While I was out of town, my cat (who had a catsitter) peed all over our living room carpet. In the past, I've used store bought products, but I'm afraid to saturate the carpet now that I have a nine week old baby.
I've done searches on the internet, but I'm at my wit's end. :cry: Any suggestions??
AmorYbesos
12-16-2007, 06:39 PM
White vinegar is your only hope to curb the smell and not hurt your baby. Your house will smell like vinegar to start with but that will evaporate, hopefully neutralizing the kitty smell.
cassondruh
12-16-2007, 06:40 PM
the cattery where I live uses a fine mist bottle with water and lavender essential oil because lavender is calming. it keeps the cats from fighting and peeing all over their cat furniture because there are a lot of cats in the same room together so it can get pretty rowdy!
i've tried it myself, and i think it works fine (it definitely calms ME down after cleaning up cat pee from the carpet) but the only downside is you have to mist the area every couple of days for the scent to last.
i have 3 cats and noticed when the strays start hanging around our house, my cats pee inside the house more often. they are indoor/outdoor cats. also, if we ever get new furniture, they ALWAYS pee on it! and when my daughter was born and we got a baby room all set up, oh my gosh i thought i was going to make cat stew for dinner some nights because they went crazy in her room when we left the house. :stir: LOL
oh yeah, i was also going to mention catnip calms my cats down a LOT! my normally cranky cat is sweet and affectionate when i bring the catnip out. :)
oh... and before i forget, my mom taught me a great trick for if the cat pees on an article of clothing or blanket... make a baking soda paste with a little bit of water, and spread it completely over the area where the cat peed. wash the item normally, and then when that wash is done, add vinegar to the rinse and it will help get the odor out of that item of clothing!
i had to do that once when the cat peed on my FAVORITE onesie of DD's... LOL
i was so mad! but cats will be cats (ornery ones!)
hope this helps!! good luck!
cassondruh
12-16-2007, 06:44 PM
oops, i just read your other responses and realized i must have misunderstood the question... i thought you meant remedy to prevent the cat from peeing on things! doh!
yes, the white vinegar helps to get the cat pee smell out of the carpet!
i would say try the baking soda before the vinegar, but i don't know what kind of carpet you have (and it might ruin your carpet) so probably best to stick with the vinegar...
good luck!!
Watermama
12-16-2007, 10:04 PM
Thanks! I'll give the vinegar a go tonight -- the smell of vinegar is much better than the smell of cat pee!
CrunchyMama0607
12-16-2007, 10:17 PM
White vinegar is your only hope to curb the smell and not hurt your baby. Your house will smell like vinegar to start with but that will evaporate, hopefully neutralizing the kitty smell.
Ugh we dont even HAVE cats and a big square of my carpet smells just like cat pee so I tried the vinegar tonight and am hoping it works! GL momma :hugs:
marieliza
12-16-2007, 11:07 PM
Yes vinegar is the way to go. I have lots of experience:giggle:
I would finish it off with some baking soda. You can either just sprinkle it on and give it some time then vacuum or make a paste with Hydrogen peroxide and let that sit. I think you can still just vacuum it when you are done. You don't use that much peroxide that it is soaked.
I totally understand the pp about cat stew. I love my cats, but sometimes . . . lol, but I would never...
I've just learned to not leave bags and coats on the floor since that's what he likes.
Watermama
12-18-2007, 01:59 AM
Still waiting to see if the vinegar is working. . .The carpet is still damp, and I think I've become desensitized to the smells. The mail carrier stopped to deliver some packages, and I almost asked her to come in and take a whiff.:giggle:
drocker
12-18-2007, 02:05 AM
I hope the vinegar works for you. We use it when my sneaky little toy poodle pees. But I haven't found anything that can get the smell of cat pee out yet! That stuff is toxic!!! :yuck:
Nebula
12-20-2007, 09:15 AM
Having had a cattery (I used to breed and show Oriental Shorthairs, and I had a CFA certified Cattery of Excellence, which means it needed to be vet-inspected on a regular basis) and having had cats all my life, I can say with certainty: Vinegar doesn't work. It will deodorize well enough for your nose - it won't for the cat's, and you need to completely eradicate the scent for your cat or risk the cat returning to the spots it has peed in. The only way this can be done is with an enzyme based cleaner, since the natural enzymes eat the bacteria that cause cat pee stink. Fortunately, enzyme cleaners are also about the safest, greenest type of cleaner out there. They break down completely and usually all that's left over is scent from the citrus oils they usually put in there (you can buy unscented ones if the scent bothers you). My favorites are Nature's Miracle and OUT, but there are many others out there. Enzyme cleaners also work with any type of organic stain, so they're handy to have around with children in the house. :) If you're looking to actually get rid of the pee instead of just cover it up - I'd skip the vinegar. After a while the spot will start stinking again if you just use vinegar.
Also, make sure you get everywhere kitty has peed. Cat pee flouresces, so get yourself a black light, turn off the lights at night, and be prepared to go "ewwwww" at everything that lights up. :D Then go soak all that down with enzyme cleaner. Good luck!
Watermama
12-20-2007, 11:28 AM
Thank you. I just bought the biggest container of Nature's Miracle that the pet store sells, and there is a black light in the mail. I was planning on waiting until my LO was in bed, but will the fumes affect her enough to wait? The smell just seems to be taking over!
Nebula
12-20-2007, 01:03 PM
Nah, the fragrance shouldn't be much of a problem for LO, unless she just doesn't like it. The scent is strong at first but it will fade pretty quickly, and it doesn't come from heavy chemicals, just the fragrance oils they put in it. If you put it on over the vinegar it will smell stronger for a little while, and you might also smell the pee again while the enzymes are at work. Make sure you really saturate where kitty got - it needs to get the pad and the wood under the carpet too. But don't be too put off by the smell - it will work and get much better, I promise! :D
va703
12-21-2007, 08:02 AM
Ditto the Nature's Miracle....it worked well for us.
