Pees on bed early morning

[bossymossy]

Our tortie is a little over 1 years old and she has urinating out of the litter box issues. At first she peed on the bed or soft things at seemingly random times. After she peed directly outside the box while we watched, we changed the type of litter, got a second box, and we thought we'd solved the problem. She didn't pee again on anything for a month.

Now the problem is that she pees in just one particular scenario. It's around 6am, she has tried to wake us up with gentle mewing and walking over our legs and feet. If we don't respond and get up quickly, she will start pouncing on our feet and scratching the covers like it's litter. Then she'll urinate and it's as if she's held her bladder all night. This is my best guess as to what is going on: she doesn't like to pee when we are asleep and she just can't hold it anymore.

I don't know why this is happening. For a month now we've moved a litter box into the bedroom. There are just two adults, no other pets in the house, and both boxes have never been covered. She is generally a confident and friendly cat. There are animals outside that I think have spooked her, but her peeing doesn't seem exactly like perimeter marking behavior. We've had her for about 5 months and adopted her from a rescue, so she had lived outside for the beginning of her life but we don't know much about it. We took her to the vet and confirmed she was healthy.

I think that the problem is she doesn't feel safe or confident using the litter box without our protection. Any suggestions on how to encourage her? Or does anyone have an idea about what else might be the problem that I'm not seeing. Thanks!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi and welcome to TCS. Are you saying that other than the early AM she uses her litter box(es) without issue? Did her vet check include a urinalysis?

To try to narrow down a probable cause, since you think this might have something to do with you being asleep when she wants to go, can you set your alarm just ahead of her normal 'pee on the bed' time, and place her in the litter box? I know it is a nuisance, but it could be the easiest way to stop the habit. You can also place her in the litter box at night right before you go to bed too.

If she is not peeing in the litter box at other times, that is likely a whole different story, and one that would tend to lean toward your comment about her being spooked by outside critters. If so let us know!

 

[Joxer]

Our tortie is a little over 1 years old and she has urinating out of the litter box issues. At first she peed on the bed or soft things at seemingly random times. After she peed directly outside the box while we watched, we changed the type of litter, got a second box, and we thought we'd solved the problem. She didn't pee again on anything for a month.

Now the problem is that she pees in just one particular scenario. It's around 6am, she has tried to wake us up with gentle mewing and walking over our legs and feet. If we don't respond and get up quickly, she will start pouncing on our feet and scratching the covers like it's litter. Then she'll urinate and it's as if she's held her bladder all night. This is my best guess as to what is going on: she doesn't like to pee when we are asleep and she just can't hold it anymore.

I don't know why this is happening. For a month now we've moved a litter box into the bedroom. There are just two adults, no other pets in the house, and both boxes have never been covered. She is generally a confident and friendly cat. There are animals outside that I think have spooked her, but her peeing doesn't seem exactly like perimeter marking behavior. We've had her for about 5 months and adopted her from a rescue, so she had lived outside for the beginning of her life but we don't know much about it. We took her to the vet and confirmed she was healthy.

I think that the problem is she doesn't feel safe or confident using the litter box without our protection. Any suggestions on how to encourage her? Or does anyone have an idea about what else might be the problem that I'm not seeing. Thanks!

It could be punishment for not getting up to feed her, play with her, etc. My 16 yr old neutered male cat, Casper, does basically the same thing if I don't get up very early to feed him and (most importantly) let him go outside. He pees on specific walls, rather than my bed, so if it's too early to get up, I just accept my punishment and go back to sleep. I think what's going through his mind is that he's saved up a lot of urine overnight that he wants to use to mark territory outside, and if I'm not going to let him out to do that, he's just going to mark territory inside instead.

You could try just not responding to this behavior for a week or so, and see if she stops doing it. You could buy one of those plastic-lined blankets they sell for kids who wet the bed, and it put it on top of your other sheets.

 

[bossymossy]

Hi and welcome to TCS. Are you saying that other than the early AM she uses her litter box(es) without issue? Did her vet check include a urinalysis?

To try to narrow down a probable cause, since you think this might have something to do with you being asleep when she wants to go, can you set your alarm just ahead of her normal 'pee on the bed' time, and place her in the litter box? I know it is a nuisance, but it could be the easiest way to stop the habit. You can also place her in the litter box at night right before you go to bed too.

If she is not peeing in the litter box at other times, that is likely a whole different story, and one that would tend to lean toward your comment about her being spooked by outside critters. If so let us know!

She does use the litter box regularly otherwise. She prefers to use it while we are in the room, but does use it if we're out of the house during the day.

And yes, the vet did a urinalysis and it came back fine.

Trying to get her to pee before bed and making a habit of guiding her to her box early morning is probably the right direction. I just wish I could be sure that it would be something she would then grow to be able to do on her own.

