If you have a cat, it is quite possible that you have sometimes found a puddle of urine on the floor. Cat urine can stain surfaces and leave a pungent odor. Do not worry, however, because depending on the age of the animal and the type of floor there are different preventive and cleaning techniques.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Cleaning the Wooden Floor
Step 1. Dry the stained area
If the urine is still fresh, you can use an absorbent cloth and wipe off all traces. Use adequate pressure to absorb all the moisture. If necessary, use several cloths to collect as much liquid as possible.
- You can also get some paper towels, but make sure they are enough to dry the area as much as possible.
- Always have rags on hand, as long as the cat continues to urinate outside the litter box.
Step 2. Choose a chemical cleaner that is suitable for your specific case
There are different types of chemical products on the market and you have to look for the most suitable one for your situation, based on the type of wood and the severity of the damage. Test the product in a small, hidden area of the parquet before applying it all over the stain to make sure it is safe for the finish of the wood and will not cause worse damage.
Step 3. Use a cleansing product specifically designed for cat urine
You can do a search online or go to the pet store to find some special products that eliminate odor and prevent pets from peeing in the same place again; be careful, though, as some may leave a stale smell, unless you clean thoroughly after use.
Step 4. Use a 3% solution of water and hydrogen peroxide
Dampen a rag or paper towel with this solution and place it on the stain, covering it completely. Leave the cleaning mixture on for a couple of hours or overnight, depending on the severity of the stain.
- Make sure the rag or towel doesn't dry out. Check the stained area frequently and apply more hydrogen peroxide if it gets dry. Optionally, you can also cover the area with a plastic sheet, sealing it with tape around the edges.
- After a few hours, wipe off the excess liquid with an absorbent material such as baking soda or litter sand. First, remove the paper towel, then cover the area with a solution that eliminates both moisture and odor, just like baking soda or cat litter.
- Once the moisture and odor have been completely eliminated, remove any residual baking soda, litter or other material and wait for the parquet to dry.
Step 5. Use a more concentrated blend of 3% hydrogen peroxide, dish soap and a pinch of baking soda
If the stain is small, be sure to pour hydrogen peroxide only on the limited area, checking every 10 minutes and wiping off excess moisture as soon as the halo disappears
Step 6. Use a whitening solution of hydrogen peroxide and sodium hydroxide
Sometimes you can find this mixture ready on the market, but in other cases you will have to prepare it yourself. Keep in mind, though, that this solution tends to discolor the wood, so be aware of this "side effect".
Follow the directions carefully. The two components must be mixed together, so always read the warnings and instructions on the packaging, as these are very aggressive chemicals. You should wear rubber gloves and safety glasses to prepare the mixture and be sure to work in a well-ventilated area
Step 7. Make a solution of warm water and 25-30% white vinegar if you don't want to buy commercial cleaners
The vinegar neutralizes the ammonia responsible for the smell of cat urine. In addition, it is an environmentally friendly alternative, replacing the more aggressive and polluting chemicals.
Step 8. Retract the wood
Urine odor may have entered the wood, so it may be necessary to eliminate the damage and odor by sanding the area and reprocessing the floor surface. Sand down the wood and apply a coat of finish or varnish using a paintbrush.
- Consult a professional for advice on the type of sandpaper to use, depending on the type of wood and the depth to which the urine has penetrated.
- Use a paint that is the same shade as the wood of the parquet.
- Contact the company that laid the flooring for you because it could sell products to "touch up" and finish some areas that may show defects over time; in this way you can restore the parquet.
- Once the stain has been thoroughly cleaned, you can consider applying a new finishing layer, in order to prevent the urine from being absorbed deeply on future occasions.
Step 9. Repeat the procedure
It may take several tries to get rid of the stain completely. If you smell urine but can't locate the source, get a black light lamp, or Wood lamp. Sometimes urine enters deep into the underlying layer of the floor and cannot be eliminated without replacing the parquet. If you decide for this solution, remember to seal the surface with a specific product.
- Apply a special odor remover, which you can find in pet stores. Look for one that contains enzymes to kill bacteria as well.
- Make sure that the smell disappears completely, so that the cat is not tempted to go back to urinating in the same place.
Part 2 of 2: Prevent the Cat Urinating in Unwanted Places
Step 1. Know the causes
Cats urinate outside the litter box for two main reasons: to mark territory by spraying the environment or to hide feces with a large amount of urine. When cats want to eliminate excrement they look for a horizontal surface and for this purpose the floor is perfect.
If you have multiple cats in your home, make sure they have distinct and individual spaces for them to stay
Step 2. Make your cat feel safer in her environment
Kittens tend to urinate around more often when they feel the need to appropriate territory. They often raise their tails to do this and spray urine on vertical spaces such as walls.
