Owning a cat can make life fun. They’re cute and provide us with hours of enjoyment, but they can damage our carpets. They can claw at it and have accidents on it. The clawing behavior is normal and not something they do to make you mad. Cat urine isn’t that different than the urine of other animals. The reason it smells so bad is that it usually goes unnoticed. The longer it sits, the more it will smell as the bacteria in the urine decomposes. It smells like ammonia and because cats also eliminate powerful hormones when they pee, it smells worse. The odor needs to be neutralized, otherwise they will do it again. You need to try to prevent these problems from happening before they start.
 

How to Protect Carpet from Cats

1. Have the right number of litter boxes to prevent cat urine stains on carpet. A rule of thumb for cats and litter boxes is to have one more litter box than the number of cats you have. If you have two cats, you need to have three litter boxes. If you have a cat that is using one spot of your carpet to pee, then place a litter box over that spot. This will save your carpets if they are territorial with their urination.
2. Use scratching posts to deter cats from damaging carpet. Cats aren’t scratching to annoy you, they’re satisfying a need. If you discover that your cat is using your carpet to sharpen their nails, you’ll know they like and you can take steps to prevent it. Make or purchase a carpeted cat tower that is in a wide enough space, so it will redirect your cat to it rather than your carpet. You need to remember that scratching is normal, you just need to give them an appropriate place to do it.
3. Play with your cats. Many cats will misbehave if they are bored or are angry with you. Play with your cat daily and make sure their litter boxes are clean. Keeping your cat entertained along with a clean place to go to the bathroom will make it less likely they will damage your carpets.
4. Use cat deterrents. Positive reinforcement is the best way to train your cat, but if they continue to scratch or go to the bathroom on your carpets, you may need to use deterrents. You can use a spray bottle with water to spray your cat when you see inappropriate behavior or a deterrent spray to keep them away from a certain area. You can also try to place tin foil over the areas they are damaging. They won’t like the sound it makes when they step on it.
 

Carpet Cleaning, Repair Services & More in Tracy, Livermore, San Ramon, Dublin, Mountain House, Walnut Creek, Danville & the East Bay of California

These innate, normal cat behaviors can become destructive inside your home. The best thing you can do is stop your cat’s bad behavior to protect your carpet. Professional carpet cleaning services can remove cat urine stains and odors as well as make repairs. Contact Carpet Care 2000 to keep your carpets looking their best!