 

[Furballsmom]

could be punishment for not getting up to feed her, play with her, etc.

Cats aren't wired to think like this.

I was going to ask about a vet visit but you answered that already.

just wish I could be sure that it would be something she would then grow to be able to do on her own.

It most certainly is worth the try

 

[bossymossy]

It could be punishment for not getting up to feed her, play with her, etc. My 16 yr old neutered male cat, Casper, does basically the same thing if I don't get up very early to feed him and (most importantly) let him go outside. He pees on specific walls, rather than my bed, so if it's too early to get up, I just accept my punishment and go back to sleep. I think what's going through his mind is that he's saved up a lot of urine overnight that he wants to use to mark territory outside, and if I'm not going to let him out to do that, he's just going to mark territory inside instead.

You could try just not responding to this behavior for a week or so, and see if she stops doing it. You could buy one of those plastic-lined blankets they sell for kids who wet the bed, and it put it on top of your other sheets.

By not responding you mean ignore the fact that she's soaked our legs in urine?? I guess putting a puppy pee pad over the covers and ignoring her could be worth a try. I get that the idea of ignoring is not to reward the behavior, but we are not getting up and immediately feeding her or playing with her. We're first stripping the bed and ignoring her and letting there be some time before she gets rewarded with food and attention.

 

[bossymossy]

Hi and welcome to TCS. Are you saying that other than the early AM she uses her litter box(es) without issue? Did her vet check include a urinalysis?

Thank you for the warm welcome! And thank you everyone for the suggestions and encouragement. Keep them coming!

 

[FeebysOwner]

As said above by Furballsmom , I do not believe in the theory that cats are retaliatory, so ignoring her is likely to do nothing. They don't plot and plan like humans, they are pretty much reactionary to the moment. If the only thing you are currently doing is taking her off the bed so you can change the bed clothes, I don't see that as enough 'attention' for her to keep on doing it for that reason.

One step at a time. try the before bed/early morning litter box 'visits' and see what happens. Then we can move on from there. That is unless someone else comes along with a more 'convincing' option!!

 

[bossymossy]

As said above by Furballsmom , I do not believe in the theory that cats are retaliatory, so ignoring her is likely to do nothing. They don't plot and plan like humans, they are pretty much reactionary to the moment. If the only thing you are currently doing is taking her off the bed so you can change the bed clothes, I don't see that as enough 'attention' for her to keep on doing it for that reason.

One step at a time. try the before bed/early morning litter box 'visits' and see what happens. Then we can move on from there. That is unless someone else comes along with a more 'convincing' option!!

Thanks for the encouragement to do it one step at a time. We'll get more vigilant about making a visit to the litter box pre-bed/early morning.

On other posts on the forum, I've seen people suggest their cat might need a nightlight. I thought cats could see perfectly fine in the dark, but maybe that could encourage her to feel safe using the box in the night?

What do people think about the theory that outside animals are spooking her? Does her behavior line up with that?

 

[Furballsmom]

What do people think about the theory that outside animals are spooking her? Does her behavior line up with that?

It might. Have you tried any calming products? Would you have a way to set up motion activated sprinklers to keep the outside animals from being there?

I think a nightlight is a great idea.

 

[bossymossy]

It might. Have you tried any calming products? Would you have a way to set up motion activated sprinklers to keep the outside animals from being there?

I think a nightlight is a great idea.

We have feliway advanced diffusers near both litter boxes. I've considered the sprinklers, but I'd rather try other things first since it just doesn't seem like she's reacting from territorial threat. But who knows!

 

[FeebysOwner]

Nightlights can be helpful, so something else to try. Check for outside critters when you can, but it will be hard to do since this is happening during sleep hours.

Security cameras or other similar type cameras are what a lot of folks have who have caught other animals roaming about their property.

It is hard to set up preventative measures unless you have some idea where another critter is hanging around. If they would be sitting on things like nearby window sills, doors, etc. chicken wire can be placed in those areas to try to deter a cat or similar animal from frequenting those places. They usually do not like the feel of the wire underneath their feet - but, it doesn't hurt them.

 

[Joxer]

As said above by Furballsmom , I do not believe in the theory that cats are retaliatory, so ignoring her is likely to do nothing. They don't plot and plan like humans, they are pretty much reactionary to the moment. If the only thing you are currently doing is taking her off the bed so you can change the bed clothes, I don't see that as enough 'attention' for her to keep on doing it for that reason.

One step at a time. try the before bed/early morning litter box 'visits' and see what happens. Then we can move on from there. That is unless someone else comes along with a more 'convincing' option!!

I have a lot of respect for the planning, cleverness, and yes, even plotting capabilities of cats.

