One of the most embarrassing minutes for a cat owner is waking up to the smell of pee and realizing that your feline urinated on your bed while you were sleeping. In some cases, your cat may even pee on the bed right in front of you!
Felines who urinate indiscriminately may have a clinical problem
The first thing you should consider whenever your domestic cat urinates outside the litter box is that he may have a medical problem.
Urinary tract infection, diabetes mellitus, and kidney disease are common feline conditions that can trigger a lack of ability to go to the bathroom.
If your cat pees on your bed or anywhere other than its litter box, consult your veterinarian now.
Often, the problem can be as simple as an undiagnosed health problem that leads your feline to pee in inappropriate places. Other health issues can also contribute, so have your feline checked out.
In some cases, the problem may come from a feeling of inferiority or guilt in your cat coming from external elements.
Your feline's health is often the reason he pees on the bed. Maybe he's stressed by your other pets or even other cats wandering around your yard at night.
Increasing self-confidence can help reduce tension and, ideally, uncontrolled incidents.
Start by providing more “high places,” like cat trees and elevated cat run ladders . Cats gain confidence when they have a higher perspective on their world.
Play with him more to strengthen your bond and expend some of his energy. Maybe start taking him outside once a day in a feline harness, so he has a new experience that stimulates his mind.
Try the training clicker, or get out a feather wand and play every day. Make these moments of bonding constant, so that he looks forward to them.
Stress and anxiety in cats can cause inappropriate urination (kidney and urinary tract problems)
After clinical problems, stress and anxiety are the most common reasons for inappropriate urination in felines.
Cats can be worried or distressed by many things that people may not immediately recognize. Poor litter conditions are chief among them.
A litter box that is not clean enough, that is in a place that does not seem safe for the cat or that contains litter that it does not like are all stressful situations for a feline, and all factors that encourage people to urinate elsewhere.
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Be sure to scoop the litter several times a day , empty it and wash the container with warm water and soap every week, and replace the box every six months.
- Set up as many litter boxes as you have felines . Cats don't like to pee in messy litter boxes, and if you don't have enough boxes, they are sure to get dirty quickly.
- Keep at least one litter box on each floor of your residence. Domestic cats will not be willing or able to travel that far to look for a box when they need one.
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Do not place the litter box in an area where there are loud noises, heavy traffic , or where a cat could be "caught" by a dog or other feline companions.
Cats can also be worried by the arrival of a new family member (human, feline or canine), by a change in schedule for the humans in the house, by visitors, by construction work or by another hubbub around the house.
Look for problems with your cat's litter box
Your feline may pee on your bed because he's not comfortable with his litter box. You need at least one litter box per cat in the family, plus one extra box.
Place them in different places in the house , including at least one in a personal place, away from noise and traffic.
Now is the time to explore all the different types of bins.
- Try covered and uncovered litter boxes, as well as large and small sizes.
- You can also try boxes whose open side does not require stepping over to enter.
Test different types of litter to find out if your feline has a preference.
- Cats who are outside a lot may choose a box with outdoor soil mixed with litter.
- Some long-haired cats may not like clay litter because it sticks to their fur, but they will enjoy absorbent crystal litter.
- Other felines might prefer scented litter, while some need litter that has no odor.
- Some felines like clumping litter and others won't touch it. Other cats may not use a box if it has a closure
- You can also test the depth of the litter box, and remember to clean it regularly.
Your cat can miss you and he shows it to you in his own way.
If you change your schedule or suddenly don't spend as much time caring for your cat as before, she may pee in your corner of the bed to make herself heard and understood. .
Combining his scent with yours might help him feel better around you while you're gone.
If you've been away a lot, your feline may feel the need to bond additionally. If a new person sleeps in your bed, your cat may feel a little insecure and want to show that they are still part of the house!
Consider eliminating triggers that cause urination in your cat
Sometimes it is necessary to remove the triggers that cause peeing. If your cat pees on a specific blanket on your bed, simply getting rid of that blanket may be enough to solve the problem.
Installing a litter box near the bedroom can also help. Sometimes feline owners choose to no longer let the cat sleep in the bedroom. This can trigger additional distress if your cat feels unsafe.
First try bonding, playing more, and offering new litter choices. In some cases, putting things on the bed can also help, as felines tend not to urinate where they feel completely safe.
How to get cat urine out of bed linen
To help prevent your cat from peeing on your bed, thoroughly clean any sheets she pees on. If your cat can smell its old urine, it will be tempted to do it again.
So, how do you get cat urine out of bed linen?
Clean up the pee as quickly as possible. Look for products specifically designed for cat urine cleaning that are enzyme-based because they break down the acid in your cat's urine.
Avoid anything with ammonia, as it smells like cat urine and may even attract your cat to that area.
Wash the area of the litter box where your cat peed with cold water and pat it dry, do not rub it. Add the enzyme cleaner to a second wash if the laundry still smells after the very first wash. You may have to clean the laundry several times before the smell is completely gone.
You should also make sure that the bed frame and floor have not been soiled by urine. You may even need to clean the mattress depending on how much your feline pees.
Remember that your feline is not being mean or malicious when he pees on your bed.
There is something wrong, and this is his only method of making it clear to you. Try not to scold your cat and make it even more uncomfortable.
Instead, talk to your veterinarian and follow the advice in this guide. With time, patience and a lot of love, together you will find the solution and bring your cat back to a calm and serene state of mind.
Your cat doesn't hold grudges
Many people generally think that a cat that pees on their bed is doing it out of spite, that it is angry about something and is trying to get back at its owner.
This is not the case. Rather, your feline is simply trying to deal with something, whether it's a medical problem or a stressful circumstance, and felines react differently than humans.
Don't react with rage towards your feline when you discover his pee on your bed.
Yelling, hitting, or any other form of negative attention will damage the bond you have with your cat , and will not solve the problem.
In fact, it will cause your feline stress and anxiety which may reinforce undesirable habits.
You may want to keep your bedroom door closed while you perform many of the techniques we've talked about.
You can also try having fun with your cat and giving him some petting on the bed.
If your cat likes cuddles, make sure you spend enough time with him every day so that he feels truly connected to you and less anxious.
Use suitable sprays that mimic the calming feline pheromone that mother cats emit to soothe their kittens. You can diffuse it near your bed or spray it in the room at your cat's nose.
