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-   -   Help! Cat(s) keeps urinating on bed (https://www.quiltingboard.com/general-chit-chat-non-quilting-talk-f7/help-cat-s-keeps-urinating-bed-t96606.html)

Flying_V_Goddess 02-03-2011 11:54 PM

Maybe other quilters here with kitties can help me out here.

I have two cats and for the last few nights one of them has been urinating on my bed. I haven't caught them in the act so I'm not for certain which one it is, but I think the cat in question is Eddie (male grey tabby) as Ophelia (little black calico female) never ever goes into my room (don't think she's too fond of me) whereas Eddie will walk right in if the door's open. This isn't the first time its happened, but never like three days in a row.

Their litter is clean. They're getting fed. They're perfectly healthy cats. They're spoiled with cat grass, treats, and toys and get petted all the time so they are loved. However, they're acting like they're in heat so that might be one reason they might be doing this. But how do I get them to stop? I am sick of coming in from work to find the quilts on my bed were used as a cat box.

dflynn 02-04-2011 12:10 AM

once a cat urinary on fabric/rugs, they will continue to do it again in the same spot, I had to remove my rugs in the bathroom. i would wash them and the cat will go back again in that spot. I bet it's a male cat. Be careful that it dosen't has a infection or cystals in the urine, boy cats can get these easily. You need to shut the door to your bedroom.

pdcakm 02-04-2011 01:29 AM

is the boy neutered. that will usually stop the territory marking if that is his problem. try the pet store. they have some product to put on the spot to make them stop using that spot. sometimes that will resolve the problem.

unfortunately you will probably just have to make the bedroom off limits.

Sadiemae 02-04-2011 02:07 AM

I would have a vet visit. He or she may have an infection and it can be dangerous if untreated. Not to be ignorant, but can you smell the urine? If it has a really strong odor he or she(one in a while) could be spraying instead of urinating. This is much harder to stop than regular urinating. I had a female who would back up to a door and spray. We finally took that door out of our house and replaced it. She constantly had infections no matter what we did for her, which caused the spraying to begin. I also used some of the cleaners from Petsmart to neutralize the odor.

sewcrafty 02-04-2011 03:54 AM

I agree with Sadiemae. Male cats can contract UTI's and not have any control over the situation, not wanting to be a bad kitty. Then I've had a female that whenever she got upset with us decided she would use different areas as a litter box (no longer have that cat).

Tussymussy 02-04-2011 03:57 AM

If your tom cat is fine and is just developing a habit you have a problem. I over came this with one cat by spraying a large cloth bag laid over my bed with orange and filling it with orange peel.

Most cats hate orange. It's worth a try with your boy.

Jeanniejo 02-04-2011 04:53 AM

Close the door!

scowlkat 02-04-2011 04:58 AM

Afraid it might be easier to reassemble a broken egg! Good luck!

sandiannie 02-04-2011 05:50 AM

We had a female that would do that ... she was an 'odd' cat ... spent most of her time in one room ... would litterally run to the kitchen and eat and run back ... then run past the bathroom (and litterbox) and go upstairs and pee on my daughter's bed ... we no longer have that cat

feline fanatic 02-04-2011 06:48 AM

Sounds like UTI in the male. Get him to the vet pronto!

Missysgottohelp 02-04-2011 07:01 AM

Sounds like he might have a infection but they will also do that if they are upset with you.

olebat 02-04-2011 07:11 AM

UTIs are more common in cats which eat canned food containing fish. A good vet will tell this to the owners, but many realize that they will have repeat customers if the cats continue eating the fish based foods. All cat lovers need to keep fish based foods away from their cats, and seek vet care at the first sign of unusual stool or bladder habits. Kitties have a difficult way of communicating, this is one way they have of saying "I hurt".

Prism99 02-04-2011 09:30 AM

To get rid of the odor (including the odor that the cats can smell but people can't), I would recommend Feline Odor Neutralizer (F.O.N.). I get it from Amazon. It doesn't have an odor of its own, but its enzymes work on the odors that cats leave behind.

I find FON works most reliably for clothing if I spray the clothing and then bag it up in plastic for up to 24 hours before washing. (I have found that simply washing and drying clothing normally is not enough to get rid of all the cat odors.)