- This is their way of communicating to other specimens of the same species that they are ready to mate. To solve this problem you should spay or neuter your cat.
- Close the windows, shutters and doors so that the cat inside the house cannot see other cats outside and does not feel threatened, otherwise it will start marking territory.
- Be especially vigilant, especially if the animal has recently been in a new environment. Train him to use the litter box before it becomes a habit to urinate outside the litter box.
- Activate a motion detection device on the lawn sprinkler and place it near windows or doors to prevent other cats in the neighborhood from approaching the house.
Step 3. Get a suitable litter box
Cats are naturally very clean and demanding pets, so if you provide your kitty with a clean and comfortable litter box, you can prevent them from urinating on the floor. The ideal container should measure one and a half times the length of the cat. You also need to make sure that there is enough space around for the pet to move and turn around once its needs are finished.
- Do not use a covered litter box. The cat may feel trapped and the smell may remain in the container preventing the air from drying out the sand. Also, if there are several cats in the house, a closed litter box limits the escape routes for one cat in case another approaches. A cat can therefore avoid entering a covered litter box if it fears that another may ambush it.
- Take a container with the edges not too high, so that the cat can enter it comfortably. This is even more important if the animal is elderly.
Step 4. Remember that as a general rule you should have one litter box for each cat, plus one
Therefore, if you have two cats, you should have 3, for 3 cats 4 litter boxes and so on.
If you have multiple floors in your home, make sure you have a litter box on each floor. Think about it: if you lived in a 5-storey apartment, would you like to have to go down to the first one to go to the bathroom?
Step 5. Choose the right location to put the litter box
Make sure it is in a place that is suitable for your kitty's needs. Just because you want to keep a certain arrangement of your home decor doesn't mean the cat fits your wishes. If you see that he tends to pee always in the same place, it is certainly advisable to put the litter box in it and then eventually move it gradually to the point you prefer.
- Choose a position that is safe and comfortable for the cat. Do not place the litter box near food, in a damp basement, in a closet or near an appliance that could scare the cat.
- If multiple cats live in your home, place the different litter boxes in different places and don't put them in a single room, as some cats may not use it to avoid other cats.
- Make sure that there is always a litter box for each cat and an extra one in reserve. If you have only one cat but live in a multi-story apartment, place a container on each floor.
Step 6. Keep the litter box thoroughly clean
At a minimum, you should wipe off dirt twice a day and wash the entire container once a month. If you don't want to flush your feces daily, make sure you at least clean the litter box thoroughly once a week.
- Do not use too strong smelling cleaners, as your cat may not like it and avoid using the litter box. When cleaning it, use very diluted bleach with hot water or a similarly diluted solution of dish soap.
- Choose the type of sand. Cats prefer an odorless, sand-like substrate for its softness and ease of burrowing and covering droppings. Remember that they do not like perfumed products, because they have a very sensitive sense of smell and their mucous membranes could be irritated.
- Studies have found that cats prefer a loose, clumping, neutral-smelling sand that contains activated charcoal.
- Always fill the container with a layer of sand of at least 9-10 cm and replace it regularly every time you clean the litter box.
- Be well informed about modern self-cleaning litter boxes, because they have many drawbacks, as their mechanism could scare the cat or even get clogged easily. The major drawback, however, remains the fact that these models do not allow you to check the health of the animal through its feces, as it is eliminated before it can be analyzed.
Step 7. Make sure your cat feels comfortable
There can be many factors that create stress for your cat and prevent them from using the litter box properly, such as a move, renovations, the presence of new cats and any kind of sudden change in their routine. Try to manage these environmental factors in the best possible way, in order to guarantee the cat the best sense of safety and comfort possible in its territory.
- Observe the dynamics between the various cats in the house. Conflicts between the different specimens can also be factors responsible for abnormal urination behavior, especially if the fights between them take place in areas close to the litter boxes, which triggers a negative association with these containers in the cats.
- Do not punish your cat for urinating outside the litter box. The punishment will not only trigger the cat to fear you, but it will lead him to believe that urinating will get him into trouble. This is why it is counterproductive to punish a cat that pees outside its litter box.
Step 8. Contact your vet
If the problem does not go away, the doctor may have your cat undergo a physical exam and analyze his urine to see if there is a pathology behind his problem. Urinary tract infections and kidney problems are quite common diseases, which can cause changes in the normal urination of the animal.
Your cat's age can also be a factor in her pee problems; moreover, the older the cat, the more the urine stinks
Advice
- Baking soda can get rid of the odor, but it can't get rid of the stain.
- Contact a professional if you decide to change the floor.
- Make sure you always read the labels on every product you buy to make sure it's safe for you and your cat.
