Cat peeing in bed/struvite crystals

[Jazmyn]

Background: I got my cat Leo from a friend, and for the first few weeks having him he didn't pee anywhere, but he also lived in kitchen and bathroom as we let him adapt to my other cat and vice versa. They are best friends now btw.

Later on when he was allowed out 24/7, he started peeing on our bed. Took him to vet and they said he had struvite crystals so we are on an s/d diet. Peeing stopped, came back when I accidentally ran out for a few days, and stopped again when I got him more. THEN, he is now suddenly back to peeing on our bed, usually on me.

It started new years Eve and I figured maybe it's bc we let a friend stay the night that slept on the floor (we live in studio), but it's been five days and it's still happening. I also changed brand of clay litter so I'm going to go back to old one and see if that helps, but he also has a clay box and a breeze pellet one so I don't see why changing the clay would make him pee in our bed if he uses it during the day.

He doesn't have declawed paws, he gets lots of attention, he uses both boxes during the day so it's just at night, and one box is like 4 feet from the bed. Someone recommended a pheromone diffuser but idk if it's him being stressed or what. He is fixed as well.

I just need help bc we live in a studio with no washer or dryer and I am afraid I won't be able to keep him if the issue persists bc I can't afford the $10+ trip to laundromat each day as well as countless money spent on different cleaning and deterrent sprays

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. He uses both boxes during the day, correct? Even so, maybe he prefers the one that is not near your bed, and therefore at night he just avoids the one he likes the least. Just for a test, you might swap the two boxes to see if that might be part of the problem. Do you notice if he uses one of them more than the other? Does he pee in one and poop in the other most of the time?

Since he is using the litter boxes during the day, it wouldn't seem to be related to the crystals or an infection/inflammation, so you probably need to continue to search for other answers, if the above suggestion doesn't work. Is it possible that the urine smell hasn't been entirely eradicated from the bedding he originally peed on, so he smells his scent when he is on the bed and considers it an invitation to go there again? I would remove all the related bedding and use the TCS article link below for tips on how to wash it again to see if you can get rid of any residual smells. You may not be able to smell it, but he might be able to considering a cat's olfactory senses are by far superior to ours. (If the bedding was allowed to 'sit' for a bit of time before being washed, it kind of has the effect of setting in the smell, making it harder to remove.)

How To Get Cat Pee Smell Out Of Clothes And Linens – TheCatSite Articles

I am sure other members will come along soon and offer some other ideas for you!

 

[Claire07x]

Hey, I've actually just posted a video on ltiterbox tips & tricks that may be helpful. It's pretty in depth but hopefully will help you understand your furbaby and his toiletting a little better.

It can definitely be a handful trying to cope with a cat urinating outside the box - what I'd say is, urinary crystals should clear up on his food so if not, he may need further intervention from a vet or just more time on the food. My boy, Kyro, cleared his crystals (and he had LOADS) in 2 months, got the all clear today, on Royal Canin Urinary S/O but he'll be on that food for life as it's not worth the risk again. So if the food isn't clearing them completely, it may be worth trying a new brand or asking your vet what else can be done. I also use Feliway Cystease/Cystophan and give 1 tab a day to help, this works to soothe the bladder lining and make it less painful, it's additional urinary support. I'd recommend those if you can as well. So first up, make sure the crystals are gone or at least far less than before, if not, you may need to switch diet or get vetinary intervention. After that, assuming he's cleared of crystals, it's worth looking at the litterbox set-up that you have (and hopefully my video will explain that in depth for you, if you fancy giving it a shot).

I'm totally new to youtube but recently qualified in behaviour/psychology, anxiety and first aid for felines, so while the graphics and presentation may not be great, the info within is up to date and accurate