If your mattress is not covered with a water-impermiable mattress cover, you may need to treat the mattress also. In this case you have to pour enough of the liquid on the spot to ensure that it will reach all areas the orignal urine reached. Cover with saran or plastic for up to 24 hours, then put a fan on the mattress to dry it out as quickly as possible (to prevent mold).

sewdarnbusy 02-04-2011 09:38 AM

you must be in love with your cats... I'd put them outdoors in a hurry. Once they smell the urine, they instinctively have to urinate over it. Even if you think the odor is gone... they can smell much better than we can.
The pet store might sell something to remove pet urine odor. Lock them out of your bedroom!!!!

The Creative Seamstress 02-04-2011 09:40 AM

The only time I ever experienced this problem was when my Cat had a UTI Infection and she simply couldn't help it. Once the vet provided medicine, I confined her to a specific room with two liter boxes available at each end for 5 days and she was all better and never did it again.

Explosive blessings, abundance and inspiration to you all!
- The Creative Seamstress

Flying_V_Goddess 02-04-2011 10:27 AM


Originally Posted by Sadiemae
I would have a vet visit. He or she may have an infection and it can be dangerous if untreated. Not to be ignorant, but can you smell the urine? If it has a really strong odor he or she(one in a while) could be spraying instead of urinating. This is much harder to stop than regular urinating. I had a female who would back up to a door and spray. We finally took that door out of our house and replaced it. She constantly had infections no matter what we did for her, which caused the spraying to begin. I also used some of the cleaners from Petsmart to neutralize the odor.

Actually, I can't smell it without having to put my face in it. I don't even notice until I have sat or laid down on the bed and felt the wet spot.

When your cat had infections did she have accidents in one spot or did she go in one place? As far as I know my bed is the only place that they've urinated outside the cat litter. It just seems like if it were an infection that he'd be having more accidents in other places and not just my room.



Originally Posted by sewdarnbusy
you must be in love with your cats... I'd put them outdoors in a hurry. Once they smell the urine, they instinctively have to urinate over it. Even if you think the odor is gone... they can smell much better than we can.
The pet store might sell something to remove pet urine odor. Lock them out of your bedroom!!!!

Just a reminder: I do live in Wisconsin and lately we've been getting below zero weather and lots of snow. I know they're perfectly capable of taking care of themselves, but I think its just too cold for them to be outside cats right now.

And usually I shut my bedroom door. I'm not exactly sure how they're getting in. When I have had either of them in the bedroom and they wanted out they can't get it open by themselves.

olebat 02-04-2011 10:56 AM

When your cat had infections did she have accidents in one spot or did she go in one place?

A friend of mine lives in a log cabin and uses a wood cook stove. The cats and dogs have their own pet doors. The cats would frequently bring "presents" to mom, who would have to chase mice, birds, lizards, or whatever into a trash can for eviction. Wet spots here and there were not unusual because of the nature of the pets coming in at night and chowing down on their treasures.

The home owner began to notice that the little puddles were getting larger, and more frequent. What really caught her attention was when she started the stove one morning with some partially damp newspaper. No doubt about the odor then - urine. The tender box was covered to solve the problem. Not long after, when the stove was fired up, the house began to reek of the odor. This happened several times before my friend realized that one of the cats was getting on top of the stove at night instead of using the litter pan. The urine was disappearing into the fire box through the little feeder hole, and the cat was happy.

Cats both went to the vet, both had infections. Once treated, and pet doors locked, the family inspected the entire house with a black light, which reveals protein concentrations, and treated heavily with the enzyme products designed for odor elimination.

The episodes of the cat problems were hard at the time, but the stories continue now, years later, and we look back and laugh.

feline fanatic 02-04-2011 11:04 AM


Originally Posted by Flying_V_Goddess
When your cat had infections did she have accidents in one spot or did she go in one place? As far as I know my bed is the only place that they've urinated outside the cat litter. It just seems like if it were an infection that he'd be having more accidents in other places and not just my room.
[/color]

NO!! Not necessarily. A cat with a UTI is telling you the only way it knows how that something is wrong. Hence urinating in the place it thinks you are most likely to notice.

You can easily spot other behaviors of UTI if you are observant like in and out of the litter box several times in a short space of time. Just make an appointment and get the cat to the vet. Crystals in the urine can be fatal if not treated promptly.

You can also avoid in the future by feeding foods with low ash content in addition to limiting fish flavored foods to occasional treats.

