My cat has recently started peeing on the bed. What can I do?

Question

One of our other cats just recently got hit by a car and died. The peeing started after this. She has done it 2 nights in a row while I was bathing and putting my son to bed. She also peed downstairs on the cat bed and on a small quilt my son had laid down on the floor. What can I do to get her to stop this? She is about 5 months old.

Answer 1

Hi there...if she hasn't been spayed this would also cause her to urinate/spray. At 5 months she is reaching sexual maturity and females have been known to also spray like male cats. If she is spayed, it could be stress-related to the loss of her mate or she has a urinary tract/bladder infection. Consider having a vet evaluate her to rule out any medical problems, but until she can be seen the person who answered above me would be the best solution.

House soiling problems by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/housesoiling.html
More on female spraying: http://home.ivillage.com/pets/cats/0,,2j1z,00.html

Answer 2

First, take her to the vet to elminate the possibility of a physical problem. Cats with urinary tract infections will start peeing outside of the litter box because they associate the box with pain. A urinary infection can quickly turn into a serious and even life threatening illness if untreated, so it's best not to assume something else is causing it.

If the vet rules out a physical problem, then you need to deal with the behavioral issue. Do you have other cats or is she the only one now? If she's alone, you might want to get another cat to keep her company. Is she spayed? If not, that should be done as soon as possible, even if it has nothing to do with the urinating.

You need to clean anything that she has peed on very thoroughly, or she'll keep peeing there even if there aren't any physical or behavioral problems. Look into products that contain enzymes that will neutralize the urine. Some even come with a black light to look for spots. Whatever you do, do NOT clean the areas with ammonia. Remember, she can smell much better than you can. Just because you can't smell it doesn't mean she won't.

There are all sorts of things you can do to try to break her of the habit, and the sooner you do it, the better. Just like in humans, the longer a habit lasts, the harder it is to break. Get an inexpensive plastic mattress cover and put it over your bed (over the covers) at all times. At least if she pees on this it will be easier to clean up. Try not to leave things on the floor - fabric and bags especially, as they can be scrunched around like litter. For the bed, keep a container of cat treats that she loves in your room. Give her a few pieces of the treats on your bed every day. She will associate the bed with a food place, and cats don't pee where they eat.

Another thing you can do is restrict her to a smaller area for a few days, with a litter box present. As she begins using the litter box consistently, increase the area she's allowed to roam in. If she starts peeing in the wrong places again, go back to the smaller area and start over.

Inappropriate urinating is the most common reason people get rid of their cats. Just be patient and consistent and you can get through this. Whatever you do, do not yell at her, rub her nose in it, or swat her. This does not work on cats. She doesn't care about your approval, like dogs do.

Answer 3

Last year my beautiful Manx cat Theodore went out for the evening and never came back. I love cats and the house didn't feel the same without one, so I picked up Lola from a rescue centre. She was very frightened and would pee all over the house. I found Cat Spraying No More� on the internet and the techniques worked almost immediately. I haven't had a problem with Lola since. Amazing!

Can't stop your cat peeing in the house? Then worry no more...

Answer 4

She is most likely doing this as a behavioral issue. Behavioral issues can be hard to treat as you can't talk to the cat about her problem. I would recommend shutting her in a small area with a litter pan..bathrooms often work best. make sure you pick up all rugs from the floor first. Once she uses the litter box for several days give her more and more space. make sure to check on her several times a day to reassure her she hasn't been abandoned. Is this doesn't work after a few days I would recommend taking her to your vet as cats can get bladder infections from stress.

Answer 5

It is pretty hard to train a cat. The best thing to do is just put the cat outside and keep food and water out there for it. Mine have a hole to come into the garage to eat, that way the dogs don't get their food. If this is not possible you can put the food up high and let the cat know where it is. When it gets hungrey it will go there to eat..