cat urine

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gosh, jj, glad i'm not your cat!!

okay, roger, you don't really indicate what material seems to have been marked, but i presume it's synthetic 'carpet'. cake. (marking on wood is almost as easy to correct, jj....)

[grab a beer, kids, b/c i've run on a bit!]

[first, my bona fides:] i am EXTREMEMLY sensitive to odours, and allergic to just about everything on earth (including cats, alas! but that's another tale), and i have cats (an even dozen, in fact; all indoor -- big house; hardwood floors on 3 levels -- 'picture-frame' oak in the formal rooms, heartpine everywhere else but the cellar, which is -- miracle of miracles -- cement (my last house, built about 1860, had 'clay' (read: mud).... current house is 50 years newer!!); all upper rooms have wool or silk carpets or cotton rugs in the cooler months (and it gets cold in the midwest!); grass, jute, or cotton matts in the warmer (read: blistering & humid). because i entertain a lot (friends, colleagues, business associates), my own sensitivity to odours becomes an obsession of sorts.... here's something you might consider:

[SOLUTION] find a nice reputable pet supply shop (or go to one with an online store -- petsmart comes to mind) & purchase a bottle of enzymes. (don't know where to look? ask the clerk for odour-stablilisers, neutralisers, or removers.) what's important is that it be a suspension of enzymes (phagocytes of one type or another), and not just a 'stain remover' or odour neutraliser. when applied correctly, enzymes do wonderfully!

[yadda] i've tried numerous brands; they all seem to work about the same, but some of them have a scent of their own that i find rather off-putting. (keep in mind that enzymes are used to neutralise odours in public restrooms; the 'off-putting' refers to one or two products that remind me of a pub bathroom -- not the stuff i want my house to smell like, altho still better than cat piss!) [the advantage to shopping in a shop, rather than online, is the opportunity to compare scents.]

[more yadda] seems to me 'nature's miracle' has a pleasant citrus odour that is inoffensive. it's not inexpensive -- US gallon runs USD20.00 or so; but, again, its own bouquet is pretty mild.

[zzzz] while i go thru some enzymes, you probably won't need a gallon, and the various products come in different sizes. follow the directions; as noted above, i get no complaints. [buy a spray bottle; do not dilute the suspension.]

[more yadda - product knock] oh, and stay away from febreeze & other disgusting 'mainstream' stuff found at the market. really strong, really gross synthetic fragrance, which --, in application, and probably as an unintended side-effect --, actually acts as a sizing or stiffening agent -- revolting stuff! can't see how the enzymes survive it --! (someday when i'm REALLY feeling garulous, i'll post an amusing anecdote about a trip to the andes with a hastily-purchased emergency bottle of febreeze! those crazy guys over there at proctor & g-d (as they're fondly called in this, their hometown)...!)

[more yadda - philosophy] oh! one final note on carpets -- on textiles in general -- stick to natural fibres grown organically (when possible); you'll find your life much more pleasant! they 'breath'! at all costs avoid wall-to-wall 'carpet' -- especially if synthetic: it outgasses; it's difficult to clean, damaging to floor beneath (presuming floor can be said to be damageable -- newer houses typically have plywood with 'carpet' overlay; not much use worrying about plywood, is there?!); consider CARPETs -- real, wool, handwoven, gentle on the eye, pleasant on the foot, easily cleaned: hairballs peel right up, and cat-[and dog-, and toddler-, and clumsy guest who prefers red wine-]marking can be got at from both sides, with no damage to floor beneath. myself, i prefer carpets dyed with vegetable dyes, which enzymes can have an effect on (they are enzymes, aren't they?!); but when used judicially, impact is minimal & adds to the character of the piece, much as wrinkles add to the charm of the face!

peace, kids........ shatz of sagamore