TailVetted Recommends.

Remove loose fur before the clothes go into the wash. The order makes a difference.

1. Start dry. Brush or lift the loose hair from clothing before washing it.
2. Wash for the fabric. Use detergent and follow the garment’s care label. If you use FurZapper, leave out fabric softener and dryer sheets, as its retailer instructions advise.

What you’ll need

• Clothes brush or lint roller
• Laundry detergent
• The garment’s care instructions

Find where the smell starts before choosing a cleaner. If it is an old urine spot, treat the source.

1. Find and blot. Check the affected fabric, nearby edges and the area under furniture. For a urine accident, blot rather than rub, then rinse with cool water and blot again.
2. Give the cleaner time. Use a surface-compatible urine cleaner over the affected area, following its label for contact time. Let it air-dry and check again. Avoid ammonia-based cleaners on urine spots.

What you’ll need

• Absorbent towels
• Cool water
• Surface-compatible urine cleaner

Repeated accidents deserve a vet check, not just another bottle of cleaner.

Work in this order: box, litter, then mat. The mat is the last part of the routine.

1. Start at the box. Give your cat a roomy box, scoop daily and use fine, unscented litter at the recommended depth.
2. Catch the exit. Measure the box and the space around it. Put a generously sized mat where your cat steps out, and empty the litter it collects.

What you’ll need

• Litter scoop
• Fine, unscented litter
• Tape measure
• Litter mat sized for the exit space

Keep the cleanup kit at the door, ready for the moment you both get home.

1. Clean before the tour. Remove boots and clean the paws before your dog heads through the house. Pay attention to the spaces between the toes, especially after salted winter walks.
2. Finish dry. Dry the paws thoroughly. Keep the door towel in the regular wash, so a clean one is ready for the next walk.

What you’ll need

• Clean water and a paw-cleaning cup, or suitable paw wipes
• Absorbent towel
• Washable entrance mat
• Well-fitting dog boots for winter walks, if used

Keep the scratching. Change the place: offer a stable surface beside the spot your cat already likes.

1. Match the stretch. Choose a stable post tall enough for your cat’s stretch, or a horizontal scratcher if that is how they like to scratch. Put it beside the chosen sofa arm.
2. Protect while they settle in. Cover the sofa arm with a guard or a snug throw while the new scratcher is beside it. Once your cat accepts the scratcher, keep it in that spot.

What you’ll need

• Stable scratching post or horizontal scratcher
• Sofa-arm guard or snug throw
• Optional catnip or silver vine