Cat Peeing or Pooping Outside the Litter Box: Cleanup Steps
This guide covers the cleanup side of a cat peeing or pooping outside the litter box: getting a check first, staying calm, cleaning each spot so the scent does not draw your cat back, what not to clean with, making the spot less appealing, and the litter box basics that help stop repeats. It uses what the ASPCA, the Cornell Feline Health Center, International Cat Care, Humane World for Animals and the Carpet and Rug Institute (CRI) say.
Get a check first
The ASPCA article "Litter Box Problems" says:
"Have your cat checked thoroughly by a veterinarian."
Source: ASPCA, Litter Box Problems
Do not punish your cat
The Cornell Feline Health Center says:
"House soiling can be a frustrating problem, but you should never hit, kick, or scream at a cat. Punishments like these are not only ineffective, the anxiety they cause may actually worsen the house soiling problem."
The ASPCA's list of what not to do includes: "Do not rub your cat's nose in urine or feces." and "Do not scold your cat and carry or drag her to the litter box."
Sources: Cornell Feline Health Center, Feline Behavior Problems: House Soiling; ASPCA, Litter Box Problems.
Clean every spot thoroughly
The Cornell Feline Health Center says:
"Cats will re-soil and spray areas they have marked with their scent, so cleaning cat-soiled items is crucial for breaking the cycle of elimination. Cleaning is most effective when it's done soon after an item was soiled, and odors must be neutralized, not just deodorized, to escape a cat's keen sense of smell."
International Cat Care says: "The best way to break the habit of soiling indoors outside of the litter tray is to keep your cat away from the area as long as possible and remove any smell that your cat can detect."
For fresh urine on carpet or upholstery, Humane World for Animals says:
"Place a thick layer of paper towels on the wet spot and cover that with a thick layer of newspaper. If possible, put newspaper under the soiled area as well. Stand on this padding for about a minute and repeat until the area is barely damp."
"Rinse the "accident zone" thoroughly with clean, cool water and blot dry."
It also says: "Avoid using steam cleaners to clean urine odors from carpet or upholstery." Whatever cleaner you use, the CRI says "you should still pretest any cleaner on a scrap of carpet or in an out-of-the-way area of your carpet."
For poop on carpet, follow the steps in How to Clean Dog Poop and Diarrhea Out of Carpet. For more on urine odor, see how to get cat urine smell out on petcleanupkit.com.
Sources: Cornell Feline Health Center, Feline Behavior Problems: House Soiling; International Cat Care, Soiling indoors; Humane World for Animals, How to Remove Pet Stains and Odors; CRI, Cleaning and Maintenance.
Beds, bedding and laundry
International Cat Care lists "carpets, sofas, duvets, baths or sinks" as common indoor sites. If your cat soils your bed, Humane World for Animals says:
"If your pet soils the sheets or blankets on a bed, cover the bed with a vinyl, flannel-backed tablecloth while you retrain them. It's machine-washable, inexpensive and unattractive to your pet."
For washing steps, see How to Get Pet Pee Smell Out of Clothes, Bedding and Towels and How to Clean a Pet Bed After an Accident.
Sources: International Cat Care, Soiling indoors; Humane World for Animals, How to Remove Pet Stains and Odors.
Skip ammonia-based cleaners
The ASPCA says:
"Do not clean up accidents with an ammonia-based cleanser. Urine contains ammonia, and therefore cleaning with ammonia could attract your cat to the same spot to urinate again. Instead, use a product specifically for cleaning pet accidents."
International Cat Care says: "Avoid using ammonia-based products as these smell similar to urine."
Sources: ASPCA, Litter Box Problems; International Cat Care, Soiling indoors.
Find the spots you missed
Humane World for Animals says: "If you have a black light, use it to identify soiled areas and lightly outline the areas with chalk." For more, see Why Does My House Smell Like Dog Pee? Finding the Source and How to Get Old, Dried Pet Urine Stains Out. If your cat is using a houseplant, see cat peeing in plant pots.
Source: Humane World for Animals, How to Remove Pet Stains and Odors.
Make the spot unappealing or change its use
Humane World for Animals says:
"Once the area is clean, make it unattractive and/or unavailable to your pet and make the appropriate bathroom area attractive. As long as your pet can smell their personal scent, they may continue to return to the "accident zone.""
The ASPCA says: "Make inappropriate elimination areas less appealing. Try putting regular or motion-activated lights in dark areas. You can also make surfaces less pleasant to stand on by placing upside-down carpet runners, tin foil or double-sided sticky tape in the area where your cat has eliminated in the past."
Cornell suggests: "Try changing the significance of a soiled area. Cats prefer to eat and eliminate in separate areas, so try placing food bowls and treats in previously soiled areas." More on this: Why Do Dogs and Cats Keep Peeing in the Same Spot?
Sources: Humane World for Animals, How to Remove Pet Stains and Odors; ASPCA, Litter Box Problems; Cornell Feline Health Center, Feline Behavior Problems: House Soiling.
Litter box basics that help stop repeats
Enough boxes
The ASPCA says: "Make sure you have one for each cat in your household, plus one extra." International Cat Care puts it this way: "As a general rule, one litter tray per cat and a spare is recommended, so a single cat needs access to two litter trays, two cats need access to three litter trays and so on."
A clean box
International Cat Care says: "Cats generally don't like using a tray if it's soiled." The ASPCA says: "Scoop at least once a day. Once a week, clean all litter boxes with warm water and unscented soap, baking soda or no soap, and completely replace the litter. The problem with scented cleaners is that your cat could develop an aversion to the scent."
A good location
International Cat Care says: "Place your cat's tray in a quiet corner where they only need to watch in one or two directions. Placing food near the tray will also put your cat off using it, so place feeding bowls elsewhere." Humane World for Animals' litter box guide says to "Provide at least one litter box per floor in multi-level homes".
Sources: ASPCA, Litter Box Problems; International Cat Care, Soiling indoors; Humane World for Animals, How to Litter Train a Kitten or Cat.
Urine on walls or furniture sides?
The ASPCA says: "A cat who urine marks will regularly eliminate in her litter box, but will also deposit urine in other locations, usually on vertical surfaces." For cleaning those surfaces, see cat spraying: how to clean walls and furniture on petcleanupkit.com.
Source: ASPCA, Litter Box Problems
Using P-Cleaner
P-Cleaner is the Pet Stain & Odor Eliminator Foaming Liquid from Pet Cleanup Kit. The product listing says: "Our rinse-free, water-based formula tackles the toughest stains and odors from urine, feces, vomit, and other organic messes on carpets, rugs, upholstery, and hard surfaces." It also says: "Works on carpets, upholstery, tile, and more.", "No scrubbing necessary" and "Odor-Free & Residue-Free". Test it on a hidden spot first, as the CRI advises above. Follow the directions on the product label.
Still hunting for spots? The full kit includes a black light.
Buy P-Cleaner on petcleanupkit.com
Quoted from the petcleanupkit.com product listing.
Related guides
Sources: ASPCA, Litter Box Problems; Cornell Feline Health Center, Feline Behavior Problems: House Soiling; International Cat Care, Soiling indoors; Humane World for Animals, How to Remove Pet Stains and Odors; Humane World for Animals, How to Litter Train a Kitten or Cat; Carpet and Rug Institute, Cleaning and Maintenance; Pet Cleanup Kit product listing. All checked 28 October 2026.