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Cat peeing on hardwood floors (Why? & How to clean)

If you are noticing that your cat is peeing on your hardwood floor (Click here for the best solution to clean this up, on Amazon #Ad) you may be keen to understand why it’s happening, how to prevent it, and how to clean it up fast.

Why is your cat peeing on your hardwood floor?

Your cat is peeing on your hardwood floor because she is either harboring a medical issue, such as a UTI. Or, suffering from behavioral issues, such as anxiety about a new home or rival cat.

What you will need to get rid of the pee & odor

Description	Image	My Rating
01. Stink Free Urine Remover (Best Option) Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad
02. Nature’s Miracle Cat Stain Remover Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad
03. VetPro Pet Stain & Odor Remover Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad

Now that you know why your cat is peeing on your hardwood floor. Keep reading to learn some other reasons why, the best prevention methods, how to clean up the mess quickly, and much more.

Other reasons why your cat may be peeing

In this section, I will explain some of the reasons that your cat may be peeing on your floor. This will help you to work out what you may need to do to stop it from happening.

Ultimately there are two reasons why she is peeing on your floor:

• Medical issue
• Behavioral problem

Medical issue

There are many potential medical issues, but to give you an example it could be a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) or Feline Insttitial Cystitis. The former makes it difficult for your cat to control her bladder by making her pee regular.

The latter can cause unexpected outbursts of pee (Click here if she pees in the bath too). So, as you can see either of these can make it hard for your kitty to control her urine, which can make it end up on your floor (click here if your cat keeps sleeping there).

Behavioral problem

Like medical issues, there are various reasons why your cat can suffer from behavioral issues. For example, it could be because of a new environment territory marking or even anxiety.

New Environment

New environments can be, for example, if you moved into a new home. Believe it or not, this can unsettle your kitty and make her release urine on your hardwood floor.

Territory

Territory marking is quite a well-known practice that cats use. Unfortunately for you, this can cause your floor to get sprayed.

Stress & Anxiety

This issue, stress & anxiety, can be caused by so many things. It can also overlap with other behavioral issues such as a new environment. Another example is another local cat making her feel anxious.

How can you prevent your cat from peeing on the floor?

Now that you know why this could be happening you are probably keen to learn how to stop it from happening. There are a couple of ways to address this:

• Find the root cause and address it
• Use a homemade solution to deter her

Find the root cause and address it

If you identify that your cat has one of the issues discussed earlier, such as a UTI or feeling anxious about a new home, etc. You can then address that actual problem to prevent it from happening. I will admit, this is the best prevention, but sometimes hard to nail down.

Use a homemade solution to deter her

Another option is to use a homemade solution to deter her from peeing on your (Click here if your cat has peed down your vent) floor. There is a theory that cats do not like the smell of vinegar or citrus. So, one method that some cat owners use is a citrus solution, using lemon and orange peels. Or a vinegar solution.

What is the best way to clean up the pee?

Prevention is great in hindsight, but what happens when you have the urine right there in front of you? You need to clean it up now, right? Also, how do you get rid of the lingering odor that is left behind?

• Use a dedicated urine cleaner (best option)
• Try a homemade concoction

Use a dedicated urine cleaner (best option)

This is by far the best way to clean up a stubborn urine stain or odor. There are quite a few options on the open market to choose from. Most of the good ones use enzymes to clean up the urine and remove the odor pretty fast.

Try a homemade concoction

Another option is to use a homemade concoction, such as a citrus solution. This is similar, if not the same as what I discussed in the last section.

My problem with this homemade concoction

The Homemade concoction can help to prevent your cat to return and urinate in the future. But, it is not always effective at getting out stubborn urine stains or the lingering odor, are you with me?

3 Best cat pee & stain removers

In this section, I will share with you your three of my best cat pee & stain removers to help you clean up the mess fast. For each option I will explain what I loved and didn’t like as much, to help you.

01. Stink Free Urine Remover (Best Option)

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Pros:

• Removes cat urine fast
• Uses oxidation rather than enzymes
• No scrubbing required
• Result guaranteed
• Simple to use (Apply it & dry it)

Cons:

• Not designed to clean up old stains
• Has quite a strong smell that lingers

What I like about this Stink Free Urine Remover

This urine remover has quite a quirky name, but it’s not a gimmick, it is also an effective solution for cat urine. It is designed to remove the cat urine fast using oxidation, instead of enzymes.

They claim that no scrubbing is necessary, but more importantly, this is backed up with a guarantee to back it up. This gives the feeling that they are confident with their product.

