Cat owners PLS HELP!!!

[MissSJ]

We are supposed to go camping this weekend and DH just discovered our cats peed on his sleeping bag. Is there any chance of getting out the smell? Please tell me there is a way!! I am afraid to see if there is anything else in our basement they peed on How do I stop them from peeing where they shouldn't?

[kittywitty]

Can you wash the sleeping bag? So long as it hasn't sat in urine for months, the smell should come out.

Do you have adequate clean litter boxes at all times? Are they getting locked down there? Ruled out medical issues?

[amber913]

A simple washing should do the trick--especially w/ a vinegar rinse. If you can't fit it in the washing machine, hang it from a tree or wash line and hose it down, spray some soap on it and hose it again, then let it dry. Spray some vinegar on it, too. The vinegar smell will go away once it's dry, either way you wash it.

I agree w/ PP suggestions. Also, there's a cat litter just for this. It attracts the cats. Can't remember the name, but they have it at Petsmart.

From here on out, don't leave the sleeping bag in a place where the cat can pee on it b/c even if you don't smell it, the cat will and will keep coming back to pee on it. I have a diabetic cat, and before he was diagnosed, he peed on stuff, so we're careful not to leave clothes or towels on the floor. We also had to move the baby's room glider to the basement (where the cat isn't) b/c he kept peeing on it.

[azdesertrn]

If a plain wash doesn't get the smell out, soak it with a special cleaner for pet urine and then wash again. There are several different brands available at pet stores or Walmart. Nature's Miracle is one. Urine off is another. Or try bac-out from the health food store. Good luck!

[Breathless Wonder]

While we do use enzyme cleaners first, I find Oxygen Bleach most effective if the smell lingers, particularly on washables.

[LionessMom]

i find a pre wash soak with borax and detergent effective

[daddysmymommy]

Nothing is foolproof, but I've had success with Nature's Miracle.

[LiLStar]

Originally Posted by amber913

Also, there's a cat litter just for this. It attracts the cats. Can't remember the name, but they have it at Petsmart.

very interested in this if anyone knows the name!

[MisaGoat]

The only time my cats pee on things is if they accidentally get locked somewhere like the basement or bedroom. If you haven't noticed them peeing on things it was probably just a case of not having anywhere else to go.

We did have a cat that used to pee on things even with access to the litter box but that cat ended up having a lot of health problems.

I haven't had trouble getting cat pee smells out of things that you can just put in the wash. If it doesn't come out on the first wash, I would just wash it again.

[MsVyky]

Originally Posted by daddysmymommy

Nothing is foolproof, but I've had success with Nature's Miracle.

Nature's Miracle for sure.

And if you dont' already, scoop frequently and change the litter as often as you need to. Our cats won't pee in a dirty box and if we leave it too long, they pee in inappropriate places

[treeoflife3]

Cats might pee on something if they have a urinary tract infection or some other medical problem. They might pee on things if their litter boxes aren't clean enough (or there aren't enough boxes... one per cat plus one extra is usually considered best depending on the size/stories of the house) They might pee on something if they are angry about things (new pet, moving, baby)

The best thing to do to keep cats from peeing on things depends on why they are peeing. Medical and obviously you have a vet solve it, an upset in the home and you have to work on helping them adjust possibly by breaking the house up into zones, litter boxes and you clean more and/or get more (definitely make sure there is at least one litter box on each story of your home if not just doing 1/cat+1) especially for the basement in case they get locked down.

as for washing the smell out, unless you wash with an animal ezyme wash, the smell will always exist for the cat and the cat will continue to pee on it if they can reach. Otherwise I've always found washing with a lot of vinegar does the trick. Our cat reacted VERY badly to a new dog in the home and started peeing on all my husbands clothes and our bathroom rugs so I have a bit of experience there hehe. all the other suggestions sound good too such as bac out or borax but yes, even though you won't smell it, the cat probably will so be wary.

[RiverSky]

Douse it with Nature's Miracle and keep the area wet for at least 24 hrs (out of reach of the cats, preferably in a closed laundry room or something). Then wash in the washing machine with Oxiclean and detergent and the warmest water you can use with the sleeping bag.

Unless it's a down sleeping bag...I don't think you mentioned that.

We have used that special litter from Petsmart. It's pretty pricey, like over $20 for a bag but it worked wonders for us. It's in a clear plastic bag with words and text all over it, easy to find in Petsmart on the shelves, but I have never seen it elsewhere. The name of it is "Dr. _____'s Cat Litter" but for the life of me, I don't recall the doctor's name. LOL! If I were you, I'd start using it full strength, then dilute is half and half with other litter for a few weeks before trying to go back to normal litter.

[mumkimum]

Ditto on nature's miracle. If you can't get it right away, cleaning/washing with a vinegar rinse can help too (but I'd still try to pick up the nature's miracle).

Our litter boxes are in the basement, and (if not clean enough) we've had the same accidents happen as a way to tell us "HEY PEOPLE, keep our boxes cleaner" (as opposed to any health issues, in case that's a worry of yours. imo if it were a health issue they'd be doing it further away from their boxes also, and more often).

[MissSJ]

Thanks for all the replies everyone!

I ended up putting the sleeping bag through a rinse cycle, soaking it overnight in Nature's Miracle Just For Cats Urine Destroyer, putting it in the sun to dry, washing in the washing machine and then drying again in the sun. It did the trick, dh has a really sensitive nose and couldn't smell a thing!

I am going to be better at cleaning the litter boxes, hopefully that will do the trick. Otherwise I may try that litter that was mentioned.