Cats are very secretive. It's hard to know where they've gone. And sometimes you don't know there is an accident for weeks. So how can you conquer your cat urine problem?

First, you'll want to start with a black light. These are sold in most hardware stores and some department stores. Just look in the light bulb section and ask for a black light. Use this at night and you'll see all the urine contaminated areas. They will glow from the black light. Sometimes you'll be surprised at where your cat has made his mark.

Once you've established exactly where the problems lie, you'll want to treat the areas with a good enzyme. There are many enzymes on the market, so you may have to test a few to find a product that works best for you. The best thing to do is purchase one recommended by a friend or professional carpet cleaner. Or purchase an enzyme with a money-back guarantee.

When you treat the area with enzymes, allow it to soak for several hours. Enzymes take time to work. When the enzymes have soaked, rinse the area with water from a carpet cleaning machine. It's best not to put detergent in the machine. Plain water will do the rinsing just fine.

Allow the area to dry. If the odor persists, start the process over. Don't get discouraged, it may take a few applications to remove all the urine. At times, the odor may be embedded deep in the padding or even in the floor beneath the carpet.

Cat odor can be very hard to remove even for professionals. But with the right tools you can get it under control. If repeating the processes above doesn't remove the cat odor, call a professional carpet cleaning company immediately. They can help save your carpet, rugs, or furniture from unnecessary replacement.