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My wife and I learned this lesson the hard way about ten years ago when we went on vacation. Leo decided he didn't like us leaving without him, and proceeded to pick a spot in the master bedroom to 'express' himself.

When we returned almost two weeks later we knew immediately that we had a problem. Since neither of us had had to deal with this type of problem before, we tried all the 'wrong' ways to correct it before we became educated, and eventually resolved the problem properly. Here is what we learned.

1. There are literally hundreds of different products available that claim to remove the staining and smell of cat urine, permanently. The cost of these products ranges from inexpensive to very expensive; we wasted a lot of money trying the cheaper versions before deciding to spend what was necessary to get what we truly needed.

2. These products are sold everywhere from your local pet supply, "big box" stores, and 'chemical warehouse' type stores. Most of them are marginally useful at best, but even the best will give less-than-ideal results if not used properly.

3. What you need: A product that has enzymes to break down the organic content of the stain. This will typically be a bit more expensive, and available at a pet supply or chemical wholesaler, or possibly a farm-and-ranch supply. Ask the sales clerk for a recommendation.

4. How to proceed: The first thing to do is to identify exactly where the spots are. This can be done easily using a hand-held black light, which is available at most pet stores, or at a novelty store like Spencer's Gifts. The urine stain will glow under black light (with the regular lights turned off). Maximum effect can be had by treating the actual stains intently, and not wasting time and materials on the unstained areas, so a black light is a wise investment for any pet owner.

5. Realize that the stain is not only in the carpet: depending on the volume and 'repetitiveness' of the stains, there will be some soaking into or through the padding underneath the carpet, and fairly likely into the concrete underneath that. Both the padding and concrete are porous, and so will trap and retain the liquid. To treat the stain effectively, these areas must be treated as well; otherwise, even though the carpet looks OK, the odor will persist, no matter how many times you treat the carpet, or even if you replace it.

6. Following the directions on the product, you are usually required to *soak* the treatment area with the product, then allow to air dry. Some products (or worse stains) may require two or even three treatments. This may seem an overly expensive and tedious way to fix the problem, but take my word for it: 'half measures' are little better than doing nothing.

A follow-up would be to continue checking that area (and others, periodically) using the black light. Cats do tend to go back to the same places. Also, this behavior is not always due to the cat being mad or upset; sometimes this is how cats try to let you know that they are ill, especially if they urinate on something very obvious and easy to notice. In that case, a trip to the vet for a checkup is likely indicated.

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