Cats are beautiful and sweet creatures that bring a lot of joy to their owners. But this animal is willful and can ignore the tray not only in childhood. Often the fluffy handsome man chooses a place as a toilet that is not at all intended for this: secret corners in the apartment, closets, and more often - the shoes of the owners and guests.
The urine of a cat smells simply disgusting and the stench lingers for a long time. Moreover, washing with plain water will not help here. How to get rid of the smell of cat urine in shoes if you hate throwing away a pair? Let's look at different ways to solve the problem.
A cat shits in your shoes: how to get rid of the smell
If you catch an animal doing something unseemly, you need to solve the problem immediately. How to remove the smell of cat urine from shoes? To save the situation, do the following:
- Remove and discard the insole. We get rid of this part of the shoes without regret, it is no longer possible to put them in order, it is easier to replace them.
- Blot moisture with a paper towel or napkins to remove more liquid. Remember that puddles must always be disposed of before proceeding with further processing.
- If the material from which the shoes are made is resistant to moisture, rinse the shoes under strong water pressure.
- It is recommended to machine wash items made from textile materials.
- When shoes cannot be washed, treat the inner surfaces with potassium permanganate or iodine solution (this method is only suitable for dark material).
After treatment, the couple should ventilate on the balcony for several days; cat odors take a long time to remove. It is also possible to use the “freezing” method by washing the shoes and placing them in the freezer. Then they will also need to be ventilated.
Why do cats love shoes?
Cat owners often notice that their cats have a bit of an obsession with shoes, whether they are constantly sniffing them, playing with them, or even sleeping on or next to them. Why do cats love shoes so much?
There are logical reasons why cats find shoes so fascinating, and understanding these reasons can help you curb any shoe-related problems in the future. Let's look at a few reasons for this behavior.
How to remove cat urine smell from shoes
If some time has passed after the cat marked the shoes, it will be more difficult to solve the problem, since most of the liquid has already been absorbed. Use one or more of the remedies suggested below.
Laundry soap
This method is suitable for leather or textile products; suede cannot be treated this way. Wash your shoes in warm water, thoroughly rubbing the problem areas with soap, and then wipe them with a piece of cloth that absorbs moisture well and place them on the balcony to dry.
Vodka
There are two ways to use vodka to get rid of the smell of urine in shoes. In the first case, you need to wet a napkin with liquid and put it inside for 20–30 minutes, then wipe the product with a dry cloth.
You can also make a solution of vodka and 1 teaspoon of vinegar or iodine and treat your shoes with it.
Baking soda
Once you have removed most of the urine from the shoes, sprinkle baking soda inside. This composition will not only remove the odor, but also disinfect shoes stained with urine.
Vinegar solution
How to eliminate the smell of urine with vinegar if animals regularly mark shoes? Dilute the product with water in a ratio of 1:2 and treat the surfaces. You can wipe your shoes with it, but if the material is durable, it is better to keep the shoes in the solution for a while and then dry them in the fresh air.
Boric acid can be used in the same way.
Lemon juice
Lemon copes well with unpleasant odors. Wipe the pre-cleaned shoes with citrus juice and place them on the balcony to air for at least a day.
Iodine
This product is used only for dark shoes. Prepare a solution of a liter of water and 10 drops of iodine and treat the stained surfaces.
Hydrogen peroxide
If a cat peed in suede boots or shoes with fur lining, you can prepare a solution of water and peroxide and treat the product with this product.
But we should not forget that peroxide has not only disinfectant, but also bleaching properties, so it is better to use it for light-colored materials.
Camphor alcohol solution
Dilute the product with water in a ratio of 1:2 and treat the boots. Since alcohol is a volatile substance that can evaporate quickly, drying shoes after treatment will not take much time.
Potassium permanganate (manganese)
Add grains of this substance to water to create a bright pink liquid. Treat your shoes with the mixture and then dry them.
Remember that this product is not suitable for light-colored boots and shoes made of textile materials.
Soap solution with glycerin
Prepare a solution of soap, dish gel or shampoo and add 5-7 drops of glycerin. This composition will clean the shoes and make the inner surface softer, which will increase walking comfort.
Why does the cat mark?
If a female or male pees on the owners' shoes, this may first of all indicate that his tray is dirty. If the cleanliness of the toilet is normal and maintained regularly, then the reason lies in extraneous pungent odors that are intolerable to the cat’s sense of smell. In this way, the pet tries to cover up the “aroma” from the shoes with its urine smell. If a cat has marked shoes, then in a similar way his natural instincts can manifest themselves, with which he tries to attract a female.
Veterinarians focus the attention of owners on the fact that even if the male is castrated, such a habit may remain, but not be so pronounced. A spayed female can also pee in her shoes.
Useful tips
To get rid of the smell of cat urine and not lose your favorite shoes, take note of the following recommendations:
- Take action as soon as you notice something wrong. Most remedies can only help until the urine crystallizes, and after that they are ineffective.
- Stock up on a special product to neutralize odors, the main thing is that it contains alkaline substances and oxidizing agents, they contribute to the rapid breakdown of urine and the disappearance of odors.
- To prevent trouble, purchase shoe treatment products whose smell repels animals.
- Do not try to remove the smell of urine from shoes with the help of perfumes, colognes and aromatic oils; these compounds will either mask it for a short time, or, when mixed with urine, they will simply give a “killer” aroma.
