Foster cat keeps peeing in bed, I'm desperate for more ideas to try 😭

[Aileen666]

I was just getting hopeful, I moved the leftmost litter box under the table. And then she does a poo in the right litter box. With me in the room...

Hmm could be. I usually scoop at around 2pm and another time at 8-11pm, and she usually pees sometime between 7-11pm. I can try doing a 3rd scooping...



Good to know! I'll get a covered box just to have it, other fosters may end up needing it, one of the closet types.

My sis is going through the same thing and it all started when a new cat was introduced to the family. Two of her boy cats are spraying the couches , blankets , bed etc and both of them was sent to drs to see if it is medical issue. Nope. She thinks it’s from the new cat coming in. I asked her if she is cleaning the boxes daily and she said no. I told her to try that first. Her cats were fine until the new one came. She doesn’t have the feliaway plug ins either. I suggested that too. Also , there should be more boxes than cats. My sis has 5 cats and I think 4-5 boxes so I suggested maybe adding another but she keeps all her boxes in the basement lined up. I asked her about putting new ones upstairs. I know she doesn’t want to see or smell them but if she cleans them out every day she should be fine having maybe two upstairs with her. It’s a tough spot to be in. I have never had a cat urinate outside the box. I guess I been very lucky. I watch those videos as well with Jackson galaxy. Maybe send him a message and see if he can respond or pay you a visit

 

[emocatowner]

I would not let her outside unless she is leashed or enclosed. It is so easy for them to get sick or run over.

Yep in 99% of cases I agree, all my cats are indoors. And I wouldn't dare walk them on a harness either, unless they trust me enough to let me pick them up when there's a dog, instead of trying to run from me.

But she's used to going outside all her life. And she's been yowling every night since I got her, which I can only guess is because she wants to go out. I imagine it's adding a lot to her stress.
I'm hoping someone that has a nice yard will be willing to take them in. Ideally to turn the yard into a catio, like I'm planning to when I buy my own home, but she'll be hard enough to adopt as is, I gotta go for good, not perfect.

 

[emocatowner]

My sis is going through the same thing and it all started when a new cat was introduced to the family. Two of her boy cats are spraying the couches , blankets , bed etc and both of them was sent to drs to see if it is medical issue. Nope. She thinks it’s from the new cat coming in. I asked her if she is cleaning the boxes daily and she said no. I told her to try that first. Her cats were fine until the new one came. She doesn’t have the feliaway plug ins either. I suggested that too. Also , there should be more boxes than cats. My sis has 5 cats and I think 4-5 boxes so I suggested maybe adding another but she keeps all her boxes in the basement lined up. I asked her about putting new ones upstairs. I know she doesn’t want to see or smell them but if she cleans them out every day she should be fine having maybe two upstairs with her. It’s a tough spot to be in. I have never had a cat urinate outside the box. I guess I been very lucky. I watch those videos as well with Jackson galaxy. Maybe send him a message and see if he can respond or pay you a visit

You gave her excellent advice! I hope she listens and they solve it for her!

I binge-watched all of Jackson Galaxy's pee related videos after this started happening. We have 8 boxes for 6 cats, in every room of the house (my dumb for not having one in the bedroom from the start, this may be what caused the habit to start). They get scooped at least 2x a day every day. There are 2 feliway plugs in the home (though the one in the foster room was a Classic, I want to switch it to an Optimum to help with the stress from other cats)

I am considering booking Jackson Galaxy for a behavioral consult, though that's crazy expensive. I would feel bad asking him to do it for free, I bet he gets a ton of messages every day from randos, though maybe it's worth a try, he may be more willing to help since it's a foster. He's definitely not going to come to Denmark. I am also considering booking a less famous cat behaviorist.

 

[Alldara]

You gave her excellent advice! I hope she listens and they solve it for her!

I binge-watched all of Jackson Galaxy's pee related videos after this started happening. We have 8 boxes for 6 cats, in every room of the house (my dumb for not having one in the bedroom from the start, this may be what caused the habit to start). They get scooped at least 2x a day every day. There are 2 feliway plugs in the home (though the one in the foster room was a Classic, I want to switch it to an Optimum to help with the stress from other cats)

I am considering booking Jackson Galaxy for a behavioral consult, though that's crazy expensive. I would feel bad asking him to do it for free, I bet he gets a ton of messages every day from randos, though maybe it's worth a try, he may be more willing to help since it's a foster. He's definitely not going to come to Denmark. I am also considering booking a less famous cat behaviorist.

Do you have a balcony that you can put some chicken wire on and then also leash her to get some fresh air? I know if she's a foster that might not even be allowed...

Or maybe a bird feeder outside of a window...

I'll recommend MultiCat over Optimum. People, including myself are not having as good results with Optimum.

To test if it is jealousy, you might want a sheet to rub all over her and then throw that on the bed when she comes in so that your bed smells like her and not the RCs.

