To get cat pee out of shoes, sponge the area with cool water, work in a liquid detergent, then treat it with an enzyme cleaner and let the shoes air dry with no heat. Take the insoles out and deal with them separately. That is the method with the best backing for canvas and mesh; on leather and suede it is much harder, and some soaked pairs don't come back.
Why cat urine is so stubborn in shoes
A shoe is layers: the upper, a lining, foam padding around the collar, an insole. Urine soaks through to places a cloth can't reach, and that is where the smell lives on. Two things matter for getting it out:
- Enzymes. The American Cleaning Institute says enzymatic cleaners break apart organic stains such as urine. Look for a pet-stain cleaner that says enzymatic on the label.
- No heat until it is out. Texas A&M's extension service warns against heat-drying before the urine has gone, because heat sets stains.
Vinegar and baking soda come up in most threads. They have a place in the routine below, but the claim that they break down the urine itself only appears in weak sources. Treat them as finishing steps, not the cure.
Canvas, mesh and fabric shoes
Texas A&M's method for items that can't go in the washing machine fits a shoe well. This is also the answer to getting cat pee out of shoes without washing them:
- Strip the shoe. Laces and insoles out.
- Cool water. Sponge cool water through the affected area, pressing it in and blotting it out several times.
- Detergent. Sponge on a liquid detergent solution, work it in, then blot and sponge again with plain water.
- Enzyme cleaner. Apply it generously enough to reach as deep as the urine did, and leave it for the time on the label, at least 10 to 15 minutes.
- Vinegar rinse. Texas A&M's rinse is "half white vinegar and half water". The same guide notes vinegar may change the colour of some dyes, so try it inside the tongue first on a coloured shoe.
- Air dry. Stuff with plain paper towels and leave them somewhere airy, away from radiators and sun.
- If the smell lingers, pour baking soda inside once the shoe is completely dry, leave it overnight, then shake or vacuum it out.
Texas A&M's first choice for washable items is the laundry, but a shoe is a poor fit for the machine: most shoe makers advise against it. Our washing machine guide explains why.
The insoles
The insole is the easiest part to fix. Give a removable insole the same cool water, detergent and enzyme treatment, and dry it fully on its own. If it still smells, replace it, which is Nike's advice for any insole whose odour won't shift. Our insoles and odour guide covers drying and replacing them.
Leather shoes, boots and suede
This is where we have to be straight with you. The American Cleaning Institute's pet guide says the enzymatic remover it describes is not recommended for leather, and advises testing for colourfastness first. We found no reliable home fix for cat urine on leather.
- Blot up what you can as soon as you find it, then wipe the surface with a cool, damp cloth.
- Pull out the insole and treat it separately, since it can be cleaned or replaced on its own.
- If you try any cleaner on the leather, test it inside the heel first.
Work boots and leather boots are the same story. Suede and nubuck have no reliable method at all. For a valuable pair, a specialist leather cleaner is the next call. If the smell survives that, one extension Q&A suggests discarding porous items that still smell after enzyme treatment. It is a weak source, but we would rather tell you that than promise every pair can be saved.
Where our foam fits
It doesn't fit the smell, and we won't pretend it does. SneakerSalt Shoe Cleaning Foam is a surface cleaner, not a deodorizer, and it does nothing to urine soaked into the padding. Its one use here is a visible mark on the outside once the enzyme work is done and the shoe is dry: two pumps, ten seconds, wipe.
Why does my cat pee on shoes?
We can't answer that well, and a vet can. If it keeps happening, that is the call to make. In the meantime, shoes in a closed cupboard are shoes that stay dry.
Dog pee gets exactly the same treatment as cat pee: cool water, detergent, enzyme, air dry.
Questions people actually ask
What kills the smell of cat urine?
Enzymatic cleaners are what break down the urine itself, according to the American Cleaning Institute. After that, baking soda left overnight in a dry shoe helps with what remains. Anything that only adds scent leaves the cause where it was.
Does pee smell go away when it dries?
No. Drying leaves the urine in the shoe, and heat-drying makes the stain harder to remove. Treat it first, then dry.
Does cat pee permanently stain shoes?
On canvas and mesh, the enzyme method is your best chance. On leather and suede, a mark or smell may stay, and a soaked pair is not always worth saving.
For the outside of the shoe once the hard part is over: SneakerSalt foam, $24, free shipping, brush and cloth included, and a full refund within 30 days if it doesn't clean your shoe.
