Cat training assistance needed

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rml_16
rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
in Chit-Chat
A few months ago, a momma cat had babies under my friend's house and I took one home. She's the whirling dervish in my avatar. She's very sweet, but we have a MAJOR problem.

Several times, she has peed on my bed in the middle of the night. Last week, she peed on it while I was wide awake reading on my laptop. We've taken to making her stay in the downstairs bathroom at night (obviously with food, water, a litter box and a comfy place to sleep). It's a pretty big bathroom, too.

Well, I just went upstairs to make the bed (the boyfriend never does it when I go into work first) and she had peed on it, I suspect sometime since he got up since it was on the top sheet and comforter, but hadn't soaked all the way through, so it must have been folded over.

How the heck do I get her not to do this?? Anyone have ideas? She has a vet appointment today and I'm going to ask him for ideas, too. I have never had a cat who did this. Pee on clothes left on the floor? Sure. But the peeing on the bed thing is odd. And it's the only place she does it that she shouldn't. She's used the litterbox otherwise since I brought her home at about 4 weeks.
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Replies

  • jamers3111
    jamers3111 Posts: 495 Member
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    I had a cat 7 years ago that used to do that. He was fixed but still peed on my bed all the time. I made him an outdoor cat and he's happier than ever... at least that's what I tell myself ;)
  • wiglett
    wiglett Posts: 53
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    they are attracted to that type of material clothes n stuff cause it feels nice. Cats dont hold grudges or vengeance pee. maybe she has a uti, or some sort of bladder infection., Stress, change is food, change in environment can cause these issues. def. get her labs checked at the vet to rule out infection!
  • SheilaN1976
    SheilaN1976 Posts: 266 Member
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    i was going to say its time to take a trip to the vet...usually always something going on when cats pee like that in other places other then the litter box....good luck!
  • carriempls
    carriempls Posts: 326 Member
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    Sounds like one stressed out kitty!

    The vet visit is the most important. When my cats have peed outside the litter box it has always been a sign of ill health. One kitty had kidney issues, another had cycts in her uterus (which she still had at age 4 that I should have had removed when she was much younger).

    So - get her fixed pronto. And listen to vet advice. If she's in great health you cn try feliway - either spray or plug-in diffusers. It releases kitty-scented hormones that calms your cat to prevent behavior issues.
  • coliema
    coliema Posts: 7,646 Member
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    Where is the litterbox? Sometimes cats don't like where you put their litter box, and they especially don't like their food near it. I moved my cats litter box from one room to the next until he decided he liked it in the sunniest room in the house.

    I would say scare her when she gets on the bed, but that might keep her away from the bed and peeing elsewhere. She might have a bladder problem, let the vet know this when you take her.

    My cat used to have a problem with peeing in the dogs water dish, I tried scaring him and everything. It ended up he didn't like the water dish there and when I moved it, he stopped peeing in it.

    Does your cat scratch at the bed post, not like sharpening her nails, but like she would in the litter box? Does she use the litter box often?
  • HMToomey
    HMToomey Posts: 276
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    put a litter box upstairs too? Is she asleep when she's doing this or no?
  • UsedToBeHusky
    UsedToBeHusky Posts: 15,229 Member
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    I need help with this too. My shelter cat that I adopted likes to pee on our shoes. I moved the litter box into the general area where we keep our shoes, but she is still doing it. I was thinking about spraying the carpet with vinegar to see if the smell deters her, but I don't think you will want to do that with your bed.
  • Desterknee
    Desterknee Posts: 1,056 Member
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    If your house is big, maybe an additional litter box upstairs? My brother was having this issue with one of his new kittens. That was my suggestion and it worked for him.
  • ZoeLifts
    ZoeLifts Posts: 10,347 Member
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    I had some similar issues with a cat we adopted recently (Weasley). He did it first in our bed and after a couple of times of having to completely clean everything and using special cleaner on the mattress, he has been kicked out of the bedroom (unfortunately, so has the rest of the brood because of this). He has done it a couple of times in the other bedroom but now it has been months. From what I understand it may be a UTI. Everyone kept telling me it is not behavioral because he does use the litterbox. I now give him and the other two some wet cat food for breakfast to supplement the dry they get normally, and I make sure there are multiple areas he can get water from. I have also heard the suggestion to squirt some cranberry juice in his water, but never did that. When you go to the vet, they may find she has a UTI or some sort of bladder issue.
  • lostredsock
    lostredsock Posts: 24 Member
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    The cat is training you... There is something she is not happy with.

    Is the litterbox clean and tidy? Has anything changed with respect to food/water? Has your routine changed?

    My male cat would pee on things when I came back from business trips. The suggestion from the vet was to change my work schedule (!) I said, when the cat pulls in my salary, I will stay home whenever he wants!

