Cat Weeing On Bed ,clothes And Furnishings

[Moo2]

Hi all,

I have two indoor cats.They get regular time playing with us and each other and have always been indoor cats.we have a good relationship with both and they always come to sit with us. They have often got feliway spray too. They both seem happy and never try and go outside. However ever since Cookie was about 1 years old, he has had bouts of weeing on our bed and sometimes clothes or furnishings,carpet spots. This started around the time of moving to a new country(now two years ago). The vet can find no physical problems and it seems to happen both after a little stress or for no reason at all when he is quite happy . I'm starting to think he just enjoys weeing! I use products to try and eradicate the smell so he isn't tempted again. He has good weeks then starts again. Sometimes it can be a curtain or an area he isn't usually allowed ( closet or guest bed) but his favourite is our bed.he usually does it when alone but has done it in front of us. Once he weed on my pillow as I was sleeping!he has also weed on me recently when scared once and once when playing (when younger) .The vet mentioned maybe certain food being an irritant so may look into this or try a new product...we just steam cleaned the matress, used a new product and a thicker mattress protector/ take the duvet off the bed. Felliway seems to have no correlation. For the last two weeks no more wees...we have a small house so it would not be ideal to ban him from spaces...and new ideas welcome!he is now about 3 yearsold, is a rescue cat ,Turkish van and is playful and easy going by nature. However , has seemed to be more easily scared of things as he has gotten older ( more like the older rescue Bengal tabbie cat he has known since we got him at 2 months old) . The rescue place was surprised as no issues as very young kitten. I know he was castrated young at about two months the morning we collected him... Little accidents ever since with us then the issues above from about 1.. I'm hoping the new product does a better job of removing old smells he is detecting perhaps! The other female cat has no wee issues at all .they both eat well too and get access to an open window with looking perch and regular company etc, any other ideas welcome!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. If the vet cannot find any health related issue, my guess he is doing it from stress - even when you think he's happy doesn't mean something isn't bothering him. Your probably need to start charting when he pees outside the litterbox, and make notes of what recently happened around that time - even things you might think are insignificant. If you can determine a pattern that ties to events - however, small they might seem to you - then you can tell the vet your findings and see what they think might be a solution - perhaps some sort of calming medication.

You can also try to deter him from peeing on the bed by getting cardboard box lids and placing a puppy pee pad in them - where ever you think you need them. The pee pad would mimic the softness of the bedding he is peeing on. Also, keep all clothing, etc. off the floor - that only adds an enticement for him to go on the things he finds on the floor. I don't know what you mean by "furnishings" so I can't offer anything for that.

And, for the carpet spots he pees on - are they in the same area(s) over and over? If so, the urine smell probably has not been removed. For any non-washable materials, you can buy "The Equalizer" (on amazon.com and a few other online sources). It is very effective, and does not require the carpet to be saturated, hence less drying time.

Lastly, did the vet ever take an x-ray or look for stones/crystals in the bladder? Maybe he is passing them instead of them blocking him (which can happen, especially in males) and that is causing infrequent pain, leading to intermittent in appropriate peeing. If so, the vet might recommend urinary care foods that would diminish the production of stones/crystals.

 

[Moo2]

Thanks so much for your ideas. I will try and chart it. The bed might be ok now after the deep clean,will try out other suggestions if he goes back to it.Yes we find not leaving out things helps. Furnishings as in sofa covers, curtains etc . Next vet visit may request a scan. He already has urinary specific cat food because of the other cat . He is sleeping now in a cute ball like butter wouldn't melt!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Awww. You can also use The Equalizer on curtains, and sofa covers too!

 

[Moo2]

Thanks I will have a look

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to TCS. Sorry it's litter box issues that brought you here.

If you think he might be stressed, here's some TCS articles that might be helpful:
Is Your Cat Stressed Out?
You, Your Cat And Stress
Potential Stressors In Cats - The Ultimate Checklist
Six Surefire Strategies To Reduce Stress In Cats

Also one on How To Get Cat Pee Smell Out Of Clothes And Linens

Is that your guy in your avatar pic?

 

[Moo2]

Thanks very much for these links. Really good articles. I will ask the vet to do a scan and more in depth check up on his bladder etc.
I will chart when weeing happens to see if there is a link to stressors. He is a very passive cat and has never made one aggressive sound or action in his life so I wouldn't be surprised if he let his feelings out by weeing ( that and play fighting with the other cat daily) I have noticed that he went from a chilled out curious kitten to copying the behavior of the older cat who is very anxious easily and feels threatened easily ( the rescue hope suspect she suffered some trauma). I notice he takes her cue on most issues and seems to look up to her ( he was two months and she was two when they met) ( but she sees many things as a threat and is still jumpy , if she says it's time to go hide he will follow often, she also does a warning alarm growl and runs out the room with him following) .