How's the anxiety meds going?

 

[emocatowner]

Do you have a balcony that you can put some chicken wire on and then also leash her to get some fresh air? I know if she's a foster that might not even be allowed...

Or maybe a bird feeder outside of a window...

I'll recommend MultiCat over Optimum. People, including myself are not having as good results with Optimum.

To test if it is jealousy, you might want a sheet to rub all over her and then throw that on the bed when she comes in so that your bed smells like her and not the RCs.

How's the anxiety meds going?

This windowsill has been her favorite spot so far, and the window is cracked open so she can smell the outside.
I did get some chicken wire to try to set something up on the balcony, though its quality is questionable, I'm not sure I trust it to be good enough for her to not escape.
I'd be happy to take her out on a harness, but she doesn't let me touch her, I doubt I can put it on her.

I'm not allowed to feed wildlife according to my lease, so no bird feeders.
But I do regularly put birds on TV for her, she seems to like that. I'll maybe set it up on an old tablet for her to have in the kitchen too.

I thought Optimum was supposed to be a Classic+MultiCat 2 in 1 thing... but I see how it may be less effective. I already have an Optimum plugged in somewhere else, not sure it's doing much. I guess I can get a MultiCat too. I may as well set it up in the bedroom, the next time I let her in there.

I'll also do the blanket idea next. Basically I'll set out one of the blankets her and the kittens have been sleeping on, so she hopefully decides it already smells like her. I can't really rub it against her, she won't let me touch her, but hopefully this will be close enough.
I'm not very hopeful, though. She'd been spending a LOT of time in bed with the kittens, before the last time she peed, so it already smelled probably more strongly of her than of the other cats.

I'm not quite sure the anxiety meds are doing anything. She doesn't really seem all that different. But, vet said it may take a month for them to work, so still a few weeks left...

 

[Alldara]

This windowsill has been her favorite spot so far, and the window is cracked open so she can smell the outside.
I did get some chicken wire to try to set something up on the balcony, though its quality is questionable, I'm not sure I trust it to be good enough for her to not escape.
I'd be happy to take her out on a harness, but she doesn't let me touch her, I doubt I can put it on her.

I'm not allowed to feed wildlife according to my lease, so no bird feeders.
But I do regularly put birds on TV for her, she seems to like that. I'll maybe set it up on an old tablet for her to have in the kitchen too.

I thought Optimum was supposed to be a Classic+MultiCat 2 in 1 thing... but I see how it may be less effective. I already have an Optimum plugged in somewhere else, not sure it's doing much. I guess I can get a MultiCat too. I may as well set it up in the bedroom, the next time I let her in there.

I'll also do the blanket idea next. Basically I'll set out one of the blankets her and the kittens have been sleeping on, so she hopefully decides it already smells like her. I can't really rub it against her, she won't let me touch her, but hopefully this will be close enough.
I'm not very hopeful, though. She'd been spending a LOT of time in bed with the kittens, before the last time she peed, so it already smelled probably more strongly of her than of the other cats.

I'm not quite sure the anxiety meds are doing anything. She doesn't really seem all that different. But, vet said it may take a month for them to work, so still a few weeks left...

Well she is beautiful, even though she's been tricky and giving you all a hard time.

If I think of or hear about any other tips, I'll share them. If not I'll be here rooting for you all and waiting on any update you give.

 

[IndyJones]

I would make sure to not open the window wide enough she could get a paw through it. She could bust the screen and get high rise syndrome.

 

[emocatowner]

I've got some good news to follow up with on this, it's been over a month since she last peed in bed

I ended up adopting her and, with no pressure to get this to stop any more, I kinda just gave her peace. I stopped giving her any calming supplements or making any other changes. I just play with her every day, and she's becoming more and more relaxed around us each day.

She still overgrooms a little bit, but less than before, so hopefully that will stop soon too.

 

[betsygee]

Oh, that's wonderful news. And congratulations on the new family member!

 

[emocatowner]

Oh, that's wonderful news. And congratulations on the new family member!

Ty! Nobody dared adopt an untouchable cat that might sometimes pee in your bed. I didn't want to have to give her to a farm or something, she's already been through so much. Plus her bonded kitten was getting so sweet and cuddly, they deserved a warm indoor home.
It's not great, I'll have to pause fostering for a while, until she fully settles, but I am kinda glad that she won't get separated from the kittens.

 

[Alldara]

I've got some good news to follow up with on this, it's been over a month since she last peed in bed

I ended up adopting her and, with no pressure to get this to stop any more, I kinda just gave her peace. I stopped giving her any calming supplements or making any other changes. I just play with her every day, and she's becoming more and more relaxed around us each day.

She still overgrooms a little bit, but less than before, so hopefully that will stop soon too.

That's wonderful news and congratulations