Cats 1, Couch 0 - Please Help!

About a month ago I adopted some cats (2) from a very stressful home. As suggested here, I bought some Feliway to help ease their nerves, and now they aren't quite as "fraidey" as they used to be. They are friendly to me and will even approach guests, and will meow and love to be petted. They are sweet cats, but there is a problem.

One of them (or both, I don't know) seems to think the couch is also a litter box. The real litter box is being used and cleaned every day, so I am taking both to the vet on Friday to check for UTI. At this point I don't think the peeing is stress related.

I have tried very hard to "decontaminate" my couch, dousing it with Nature's Miracle, yet the peeing continues. I am afraid I will never be able to eliminate the pee smell 100%, which means I either need a new couch (since the cats will smell the pee and continue to "use the couch") or to find the cats a new home.

Do I have any other options? Any suggestions for more thorough cleaning of my couch? I really want to keep these cats, especially since they are warming up to people, but the couch situation is embarrassing (since I can't have guests over) and makes me uncomfortable (uncleanliness).

Help! I am so frustrated right now; I grew up with cats and have never experienced this problem before

Not sure I will be much help but I would opt for the cats over a sofa any day I am in the process of trying to furnish my place on a budget but am worried about getting a used sofa just for this reason. I may not smell anything but Sebastian surely would and would mark it appropriately.

Please do keep the cats. I am sure someone with more experience in this will be along soon to help with cleaning ideas Welcome!

Originally Posted by Bonnie1965

Not sure I will be much help but I would opt for the cats over a sofa any day

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I understand where you're coming from, and I really want to keep them, but owning cats shouldn't impact my social life. I understand that my lifestyle needs to be accommodating to the needs of cats (feeding, cleaning, socializing) but it shouldn't impede upon my interactions with other people.

I like having guests, and I (and my guests) like using my couch. I'm in an apartment, so the only "gathering area" is the livingroom with the couch, tv, etc... I also don't want to invite people over and have my house smell like pee.

I've had cats before, and inappropriate peeing has never been an issue. I don't think I am being unreasonable, am I?

bumping this up, hoping someone can offer some help

Thanks for the advice! Here is an update on the situation:

I've moved the couch to my balcony - it's too big to move into another room (won't fit through the door), so it's the only way I can isolate it from the cats. Since moving it, they have used their box normally and have not had any other "accidents."

Speaking briefly with a vet tech on the phone, she said if the cat(s) has a UTI they tend not to eat as much, don't want to play, and are lethargic. Both of my cats have healthy appetites, play with me and themselves, and have plenty of energy. I am still taking them in tomorrow, but I really feel like the issue is behavioral. Since I was unable to properly clean the couch, I'm betting they thought it was an ok spot to pee.

I've been using Nature's Miracle on the couch, and since it's away from the cats it can properly dry. I will be steam cleaning it this weekend, and when it is dry again I'll use some Feliway and cover the cushions with a carpet runner to discourage the cats from jumping on it.

Does this sound like a good plan? All other suggestions are welcome!