Ramona Byrd 02-04-2011 11:15 AM

Many years ago we had two cats who would ALWAYS pee in the kitchen sink or the bathroom sink when they had kidney problems. I could smell the odor and see traces of blood, so off to the vets they went. And they never did this at other times, only when their poor bodies were in pain.

sunkistmi 02-04-2011 11:28 AM

Male cats seem to have more of a problem with the crystals than females do. Checking the ash content of the food is really important. You will find it on the label. Our male cat could not have ANY dry food and I had to really watch the labels of the wet food. At the adoption center where I volunteer, we use only chicken & rice wet food and try to avoid beef since it is more difficult to digest. A friend had to crate their cat when they were out of the house because he was expressing his displeasure at their absence by peeing everywhere. They made sure he did not have a UTI first, which he did not. They found all the spots with a black light - had to throw out several rugs and rip up carpet. End of the story is that at the end of three months the kitty had stopped the "bad peeing" and all is well. Your kitty is telling you the only way he/she can. They are so smart. I would start with an immediate vet visit and an inspection of your food to rule out high ash content. Good luck.

roguequilter 02-04-2011 11:48 AM


Originally Posted by Sadiemae
I would have a vet visit. He or she may have an infection and it can be dangerous if untreated. Not to be ignorant, but can you smell the urine? If it has a really strong odor he or she(one in a while) could be spraying instead of urinating. This is much harder to stop than regular urinating. I had a female who would back up to a door and spray. We finally took that door out of our house and replaced it. She constantly had infections no matter what we did for her, which caused the spraying to begin. I also used some of the cleaners from Petsmart to neutralize the odor.

agree w/sadiemae...i had a prob w/one of my best behaved furries and took him to vet. turned out he had a bladder infection. she said when they have an infection, it hurts to urinate. so they don't use their box...it is like 'if i go in the box it hurts' so they go elsewhere...even though it still hurts for some reason they will keep it up...and not use thier box. my big guy never pooped...just wet...after antibiotics...have never had another problem. but you really should ck out at vets .... if not treated can cause permanent damage to kidneys etc. good luck.

Buttons922 02-05-2011 04:00 AM

My cats did the same thing, Tried everything and what worked is place a bowl of their hard food right on your bed where they pee. A cat will NEVER pee where they eat. Good luck.

Lyn 02-05-2011 05:46 AM

UTI's and sometimes stuck hairballs will cause this. Also stress. Having 8 cats I can tell you there is one that gets stressed so I have a time out room that gives them a break from the other cats.

Theresa 02-05-2011 06:06 AM


Originally Posted by scowlkat
Afraid it might be easier to reassemble a broken egg! Good luck!

This is toooo funny!!

hikingquilter 02-05-2011 07:18 AM

Try feeding the cats on the bed. They will not urinate where they eat. Set a little dry food in each corner of the bed and in the middle. I tried this after reading about it somewhere and it worked. I have 3 female cats. Be sure you wash all bedding and the mattress cover to remove the odor first.

Dmacc502 02-05-2011 07:45 AM

I have 7 cats. If the male has not been neutered that might be it. If he has, it might be a UTI like suggested. Try misting a little vinegar on the area, that will run them off, they won't return to the same area.

LindaJR 02-05-2011 08:23 AM

Cats are masters at hiding illness. A check up with the vet might not be a bad idea. Keeping the beroom door closed at all times will be a big help.

oldlady 77 02-05-2011 08:44 AM

I had to find new homes for my two as I didn't know which one was using the down comforter as a litter box. Vet visit was a okay. Have a friend with a warm barn where they live now. I hated to have to remove them, I love cats. I also found where one had sprayed the wall. I had tried the vinegar, orange peels, stuff that you pug in a warmer to calm them.

Mickie612 02-05-2011 09:14 AM

The only time we ever had this problem, We had just bought a new bed set. We notice a strange smell when we opened the package but thought it would go sway with time. The cats did not care for it. They kept on using it no matter what we did, finally gave it to our daughter to use as a dog house mat.

Ritacarl 02-05-2011 10:27 AM

My daughter had a cat that urinated on the bed and she ended up having to throw away a mattress. The vet said it is usually from stress of which the cat had had before my daughter got her.

fmd36 02-05-2011 10:43 AM

My male cat does this when he can't get outside and right now there is about 4 ft. of snow on the ground. He is especially attracted to plastic - as in bags,laundry baskets,suitcases,etc. - .His litter boxes (3) are all plastic and I think that is one of the reasons. He eats only cooked meat and fish and dried food. Vet says he is OK. Bad habits die hard. I would also suggest shutting the door. Catnip increases this bad habit (makes him psycho) but the plug in phernomes (sic) make it better. Go figure.

