Cat Urine Odor-can it be Removed

The cat population in America is more than 75 million, and anyone who owns a cat knows that stains and smells from cat urine odor can be a problem. Cat urine that seeps through carpet, into padding and down to the floor beneath can give your home an unpleasant aroma and bad look. In almost all cases, cat urine is the worst perpetrator for cat stains and cat odors.

When cats urinate as a means of elimination, they normally do it on a horizontal or flat surface like the ground or in a litter box. When cats spray in order to mark their territory, they turn their backsides to the object, twitch their tails and spray urine on the vertical surface.

The cat's urine is an amber-colored liquid waste fluid excreted by the kidneys and is composed of waste products of protein metabolism. The color of cat urine and its staining potential will often depend on dietary habits, age and sex of the cat, whether the cat is on medication, and the health of the cat. It can saturate absorbent materials such as padding, upholstery and mattresses.

Cat urine odor and other pet area odor problems result from ammonia, gases emitted from urine and feces. Left untreated these pet odors can increase in concentration resulting in health problems for animals and humans alike. Studies have shown that even low levels of ammonia can cause damage to the respiratory tract, high rates of pneumonia, reduced weight gains and excess stress on cats.

Cat urine has a distinctive and unpleasant odor that can saturate furniture and carpeting. Even litter-trained cats can spray when stressed or upset.  Cats who develop frequent spraying should be taken to the veterinarian to determine if a medical cause is behind the increased spraying. No matter why a cat sprays urine, the odor is strong and pungent. Removing cat urine odor is often a difficult task for the cat owner but it can be accomplished.

Before you start, if you are having problems locating where your cat has urinated or sprayed use a black light. The offending area will show up using this method. Many products are on the market to remove cat urine odors but all are not equal.  Cat owners who want to use a professional product should ask a veterinarian for a recommendation.  Cat urine odor can also be removed with common household items and some old-fashioned cleansing.