Recap for those who don't remember or didn't read my earlier post: I
had been having a problem with cats wetting on my living room carpet,
but I was unable to find the spot. I can smell it when I walk in
certain areas, but couldn't see anything.
Several people recommended a black light, so I rented one. The results
were very disappointing. I found a few tiny spots here and there, but
nothing to amount to anything, in spite of the fact that the smell is
quite strong in one corner. I guess the urine has soaked down and
permeated the pad. Short of having the pad replaced, I don't know what
to do about it, other than to keep spraying with F.O.N. If the stuff
weren't so darned expensive, I'd really drench that corner in it.
To those who recommended having a vet check the cats, I'm not ignoring
that. I have a visitor from Australia coming in a day or two, and I'm
busily getting ready for her. If the cats were showing any other
symptoms of a problem, I'd take the time to get them to a vet. However,
they both act normal (for cats) and healthy, so I'm going to wait until
after her visit.
Thanks again for all the suggestions.
Joy
Margaret Fine - 20 May 2004 05:53 GMT
> Recap for those who don't remember or didn't read my earlier post: I
> had been having a problem with cats wetting on my living room carpet,
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
> Joy
Joy, are you SURE it is the cats and not something else? I only ask
because I have used the black light before and it picks up urine (or any
other bodily fluid) very, very well. The tiny spots you saw were
probably little cast off pieces of fiber that sometimes also reflect
well in the black light. If one of the cats peed on the carpet you
should be able to see it with the black light especially if they have
gone enough that it soaked down into the pad. Even if you have
shampooed the carpet or put something else on the urine you would
probably still be able to see it, but fainter.
I'd start wondering what runs close to that corner. Maybe a pipe is
failing? Or something is living in the wall?
Good Luck!

Signature
Margaret Fine
mefine@mindspring.com
Yoj - 20 May 2004 07:51 GMT
> > Recap for those who don't remember or didn't read my earlier post: I
> > had been having a problem with cats wetting on my living room carpet,
[quoted text clipped - 38 lines]
> Margaret Fine
> mefine@mindspring.com
I have a pretty good smeller. I can tell the difference between cat,
dog, human and possum urine. That smell is definitely cat urine. My
son also identified it as such. There shouldn't be any pipes in that
wall, and I doubt if there's a cat living there. There were many large
areas of the carpet that glowed very faintly, including spots where I'm
sure cats have never wet.
Thanks.
Joy
Bob M - 20 May 2004 19:17 GMT
> > > Recap for those who don't remember or didn't read my earlier post:
> I
[quoted text clipped - 61 lines]
>
> Joy
Is it anywhere near the front door? I had the same problem a few years
ago and come to find out it wasn't my cats. It was the neighbor's cat
who kept spraying the outside of my front door. I guess enough pee
seeped in under the door for me to smell it. And I have a really good
smeller. I got it from my Mom. <g>
Bob

Signature
Somewhere in Texas a village is missing it's idiot.
ANYONE but Bush in 2004!
Yoj - 21 May 2004 00:51 GMT
> > > > Recap for those who don't remember or didn't read my earlier post:
> > I
[quoted text clipped - 72 lines]
> Somewhere in Texas a village is missing it's idiot.
> ANYONE but Bush in 2004!
No, it's in a corner of the living room. One wall is an outside wall,
and the kitchen is on the other side of the second wall. I'll have to
take a look outside, but I don't think anything could seep in through
the outside wall.
Joy
NHunkele - 21 May 2004 01:29 GMT
>Recap for those who don't remember or didn't read my earlier post: I
>had been having a problem with cats wetting on my living room carpet,
[quoted text clipped - 19 lines]
>
>Joy
WalMart sells a clear spray liquid called OdorCide. For pet urine it says to
saturate the carpet, wait two minutes and blot with a towel. I haven't had to
use it for cat urine but it works well on odors in general.
Norma
Yoj - 21 May 2004 02:01 GMT
> >Recap for those who don't remember or didn't read my earlier post: I
> >had been having a problem with cats wetting on my living room carpet,
[quoted text clipped - 24 lines]
> use it for cat urine but it works well on odors in general.
> Norma
Thanks, Norma.
Joy
Marina - 21 May 2004 04:39 GMT
"Yoj" <jgaylord3@earthlink.net> wrote
> Several people recommended a black light, so I rented one. The results
> were very disappointing. I found a few tiny spots here and there, but
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> to do about it, other than to keep spraying with F.O.N. If the stuff
> weren't so darned expensive, I'd really drench that corner in it.
It's a mystery. Purrs that you find the source of the smell.

Signature
Marina, Frank and Nikki
Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki
Yoj - 21 May 2004 07:46 GMT
> > Several people recommended a black light, so I rented one. The results
> > were very disappointing. I found a few tiny spots here and there, but
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> Email marina (dot) kurten (at) pp (dot) inet (dot) fi
> Pics at http://uk.f1.pg.photos.yahoo.com/frankiennikki
Thanks, Marina.
Joy
Renee Darvin - 21 May 2004 11:41 GMT
Joy, check and be sure that you don't have a wandering sprinkler on the
other side of that outside wall. I had to pay a big ol' wad of money
when a sprinkler head started to saturate an outside wall in my house.
Ugly story, but all is fine now.
And I'll blame ANYTHING but a kitty!
Renee in CA USA
"Time spent with cats is never wasted." Colette "I've
traveled a long way -- and some of the roads weren't paved!" Will
Rogers
"I am too blessed to be stressed" Anon
"No Heaven will not ever Heaven be, unless my cats are there to welcome
me." Unknown
Christopher Havlicek - 21 May 2004 22:57 GMT
>>>Several people recommended a black light, so I rented one. The
>>>>>>>>Server snippage<<<<<<<<<<<<<
> Thanks, Marina.
> Joy
Um...was that a short *and* long wave ultraviolet light you rented?
Unfortunately, I can't recall which one shows up the urine stains
better, but one will more than the other. My father has one for looking
at rock specimens that is battery powered and covers long and short
wave UV frequencies that he bought for about $30 US. I think he got it
through Edmund Scientific's online catalog. They have a hardcopy
catalog as well, in case you avoid ordering things online.
I'd offer you the use of mine, but I'd not only have to find it first,
it's only long wave.
Sorry about that, but it *might* explain the lack of visible spots....
Just a thought, and I hope you manage to discover the cause and the
cure!
Purrs -
Chris, Tripper, Katie and Hazard