Cat peeing in m son's bed =(

[bchamberlin]

Got a big problem... end of my rope with one of my cats. She's a stray that I've had for a few years. I made the big mistake of changing their clumping litter with the corn cob stuff. At the same time my female started peeing in my sons bed. I changed the litter back and took her to the vets to have her checked out. She's fine, but she's pretty old. I was never sure how old she was before but now I've been told she's about 15 or 17. I put another litter box in my son's room but she still pees on his bed where she sleeps. I really don't know what to do now. I've added some of that cat attract additive to the box today to see if I can get her to go back into the box... guess we'll see. I'd hate to put her down just because of a urination problem but I'm running out of ideas.

 

[ldg]

Did the vet mention if she has arthritis? Is it at all difficult for her to get up or down off the bed? Does she need a lower-sided litter box?

Those thoughts aside, she will continue using the same spot until two things happen:

1) The smell of her urine is gone (to her nose); and
2) You "rewire" her to use the litter box.

Though I would address the arthritis question, most likely she didn't like the new litter, and is using a place that's comfortable. So, to address number one, the only cleaner that will work is an enzyme cleaner. Some have had good success with Nature's Miracle - we have not. We purchase Nok Out (online only): http://www.nokout.com. Others have had good success with something called Urine Off, and Anti-Icky Poo is supposed to be great as well. I know it's available here: http://www.catfaeries.com.

If you have used an enzyme cleaner, then you need to use it again. Any bedding that has been soiled - the affected area must be soaked with it, then wash them with enzyme cleaner added like you would bleach.

ANY area of the mattress that may have had pee get on it/in it MUST be SOAKED with enzyme cleaner. Cleaning just the surface will NOT do the trick. (We had a cat stress pee and I speak from experience). Cat pee wicks, and we found that the mattress had to be treated several times. Until you get the enzyme cleaner to ALL the places the pee got, the smell is not gone to kitty's nose. Soak the area, let it sit for 15 minutes, then blot up what you can with towels. Fold several towels, cover the spot, and make the bed. Change the towels every day until it's dry. It should take a few days if you soaked it well enough.

In the meantime, when your son gets up in the morning, put something over the bed to protect it. For our queen-sized bed, we got a large cardboard box you use for moving, and we cut down one side and laid it over the bed. At night, we'd pick it up and just lean it up against the wall. We did this for a month, and treated the mattress weekly for a couple of weeks (after she'd stopped peeing on it).

If I were in your shoes, I'd explain to my son (depending upon his age) what happened, and why this needs to be done. I'd also consider putting a cat bed down in the location she likes to sleep, and buy a new litter box, use the litter she likes, and put it near her cat bed that is now ON his bed. Yes, I'd put the litter box on the bed (that's what we did). At night, we'd put the litter box on the floor closest to where she was peeing on the bed.

After a few days, whether she's using THAT litter box or not, if she's no longer peeing on the bed (which now has a large plastic cover or cardboard or something not soft and comfy and that doesn't smell like him or her laid over it during the day), I'd leave the litter box on the floor (where it's placed at night), and then move it about six inches a day, until it winds up where you want it to be.

Given she's older, if she mostly hangs out in your son's room, if all of you are willing, I'd consider having a box in there for her.

....and if it turns out that she does have arthritis or something that makes it harder for her to get up and down off the bed, I'd consider getting something that can act as a "step" to make it easier for her to get up and down off the bed. We have a handicapped kitty, and we use one of those single-level round cat condo thingies as a step for her to get up and down off the bed.

If something other than litter has changed in the home or her life, and she's stress peeing (and not just continuing to pee where she smells her scent), then you may want to consider purchasing a Feliway (or Comfort Zone) plug in for your son's room. This will help calm her (an explanation is available at the Cat Faeries website). You can also purchase Bach's Rescue Remedy to add to her water. It's available at most health food stores, and they now have one especially for pets that's glycerin-based as opposed to alcohol based. Apart from adding a few drops to her fresh water when you clean the dish each day, just a touch can be dabbed under her chin, behind her ears, and at the base of her tail.

I hope this solves the problem.

 

[bchamberlin]

Thanks for the suggestion... we're working on it.

 

[bchamberlin]

This is driving me crazy... she's still peeing in the bed.

 

[britt0285]

One of my cats does this on occassion also. Do you notice a pattern to when she is doing it? Is after a certain event or certain time of the day?

 

[Primula]

Does she have to sleep in your son's room. Wouldn't the best solution be to keep her out of that room?

 

[ldg]

Trust me, I know the frustration. But it's been one day. Did you clean with an enzyme cleaner? She will continue to pee until the scent of pee is gone to her nose. Did you cover the bed with anything? Have you purchased Feliway? What steps have you taken?

A little more input will help us help you.

In the meantime, Primula's idea will help reduce everyone's stress, which does contribute to the problem. Sometimes litter box retraining is best done by confining kitty to one room, with a cat bed, toys, litter, water, and food in there. Of course spend time in there and play with her &etc. so she's not bored and not feeling like she's being punished (to the extent possible). A large bathroom is actually a good place for this, if you have one that works.

We tried this with Spooky, but then she began over-grooming, so we abandoned the idea, and took all of the steps I outlined above.

