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While cat owners certainly love their feline friends, having a cat that pees outside of the litter box can swiftly create a stinky situation. Cat urine contains strongly scented proteins that help them efficiently mark their territory. But when they’re claiming their space in your house, cat pee can quickly destroy furniture, carpeting, and other beloved possessions.
While it’s critical to get to the bottom of the bad behavior, you can use certain scents to deter your cat from peeing on your items. Keep reading to learn what smells cats hate to pee on and how to use them.
Cleaning Tips
The best and most sure-fire way you can deter your cat from peeing is by providing them with a clean litter box and using an enzyme spray to effectively lift odors and stains from any areas they’ve had an accident. That should make these spots undetectable to their sensitive noses and decrease the chance of repeated urination.
Cleaning up after our pets is not the most enjoyable part of owning them. Despite keeping a clean litterbox, cat odors and stains may still exist around the house. Sometimes, even the best litter box setup needs extra help. If you’re tired of dealing with bad smells from litter boxes, Hepper Advanced Bio-Enzyme Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Spray can help with the worst pet stains and smells. Additionally, the Advanced Bio-Enzyme Cat Litter Deodorizer neutralizes odors upon contact.
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At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
The 6 Smells That Deter Cats From Peeing
1. Lavender
A bushy, strong-smelling perennial plant, lavender can dissuade your cat’s peeing problem. While commonly used in aromatherapy to boost calmness and reduce anxiety and stress, lavender can also work wonders when it comes to cats who refuse to use the litter box.
2. Peppermint Plants
Peppermint is a popular scent to use around the holidays. Its refreshing and cool smell can immediately perk up even the groggiest of people. Cats hate the strong smell of peppermint and will try and avoid it at all costs. By placing some potted peppermint in locations your cat likes to frequent, you can add a pleasant aroma while encouraging your cat to use a different location.
WARNING: Peppermint essential oil is highly toxic to cats, so never use the essential oil or products containing peppermint as an ingredient. The plant can cause gastrointestinal upset if eaten in large quantities, but cats usually avoid it rather than eat it.
3. Eucalyptus
Sharp and minty, inhaling eucalyptus can open up your sinuses and clear out your head. This scent smells sweet and similar to that of honey. The strong odor of eucalyptus makes a great addition to homemade sprays to stop cats from peeing where you don’t want them to.
4. Coffee
Keeping a small satchel of coffee beans or grounds near your furniture may deter your cat from peeing. Due to your cat’s sensitive nose, they are immediately turned off by the harsh smell of coffee.
5. Vinegar
While it can be used to remove the smell of cat urine, vinegar will also prevent problem-peeing. Vinegar has a super strong scent, so be sure to use it sparingly on your items.
- Alternatively, you could check out our list of top-rated enzyme cleaners designed to lift pet odors here!
6. Citrus
Citrus scents such as lemon, oranges, and limes are hated by felines the world over. These natural cat repellents will keep your cat from peeing on your furniture for good.
Why Is My Cat Peeing on My Things?
Cats will urinate outside of their litter boxes for a number of reasons. These can include behavioral problems, medical issues, and a problem with the litter itself. Consulting a veterinarian can help you figure out if it is behavioral or something more serious.
If you need to speak with a vet but can't get to one, head over to PangoVet. It's an online service where you can talk to a vet online and get the advice you need for your pet — all at an affordable price!
If you think your cat is suffering from a medical issue, such as a urinary tract infection (UTI), bladder stones, or feline interstitial cystitis, make a vet appointment right away.
Cats may spray or pee outside of their litter box if you’ve recently moved, gotten a new cat, or when they are stressed. Getting to the root of the behavioral problem will help you to effectively address the issue.
Additionally, inspect the litter box to ensure it’s usable. If the litter box is too dirty or tough to access, your pet might stop using it.
How to Effectively Use These Scents
The best way to use these six different scents to deter cat peeing is to make a DIY solution. For this to work, it is recommended to first clean all remaining cat urine smells thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner. Cats tend to repeat their peeing spots, so this step will help to avoid that scenario.
At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding products of this cool cat company!
Then, simply collect dried orange, lime, lemon, or any other citrus fruit peels. Put them inside a sock or small linen pouch that allows the smell to ventilate, and leave them around the area that you want your cat to avoid. Another option is to make a homemade spray to stop cats from peeing in inappropriate places.
Conclusion
While these six smells can deter cats from peeing, it’s critical to get to the root of the bad behavior. Schedule a wellness appointment with your vet to determine if the peeing is caused by an underlying medical condition. If your cat is stressed, use calming pheromones to soothe his anxiety.
Ensure the litter box is clean and easily accessible to your cat.
See also:
- Does Lime Kill Fleas on Cats? Vet Reviewed Effectiveness & Safety Explained
- How to Get Cat Pee Smell Out of Carpet (Quick & Easy)
Featured Image Credit: New Africa, Shutterstock
4 Responses
We have a 2 year old, neutered male cat, Cosmo, that we adopted from a local shelter when he was about 12 weeks old. We have never had any issues with him using the litter box until recently when I went on a 2 month vacation and my husband took on the responsibilities of taking care of Cosmo. While I was gone, he started urinating on a small concrete pad in our laundry room instead of using the litter box. I was (and still am, I hope) Cosmos’s “human” so we had a routine every day which included playing, cuddles, and brushing him each evening before bed. I also took care of the day to day things that are required when you have a cat. When I was away, although my husband was taking care of the litter box and food/water, Cosmo wouldn’t allow my husband to play with him or brush him. When I got home from my trip, I cleaned the concrete as best I could and put pee pads down. I’ve sprayed the area with an enzymatic spray, placed aluminum foil on the area, sprayed vinegar on the area, and although he does urinate in the litter box now, he still continues to urinate on the concrete. When using the pee pads, I checked to see if there was any sign of blood in his urine, but it looks normal. I am at my wits end with this. Any suggestions as to how we can stop this behavior?
Thanks for reaching out, Jeannie! For your questions, we offer two excellent ways to connect with our veterinarians:
Private 1:1 Call: Schedule a personalized consultation with one of our vets at www.pangovet.com.
Ask Dr. Paola: Submit your query to our weekly Q&A section via this link: https://www.catster.com/ask-dr-paola/
I adopted a feral full grown female feline, and I love her very much. But after two weeks of NO incidents and great fun with her, she started peeing and pooping in my apartment. She has a cat door that gives her full access to the outdoors, via the basement. I need advise on how to potty train a full grown feral cat, which I hope is not impossible. I also understand that cats have their own unique personalities just like humans do. I just lost my daughter at the age of 32 to cancer. And having the cat in here with me was a big help/distraction. Would really like to let her in here again.
Hi Elizabeth, we are sorry to hear about your daughter. Condolences. Sounds like she is marking your apartment as part of her territory. You might find some great tips to teach her to use a litterbox here: https://www.catster.com/cat-health-care/how-to-litter-train-a-stray-cat/
https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/how-to-litter-train-an-older-cat/
You will also need to ensure you completely remove any lingering smells from the surfaces where she soiled or urinated: https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/how-to-remove-cat-urine-smell-from-your-whole-house/
https://www.catster.com/lifestyle/how-to-get-cat-poop-smells-out-of-carpet/
We hope this helps. You can also book a one-on-one consultation with one of our vets at www.pangovet.com. They can help go through the specifics of your case, setting, and provide tailored advice to help you.