Chasing Hawk 02-05-2011 10:44 AM

Have you changed your routine any?

Cats hate change.

tuesy 02-05-2011 10:56 AM

I agree with getting your cats to the vet.
I used to have this beautiful girl named Penny (she looked like a copper penny) and whenever the seasons would change she would pee on the floor right in front of you. The first time she did it I couldn't believe it, took her to the Vet and sure enough, she had an infection (she was fixed), so she got meds and she quit doing that.
Happened again when summer turned to fall and this time the vet gave me a double dose of the med to keep on hand. She didn't do it again after that, but I had to keep an eye on her when the seasons changed.

bettyrasm 02-05-2011 11:55 AM

My cat did that 2 days in a row and I took him to the vet and he was diabetic so I would run not walk to the vet. Also Don Aslett makes an enzyme digester chemical that works great. :-)

Feathers 02-05-2011 11:59 AM

FlyingVGoddess: Have you taken your kitties to the Vet to see if they have bladder infections? If they've never urinated in the house and all of a sudden they start it could be they are sick or have urinary tract infections. I got meds for my kitty when she had an accident on the floor and she never did her business in the house ever again. Vet told me she had a urinary tract infection.



Originally Posted by Flying_V_Goddess
Maybe other quilters here with kitties can help me out here.

I have two cats and for the last few nights one of them has been urinating on my bed. I haven't caught them in the act so I'm not for certain which one it is, but I think the cat in question is Eddie (male grey tabby) as Ophelia (little black calico female) never ever goes into my room (don't think she's too fond of me) whereas Eddie will walk right in if the door's open. This isn't the first time its happened, but never like three days in a row.

Their litter is clean. They're getting fed. They're perfectly healthy cats. They're spoiled with cat grass, treats, and toys and get petted all the time so they are loved. However, they're acting like they're in heat so that might be one reason they might be doing this. But how do I get them to stop? I am sick of coming in from work to find the quilts on my bed were used as a cat box.


Ritacarl 02-05-2011 12:11 PM

Catnip isn't the only thing that makes cats Physco. My gray tabby loves the smell of bleach. I would put bleach in my sink and would find her afterward with her head down the drain sniffing the bleach aroma. Then she'd get kind of whacko. She also likes the inside of a carrot bag. The smell of carrots on plastic makes her mello. I mean really mello. Course my dog likes cauliflower and cabbage. I must be raising alien animals. They are a hoot!!

Clara101 02-05-2011 12:24 PM

I think they are mad at you!!! We had a cat that hated my son and went on his clothes all the time. Have you looked for spraying your bed with something the cats don't like the smell of? I would do a search, but vinegar might work. If you find something, spray it on an old blanket and put it on top of the bed.

selm 02-05-2011 01:06 PM

Actually, I can't smell it without having to put my face in it. I don't even notice until I have sat or laid down on the bed and felt the wet spot.

[ And usually I shut my bedroom door. I'm not exactly sure how they're getting in. When I have had either of them in the bedroom and they wanted out they can't get it open by themselves.
[/quote]

Is it possibly a leak from the roof? Look up -

rockie8903 02-05-2011 01:27 PM

I used laundry soap and vinegar to wash some clothing to get the smell out of some clothing.

Anne P 02-05-2011 01:50 PM

The reason I am sitting here in the basement with my two cats is because we had the same problem with one of them. Sally peed on our bed (on my DH's side, of course) a couple of times. Took her to the vet, where she was diagnosed with a UTI. Gave her the meds and all seemed OK until she did it again. She ultimately peed on the guest bed, an afghan in the den, and on the couch in the living room. We treated each area with order-eliminating sprays, etd., to no avail. After more visits to the vet, and more problems, we finally had to make a huge choice. Both cats are indoor cats and we've had a lot of neighborhood cats diappear, so I wasn't going to put her outside. Besides her sister would be lonely. Finally, I had my husband build a screen door and we put it at the top of the stairs. Now the cats stay downstairs in the Wreckroom, Sewing Studio, and Laundry room. Interestingly, Sally has never peed down here (well, expcept in her litter box). I miss having them upstairs, but at least I didn't have to give them away. They still help me with quilting, knitting, etc. and get lots of love and attention so they aren't abandoned.


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