Well, I just watched in stunned amazement as one of my normally very clean cats decided to pee on one of our bathroom throw rugs. I’ve never seen this happen before.
Due to some upheaval in our lives, the litter box wasn’t as clean as normal. I assume that’s what prompted the move. So, I know the preventative measure is to clean clean clean the litter box. But what about the rug?
We’re going to wash the rug in question. (Duh.) This should get rid of the smell for us, but what about to the cat’s sensitive noses? With puppies, I’ve always scrubbed the area (tile, linoleum or carpet) with vinegar. I’ve never had the option of just tossing the peed on rug in a washer. Should I throw in some vinegar with the wash? Is there something else I should try?
Is it hopeless, and I should throw the rug away, because we’ll never get the smell of “this is an okay place to pee” gone enough to discourage the cats?
You can throw the rig in the wash, and see if that helps. If you don’t feel confident that it’s enough, try an enzyme-based cleaner such as Simple Solution; you can get it at ooet supply stores like Petco and PetSmart.
Then again, I’m a dog owner. Dog pee doesn’t smell that much different than people pee. Cat pee, on the other hand, is truly nasty.
I’ve never found anything, although there are dozens of comercial odor removers which claim they do. I’m hoping someone wanders by who has.
We also have a bathmat-lurving kitty. What I can’t figure out is why he’ll pee on any bathmat I purchase within minutes, but leave the identical freakin’ toilet rug alone. Makes no sense. Cat needs a lobotomy.
The main thing you want here is an enzymatic solution. Nature’s Miracle, mentioned by Counterpunctual is one. I happen to like “Outright”, but same idea. You can find several types at your local pet store.
The difference is that the enzyme-based solutions will actually break down the organic material causing the smell. Regular cleaners or odor-removers just won’t do the trick, usually.