Here I was on the first day I have taken off in God knows how long just for me when as I am getting ready to shower, the onerous distinctive odor of cat pee was in the air.  Sure enough, there was a fresh wet spot on the corner of the bed where Steph’s feet would normally be.  The cat peed on the bed!  Now, this is a cat that has been locked in the basement during the day because of her lazy bladder habits.  Yet, on the one day I grant her freedom, she climbs up 2 flights of stairs, jumps on the bed and proceeds to do her “up yours!” duty.

Now, never mind that she not only peed on the comforter but also the blanket, the electric blanket, the sheets, the mattress pad and the MATTRESS.  All but the latter…could easily be replaced but not a $1,000 mattress!  I am like cursing out the damned cat and my already starting to get ruined day not to mention that I have to take a run to the laundromat…all on my one and only planned day off!  Now will someone please explain to me how am I going to drag a queen ass sized mattress to the laundromat much less fit it into the machine.

After getting everything washed, I had to figure out what was going to work.  The lady at the cleaners said… ammonia.  I can’t imagine what that will smell like even long after it dries.  And the thought of that along with the faint smell of cat pee is enough to make a grown man cry.  So here I am…googling, “cat pee on mattress” and it takes me to a website called Cats.  Well d’uh…..I mean really, if I had known…..but it is really something to do with Cats and Australia.  Maybe they have a really serious catpeedemic down there or something, who knows.

And on this website is a really nasty looking recipe for How to Clean Cat Urine from Your Mattress or Sofa with a picture of a cat doing its worldly duty.  Here is the recipe:

1. If the urine is recent, blot up as much of it as you can using paper towels or a sponge. Apply plenty of pressure to reach the dampness deep down. Stand on the paper towels for more pressure if necessary. If you own a wet/dry vacuum cleaner extract as much of the moisture as you can. If the urine has dried proceed to step two.

2. Mix a solution of 50% vinegar and 50% water in a jug or other container. Pour a small amount of this solution over the area of cat urine. I used about 50mls. Then begin blotting as described above to soak up this solution.

3. Sprinkle a good handful of baking soda over the area.

4. Mix a quarter of a cup of 3% hydrogen peroxide with a teaspoon of dishwashing detergent and drizzle it over the area where you have sprinkled the baking powder and work it in using your fingers or use a brush. Allow fifteen minutes for the solution to work and then begin blotting again.

Caution: Do not use hydrogen peroxide that is stronger than 3%

5. The mattress must now be left to dry thoroughly. A good indication is when the baking soda feels completely dry. Then vacuum up the baking soda thoroughly. Use a hard bristled brush to loosen up the baking soda if necessary.

If you live in a sunny climate you may be able to put the mattress out in the sun to dry. You could also assist the drying process by using a fan. Another idea from one of our readers is to use a hair dryer.  That’s all there is to it. It’s as easy as that.

Voilà!  Let me tell you…after 2 applications of this nasty looking recipe, the onerous distinctive odor of cat pee is no more.  I do want to point out that a wet/dry vac does work better than blotting.

As for the cat affectionately known as Miss Moosie, it turns out that she has a urinary tract infection.  Now even though we do not want her peeing all over the house, it was her way of telling us she isn’t feeling well.  Even the vet who was certain about that told us we should be glad its that and not some “up yours!” behavior problem.