How to Keep Pets From Urinating on Furniture

When stressed, cats or dogs may urinate inappropriately in your home, including on your furniture. Some pets mark these surfaces with urine to claim territory, while others may develop a surface preference for sofas or tables to urinate on. Increase the number of times you walk your dog each day or provide additional litter boxes for your cat to use to discourage this behavior. Prevent access to the furniture or use methods to deter your pets from these areas so they will not urinate on your tables, chairs or sofas.

Things You'll Need

  • Paper towels
  • Enzymatic cleaner
  • Vinegar
  • Pet pheromone spray
  • Pet repellent spray
  • Double-sided tape
  • Aluminum foil
  • Ultrasonic pet deterrent
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Instructions

    • 1

      Clean away the scent of the urine completely from the sofa, table or chair. Wipe away or absorb the urine from the surface with paper towels. Soak the surface of upholstered furniture with an enzymatic cleaner and allow it to dry naturally. Wipe solid surfaces with the enzymatic cleaner or an equal part vinegar and water solution.

    • 2

      Spray a synthetic pheromone spray on the piece of furniture your cat or dog has urinated on. Purchase one specifically formulated for either cats or dogs. These sprays, found in pet supply stores, discourage marking behaviors in pets, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Refresh the furniture with the spray one to two times daily.

    • 3

      Spritz a pet repellent spray over the piece of furniture you want your pet to avoid. Some sprays work on both cats and dogs, while others are specific to the type of pet you own. Purchase these sprays in pet supply stores or through a veterinarian. Cats and dogs dislike the scents of these sprays and will avoid the furniture.

    • 4

      Feed your dog or cat on the piece of furniture it has urinated on. Dogs or cats will not eliminate where they eat, so this will discourage the pet from urinating on the surface of the furniture. Play with or treat your pet while on the furniture to further change the way the pet views the object, according to The Humane Society of the United States.

    • 5

      Place a battery-powered, ultrasonic sound emitting device on or near the piece of furniture. These motion-detecting devices emit a harmless noise that only the pet can hear when it jumps onto the piece of furniture to urinate. The noise discourages the pet from marking on the furniture.