Cleaning cat vomit from carpet?

arj14

So, my cat was having a very bad Saturday which included a ton of vomiting and a trip to the e-vet.  Poor girl is feeling much better now (although she is still not quite back at her usual eating level).

The best I could do about the vomit spots at the time was spray them with Lysol before covering them up with paper towels (excluding the chunks that we were actually able to get up off the carpet, of course).  The vomit that still isn't totally out was food-colored and liquid-y, as well as vomit that started out white and frothy.

What are effective ways of getting the leftovers and stains up and out?   Lysol was the only thing we had that day, but if anyone can recommend a cleaner that is less harsh and works better (or at least equally well) as Lysol, that would be great.

 

Oh, and also:  my DH's friends girlfriend suggested giving our kitty small amounts of Pepto Bismal for the vomting (note: we did NOT do this).  This person loves to give advice, but 99% of it turns out to be very, very bad.  However, to satisfy my own curiosity and pettiness - would the pepto have done my cat any good whatsoever, or is this advice just another POS?

LuckyAngel07

We use Nature's Miracle for any sort of organic stains (ie, cat puke, cat/dog pee...it's even gotten blood out). Give that a try and see how it goes. You have to let it sit for a while; don't just pour it out and immediately wipe it up; the enzymes in the cleaner need time to work and break things down.

A quick Google search (so take with a grain of salt) indicates Pepto would NOT be safe to use in cats (I think most human OTC meds aren't cat-safe for that matter):

Kaopectate? WARNING FOR CAT OWNERS

Use only if your formulation does NOT contain salicylates. Pepto-Bismol? should not be used in cats since it contains salicylates, the active ingredient in aspirin. Cats are very sensitive to aspirin so it should be avoided. WARNING - PLEASE NOTE THAT THE NEW FORMULATIONS OF KAOPECTATE MAY ALSO HAVE SALICYLATES. Do not use if your formulations lists salicylates as an active ingredient. Any vomiting or diarrhea that persists for more than 24 hours needs your veterinarian's attention.

Other sources say it's safe for dogs, but NOT for cats; many medications can be toxic to cats, including Pepto Bismol.

It's always best to ask your vet about safe medications to administer to your pets. If your vet is closed, contact an e-vet's office; they should at least be willing and able to tell you if a certain human medication is safe to give your cat/dog.

ndolehan

I've also read Pepto is ok for dogs but not cats. Again, not for the kitty!

In regards to the vomit stain, we use Woolite Pet formula, I've heard the Natures Miracle works well, we just haven't tried it (yet).  Just remember, whatever you use, to read the instructions and not to "scrub" the spot. I made that mistake once...big stain...

mrs.jacinthe

I let the dog clean up barf stains occasionally. 

Seriously, though, when we lived in OH, and before we knew better, we had light-colored carpet and we were feeding a crappy food, leading to reddish stains on the carpet from the food coloring in the food.  We did eventually get these up with peroxide, which is, depending on your carpet color, safe to use on carpets and really effective for discoloration stains.

Otherwise, you'll also want to use an enzyme-based cleaner (Nature's Miracle or the like) to prevent the stains from smelling. 

gahanwild

We use the Bissell Spot Bot with the Pet Stain cleaner and the Oxy boost.  Works pretty good on getting out stains. 

arj14

Thank you so much for the replies!  Especially about the Pepto (my search-fu is weak).  Gotta try to get a hold of that woman now to let her know she's wrong before she gives that advice to someone who doesn't think to check before following it.... and in the meantime, get one of those cleaners.

 Thanks again!