How to Get Rid of Cat Pee Smell Outside: 5 Practical Options

If you live in an area where there are many stray cats or if you have a cat that isn’t fixed, you can end up with many cats in your yard that use it as a litter box, which can create an odor after a while. This smell can be quite strong, especially if it’s near the house or it’s from more than one cat. Many people wonder about the best ways to eliminate it. If this sounds like your situation, you are in luck because here, we look at several practical and safe options that you can use to get rid of cat pee smell in your yard.

The 5 Practical Options to Get Rid of Cat Pee Smell Outside

1. Enzyme Cleaner

One of the best options available for eliminating the smell of cat pee is an enzyme cleaner. It uses helpful bacteria that eat the organic material causing the odor. It can be a great solution for removing stains off your deck or sidewalks, and you might also have luck with it in the yard. It’s easy to use, and in most cases, you just need to spray it on the stain. The downside is that you will need to keep reapplying it because the bacteria die quickly, especially outdoors where it might rain, as moisture can dilute the product. The enzyme cleaner will also not deter cats from returning to the area again.

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2. Spray Down the Yard

This idea primarily uses an enzyme cleaner to help destroy pet urine. The target is the vegetation around the perimeter of your yard. Before spraying anything, though, it’s important to read the bottle carefully to make sure it’s a plant-based cleanser that won’t damage your plants. Choose a wide spray, and apply it to the plants around the perimeter of your property. Doing so will help eliminate any urine stuck to the plants. It can also help destroy any pheromones that the cats are using to claim your property as their own, which may help dissipate the crowd. The downside is that you’ll likely need to apply a large amount of enzyme cleaner, which can get expensive, as you’ll need to make another pass around the property every day or two until the problem clears up.

3. Cedar Chips

One scent that many cats do not like is cedarwood. Many people have had success purchasing cedar mulch or wood chips and placing them along the perimeter of their property. The cedar is attractive to humans, and it has a pleasant smell, but cats don’t like it and will avoid it when possible. The downside to this option is that you may need to do a bit of landscaping so the wood chips don’t look out of place. Cedar can also be expensive, and you will need to replace it every few months. More downsides are that not every cat will avoid it, and the cedar chips will do nothing to eliminate any current pee smell.

4. Chicken wire

If you noticed that the cats are traveling the same way into your yard each time, a great way to prevent them from doing so is to set up chicken wire. Most cats are sensitive about their paws, and they will not enjoy walking over the chicken wire and will avoid it. It’s also inexpensive and easy to set up. The downside to this method is that cats are intelligent and might walk around it, causing you to place more, which can create a mess in your yard. It also doesn’t remove any current smells.

5. Motion Sensing Sprinkler System

If none of the previous options are working, try using an automatic, motion-sensing sprinkler system. It will turn on automatically when it detects motion in the yard. It won’t even be necessary to hit the cat with water, as the sound of the sprinklers turning on should be more than enough to send them running. Another benefit of this option is that it can help water your yard and garden. It might even help wash away any urine still present in the yard, helping the area smell better.

The downside to the motion-sensing sprinkler system is that it can waste water, especially if other things besides the cats are triggering it.

Why Are Cats Peeing in my Yard?

They’re in Heat

The most likely reason that neighborhood cats are coming into your yard is to visit your own cat, especially if you didn’t get them spayed or neutered. Cats in heat can spray extensively to attract mates and mark their territory. If you don’t own a cat or your cat is fixed, we recommend checking with the neighbors to see if one of their cats is in heat, causing neighborhood cats to travel through your yard on the way to their house.

They Think That a Part of Your Yard Is a Litter Box

If no cats are in heat, check your yard for areas similar to a litter box. It’s easy to create such a place if you’re a gardener or have a swimming pool with a sand filter that you dump somewhere nearby. A child’s sandbox is also inviting to cats. If you see any of these things, get rid of them because the cats will go there to use it as a restroom.

They’re After Something Else

If you have bird feeders or even certain types of flowers, there is a good chance that cats are visiting your yard to hunt the animals that these items attract. Birds, bees, butterflies, and insects are cat magnets, and you may need to remove your bird feeder if cats become regulars in your yard.

• Related Read: How to Get Rid of Cat Pee Smell: 6 Practical Options

Summary

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to remove the outdoor pee smell because it can be difficult to locate. If you have a good idea about where the cats are going, you can use an enzyme cleaner, but you will usually need to wait for the rain to wash it away or for it to fade away naturally before using it again. If it’s something that happens frequently, you are attracting cats for one reason or another, and you’ll need to take steps to convince them to go elsewhere. Cedar chips around the perimeter and chicken wire around the garden work well.

Featured Image Credit: Elisa Putti, Shutterstock