My cat is being bad?

Question

My cat keeps on deciding that instead of peeing in her litter box, she is going to pee in my bed. Now, She does pee in her litter box but every once in awhile it is in the bed. She has stained both sides of my mattress and I need to figure out how to make her stop.

Should I try changing the type of litter we use? I have punished her and all that good stuff but i need something else to get through to her. I don't want to get rid of her.

Answer 1

Hi Michael...if this is something that recently developed, first consider all the possibilities such as:
- changes with litter brands
- location of the litter box isn't private enough
- some cats like to have one box to defecate and another to urinate
- cleanliness (some cats are very finicky and prefer a super clean box)
- as a general rule there should be one litter box for each cat plus one extra as a back up
- kittens who are over 5-7 months can become sexually mature and urine spray as well as defecate inappropriately to mark territory.
- senior cats develop age-related disorders such as chronic renal failure (CRF), hyperthyroidism, diabetes, etc.

If all these have been ruled out, there's a chance that your cat may have developed another underlying medical problem such as something as simple as a lower urinary tract disorder: http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_feline_lower_urinary_tract_dis.html which can contribute to accidents outside of the box. Cats will associate pain while using box and change their habits as a result.

Here's an article about why cats inappropriately soil outside their litter box by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine: http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/Housesoiling.html

House soiling is the most common behavior problem reported by cat owners. It includes urination and/or defecation outside the litter box, as well as urine spraying.

Why do cats eliminate outside of the litter box?
One common misconception is that cats soil in inappropriate places for revenge. It is tempting to conclude, "He defecated on the living room carpet to punish me for leaving him for the weekend." But this kind of calculation requires sophisticated cognitive abilities that cats aren't believed to possess. Furthermore, this conclusion assumes that cats view their urine and feces as distasteful, when in fact they do not. It is only we humans who view it that way.

Medical Problems
So why do cats urinate or defecate on your bed or carpet? Medical problems are one possibility. Inflammation of the urinary tract may cause painful or frequent urination, inability to urinate, bloody urine, and crying during urination. An affected cat is likely to eliminate outside the litter box if he comes to associate the box with painful urination, or if he has an increased urgency to urinate. In addition, kidney, liver, and thyroid diseases often lead to increased drinking and urination. Inflammation of the colon or rectum, intestinal tract tumors, intestinal parasites, and other gastrointestinal conditions may cause painful defecation, increased frequency or urgency to defecate, and decreased control of defecation. Age-related diseases that interfere with a cat's mobility (for example, arthritis, nervous system disorders, or muscular diseases), or with his cognitive functions can also influence his ability to get to the litter box in time. In short, any medical condition that interferes with a cat's normal elimination behavior can lead to house soiling.

Litter Box Aversions
Behavioral problems, such as litter box aversions, inappropriate site preferences, or urine spraying can also lead to house soiling. An aversion implies that there is something about the litter box that your cat finds unsavory. It could be the box, the litter, the location of the box, or all three.

...please consider visiting the website for further details

Answer 2

This is just for you: Get a waterproof cover for your mattress. It's like a big vinyl bag with a zipper around one end and you can get them at most places that sell bed linens. You can also get a quilted mattress pad which will make it more comfortable for you. The smell in the mattress (even though you've cleaned it, the cat can still smell it) may be attracting the cat, and the plastic cover should prevent that. These suggestions should also make things easier to clean up if kitty has an accident.

I'm going to repeat what others have said -- Your cat is not doing this on purpose.

Answer 3

wow! a hard question.....cats are so unpredictable..
how old is the cat? could be just lonely and wants attention........
we had a cat once that had kidney infection and she went potty on the couch... the vet says they do this to show you something is wrong..............
call your vet and ask. they usually will give you some ideas and then ask you to make an appointment...... i would rule out things first . punishment doesnt do much good.. cats are really an exception....but they are usually clean..........change the litter box material to a differnt kind.......my cat will not use the natural green types or the hard little roll kinds.............tidy cat or some other brand is good...............
also... gross as it sounds......if it is infection the urine spot will feel like sand .......it is salt........ and they need a vet..........

just some ideas for you.........granma

Answer 4

my cat was doing the same thing he did it once on my bed and then on my boyfriends work clothes, i asked the vet about it and it said because he needs to get neutered she said male and female cats do it so if she isnt spayed i would do that. Its a way for them to mark there territory they will spray anything that doesnt smell like them. Also what i did was got a water bottle and sprayed him everytime he went near my bed or the work clothes and i also put his face in what he did and told him bad cat and he hasnt been doing it.

Answer 5

Quite often when a cat pees where she shouldn't, it means she is trying to TELL you something -- like she feels sick or it hurts when she pees. She might have a urinary tract infection. Bring her to a vet as SOON as you can. Good luck!

Answer 6

lol she must like your sheets or something you could just leave your door shut or if the litter box is near or in your room move the litter box away from there. that simple close the door

Answer 7

clean bedding really well as any trace of smell they will keep doing in same place

Answer 8

sounds like she is mad at you...my cat used to poop on something of mine just mine when somebody came in the house...

Answer 9

Defenestrate it.