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Help! My Cat Is Peeing On The Bed!
Inappropriate urination would have to be one of the most common behavioral problems people have with their cats. It is of course extremely hard for an owner to understand why this happens, let alone deal with it.
We received a plea for help on our FaceBook page “my cat is peeing on the bed”. And I have posted the question and my answer below.
My Cat Is Urinating On The Bed
Alisha wrote: Need help/ideas for my cat. She kept urinating on the bed so I eventually bought Illness detecting litter; and it turned blue. So I took her to the vet and she said she was fine it’s just behavioral.
So we put her on amitriptyline. If I put it in her mouth she would hide it and spit it out 95% of the time. If I crushed it in her food even wet or treats anything she would not eat it.
So she went on the bed twice in this time. So we started locking her out of the bedroom. Now we set mouse traps on the bed with a sheet over them to keep her off the bed all had been well. Until we got a new couch she has peed on it twice now. The spots I just found where three huge huge spots and all still wet. So they must be from today.
I don’t know what to do and we are newlywed college students who just can’t afford another vet bill. I want to contact the place we got her from and see if they will help. But I’m almost to the point where she might need a different home if ours isn’t working for her .
We have an Alaskan malamute puppy who I think might cause her high stress and I don’t know if she is getting enough attention now that she doesn’t snuggle with us all night.
I am wondering if the vet missed something but I’m at the point I can’t afford to take care of her right. I don’t know what to do. Anyone have any suggestions.
I need to pick her up a second litter box and find a place to put it. The vet said she is in perfect heath but all she did was a urinalysis and physical check up. Help, my cat is peeing on the bed! Thanks in advance.
Here Is My Reply:
The Steps to Solving Cat Litterbox Problems:
1) Veterinary Check Up.
This is to first eliminate any possible health problems that may be causing your cat’s inappropriate choice of where to pee. In your case, you have already done this – and it seems as though the vet thinks it is an anxiety problem, from what she has prescribed.
2) The Litterbox Itself
Ensure the litterbox is placed in a quiet place, and is always clean and easily accessible for the cat. Also, add more litter boxes – temporarily … see below.
3) Add Litter Boxes
Where possible add a few extra temporary litter boxes, and especially near to the accident area. Once your cat is going in the litter box again, you can slowly move the ones she is using closer to where you want the permanent spot to be.
And also, start removing the extra ones. The idea here is to make it really, REALLY easy for your cat to go in the right place, so she starts building up a reliable habit again.
4) Change The Litter
Try changing to a different substrate. For example, if you currently use a crystal litter – try changing to a wood or paper-based litter. You cat may be objecting to what is underneath her feet, the smell of the litter, or the feel of it.
5) Eliminate Stressors
Try and figure out what, if anything, may be stressing your cat out. This may be a new addition to the household, strange cats appearing outside, new noises. Where it is possible, remove the stressor – and also take steps to de-sensitize the cat. Natural anxiety treatments can often help a lot with calming your cat’s emotions down, such as Feliway.
6) Remove All Urine Traces.
It is very necessary to thoroughly clean any areas where your cat has had mishaps with an proper enzymatic cleaner. This includes bedding, mattresses and soft furnishings.
*** This is extremely important! Even though we clean up where little accidents happen and think it is all gone, there still remains the enzymes there that cats can smell, as they have a very powerful sense of smell. So they think this is where they are allowed to go again.
You will need to buy a product specially for removing urine odors with enzymes in it to break down and remove the urine proteins deep in the surfaces. I recommend this enzymatic cleaner. Most pet shops should have a similar product. Make sure to read all of the instructions and use it exactly as it says.
7) Deter The Cat
Where there has been any accidents, put deterrents or totally block access for at least a month (preferably longer) to break your cat’s habit of using that area. I don’t recommend using anything that will scare your cat – as stress is one of the things that is probably causing inappropriate peeing. So you do not want to add to that stress in any way. Just block her access where possible.
For example … if your cat is peeing on the bed, keep all the bedroom doors closed. If she is peeing or pooping on soiled laundry, put the laundry in a basket with a lid. If your cat is peeing on the couch, keep something on there that she doesn’t like stepping on … such as a piece of aluminum foil, or a mat with a prickly surface.
8) Lots of Love
Make sure to give the cat lots of extra attention and play time on a regular basis. Build up her self-confidence and sense of worth. If you think your cat is being stressed by a new family member or pet, then make sure to include them in the play-time. Start with them a little way a way, and gradually move them closer, stopping immediately and backing off slightly if your cat shows any signs of stress at the close proximity.
8) De-Stress Your Cat
Try one or more of the natural methods of calming anxiety in your cat. Try Feliway, both of these often produce very good results.
Final Suggestions:
In your case, Alisha, I think it is highly likely that the addition of your lively new puppy is the trigger of your cats litter box problems. If you don’t have one already, I would recommend getting (or making) a scratching post with a very tall place she can feel safe on. One with a bed or little enclosure right at the top where the puppy can’t reach would help her to feel safe, while still being able to watch what is going on.
