Cat Urine Odor Removal

You've soaked, scrubbed, and shampooed, the affected cat urine area of your home over and over again but nothing really works.  Right?  Some days are fine; some days aren't, and humid days are like living in a litter box.  

Like everything else, there is a logical explanation for your cat urine odor woes.  

Understanding cat urine odor so you can remove it

Cat urine, like people urine, is made up of three major parts:

1. Urea - what makes cat urine sticky
2. Urochrome - what makes cat urine yellow
3. Uric Acid - contains the cat urine odors and is hardest to remove

Uric Acid is the culprit and the key to effectively removing cat urine odor. Uric Acid crystallizes in and below the affected area, meaning, unlike most dirt, it isn't just clinging to the fibers. It has actually chemically bonded to them.  So, you can't use a soap or detergent to rid yourself of the odor, you must use a chemical or enzyme to eat away at the Uric Acid crystals in order to effectively remove the cat urine odor.  

Detergents, shampoos and soaps WILL get rid of Urea and Urochrome, and when dry, humans won't be able to smell the Uric Acid, which is why you will have good days and bad days in the affected area.  On humid or rainy days when the Uric Acid is able to absorb moisture, the cat urine odor will be as strong as the day you first noticed it.  

Unlike you, your cats can pick up the scent whether the acid is dry or wet, and they will use that scent to instinctively mark the spot again and again.    

Cat urine odor removal instructions 

1. Your first plan of action should be to apply water to the affected area, wet or dry.  The plan is to wet the area and then soak up anything possible before applying a cat urine remover to finish to job. 
2. After wetting, cover the affected area with a paper towel or other absorbent cloth.  
3. Next, apply weight to the towels py pressing down with your hands for 30 seconds each.  Do not stand on the  towels!  The urine odor will stick to your feet and you will track it throughout the house, spreading the odor which your cat uses to mark his or her territory.
4. Repeat Steps 1 & 2.
5. Spray the area with enzymatic or chemical cat urine odor remover and allow time to air dry
6. Repeat steps 1 & 2 to remove the enzymatic cleaner. 
7. Resume loving your cat.

Prevention

For more information on how to stop your cat from peeing outside of the litter box in the future take a look at some of these resources:

1. Our Quick Summary
   We give a quick breakdown of reasons why your cat may be peeing outside of the litter box, with a few known solutions.
2. Liz Barton' Comprehensive Guide
   Liz Barton, an acclaimed cat trainer out of Texas, sells a comprehensive guide covering this and other cat behavior issues that we  recommend for particularly trying kitties.
3. Xmission.com Guide
   A guide similar to ours which answers the question of why the cat is not using the litter box.