat's problem is behavioral, you'll need to find out why he is misbehaving. Any kind of stress can make your cat stop using his litter box. If you have recently moved, had a new baby or have introduced another pet; all these actions can cause your cat to feel threatened.

When your cat starts peeing in the house, his litter box should be considered. All too often, we ignore the obvious. You rush your cat to the vet fearing the worst, only to find out that the problem is the litter box. A cat that is unhappy with his box will stop using it. Think about it: would you use a dirty, smelly toilet? Of course not. Cats are very clean animals and some of them are extremely finicky about their litter boxes.

The problem could be a different litter, dirty box, location, or sharing with another cat. If you have multiple cats, they each should have their own litter box. A cat that has been declawed will have special needs when it comes to litter. You may need to switch to paper litter that is softer on his delicate paws. Make sure the litter box is cleaned daily. Sometimes all it takes is changing to a new litter, getting a new box or moving the box to another part of the house.

Once you've isolated the reason your cat is peeing in the house, you can change his behavior. This will take time. It's not an overnight solution. There are a number of reasons your cat is anxious. If there is a new cat in the house, give them separate litter boxes. Allow them to be kept apart until they are comfortable with each other. If your cat is spooked by a new baby, give him time to get used to the child.

Pay extra attention to your cat and praise him often. Remind him that he is loved and an important part of the family. Moving to a new home is a big change in your cat's life. He could be stressed by the move. He could also be reacting to the scent of a former tenants pet. This will cause your cat to start peeing in a certain spot. To stop this, you need to completely remove the odor so your cat won't want to leave his scent.

There are several ways to stop your cat from peeing in the house. First, you must remove the odor from your home. Your cat will keep returning to that area if he can pick up the scent. Urine should be cleaned up as soon as possible. Wipe up the mess with a paper towel and then clean it. A good disinfectant and odor neutralizer is highly recommended. Don't use any ammonia type of disinfectant. Your cat will think it's urine and continue peeing in that area. Orange cleaning spray works well. Cats dislike the smell of citrus and will avoid it. A home remedy I use is homemade citrus cleaner made with orange peels. You can also use a good old fashioned warm water and vinegar solution. Both are inexpensive and green alternatives to chemical heavy cleaning products.

To make sure you get all of the urine off the floor, use a black light. Even if you can't smell the urine, your cat can. A black light will show everything, even in spots you didn't know about. Consider moving another litter box to the problem area. You can also move your cat's food and water dish. A cat won't pee where he eats. Aluminum foil is another option. Cover the spot where your cat has peed with the foil. Cats don't like the sound or texture and will avoid it.

I have a homemade recipe for cleaning cat urine. I usually use a vinegar solution or a citrus spray. I prefer vinegar because it's better for the environment and better for me. If you have anyone in your home with breathing problems, harsh cleaning products can make things worse.

Vinegar Solution
Use a ordinary squirt bottle. Mix 3 parts water to 1 part vinegar. First, clean up the urine on the floor. Use paper towels or anything else you are willing to throw away. Spray the effected area and let sit for a few minutes. This works better on hardwood or tile floors but you can use this on carpet as well. Soak up the vinegar solution with paper towels. Allow the floor to become completely dry. If you are in a hurry, turn a small fan on the area and it should be dry in a couple of minutes. Once the floor is dry, Sprinkle baking soda over the effected area. Use hydrogen peroxide and some dish soap (doesn't matter which brand) and pour over top of the baking soda. Use a scrub brush to scour the floor. This will kill all the bacteria that has been left behind in the cat's urine. After you have scrubbed the area thoroughly, soak up the mixture with paper towels and allow to dry. This is the best method I have found to remove cat urine. It's also very cheap. Vinegar, baking soda, and peroxide you can buy for less than five dollars.

Cats hate the smell of citrus. I don't know why but they do. I have been making homemade cleaning products for years, long before it was cool to be "green". This solution won't remove the urine smell. It is mainly used to keep a cat away from a certain area. I have used this outdoors many times to keep feral cats away from my garden. I love my stray kittehs but I don't want them digging up my garden. This is safe to use in your home as well.

Homemade Citrus Solution
Boil two cups of water in a pan. Add orange, lemon, and/or tangerine peelings (about 1 cup). Let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool. Once it is cool, pour into a spray bottle. Add 2 teaspoons lemon juice and a squirt of dish soap (preferably lemon scented). Shake to mix well. You can use this spray on furniture, walls, or parts of the floor you want the cat to avoid.