If you have cats you probably already know what a
mess they can be. They are constantly messing up something and can be a
pain. They are however very much worth the effort and most cat owners
could not do without one. Read this article for some tips that will
help you live with both cats and carpets.
The number one thing
that cats do to carpet to damage it is to urinate on it. Cat urine is
very high ammonia and can do a great deal of damage to the carpet as
well as smell horrible. It is even more destructive than dog urine. To
prevent this damage you should always keep your cats liter box cleaned
to prevent them from going elsewhere. Also have them checked by a vet
regularly because things like urinary tract infections can cause them
to urinate in strange places. If they do have an accident try to blot
it up as soon as possible and then clean it with a solution of one part
white distilled vinegar to three parts water. This should take the
color and the smell out of the spot.
Another way that cats can
harm carpet is tracking litter into the room. Litter is basically clay
and if it gets wet you will have quite a mess in your carpet. To
prevent damage you should keep your litter box on a tiled or otherwise
hard surface. Also try to use a litter mat in front of the box to catch
any litter from their feet. If you must keep it near the carpet be sure
to vacuum regularly to prevent a buildup. The last thing I will discuss
that cats do is hacking up fur balls. These can cause damage because
they are often accompanied by food or whatever else the cat has in
their system containing dyes. To prevent problems with fur balls you
should bath your cat regularly or brush them to get rid of excess hair.
If your animal has a large problem with them you can ask your vet about
hairball medicine which should help the problem.
As you can see,
cats do quite a bit of damage to carpet. Most of the problems though
can be avoided with a little care so it really is possible to live with
both cats and carpet.