Over time, this will help her acclimatize to the noise and activity, and build up her confidence in dealing with her new housemate.
I hope this helps, and you go on to have a reliably well toilet-trained kitty once again.
Useful Links:
I have a 13yo Himalayan who for no reason that I am aware of started peeing on my dining room carpet in 1 corner. I have cleaned the area. Tore up the padding, cloraxed the subflooring to eliminate odors. Took her to the Vet & clean bill of health with blood work/liver/kidneys/thyroid, and urinalysis was negative for any infection or bacteria. Her litter box is clean, every day, no clue as to why she is doing this? Any ideas???
Hi Sandy, I am very sorry to hear your cat is having this problem, it will be extremely frustrating for you. So, you have checked through all of the steps in this article here on toilet problems? Also, please make sure to read these two pages:
http://www.catproblemsadvice.com/cat-not-using-litter-box/
http://www.catproblemsadvice.com/cat-pooping-outside-litter-box/
Also, you mentioned that you have used “clorax” to eliminate odors. I am afraid that won’t be sufficient, as a true “enzymatic” cleaning agent is needed. Read in the article above the paragraph headed “Remove All Urine Traces.”
It is possible that this is an age-related issue, particularly if your cat has be eating processed food most of her life. You don’t mention what she eats.
But personally, I would be getting a second opinion from a different vet. Because, unless she has suddenly been stressed for some reason – there must be a health issue that is causing her to pee inappropriately all of a sudden. Maybe you can find a vet who takes a natural approach? Sometimes Homeopathy and a change in diet (if necessary) can work wonders.
Hiya,
I’ve read this article as I’m desperately searching for answers as to why my cat won’t stop peeing on our couches and beds. My mum and brother are 100% over it and want her gone, but I don’t want her to end up being passed around from house to house when she starts to pee on their things.
We’ve had her for a year and have tried everything on this list. We’ve been to the vet multiple times and there’s no medical issues. We spray Feliway spray on all the furniture and in all the rooms once a week, we have 5 litter trays scattered around the house (we have 2 other cats), we clean the litter tray several times a day so there’s clean litter trays 90% of the time, we give her a huge amount of affection, and she gets along with the other cats (most of the time). We have absolutely no idea what to do now! We tried shower curtains on the couches for a few months which stopped it happening, but was impractical in the long run. As soon as they were taken off she went right back to doing it. We thought it could be the smell, but my brother got a whole new bed because his was so stained and she still did it on his new bed that definitely had no urine smell. Any ideas????
Gee, it sounds like you have tried everything, but there is ALWAYS a cause of this type of peeing. It is very difficult sometimes to figure out what it is, but often because of feeling insecure in the home. You mention “the other cats” so I presume you have other felines in the house? That’s a flag to me right there – she may be seeming to get on with them, but is still feeling inferior and that she doesn’t have her “own place” in which to feel safe.
Maybe you can watch a few episodes of “The Cat Whisperer” (Jackson Galaxy) and see if this helps you get to the root of the problem. He seems to always fix these issues with incredible understanding.
And for deterrents in the meantime, can you put something on the beds and couches that she doesn’t like? Such as prickly/crinkly fabric, or even light sheets of firm plastic or wood?
Hi…………..this is a terrible problem. We solved it with the use of “Scat Mats”……….a plastic piece with a battery attached. When the cat gets on it it gives a very slight shock to them and they promptly get off and do not jump in that spot again. It is not cruel because it doesn’t hurt them but does deter them. It also works for a place they may be scratching. after awhile you can turn the mat switch off and they still do not go there !!!! Hope this works for you. You can order them from Amazon – it is about $55., or it was when I ordered.
My 12 month old rag doll has started pooing inside about every week. Before this he weed on the sofa.
He is fully trained and toileting outside. I have a feliway diffuser plugged in all the time.
I Can no longer trust him. We have one other older cat.
Also he won’t go outside if it’s raining!
Ca
Please help,
My cat chewy is 5 years old, he is very skittish and likes to mostly stay on the third story in my bedroom. He always cuddles with me at night to get his cuddles in. We moved to the UK(military), 5 months ago, everything was going great then all of a sudden he started pooing and urinating on clothes on the floor, rugs on the bathroom, now he is doing it on my sons bed. My husband wants to throw him outside but I think that’s so mean, he is scared to death to leave the house. We try to keep doors shut to deter him but that’s difficult with 2 young kids, we also put in a self cleaning litter box, which he uses. But he’s still doing it. I’m at such a loss.
Hi all!
My cat Momo is just over 1 year old. My husband is his best friend and has been hanging out with him at home almost 24/7 since March (covid). My husband has now been out of the house in the afternoons for two weeks as his program returns to in person attendance. Momo has peed the bed at bedtime (12am) three times in the past two weeks.
We’ve been super mindful about giving lots of attention in the evenings, put on CatTV during the day so he’s not as bored, and even got a new mattress to make sure there was no lingering scent.
We’re going to the vet this week for a checkup – what else can we do??