I did notice that one of the first sentences said "My husband's cat . . . ."

Maybe the cat likes you as much as you like him/her?

Whatever - sometimes one has to keep critters away from the projects.

Jan, you've gotten the answers you needed. All I can say is I'm sorry this happened to you. I would be livid if this happened in my house even though I adore our cats.

If this was the only time that cat has done this, I agree with another poster that the cat might be needing attention or a vet.

Hope your quilt is OK. Hope your husband is OK. (Mine would be smarting if it were his cat.) :)

I think the cat probably has a bladder infection and peeing on something
is their way of telling you something is wrong. A trip to the vet may save a mess
some place else. Sorry about your quilt. Had a cat do worse than that on one of my
quilts.

I love my four cats, and of course they LOVE my quilts and feel it is the sworn duty to sleep on them to break them in right. I have several large white flat sheets that are used to cover quilts when I walk away from them. If it is in the machine, I would cover the entire machine, quilt, table, etc. The screen door to the sewing room sounds like a fabulous idea for you, but the cats are mine and would be terribly insulted. The batting can be salvaged with piecing. Claw rips are not so easily repaired.
God bless!

You could remove the damaged border/batting right at the correct seam line plus seam allowance, then, looking at the quilt from the back, you could piece in a new section of batting (for each border around the quilt) and add the current border back on.

1. Looking at the back of the quilt: fold down the backing so it is not caught in the seam you are about to make. I would pin it.

2. Turn the quilt over and line up the batting section and the border right-side-together with the raw edge of the quilt where the original border/batting was removed.

3. Sew the layers together along the correct seam line all the way across the quilt. Open just to check that you have the border now facing up just like the rest of the quilt, with the batting behind it.

4. Repeat on all sides, trimming the previous batting/border even with the raw edge of the adjoining side before adding the new batting and border

5. After all sides have new batting and replaced border, you can reapply the folded over backing and re-quilt that area. It will look like nothing has ever happened to it.

Caryl Bryer Fallert used to employ this technique on most of her quilt iN the 1990s; don't know if she still does, but her quilts sold/sell in the 4 and 5 figure range! http://www.bryerpatch.com/gallery/gallery.htm

Jan in VA

I am glad my dogs don't shed. We had cats for years, but now just a cat outisde. I have to admit I don't miss the hair, but I do miss having cats.

Cats can do no wrong, as far as I am concerned. But I would be mad as h... if one peed on my stuff, so what can I say? You did a reasonable thing; now maybe you should have the cat lover in your circle take the cat to the vet for a check-up. One that has never been guilty of that kind of behavior might have a medical (and treatable problem). Best of luck; and don't worry about the quilt--we are the only ones who will ever know when you get done with it, and we won't tell.....Right, folks.....

Thanks for not telling! I MUST swear my husband to secrecy - this is for a friend's birthday and SHE MUST NOT KNOW. I trust ya'll, but my husband would think it a funny story.

HIS cat. My husband is retired and I am not, but I am a teacher and home for the summer. I think I'm messing with their routine.

The quilt is finished and looks none the worse for wear. I sliced in new batting in the two small places where it disintegrated. I felt a difference as I was quilting the border and binding it, but know that it will not be under such scrutiny when it goes home wih her next week.

Thanks so much for all the help. I now know what to do better next time, but ... there had BETTER not be a next time!

It turned out sooo pretty after all you went thru with it!

Oh, how awful. I'm afraid I have no suggestions, just a fervent hope that you can save this.

OH! I see that you did save it. And a pretty quilt it is. What a blessing this board is, eh?