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Problem with constant carpet peeing

1K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  spirite 
#1 ·
Hi,
We have four adult cats, all of which have been spayed/neutered.

Somehow at least one of them has become more comfortable with peeing on the deep-pile carpet upstairs than using the litter boxes.

We've used at least four different sprays, including "Resolve", but the smell remains. This of course leads to the cats peeing repeatedly in the same spots.

We have a Bissell upright rug shampooer with a hand nozzle, and I've even used that. I've just spent at least two hours cleaning the affected areas (basically against one full wall), and it still smells.

I even had a commercial company come and professionally clean the carpet some time ago. It was better for a while afterwards, but they've peed again.

We have one litter box for each cat, but there appears to be one point where the carpet upstairs is cleaner/better option than the litter boxes. I'm extremely diligent with the litter boxes, but it's possible sometimes they're more messy than they should be for a small period of time.

I'm really inclined to give up the cats now. We just can't afford to have the carpet professionally cleaned again, and I can't figure out how to do it on my own.

Is there a method for identifying where specifically the smell is coming from? Perhaps ultraviolet? Perhaps there's a foolproof spray available that's better than Resolve and the "Top Seller" on Amazon?

We were also thinking of purchasing one of the RugDoctor cleaners, like the ones that are rented in the supermarket...
 
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#2 ·
I'm going to be honest here... it sounds like the urine has probably permeated the carpet padding and below and won't come out with cleaning. It'll need to be replaced to fully eradicate the odors depending on how bad it is.

Have these cats been fully examined by a veterinarian with a urinalysis done? The majority of the time inappropriate urination is due to a health condition. It's better to prevent the urinating than to constantly clean it. I see a lot of concern regarding the carpet but nothing mentioning the cats themselves...

Once health issues are ruled out by a veterinarian and proper tests have been ran... you can look into different litter types, different types of litter boxes, different locations, etc.

I'm slightly concerned that the idea of giving up four cats is mentioned...
 
#3 ·
I'm going to be honest here... it sounds like the urine has probably permeated the carpet padding and below and won't come out with cleaning. It'll need to be replaced to fully eradicate the odors depending on how bad it is.
There may be some truth to that. I've also thought that in the past. I made a lot of progress in the last few hours with cleaning the carpet, however. I used our existing Bissell machine again, with more cleaning solution and changed the water nearly a dozen times. We'll see how it goes in the morning. I'm also looking into ordering a blacklight to view the treated area, to try to reveal the affected areas.

Have these cats been fully examined by a veterinarian with a urinalysis done? The majority of the time inappropriate urination is due to a health condition. It's better to prevent the urinating than to constantly clean it. I see a lot of concern regarding the carpet but nothing mentioning the cats themselves...
All four cats are rescues. They were fully examined by a vet as kittens, and a few times over the years (their ages are 17, 5, and the twins are nearly 3). Are there any other symptoms of a UTI, or just that they pee in inappropriate places?

Once health issues are ruled out by a veterinarian and proper tests have been ran... you can look into different litter types, different types of litter boxes, different locations, etc.
I also think the litter type is an issue. We just changed to scoopable, and I think that's made a large difference, particularly the name-brand we're now using instead of the cheaper store brand.

I'm slightly concerned that the idea of giving up four cats is mentioned...
Don't be concerned. I'm just really frustrated. I've had cats all my life. I've attached a picture of Havoc, our middle kitty and my fav.
 

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#4 ·
I would get a quart of Nature's Miracle for cat urine and saturate those areas thoroughly. You can use a turkey injector to squirt it into the padding, too. 100% of the smell (to the cat's nose) must be eliminated and frankly a spray won't work. All it does is clean the fibers - not the backing or the padding. The NM is an enzyme cleaner specifically designed for cat urine elimination and it works.
 
#7 ·
Try to add one more litter box. It would be preferable to have the boxes scattered in different areas of your house, if you have them all in one place now. Some cats will bully another when it comes to use the litter box, or if it's in a small room feel trapped, so then cat ends up peeing on the carpet. Try and be more diligent in scooping---twice a day is a minimum--give your cats no excuse to use the carpet. I've used the Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter for a good result when one of my cats decided to urinate outside the box and had no medical issues. Sprinkle liberally on the top layer of your present litter may do the trick. Most often inappropriate urination is the result of territorial marking. Has there been any stress in the household or changes.....new person, new routine, renovations, new cats outside the house. If your cats are strictly indoor, they can smell the marking of outdoor cats--houses are not airtight and cats have a very keen sense of smell. If something's changed in the friendship of your cats, you may need to offer more vertical space----cat trees, shelving, etc. to give them more "territory". More play sessions with wand toys like "Da Bird" or teasers with feathers. If some cats are shy to play with other, give it an individual session away from the others. Hope some of these suggestions are of help.
 
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