How to Find Cat Urine Spots

Cat urine has a distinctive ammonia odor that can permeate an entire room. Unfortunately, cats are often adept at hiding their favorite spots to misbehave. Cats will urinate on the carpet, the cracks in the couch and even the side of the bed. Once the urine dries, the odor spreads out and it is nearly impossible to find by your sense of smell alone. A UV black light is an effective tool in finding cat urine because it causes the urine to glow. You may find that kitty has been misbehaving in more spots than you realized.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• UV black light
• Scrap paper to mark spots

1. Wait until nighttime when your room is dark, then turn off all the lights. If there is light coming in from outside lamps, draw the curtains. According to Bree Weasner of PetNBlog, the black light will work best when the area is completely dark.

2. Hold the black light 6 inches from the area where you suspect the cat has urinated, then scan in orderly strips.

3. Scan the floors, walls, baseboards, furniture or any other area that may have been urinated on or sprayed. Male cats can spray surprisingly high, so run the black light up surfaces like the side of the couch or the bed to check for urine.

4. Look for a glowing color where there might be urine. According to Mary Ann Miller of TheCatSite.com, new urine will show up as bright yellow, but older stains may show up as a bright green.

5. Mark each spot that you find with scrap paper so that you can come back after scanning to clean the messes.

Tips & Warnings

• UV black lights made specifically for detecting cat urine can be purchased at most pet stores. Buy a black light with a fluorescent rather than incandescent bulb. Once you have found the cat urine, cleaners with a pet enzyme that neutralize the odors are an effective way to get rid of the smell and stop the behavior. You may want to consider a pet repellent spray such as bitter apple or a product such as Feliway to promote a peaceful atmosphere in your home.
• Your cat may be urinating in the house to mark his territory or to express his displeasure with the litter box, but he may also have health problems such as a bladder infection or a blocked urinary tract. If your cat is persistently urinating in the house, have him checked by your veterinarian to rule out any underlying health issues.

References

• Using a Black Light
• Combat Cat Urine

Resources

• Cat Faeries
• Inappropriate Elimination in Cats