One of the things I like the best is the simplicity. You just apply the solution, let it dry, and kiss goodbye to the urine, are you with me?

In summary, if you are looking for a solution for your cat urine that uses oxidation instead of enzymes, and it can work fast, then this sounds like a good fit for you.

What I dislike about this Stink Free Urine Remover

One thing that I would say is the smell is quite strong. I get it, it needs to be to get rid of the urine odor, right? But, there will be some people that do not love this.

02. Nature’s Miracle Cat Stain & Odor Remover

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Pros:

• Light smell (Citrus)
• Uses enzymes to clean rapidly
• Easy to use (Spray bottle)
• Can also be used on vomit, feces, etc
• Perfect for hardwood

Cons:

• Can’t be used on other surfaces, e.g. leather or suede
• Some cats may not love the citrus smell

What I love about this Nature’s Miracle Cat Stain & Odor Remover

This cat stain & odor remover has a nice light citrus smell, in my opinion. It uses enzymes to clean up the urine nicely and quickly. It is simple to use. This is helped with the easy-to-use spray bottle that it comes with.

It can be used on many other messes, not just urine. Such as vomit, feces, etc. Also, it is ideal for your hardwood flooring.

In summary, if you are looking for a powerful and effective enzyme-based cleaner that works on hardwood flooring (what if your cat is digging? click here) then you will appreciate this.

What I do not love about this Nature’s Miracle Cat Stain & Odor Remover

If you have urine mess in other areas such as on your leather or suede coach, do not use this on there, it is not recommended for this. Also, as effective as it is, some owners will find the citrus smell annoying.

03. VetPro Pet Stain & Odor Remover

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Pros:

• Biodegradable (eco-friendly)
• Safe for pets
• Can be used on multiple surfaces, e.g. carpet, litter boxes, etc
• Guaranteed performance
• Uses clever enzymes to clean quickly

Cons:

• May need to soak it multiple times to remove the urine odor
• A spray head would be better

What I appreciate about this VetPro Pet Stain & Odor Remover

This cleaner is biodegradable, I love this because it is more eco-friendly. It has also been designed to be safe for pets, so you shouldn’t have to worry about this.

It can be used on multiple surfaces, such as carpets, litter boxes, etc. I also appreciate that it comes with a handy guarantee as well.

Also, I have to comment on its effective use of enzymes to make the cleanup easy and fast.

In summary, if you are looking for a urine cleaner that is fast, effective, and biodegradable, then this sounds like a good option for you.

What I do not appreciate about this VetPro Pet Stain & Odor Remover

Whilst it does deal with odors, you may find that you need to clean it a couple of times to eradicate it. Also, I feel that it would be better if it had a spray bottle to make it easier to apply.

Is it normal for a cat to pee on the floor?

It is not normal or expected for a cat to pee on the floor. Especially if it’s an adult cat that doesn’t usually do this. Unlike dogs, cats are typically keen to pee in a tidy litter tray, or outdoors. So, this could indicate a health issue, for example, a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).

If you have a young kitten, or a cat that has not been neutered, this may happen. If it’s the former, a young kitten, it may be a genuine mistake. Or, if it the latter. not neutered, it could be claiming territory. Male neutered cats are expected not to pee on floors, but it’s possible.

Does vinegar stop a cat from peeing?

Vinegar is not known to stop a cat from peeing. However, there is a theory that it can neutralize the bacteria found in cat pee. The expectation is it can help with the odor of the pee while it does this.

The only issue is vinegar itself has quite a strong smell. Some people are not keen on the smell of this either. So, it depends on how you feel about it.

Should I get rid of my cat for peeing all over the house?

It is not a good idea to get rid of your cat for peeing all over the house. It is best to try and work out the root cause of the issue and address it.

If you genuinely feel that your cat is in better care with someone else, then maybe it’s worth considering. But, cat pee issues are just one of the challenges of a cat owner and not a good reason to give up on it, in my opinion.

Could your cat pee on the floor because of health issues?

There is a good chance that a cat could pee on the floor because of health issues. This could be an infection, such as a UTI. Or, other issues, such as arthritis.

Regarding the latter, arthritis, as cats get older they may get these joint pain issues. And, this can severely affect their speed. Meaning, they could fail to get to the litter tray quickly enough ending up with an accidental pee on the floor.

Should you add new hardwood flooring if your cat peed on it?

If you still have stains or smells on your hardwood floor and have tried using cat pee cleaners, and various other solutions you may need to consider replacing the affected area of your hardwood floor.

This would mean replacing the small section to make it look and smell better.