Peeing on bed!! Driving me nuts!!

I'm running out of ideas as well as patience with one of my cats, Tinkerbell. We got her back in February and were told she had been caged her whole life (she was 3mo. at the time). Tinkerbell insists on peeing on my bed any chance she gets. I have washed my quilt 5 times since Sunday!!!

There's no health issues. My guess was that she wasn't getting enough attention, because I have 5 cats... need to spread the love around. But she's my baby, because we got her a few weeks after my other cat died of FelV. I was heartbroken and crying everyday, and Tinkerbell and I became attached. Ever since she's always coming to me, purring up a storm, and sleeps with me at night. I don't understand why she chooses pee on my bed!! On the floor is a different story... but having to wash my quilt almost everyday... well it's just insane! Last night, I began sewing all the squares that were coming apart, and now I have to wash it once again!! I just did yesterday!

I hope someone can help me. I don't want to give her away, but I'm dealing with ongoing medical problems and a lot of other stressful situations, and having to wash my pillows, quilt, blankets, and sheets every day is just tipping me over the edge... to the point where I'm ready to give her up. I am fortunate none of the other cats have joined in on Tinker's peeing escapade. I'm fearing that one of these days they will, though.

Please help!!!
-Nicole in PA

Nicole, how do you know that she doesn't have a health issue? Has she been to a vet?
Also if you don't use an enzyme cleaner to breakdown the urine, your cat will return to the same place about every three days to freshen her scent. That is just her instinct.

Generally when a cat is peeing on soft things, the cat is stressed. They seek out something that carries your scent, then they pee on it and the combination of the two scents calms them for awhile. With five cats in your home, and your stress level sounding like it is maxing out, that could be the culprit right there. But please, if you haven't taken her to a vet recently please do so, because if she fighting a health issue, you need to address it immediately or at the very least rule it out.

Also please see this link:
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9563

Hi - I had the exact same problem when I got a new kitten several months ago. To get him to stop, I bought one of those vinyl coverings that people normally put underneath the sheets (e.g., to prevent stains, etc.), but I put it over the bed everyday for about 3 weeks or so. Your cat is not going to pee on that, and will eventually get used to the idea of going to the litter box instead. I think he started peeing on the bed simply because it was an absorbent surface, because he never did it anywhere else, such as the floor. The covering totally worked for me; kitty is using his litter box normally and never pees on the bed anymore.

The coverings don't cost much - you can get one for as cheap as $8, depending on the size of your bed. Just put the pillows in the closet and wrap the cover over the quilt, securing it by tucking it into the mattress. I really think this will work for you.

Originally Posted by 5cRAzyCAts

I'm running out of ideas as well as patience with one of my cats, Tinkerbell. We got her back in February and were told she had been caged her whole life (she was 3mo. at the time). Tinkerbell insists on peeing on my bed any chance she gets. I have washed my quilt 5 times since Sunday!!!

There's no health issues. My guess was that she wasn't getting enough attention, because I have 5 cats... need to spread the love around. But she's my baby, because we got her a few weeks after my other cat died of FelV. I was heartbroken and crying everyday, and Tinkerbell and I became attached. Ever since she's always coming to me, purring up a storm, and sleeps with me at night. I don't understand why she chooses pee on my bed!! On the floor is a different story... but having to wash my quilt almost everyday... well it's just insane! Last night, I began sewing all the squares that were coming apart, and now I have to wash it once again!! I just did yesterday!

I hope someone can help me. I don't want to give her away, but I'm dealing with ongoing medical problems and a lot of other stressful situations, and having to wash my pillows, quilt, blankets, and sheets every day is just tipping me over the edge... to the point where I'm ready to give her up. I am fortunate none of the other cats have joined in on Tinker's peeing escapade. I'm fearing that one of these days they will, though.

Please help!!!
-Nicole in PA

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One of our kitties started stressing out when we adopted a sixth - a neurologically disabled cat that walks funny and lurches around, and Spooky just wasn't into being lurched at or leaned on by Ming Loy.

