WELL, despair not! Accidents DO happen in the best of households! Don't blame the cat, ever...make sure it's not something clinically the matter by letting your veterinarian assess the problem and rule out anything dire. Older cats and those with dysplasia and arthritis/stiffness are more apt to be incontinent than other cats. Unneutered males and a surprising number of unspayed females will spray, as will a significant number of "fixed" cats, for a variety of reasons. A good reference to have is CAT vs. CAT by Pam Johnson-Bennett (Penguin Books, 2004: ISBN 0-14-200475-8) which should be readily available through Amazon.com and all of the usual places. A must-have in my house is Nature's Miracle Just For Cats enzymatic stain/odor remover liquid, available at Petco, PetsMart, and other fine "pet" supply stores. I buy it by the gallon. It is money-back guaranteed to remove completely any stain or odor, following the directions. IT WORKS. Don't get mad at the cat. Get this cleaner and use it.