    Definitely get her checked out, it can be a medical cause, but more than likely, she is being persnickity about something.
  • CentralCaliCycling
    CentralCaliCycling Posts: 453 Member
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    Sounds like the cat has a problem with something - they will pee and spray to get a message across at times.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    Multiple litterboxes, make sure you wash the bedding with an enzymatic cleaner (nature's miracle is one) to get rid of any traces of the funk, neutering if age appropriate, and/or a vet check up to rule out a UTI.
  • teepeetim
    teepeetim Posts: 99 Member
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    I had a cat that was particular to one brand of litter. When I changed brands he peed everywhere except in the litter box. When I changed back he was back in the litter box.
  • hmarean
    hmarean Posts: 15
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    they are attracted to that type of material clothes n stuff cause it feels nice. Cats dont hold grudges or vengeance pee. maybe she has a uti, or some sort of bladder infection., Stress, change is food, change in environment can cause these issues. def. get her labs checked at the vet to rule out infection!


    this! Please have her checked out by a vet. Mine peed in a few weird spots after returning from a weeks vaca. Come to find out she had seperation anxiety :( But also may be a UTI. The vet can run tests to diagnosis any uti or bladder infections. Try cat attract little also. Does she use the cat box at all? Mine are fussy when it comes to litter. I only use World's best.
  • zingeber
    zingeber Posts: 124 Member
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    I had a cat who had this problem as she got older, and agree with the above posters - first and foremost, go to the vet to make sure she doesn't have a UTI. Cats look for "comforting" places when they are in pain, even peeing, and will avoid places (litterbox) they associate with that pain. Like it or not, your bed probably smells like you and is the most comfortable place for her. Make sure the litterbox is accessible, as stated earlier too.

    What I will add - once they smell their urine in a given place, they keep coming back to it, possibly why one poster had problems with cats repeatedly peeing in shoes. You have to totally eradicate the smell. An enzymatic cleaner - you can find them at any pet store - is a godsend because it totally breaks down the ammonia and rids your bed/shoes/whatever of the smell. I happen to love Nature's Miracle, but I'm sure there are other great brands out there as well. You can buy a "generic" one or one specifically designed for cat urine; in my experience, both work.

    Good luck! I know what a frustration this is; hope you get it all worked out!
  • pattybond1234
    pattybond1234 Posts: 32 Member
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    I've had two cats in the past that exhibited similar behavior. Both times, it was a UTI. So, as others have said, I would certainly rule out any physical ailments or illnesses first. In my experience, cats do hold grudges and they do get upset. It can be any number of things. They are very territorial, tempermental, and jealous creatures. Sometimes, other animals in the house will cause them to do things like this. I've even known my cats to get upset in this way with other people. I agree that placement of litter boxes, food bowls, and water bowls can contribute. For the most part, cats like privacy for their litter box. My cats had a covered litter box they really liked and it cut down on the smell, too. Good luck with your kitty!
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
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    It can be a couple of things. First of all, does she have to share the house with another cat? If so, she could be marking your bed as her property.

    The other thing is she may have a urinary tract infection. They tend to pee outside of the litterbox and on soft surfaces when they have a uti because they associate the litterbox with the pain.

    Oh and wash your comforter and sheets with Nature's Miracle to get rid of the smell so it doesn't draw her back to peeing on it.
  • Ginnyesq
    Ginnyesq Posts: 109
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    One of my cats HATES the smell of bleach and will pee on anything that I wash with bleach. Sometimes if something smells bad to them, they will "help" by covering it up with the delicious scent of urine. If the vet and neutering (if you haven't already done that) don't help, you may want to stop using bleach or change your fabric softener, because the kitty might just hate the smell.

    ETA: also, the cat isn't declawed, is it?
  • Trechechus
    Trechechus Posts: 2,819 Member
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    This could be happening for several reasons. Often "bad behaviour" is your pet's way of telling you something is wrong, especially in cats.

    She could be stressed out. Has there been a significant change in your/her life? (ie.Have you moved? Have you changed her food? etc)

    She could be dissatisfied with her litter box. Cats are EXTREMELY clean animals and will not use a litter box that is even vaguely dirty. Make sure you are taking out solid waste daily and changing the litter at least once a week. If it stinks or is dirty, she will eliminate elsewhere. Also, a lot of cats don't like closed litter boxes. It's gross to look at, but an open litter box might keep her using it.

    She might have a more serious urinary problem, which is why I'm going to suggest taking her to a vet. My cat had Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD) and we didn't know about it until it was pretty involved. Luckily, he is okay now, but $2000 later and a lot of pain for him, I wish I had known something was wrong waaaaay earlier. Granted, this is much more common in male cats, but I would still suggest asking a vet what is wrong.

    Also, make sure you clean your blankets, sheets and the mattress REALLY well. If it smells even vaguely of pee, she will likely pee there again. Don't "punish" her. Reward her for good behaviour and make sure you clean everything as thoroughly as possible.
  • cwag_afw
    cwag_afw Posts: 45 Member
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    Do you clean your little box often? I know that sounds like a rude question but let me explain! I had a cat several years ago that did this same thing. I had never had a cat before in my whole life. I wound up giving her away over it. Fast forward to April of this year. I found an abandoned kitten. I bottle fed her around the clock. Finding her prompted me to do research because I knew nothing about cats. Cats won't use dirty litter boxes. I was only cleaning the last cat's box once a week. I didn't know any better! Also, check her for fleas. That will make them stop using it. If it's not one of those, she probably needs to go to the vet. It could be a UTI or something. Good luck!

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