Expert: Dear Tabbi - 10/2/2008

Question
My cats are 6 years old and have always had a problem using the litter box. My male cat defecates on carpeted areas and my female cat urinates on carpeted areas. My husband wants to get rid of them but I am hoping that we can fix it because it is becoming a big problem.

Answer
Tiffany,

There could be a number of reasons the cat are doing that. If the cats have been doing it for 6 years it is now a habit and what they are used to.

A lot of times it is their way of telling you that they are upset at something. Is the litterbox in an open area? Some cats prefer privacy. Try moving the box to another area. Try have more litterboxes too. Are you not playing with them or giving them as much attention as you used to? Also try a bigger litterbox with deeper litter. Or try some children's play sand one time. You can get it at Home Depot or other building supply store. Some cats do not like the feel of the litter and won't use it.

You may want to have the vet check them for a medical issue. If they have pain from something being wrong when they defecate or urinate in the litterbox they may go elsewhere because they would associate that pain with the litterbox.

Here are some links that may be helpful also regarding improper elimination:
(copy and paste, or type the whole link into your address bar)


http://www.geocities.com/heartland/pointe/9352/litterboxhelp.html

http://www.apbc.org.uk/article10.htm

http://cats.about.com/cs/behavioralissues/a/outsidebox_two.htm

This may also be helpful for you:

Here is a 'receipe' for cat urine odor removal:

1 quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide
1/4 cup baking soda
1 teaspoon of liquid soap

(3% hydrogen peroxide can be bought at most grocery and drug stores in pint and quart bottles).

Gently mix all ingredients in a non-metal container. Do not mix or shake vigorously!

The mixture is best used when fresh but can be stored. Do not keep mixture in an airtight container.  Have a VERY loose lid as baking soda and hydrogen peroxide when mixed together will release oxygen and an airtight container will explode. You can mix and keep it in large spray bottle (Home Depot, etc.) but a plastic liter or 2-liter soda bottle works just a well.

Always test for color-fastness. Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent in stronger concentrations and can lighten materials that are not color-fast.

HOW TO REMOVE CAT URINE ODOR FROM CARPETS

FOR INDIVIDUAL URINE SPOTS ON CARPET:
If fresh, sop up as much cat urine as you can with a paper towel first. Use a spray bottle to saturate the spot completely with the recipe - do not blot. The recipe must penerate the padding and possibly the floor boards underneath, where the urine has penerated for it to work.

Wait 24-48 hours until dry then vacuum. If the urine odor is still present - repeat the procedure. It usually takes 2-3 applications to completely neutralize the cat urine odor.

FOR LARGE AREAS OF CARPET:

You can use a carpet cleaning machine - one of your own or a rental and use the recipe instead of the shampoo. You will have to make several gallons of the recipe depending on the size of the carpet. Don't use the vacuum part of the machine - you will want to let the solution soak and dry for 24-48 hours before vacuuming.

Most carpet cleaning machines are not made for this use, and baking soda can clog the nozzles of the machine so use caution. Instead, you can use a 1 gallon garden bug sprayer (Home Depot, etc.). Rinse the nozzle out frequently by filling the tank with hot water and spraying it in the bathtub until the nozzle is clear.

If using the sprayer saturate the entire carpet with the recipe, let dry for about 24-48 hours and vacuum. You will have to probably repeat the procedure again. Where heavily saturated with old urine it may take 3 applications over a week.

Also, if the cat urine is old and dried, the smell will probably be worse a day or two later. This is because you are rehydrating the uric acid crystals in the urine to neutralize them. The smell will get better with each application.


I hope this information helps.
Tabbi