If the scan is ok, I would be tempted to think he has got in a bad habit and can smell residual wee and is repeating the action and will try the suggestions in the article for odor elimination.it is often in the same spot .

I have noticed he has weed after being barred from a room, getting his breakfast late, weeing on a pair of waterproof trousers that make a rustling sound he doesn't like , repeatedly in one corner sometimes, new plastic bags on the floor when Christmas wrapping,on the lid to litter box during the five mins litter box not there for cleaning...so could be behavioral as there seems to be intention in there. ..few weeks with nothing then weeks with wees ...since treated the bed nothing for two three weeks and counting .....yes that's cookie in the pic and attached,he is a beauty despite being a wee machine

 

[danteshuman]

I would put an extra litter box in that corner he keeps peeing in. I would also look out side for roaming & feral cats. They could be stressing him out marking the outside of your house (check with a black light. You can use the light inside to.) I would check your house with a black light and clean up any missed places with a enzyme cleaner. You might want to buy a water proof mattress cover after cleaning your mattress with an enzyme cleaner (I'm assuming some soaked through or dribbled off your pillow.)

Lastly worse case scenario if all else fails I would try kitty Prozac. However I would try a lot of things first and make sure he is ok physically.

Pee problems take weeks or months to solve. Hang in there, you will eventually find out what he is trying to tell you.

 

[Moo2]

Thanks will look into the light idea! There is a ginger cat that marks in our garden regularly and some other cats. Our cats go in the garden on leash occasionally. We have invested in a hardier mattress protector too!

 

[rubysmama]

yes that's cookie in the pic and attached,he is a beauty despite being a wee machine

Oh, what a gorgeous fluff-ball.

Here's some more TCS articles, these ones on litter box avoidance, so they might be helpful

How To Solve Litterbox Problems In Cats: The Ultimate Guide
Litterbox Problems? Here's Why You Should Call Your Vet
Inappropriate Peeing, Spraying, Toy Obsession And Leg And Hand Nipping
Spraying: When Your Cat Uses Urine To Mark Territory

Combat Cat Urine
How To Remove Cat Urine
How To Remove Cat Urine Odor From Your Home
How To Get Cat Urine Smell Out Of Carpet: Effective, Non-toxic Solutions

 

[Moo2]

Hi all,

Kitty has started weeing in the last couple of weeks after a good dry spell.one day I happened to not wake up as usual for breakfast and we got a tinkle on the bed at some point before the duvet got taken off as usual. A few days later and he came and sat on me / a blanket on the sofa in the living room and did a little wee on me! After a full morning of activity / eating . Also a few weeks ago a one off wee on the sofa. The sofa was never a usual spot...but for a good month there was no wees once we took the duvet off the bed every day....

 

[rubysmama]

Sorry to hear that. Have there been any recent changes in the house?

 

[Moo2]

No, the one on the bed was when I didn't wake up for usual feed time, I have been sick off work for 10 days and started back this Thursday...then got weed on this sat...maybe that one was for going back to work

 

[FeebysOwner]

If Cookie is in fact stressed easily, you going back to work could have caused enough stress for him to revert back to his inappropriate peeing.

It might have been mentioned before, or in one of the articles above - if so, sorry for repeating it - but have you tried any calming products for him? One of them is Bach Rescue Remedy which are drops you can rub into a cat's ear. A lot of people have used these to help calm their cat before a vet visit. But not all products work on all cats, so you might have to experiment with some different ones to find one that works for Cookie. There are a number of them on the market, just do an internet search for 'cat calming products'.

Hope you are able to re-instill whatever techniques you used when he stopped inappropriate peeing before!!

 

[rubysmama]

.then got weed on this sat...maybe that one was for going back to work

How frustrating.

 

[Moo2]

Thanks everyone. I think his wees are linked to any frustration,stress he feels. Mostly due to routine changes or anything he gets scared of. Calming products haven't done much .. removing temptations seem the most effective and products that remove the odor. I will take him to the vet for a scan just in case but I think it's something he will always be prone to do. He is lucky he is so cute though! Glad I have found a really good product recently that smells good and removes the wee smell! I highly recommend it. Not harmful to cats...

 

[Moo2]

Thanks everyone. I think his wees are linked to any frustration,stress he feels. Mostly due to routine changes or anything he gets scared of. Calming products haven't done much .. removing temptations seem the most effective and products that remove the odor. I will take him to the vet for a scan just in case but I think it's something he will always be prone to do. He is lucky he is so cute though! Glad I have found a really good product recently that smells good and removes the wee smell! I highly recommend it. Not harmful to cats...

....product name is Dr J's pet odor remover