vinegar and water for pee cleanup??? HELP

I have started reading the LONG thread on problems with peeing outside of the litter, but what I really need to know is : can I use vinegar and water to clean up pee smell on couch, or should I save time and go buy Nok-Off? Zorra had an accident (probably due to steroid injection/couldn't find her litter) on the couch. I used 'pet' baking soda to blot up excess, but smell is there and this is my just-paid-off fancy stuff! My sister thinks vinegar and water will work just as well as store bought, but I don't want to try a million different ideas- so what's the best? I know you guys are expert kitty people and can help

If you don't get something that will break down the enzymes and get rid of the smell that the cat can smell, then the cat will return to the same spot about every 3 days to freshen their mark. The vinegar will mask the odor, but the Nok-Out, or Nature's Miracle will break down the urine enzymes and wipe it all away.

I had a friend try the Nature's Miracle and it didn't work for her. I've been dealing with my cat peeing on the carpet for months and between the 2 of us we have tried everything on the market and nothing has worked. I even asked my vet if he sold something that would help and he said there's nothing that will take the smell out a 100%. After finding this board I also read the thread and told my friend about the vodka. She tried it and says her cat hasn't sprayed on her futon (sp) since she put the vodka on his spot. I've also put it on my carpet spots and I also found a ton of stuff with citrus smells,plugins and citrus magic carpet sprinkle stuff. I can't say if it is or isn't working because I had ordered this thing called Scraminal Device and it came in the same day I used the vodka and citrus smelling stuff. But I can say the Scraminal Device is working great.

this is what it is: SCRAMINAL USES HEAT & MOTION SENSORS to detect pets as they enter off-limit areas. It then emits a series of short, high-pitched beeps, which repel your pet and train it to stay away. The unit automatically resets to guard against the next intrusion.

My cat had a UTI which was treated and cured but I think she feel into habit about peeing in 1 corner of my dining room. Now she can't get to it.

I'd try the vodka first, I bought the cheap cheap stuff.

Yes the vodka works as well, the cheaper the better it works- go figure!

I was at Walmart and they had some stuff called Out! (I assume it is the generic NokOff) and I bought it. IT WORKED 100%! I just saturated the area like I would do with Febreeze and as soon as it dried, no more pee smell. It does have a permume scent, but only if get right down there and sniff . Yeah I saved the couch!!

you caould also use something that has a scent of orange, cats really hate thiis smell, and wont go anywhere near it

well, the saga has gotten worse. AGAIN I was wrong- it wasn't Zorra, but Shadow that was peeing. I know because I found pee on my bed when she was with me in the living room, and then, I kept her closed in the bedroom while I was out and found more pee on the couch!!! So, Shadow is the culprit after all. I new he had a history of peeing, but since we've had him over a year with no problems, I thought I was just a fabulous mom. Apparently bringing a new kitty AND not allowing him to go outside has put him over the edge. I am so upset. I have read all the threads on peeing in house and I know there are some tricks to deter him, but this poor guy has had a rough life. We decided to let himout to make him happy and he refuses to come in. It is pouring outside and the door is propped open just in case, but I am freaking out. He has been in several states and MANY homes, and I wanted to give him a forever place to be happy. I am struggling with guilt and also mad that by helping another kitty who needed a home I have upset him and caused this behavior. Sorry for babbling I am to the point of tears over this.

Well, I have been battling the peeing too, and the carpet in our new house is now ruined. We moved into a house with several cats of our own and there were two that lived here before. Here's what a breeder of pugs told me to do (I haven't tried it yet). I bought a carpet shampooer. He said to get a good natural odor remover from the pet supply. He said that if I add LOTS of rubbing alcohol into the water with the natural stuff that it will take it out. I have to admit (even though dog pee doesn't seems to be as bad as cat pee) that his house had NO SIGNS of pet odor and he had 8 week old puppies. I'm optomistic.... Vodka huh? Sounds like it's along the same lines as the rubbing alcohol....

I tried the rubbing alcohol....it doesn't work......do the vodka. Heck put it in the carpet shampoo machine.... just buy lots of vodka.

I bought a new kind of cleaner and it is alcohol based! I just couldn't waste $5 on a cheap bottle of vodka, I had to buy pet store stuff for $10.00 . It does help deter, I haven't had any peeing in the spots I used it on. Then again, don't listen to me, I still can't figure out who the culprit is. I was positive it was Shadow, but he has been downstairs for the night while I found more on the dogs bed, so either I was wrong again, or I have 2 culprits. First the couch, then our bed, now the poor dogs bed. I wish this was a medical issue. At least that's something I could fix! Nope, I had to rescue two emotionallly disturbed cats

Have you taken both cats in to be specifically tested for a urinary tract infection? A normal vet exam will not detect UTIs...they actually have to express (or use a needle to extract) urine and then test the urine for the presence of blood. If they have not been tested for UTIs, please have them tested right away. (Stress can cause UTIs, so the more stress a cat is experiencing, the more likely he is to have a UTI.)

I have found Nok-Out to work better than anything else. It is amazing. Make sure that if you use an enzymatic cleanser (such as Nok-Out, Nature's Miracle, or Out) after having tried any other type of cleanser, that you first pre-treat with a baking-soda and water mixture to remove the acidity of the previous cleansers. If you do not do this, the enzymes that "eat" the old urine will not be able to do their job. Also, make sure that you completely saturate the area that was peed upon. The cleanser has to reach all areas the urine touched, so it may take a good amount if the cat peed on furniture or padded carpets.

Good luck!

Hey Shena...welcome to the site...have you read through this post:

http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9563

It may have some suggestions that you can use. Otherwise..check back....other members will probably give further suggestions.

Katie

Originally Posted by hissy

Yes the vodka works as well, the cheaper the better it works- go figure!

Click to expand...

When are black lab was sick towards the end of her life, she would 'leak' and became incontinent. The vodka was what we used and it worked great.


When we first brought Chaos into our home, she was a kitten and it was about September. Well that Christmas we were going to NC to visit my grandparents and we were packing our stuff. Chaos has always been a clingy cat, and she knew something was up. She was sitting on my mothers bed while my mother closed her suitcase. And mom leaned over and petted her and told her goodbye. Chaos looked her straight in the eye, maintained eye contact, and squatted and peed right on the comforter. I thought my mother was going to kill. We had to wash the comforter and we almost missed our plane becuase of it.

I know this has probably already been suggested by other people in other threads, but I think it is worth mentioning anyway. Sometimes a cat in a new home (cats are often just as attached to their homes as they are to their people) or even after any event that they consider stressful, you may not even know what is was, this behavior can pop up. I have often found a few days of re-training by confining the cat to a small room, such as the bathroom, with a clean litterbox, food and water dishes away from the litterbox, and a comfy cardboard box with a blanket in it to sleep in, will do the trick. They like to keep their living area clean, and if they only have a small area, they will *in most cases* use the litter consistently and it just gives them some time to reinforce natural behavior. Lots of attention, and treats, and love, and after a few days let them roam again and see what happens. It may not work, but if you think it's some kind of emotional reaction this idea often gives them a little reassurance, and the more the use the litterbox without any territory marking the more you are pleased with them and they can sense this.