Tag: Cats and Grooming

How do I clean pet vomit from fine fabric and furniture?

Pets are great for companionship, but they aren’t so good about cleaning up after themselves….

The first thing to do is remove as much of the vomit as possible. A spatula and paper towels work great for the big chunky stuff, however it is the liquid portion that does most of the staining and smelling. The solutions for both surfaces are similar, however the furniture has the added dimension of cleaning the cushioning, or padding, which has soaked up this offensive liquid.

Depending on the type of fabric, there are different care guidelines. An excellent resource is www.fabriclink.com. The best general advice is to pick up an active enzyme (often marketed as enzyme based) detergent or additive. The enzymes will actually digest the proteins contained in the vomit. Allow the mixed enzyme to soak into the stain for at least one hour before laundering as normal following the regular care instructions for the fabric.

The furniture will require the same attention, however, since your sofa won’t fit in the washing machine, you will need to rent an upholstery extraction machine, which is just a carpet cleaner with an upholstery attachment. Once the surface residue has been removed, apply the enzyme mixture, and allow it to soak. The powerful suction from the extractor is needed to remove the vomit residue, the enzyme solution, and the rinse water from the padding. Using too much chemical, or leaving excessive rinse water in the area being cleaned, can result in mildew forming inside the cushion, so thorough extraction and proper drying is a must!

Good quality chemicals, specifically enzyme based detergents, can be found at commercial janitorial supply stores while an extractor can be rented at almost any large grocery store. Given the expense of renting the equipment, and the cost of chemicals, it is often a better value to hire a professional for the job. A reputable company will have much more powerful equipment, and so long as you alert them to the specific problem (vomit), they will be able to provide the proper chemicals for the job.

General Info:
Clip your cats nails every six to eight weeks. Your cat may be more dolcile after a nap. First hold your cat close to your body, lift a front paw and gently press on the center of the pad to extend the nails. Use a good quality clipper and clip only the clear hooked end of each nail, avoid the pink.

General:
Cats are generally very good at grooming and keeping themselves clean. If you need to bath your cat for example a flea bath, good luck! But seriously, you can use a treated pet shampoo available at most pet stores.

Tools & chemical:
cat shampoo or medicated flea shampoo, lots of towels and a friend to help.

Technique:
Try bathing your cat in the kitchen sink, or if that doesn’t work, get right into the bathtub with your cat in your lap  be sure you are wearing long pants and sleeves if your cat is likely to claw you!

Note: A smelly cat or dog may indicate that your pet has a health problem. See your vet.

General Info:
While cats do a good job of grooming themselves there are good reasons for you to groom your cat.

1. Brushing sitmulates new hair growth and removes dead hair.
2. If your cat swallowing to much hair when grooming themselves they can get hairballs, which can be a health concern if the hairball becomes impacted in the intestine.

So brushing your cat frequently with a brush or grooming mitt will reduce the amount of hair your cat will consume.

Tools for grooming:
For short or medium hair use a flea comb and a slicker brush,fine tooth comb or grooming glove. For long haired cats use a pin brush or fine toothed comb and a detangling spray.