10-week old kitten pees on blanket?

[Dgenners]

Hi everyone! I have found this site super helpful, so I want led to ask about something my cat did tonight. I have a 10-week old kitten who has lived with us for about 2 weeks now. We have had no problems with him not using a litter box, but out of the blue tonight he decided to pee on a sheet that was on the ground of my bedroom.
This is the first time he has peed outside of the box and we wondered what might have caused this? His litter box is located in our main bathroom that is used by us and guests. I did recently have 2 friends come stay with us, but they have been here before with no issue. Do you think I should be worried about this behavior or that it might just be a 1-time occurrence?

 

[ArtNJ]

Kittens are often not perfect yet. If they start having issues, it is useful to deny them access to temptations. Stuff on the ground of the right texture (that can be kneeded with the paws) can sometimes be a problem. This means blankets, clothes left lying around by a child (or adult haha), potentially a bathmat or loose area rug, piles of stuffed animals, empty backpacks and the like. Areas cats can jump up on can also be an issue -- the bed is the single most likely place for accidents. Either keep the kitten off for now, make the bed tight, or put loose bedding in the closet during the day.

This is unlikely to be a serious problem, but to help get the kitten to perfect compliance you might need to pay attention and remove potential temptations for a while. If the issue does not stop and expands to other types of locations, a vet visit to rule out a UTI would be good, but with a kitten of this age, I think routine noncompliance is far more likely.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Also, a second litter box in another area is never a bad idea. The rule of thumb is, 1 litter box per cat, plus 1. Other than that, A ArtNJ pretty much covered my thoughts.

 

[danteshuman]

This sounds normal for a kitten his age. My advice? Wash the bedding with enzyme cleaner and give him 2 more boxes. One in your bedroom & one in the living room. For young kittens I like to give them multiple choices.... even extra choices. That way a bathroom is always nearby. Like a toddler, kittens can forget they have to go until to late. In a couple of months you can whittle the boxes down to two and then slowly move them together in the same room. The bathroom may not be ideal because unless you always leave the door open, you might lock kitty out. I live alone so Jackie’s litter boxes are in the bathroom but the door has a door stop. However I really had to drill into my niece & nephew that when they visit they have to leave the bathroom door open so Jackie can use the bathroom to. Cats like peeing in one box and pooping in another. The rule of thumb is 1 box per cat plus one.

if the problem persists then I would try cat attract litter. Not leaving bedding on the ground is good to. If you see the kitten leak urine or meow or sounddistressed when peeing then a vet visit is in order. Kittens like toddlers have accidents.

 

[IndyJones]

Echoing the above it is pretty normal for young animals to have accedents. When I volunteered at the shelter I got peed on many times by cats that age. They are like young children who are in potty training. They don't have full control of their bladder yet.

 

[danteshuman]

Yeah at 10 weeks I like them to be in their room with a litter box plus a box in every other room they are allowed in with supervision. Plus 8-16 Week old kittens are adorable destructive trouble magnets. A kitten safe room is your best bet! The things they get into will give you grey hair!

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Or at least, what hair you haven't pulled out will be gray...