Cat Spraying: How to Clean Walls and Furniture and Stop It

Cat spraying is different from a regular accident. Instead of a puddle on the floor, you find small amounts of strong-smelling urine on walls, door frames, curtains, the side of the couch or the back of a chair. Because it runs down vertical surfaces and into baseboards and fabric, it is easy to miss and hard to clean. And unless you clean it properly and deal with the reason behind it, your cat is likely to spray the same spot again.

This guide covers how to tell spraying from other accidents, how to clean walls, trim and furniture, and what the ASPCA and the Cornell Feline Health Center recommend to stop it.

Is it spraying or a litter box problem?

The ASPCA describes urine marking as small amounts of urine deposited on vertical surfaces, often with a pungent smell, and often while the cat’s tail twitches. A cat that is avoiding the litter box usually leaves larger puddles on flat surfaces like the floor, a rug or a bed. The difference matters, because the causes and the fixes are not the same. If your cat is peeing on floors and soft surfaces, see our cat urine guide instead.

Why cats spray

According to the ASPCA, cats mark to communicate: to tell other cats they are there and to set boundaries, without having to face each other. Common triggers include:

a cat that has not been spayed or neutered,
conflict or competition with other cats in the home,
seeing outdoor cats through a window or door, and
stress or changes in the home.

Step 1: find every sprayed spot

Spray is often more widespread than it looks. Use a UV black light in a dark room and check walls up to about knee or hip height, door frames, corners, the backs and sides of furniture, curtains, and anything near windows and doors. Humane World for Animals suggests outlining soiled areas lightly with chalk so you treat all of each spot. Look at the floor and baseboard below each mark too, since spray runs down. Our black light guide explains what to look for.

Step 2: clean walls and painted surfaces

Test first. Try your cleaner on a hidden patch of wall, such as behind furniture, and let it dry before you judge it.
Wipe gently. Use a soft cloth with a pet odor product, working from the bottom of the mark upward so drips do not leave streaks. Do not scrub hard, or you may take paint off with the urine.
Let it dwell, following the label, then wipe with a clean damp cloth and dry.
Check again by smell and with the black light once dry, and repeat if needed.

Humane World for Animals notes that washable enamel paints and some washable wallpapers may respond well to enzymatic cleaners. Flat or matte paint and non-washable wallpaper are more delicate. If urine has soaked into drywall or wallpaper and the smell stays after several rounds, talk to a painter or a professional cleaner. In a rental, talk to your landlord first; our move-out guide has more.

Step 3: baseboards, door frames and trim

Wipe the full height of the mark and the floor gap below the baseboard, where spray tends to pool.
Painted trim cleans much like walls. Bare or worn wood absorbs urine, so use as little liquid as you can and dry it well.
Do not forget the floor below. On wood floors, see our hardwood guide; on carpet, see pet urine on carpet.

Step 4: furniture, curtains and fabric

Couches and chairs: check the fabric code on the tag before you use any liquid. Our couch cleaning guide explains the codes and the steps.
Curtains and washable covers: wash them as the care label allows. Humane World for Animals suggests adding a one-pound box of baking soda to your regular detergent, and an enzymatic cleaner if the smell remains after washing.
Electronics and speakers that have been sprayed: unplug them and wipe the outside only. Do not spray liquid into vents or openings.

If the cat tree was sprayed, see how to clean a cat tree and scratching posts; sisal posts need different care from walls.

What not to use

Ammonia-based cleaners. The ASPCA notes that ammonia-based products can attract a cat back to the same spot. Many glass and household sprays contain ammonia.
Vinegar. Cornell advises against cleaning products containing ammonia or vinegar, because they smell like urine and can be irritating.
Steam cleaners on fabric. Humane World for Animals warns that heat can permanently set urine stains and odors in carpet and upholstery.
Air freshener alone. Cornell says odors must be neutralized, not just deodorized to escape a cat’s keen sense of smell.

Step 5: stop the spraying

Cleaning removes the message your cat left. These steps, from the ASPCA and Cornell, address why they left it:

See your veterinarian first to rule out a medical problem. The ASPCA also suggests a veterinarian, a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist or a veterinary behaviorist if marking continues.
Spay or neuter. The ASPCA notes this removes reproductive advertising as a reason to mark.
Reduce competition between cats. The ASPCA recommends one litter box per cat plus one extra, along with separate food, water, resting and perching spots.
Block the view of outdoor cats. Close windows or cover the lower part of them, and consider motion-activated sprinklers outside to keep neighborhood cats away, as the ASPCA suggests.
Change what the spot means. Cornell suggests placing food and toys in previously soiled areas, or making them unattractive with sheets of plastic or a carpet runner with the nubs facing up, or simply closing off access.
Try a synthetic pheromone diffuser. Both the ASPCA and Cornell mention synthetic pheromones as a way to reduce marking.
Never punish. The ASPCA warns that punishment, such as rubbing a cat’s nose in urine, makes anxiety and marking worse.

If the smell seems to come from the litter area rather than the walls, see how to control litter box smell.

Keep supplies ready

A black light, gloves, a pet odor product and a brush cover most spray cleanup. Our Pet Cleanup Kit includes them, along with an absorbent powder for any puddles below. Test any product on a hidden area of your wall or fabric first.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get cat spray off walls?

Find every spot with a black light, test your cleaner on a hidden area, then wipe gently with a pet odor product, let it dwell as the label says, wipe with a damp cloth and dry. Repeat until the smell is gone.

Why does my cat spray on walls and furniture?

The ASPCA explains that cats mark to communicate and set boundaries. Common triggers are not being spayed or neutered, tension with other cats, seeing outdoor cats, and stress. See your veterinarian to rule out a medical cause.

Do female cats spray?

Yes. The ASPCA says female cats and spayed or neutered cats can mark too, though unneutered males have more reason to.

Will cleaning stop my cat from spraying?

Cleaning helps, because a spot that still smells can draw your cat back. But it does not change why your cat is marking, so it works best together with the steps above.

Sources

ASPCA: Urine marking in cats
Cornell Feline Health Center: Feline behavior problems: house soiling
Humane World for Animals: How to remove pet stains and odors

This guide is general cleaning information. For behavior or health concerns, talk to your veterinarian. Test cleaners on a hidden area first and follow the product label.