We used enzyme cleaners, aluminum foil, took the covers off the covered litterboxes, etc. She kept peeing outside the box periodically, never in the same place twice. Finally we confined her to one room to retrain her - and then she began obsessively licking.

We then purchased a Feliway plug-in for EACH room of the house. I purchased a flower essence remedy that I use in the water. I switched to using Nok-Out instead of the enzyme cleaners available at pet stores (Nok-Out can be purchased on line at www.kalever.com). I covered any place she peed with a piece of upside down plastic carpet runner instead of aluminum foil (spikey side up - our cats, it turned out, loved the sound aluminum foil makes when they walk on it, but they can't stand the spikes in the back of the carpet runner), and left it there for a couple of weeks.

I started 10-15 minute individual play sessions with Spooky at least twice a day - in a room, alone with her. I spent one afternoon just sitting with her, "talking to her," letting her know how much we love her and asking her what's upsetting her - and just petted and loved on her and played with her and napped with her. Now in addition to the play sessions daily, I make sure to sit with her alone, just loving on her, for at least 15 minutes. This is usually in the evening, after our evening play session. And any time I see her grooming, if she's doing it normally, I let her be. But if she's going at it, I just walk over and gently remind her everything's OK and pet her - and she stops. Yes, it's a lot of time, and yes, my days are longer now, and I get less sleep. But the combination of things seems to have solved the problems.

I think covering your bed with a tarp during the day or when no one's in the room is a great idea. And Nok-Out is a great solution as an enzyme cleaner, because not only can you soak the soiled spot in your bedclothes and mattress with it, you can add it to your laundry to ensure that the smell of cat pee is entirely removed, and not just covered over by softener or detergent (cats can tell the difference even if we can't)! The Feliway plug-ins can't hurt, and finally, making some alone time, every day, will go a long way to helping your special kitty girl.

...but I really would have a vet check if you haven't already. We did for Spook - both to check for a UTI and a skin problem, just to be sure.

I did take Tinkerbell to the vet and the vet said there was nothing wrong with her.

One thing I'm wondering is if it's because she's trying to ward off my fiance.. When I got Tinker, she had a lot of past issues that made it hard to work with her. She really doesn't like my fiance, Jon. Whenever she feels that he's getting too close to her, she'll run. She won't come near me when he's around. She will throw a fit if he tries to pick her up. She's cut him up pretty bad twice.

She only pees on my side of the bed, up near and on the pillows. Maybe she's spraying to ward him off or let him know that she doesn't want him around. Is that a possible scenario?

I purchased a feline pherimone plug-in, and that has helped tremendousely. Tinkerbell has calmed down quite a bit. In the past month, she's only peed on the bed once.

What do you think??

Its possible that shes marking her territory and that just happens to be your bed! Also, maybe getting a citrus smelling plug in and put next to the bed may help. Cats dont like citrus smelling things and will avoid it. The vinyl cover is a good idea too. Hopefully, eventually, she will warm up to your fiance, and it'll be alright. Just have patience with her, and work with her, and hopefully, it will work out.
Keep us posted!

I've got to say the citrus thing didn't work at all with any of my guys. It made the house smell really nice - like a glass of lemonade tastes on a hot summer day - but didn't do a thing for the cats. Either I used the wrong scent, or they are just weird (guess which one I vote for? LOL).

Simon loves citrus to the extent that when I have a glass of OJ or when I have an orange, he tries to help himself to it. Pie, well, she likes to lick whatever the lemon or orange has touched. Esse couldn't care less (as long as she's loved and fed, she just doesn't care...), Charlotte had no noticible reaction, and Pengy is too hard to figure out.

So it doesn't always work...but it is worth a try.

I would think that Tinker is just trying to get herself accustomed to a new home, new owner, and new family mates. Be thankful that she doesn't pee on you while you're in the bed...I've had that happen a time or two with Charlotte. LOLOL!

Best-
Michele

I feel your pain! I have a 6 month old that insist on pooping on my quilt on my bed in the mornings! I have washed it so many times it's fading now My vet told me to put some amona in the wash with it just like 1/4 cup and it should take the smell out cause they can still smell it even after you wash it even if you can't!

Good Luck! I know what you are going through