 

[bchamberlin]

Well I keep washing the bedding and the mattress is outside on the deck drying from the enzyme cleaner I used. Not really sure how to clean a mattress other then to pour on the cleaner and then soak what I can up. I put a litter box in that room and I used this additive called cat attact to see if that would get her to use it. I can't tell if she is or not because I have 2 other cats. I guess I can put some food and water in there and lock her in the room to see if she's using the box at all. Someone mentioned getting her out of that room. We tried that and she just walked around for hours crying. My fear is that she would finally settle on the sofa and pee there. Trust me, if that happens my wife will kill her. She's also a freak of a cat who won't drink water out of a normal bowl. I had to buy one of those "running" water bowls for her so I guess that will have to be moved up there. This is just getting very frustrating. We're having a baby in about a week... damn damn damn...

 

[ldg]

Yes, the (affected areas) of the mattress must be soaked:

Originally Posted by LDG

ANY area of the mattress that may have had pee get on it/in it MUST be SOAKED with enzyme cleaner. Cleaning just the surface will NOT do the trick. (We had a cat stress pee and I speak from experience). Cat pee wicks, and we found that the mattress had to be treated several times. Until you get the enzyme cleaner to ALL the places the pee got, the smell is not gone to kitty's nose. Soak the area, let it sit for 15 minutes, then blot up what you can with towels. Fold several towels, cover the spot, and make the bed. Change the towels every day until it's dry. It should take a few days if you soaked it well enough.

In the meantime, when your son gets up in the morning, put something over the bed to protect it. For our queen-sized bed, we got a large cardboard box you use for moving, and we cut down one side and laid it over the bed. At night, we'd pick it up and just lean it up against the wall. We did this for a month, and treated the mattress weekly for a couple of weeks (after she'd stopped peeing on it).

If I were in your shoes, I'd explain to my son (depending upon his age) what happened, and why this needs to be done. I'd also consider putting a cat bed down in the location she likes to sleep, and buy a new litter box, use the litter she likes, and put it near her cat bed that is now ON his bed. Yes, I'd put the litter box on the bed (that's what we did). At night, we'd put the litter box on the floor closest to where she was peeing on the bed.

After a few days, whether she's using THAT litter box or not, if she's no longer peeing on the bed (which now has a large plastic cover or cardboard or something not soft and comfy and that doesn't smell like him or her laid over it during the day), I'd leave the litter box on the floor (where it's placed at night), and then move it about six inches a day, until it winds up where you want it to be.

Given she's older, if she mostly hangs out in your son's room, if all of you are willing, I'd consider having a box in there for her.

 

[bchamberlin]

Mattress is still outside drying. I bought a mattress cover, the kind with a rubberized backing. I'll put that on it when I bring it back in so at least the mattress itself won't get any urine on it. I can deal with washing the bedding for the time being.

 

[ldg]

I still think putting something over the bed during the day so it's not all comfy blankets may help.

As soon as we laid the cardboard box (flat, cut one side down) over the bed during the days, Spooky stopped peeing on the bed.

Have you purchased a Feliway or Comfort Zone plug-in for the room? Or you can just purchase the spray bottle (we prefer those, others prefer the plug ins), and spritz a little on the bed where she's been going - or on whatever you lie over the bed to cover the top of it. Just a little spritz.

 

[Primula]

Laurie, how would you use the Feliway spray bottle? Do you just spray it inside the room?

 

[ldg]

Feliway was designed to help stop inappropriate peeing - not only by destressing cats, but by making areas they've been using inappropriately smell "wrong" to continue using that area to pee.

So when in a small room that has a litter box, I'm not in love with the idea of the plug in, because it makes the entire area have the "friendly" scent. To me, that seems confusing to the cat.

The spray bottle you're supposed to spray on walls, furniture, &etc. at cat height. We do it every 6 inches or so, a VERY light spritz. It doesn't leave a mark or stain after it dries. We re-spray every three days. And we completely avoid the litter box area with a wide birth.

What we did for Spooky, and what I'd do here, is spray it around the edge of the bed. I'd also cover the bed with a cut down cardboard box like we did, and spray a light spritz right on the box that's above the area(s) she'd been peeing on the mattress. Or if he (sorry for talking about you in the third person, bchamberlin) is going to use the idea of putting a cat bed and a litter box on the bed, then I'd spray a light spritz on the cat bed, put it at the other end of the bed from where the litter box is, and put the litter box over the area she's been peeing on the bed. But I would not put a litter box on the bed if there's no cardboard (or something) cover over the blankets. !!!!

 

[bchamberlin]

An update on Casey...

I used the enzyme cleaner on the mattress and let it dry in the sun for a day. No more smell. I also wrapped it in a rubberized pad to prevent any further damage. So, for the last couple of days she's been using the litter box I have placed in that room. I'm starting to think that maybe she was a little sick for a few days and just wasn't showing any other symptoms. I noticed she was burying herself in the covers and wouldn't leave the room. Now she seems like she's back to her old self. Fingers crossed.

 

[britt0285]

I am glad she has stopped peeing on the bed and that your kitty is feeling better.

 

[ldg]

Absolutely, fingers crossed!

Hope all's well now!

 

[Primula]

Do you have your new baby yet?

 

[bchamberlin]

Originally Posted by Primula

Do you have your new baby yet?

Not yet. She's due the 22nd of this month.