- After treatment, air your shoes on the balcony for at least 24 hours, and preferably for 2-3 days.
If a small fluffy ball appears in your house, you should accustom it to the tray immediately and do not forget to change the filler on time. In cases where the baby continues to shit anywhere, you cannot hit him, this will lead to the animal doing it out of spite. It is better to take the cat to the litter tray and praise him whenever he uses it for its intended purpose.
Tips to stop your cat from shitting on your shoes
Like all problems, this one has solutions. If your cat pees in your slippers, try the following.
- Try to find the root cause . You may have to investigate, but you need to see if you can figure out where the problem is coming from.
- Check to see if there are other places where your cat might pee . The shoes are easy to spot as you place them on your feet. But other areas may be less noticeable. Be sure to check doorways, carpet, bathtubs and beds.
- Keep shoes out of reach . Be sure to solve your shoe problem by removing your sneakers entirely. They can't write into what they can't see.
- Wash contaminated shoes in vinegar and baking soda . When cats pee, they leave behind a scent that we can't smell, but they can.
- Don't resort to harsh punishments . No matter how unpleasant it is, please don't go too far when it comes to discipline.
- Consult a professional . You can seek help from veterinarians, cat behaviorists, and other professionals for advice on this issue. Many people work hard to improve your cat's behavior so you can coexist peacefully in the home.
An issue like peeing in shoes can cause a rift in your cat-human relationship. In some cases, if you cannot find a solution, you may want to consider rehoming your pet. Before making any rash decisions, try to use every opportunity to fix the problem.
Article Author: Ashley Bates Ashley Bates is a freelance writer and pet lover currently studying the art of animal therapy. A mother of four human children and 23 furry and feathered babies, Ashley volunteers at local shelters, advocates for animal welfare, and rescues every creature she finds. Her mission is to inform and educate about pets to prevent homelessness. Her specialty is cats and dogs.
What to do?
Trying to get your cat to leave her shoes alone can be an uphill battle. Restricting access to your shoes will be a good option to eliminate the problem . Storing your shoes in a closet or covered plastic bin is an easy solution. Remember that cats are very good climbers, so storing shoes on a high shelf is not an option.
If it is not possible to block your cat's access to the shoes, then you can try redirecting your cat to another item that still smells like you but you no longer use (an old T-shirt or socks).
If you catch your cat trying to steal your shoes, try not to scare her by shouting or doing things that might seem aggressive to her. These actions will only scare the cat. Even if your cat drops a shoe in alarm, she may not fully understand why you are so upset.
Although shoes are not the most comfortable place to rest, cats think otherwise because they remind them of the people they love. The next time you see your cat napping on your sneakers, take a photo and enjoy the fact that your cat just told you she loves you.
Author of the article : Liz Weinick, veterinarian with 10 years of experience
Cats and bathroom etiquette
Cats start using the litter box incredibly early. You can start training a kitten to use the litter box only at three weeks of age. Cats naturally want to hide their urine and feces. So when they start going to the potty out of the box, it should be an automatic sign of concern.
Some things encourage you to urinate out of your designated area, and most of these problems are easily solved. There are many resources you can try or products you can buy to stop your cat from peeing, such as sprays and neutralizers to put an end to this unwanted behavior.
How to prevent cat misbehavior
You can never be sure of anything with a pet: it is a living creature that may have its own problems and its own views on how its living environment should be arranged. In order to protect your home as much as possible from surprises, the conditions for keeping the animal are thought out even before the mustachioed friend is brought into the house.
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The cat loves cleanliness, order and clear organization of space. It would be wise to position the toilet in a way that she likes. Then she will agree to do her business where it is convenient for the owner.
Misbehavior in a cat can be prevented if:
- choose a toilet that your pet will like (even if you have to change several in a row);
- When purchasing a tray, take into account the size of the animal;
- place the tray in a secluded corner with 24-hour access to the room;
- place the feeding area away from the toilet;
- Do not place anything with a strong smell next door.
It is extremely important to clean your cat's litter box frequently:
- every time you change the filler;
- as soon as the smell appears;
- Trays used without filler are washed after each cat’s visit to the toilet.
The litter you choose is the one that suits your cat. They change it without waiting for a strong smell to appear, which is individual for each animal.
Sometimes a cat shits in the room because of helminths: the pain and itching force her to look for a place where she can wipe off the remnants of the discharge. Often she looks for something soft - a carpet, a bed or a sofa. To prevent this from happening, even a healthy cat needs to be given anti-worm medication from time to time.
If your cat has urinary incontinence caused by illness or old age, you can only protect your floors and carpets by buying her diapers. This decision will be the only correct one; it will completely eliminate hassle and dirt in the house.
Protecting your home with special tools
The industry produces many products for correcting animal behavior. At the pet store you can choose them in the form of a spray, powder, or emulsion.
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There are drugs whose composition:
- attracts to the tray;
- scares away from the wrong place;
- deodorizes, neutralizes odors;
- disinfects;
- calms during heat.
If in doubt, you can contact your veterinarian, who will advise the most suitable drug for a particular breed and age of the animal. The fact is that some of them act differently on young or old, healthy or sick, castrated or giving birth animals. Only a specialist can choose an effective and harmless remedy for a specific pet.
