How to show a cat you're upset with her???

[tinysalmon]

So today, my cat peed on my bed, twice! The first time, luckily, I had a mattress protector on my duvet, but after i removed it to soak in the tub, she peed again! She is not usually like this. The first time she peed on my bed was when we first got her, but after a long while, she didn't pee again until I scared her with my umbrella back in November.

Today, out of nowhere, I saw pee on my bed! Luckily, it was fresh and I was able to wash it. Second time, It was on my duvet which went through my bedsheet, luckily I had another mattress cover under that, but still! I think it is because I've been ignoring her for most of today and haven't had time to play with her. I just got home from school this evening so I haven't played with her since yesterday. I tried to play a bit while eating dinner, but I needed to do my homework and she's just been meowing. 

Everything else is fine with her (eating, pooping, activity). I just think its a cry for attention that I was not able to give at the moment. Right now I have her locked in the bathroom while I clean my sheets. Is this a good way to show her I'm upset??? Does anyone else do this? 

I don't want to yell at her or anything. (Mostly because my dad doesn't want a cat and told me she would just pee on my bed, to which I said she won't because I wanted to keep her, so I never tell him when she does!!) 

Please help!!! How do you let your cat know you're upset with her?!??

Thanks!

 

[rafm]

If she is urinating I appropriately, there is a chance something could be wrong with her physically, such as a urinary tract infection. I would take her in for a quick trip to the vet, just to cover off on a physical problem.

As for showing her you are mad at her....time outs don't work. Now, if a cat needs to calm down, yes, putting them in a quiet place to get their head together is fine. But a cat urinating on your bed, locking her up will do nothing. If she is lonely and that is why she is acting out, well,now she will be even more lonely. Cats do not think " hmmmm, I peed on her bed, she locked me in this room by myself, maybe I shouldn't pee on her bed again". Locking her up will get you nowhere in this situation.

Look at her litterbox, is it clean? Is there a hood on the box? If so, take the hood off.

How much time in a day does she spend out of your room?

You may very well be dealing with a behavioral issue but she needs to be checked physically first.

 

[tinysalmon]

If she is urinating I appropriately, there is a chance something could be wrong with her physically, such as a urinary tract infection. I would take her in for a quick trip to the vet, just to cover off on a physical problem.
As for showing her you are mad at her....time outs don't work. Now, if a cat needs to calm down, yes, putting them in a quiet place to get their head together is fine. But a cat urinating on your bed, locking her up will do nothing. If she is lonely and that is why she is acting out, well,now she will be even more lonely. Cats do not think " hmmmm, I peed on her bed, she locked me in this room by myself, maybe I shouldn't pee on her bed again". Locking her up will get you nowhere in this situation.
Look at her litterbox, is it clean? Is there a hood on the box? If so, take the hood off.
How much time in a day does she spend out of your room?
You may very well be dealing with a behavioral issue but she needs to be checked physically first.

I clean her litter box once, sometimes twice, a day. I recently added a fresh scoop of litter. We plan on changing it this weekend as scheduled. We have left her litter box unchanged for longer than it is now before. I don't think the enclosed litterbox is a problem she just used it this morning. She spends most of her day in my room or in my parents room or in the hallway of the second floor. 

I really think she just wanted to play. I was just playing with her a few minutes ago, with her usual favourite toy, and she was very energetic and eager to play. 

By the way, just wondering, how do vets check to see if it's a urinary tract infection? Do they just examine her and that's it? We've only had her in August, and aside from getting her rabies shot, we haven't had to take her to the vet for anything else. 

 

[bluerexbear]

The biggest sign of a uti is urinating inappropriately.  When my bridge kitty (Sissy) was 13, she got her very first UTI ever and urinated on my kitchen counter!!!  I was angry, but I knew it was so out of character for her that I immediately took her to the vet.  She urinated in the crate on the way there and the vet was able to take a sample from that and confirm a UTI.  I have also had them insert a needle directly into the bladder to get a sample.  Or...sometimes they do it based on symptoms as a precaution.  Momma kitty was at the vet last Friday with a suspected UTI and she got an antibiotic shot just incase because her bladder was empty at the time she went.

Good luck with your kitty.  I would not let this go.  How old is your cat?  Is it spayed/neutered?  There are other things that can cause inappropriate urination - diabetes, kidney disease, etc. so please have her checked. 

 

[jtbo]

Keeping your back turned to her and not paying attention tells that you are mad at her, but they can usually tell it without that too and with this case it is no use really, it works more (if it works, it is not guaranteed) when cat is doing something on purpose, repeadly, like tossing stuff down from table, not obeying NO! etc. peeing is completely another thing.

One of mine started to pee on my bed, but as I have now changed new brand sand to all litterboxes, there has not been issues, my current brand is Tigerino Nuggets, it has odor applied to it, same stuff they use for babies, powder something, don't know english word for it, but now it seals even strongest odors and with my cats there are easily some issues, they share boxes and there is 5 of them, from two mothers and about year in age difference, young ones being under 1 year old, so they are not always ok with smells in box, but with this new sand it has been trouble free times, so it might be good to try other sand brand, even sand is clean, who knows maybe cat has grown dislike of the sand.

 

[jennyr]

One of the first things I would do (apart from going to the vet which I agree is essential) is to add another litter box. If she has a choice she is far more likely to use them properly. And as they grow up many cats prefer to use one box for pee, another for poop. But do get her checked out physically.

 

[momofmany]

Rule out a urinary tract infection first. The majority of times when a cat suddenly goes outside of a litterbox is when they are ill. Once you rule out physical issues, then you start looking at behavioral issues. With that said, I do have one cat that will come up and pee on me when he feels neglected. While he hasn't done that to me in years (he taught me a good lesson), I still go out of my way to show him extra love and attention when I see him. That alone has stopped his bad behavior.

 

[gloriajh]

first and foremost, and the quicker the better - get her checked out.

Cats on kibble only aren't getting enough moisture and can cause a whole bunch of health issues, including crystals that block the urinary system and can cause death.

Cats on fish diets are also prone to urinary problems.

The OP wants to know what to do to show her displeasure at a cat's behavior - I've found the problem is usually a Human problem - cat's are not Human, and probably wouldn't know what you're doing except trying to harm them???  

  Well, that's just me.  I know my cats do respond to a firm "NO!" while I'm wagging my finger at them. 

 - I know how?  Well the eyes narrow and blink as they are looking into my eyes (it's funny even), and I can tell we're communicating something because the behavior doesn't repeat - at least for a while.

But, as for as "behavior" - you've just gotta always rule out a health issue, IMO, first and foremost.