With Casper, if I did everything he wanted of me, I would get to sleep maybe 2-3 hours at a stretch, in between feeding him and letting him in and out of doors. Left to his own devices, his morning wake-up calls get earlier and earlier. When they get really crazy, meaning it's the moon that's shining rather than the sun, I start ignoring him. Initially, he pees on walls. That seems like punishment. In any case, after a few days of his 4 am wake-up calls being ignored, he starts to calm down and let me sleep until the sun comes up.

Casper's a sweet cat most of the time. I can't say for certain that he thinks he's punishing me when I don't get up in the dark to let him outside, but I can say that ignoring his more extreme demands gets me some relief. It seems like that approach could be worth a try in this case as well.

 

[FeebysOwner]

he pees on walls. That seems like punishment. In any case, after a few days of his 4 am wake-up calls being ignored, he starts to calm down and let me sleep until the sun comes up.

But, the difference is that your cat has peed on walls nearly all his life - correct? Especially, since he doesn't want to go outside as much as he used to, correct? That is a whole different story.

Circadian patterns, such as a full moon, can affect all kinds of animals, but again is ii isn't related to retaliation or plotting.

I hope you are trying some things that were suggested to you in your thread, but I think it is going to be tough for you with Casper having so many long-term habits.

 

[Mamanyt1953]

Trying to get her to pee before bed and making a habit of guiding her to her box early morning is probably the right direction. I just wish I could be sure that it would be something she would then grow to be able to do on her own.

Every single thing mentioned here is certainly worth trying, so long as you accept that NOTHING is sure with cats. What works like a charm with one cat is an utter failure with another. Start with that, give it at least two-three weeks, then move on to something else. Living with cats is so often trial and error!

 

[danteshuman]

What is going on outside your window in the morning? Maybe some frosted glass window cling in your bedroom will help? Honestly I would kick said kitty out of the bedroom for a month, check the bed/bedding with s black light (if it glows use an enzyme cleaner then check again.) I would set up cameras to record what creatures go in your yard in the night/morning. This might only take a motion activated sprinkler chase away intruders,

I’m assuming the vet cleared her. Maybe she needs some calming treats with cbd in them for a few months?

cat attract litter, extra boxes, no lids, yes a box next to your bed

maybe a shower curtain or tarp over your bedding before you let her in the room? (After you make the bed.)

 

[Mamanyt1953]

extra boxes, no lids

As to the "no lids," that's generally true. However, I would at least try one box with a lid that is removable. She seems to be very insecure about using the box, as she prefers to have you there with her. While most cats tend to either not care, or feel trapped by the cover, a few will feel protected by it. She may (or may not) be one of them.

 

[bossymossy]

OP Update: It's been about a month and we've had no incidents! Fingers crossed this holds.

What we did:
-Replaced mattress protector and repeat washed bedding with Advanced Formula Natures Miracle. (I hate the product's smell so many extra washes to get rid of that.)
-Installed a dim nightlight over the litter box.
-Put a pee-proof pet blanket with a rubber lining at the foot of the bed to protect our bedding just in case.
-Tried coaxing her to use the litter box before bed with treats and attempts at developing "command" words. (Most of the time did not work. You can lead a cat to the litter box, but you can't make it pee.)
-Sprayed bed with Feliway before bedtime.
-Kept her out of the problem bedroom for a week.
- Increased her food.

The thing that I think made the biggest differences was the Feliway spray. It was kind of instant calm. She stopped frantically scratching at the bedding like she used to before she peed. Another thing I suspect helped was increasing her food throughout the day. We had been feeding her what the vet said to feed in terms of kcal but she started to seem very food anxious and low energy. I feel bad that we weren't giving her enough, but since she's just 1.5 years, she has been a growing girl with a changing appetite over the past few months we've had her. Now we know what she needs and I think she's generally a lot happier and plays more during the day and she isn't as anxious through the night.

Thank you for all the advice and support! Good luck to anyone who might be facing similar problems.

 

[Alldara]

It could be punishment for not getting up to feed her, play with her, etc. My 16 yr old neutered male cat, Casper, does basically the same thing if I don't get up very early to feed him and (most importantly) let him go outside. He pees on specific walls, rather than my bed, so if it's too early to get up, I just accept my punishment and go back to sleep. I think what's going through his mind is that he's saved up a lot of urine overnight that he wants to use to mark territory outside, and if I'm not going to let him out to do that, he's just going to mark territory inside instead.

You could try just not responding to this behavior for a week or so, and see if she stops doing it. You could buy one of those plastic-lined blankets they sell for kids who wet the bed, and it put it on top of your other sheets.

Cats do not do this to "punish" humans.


When it comes to inappropriate urination, medical conditions usually need ruled out first, including FIC.

 

[Alldara]

OP Update: It's been about a month and we've had no incidents! Fingers crossed this holds.

What we did:
-Replaced mattress protector and repeat washed bedding with Advanced Formula Natures Miracle. (I hate the product's smell so many extra washes to get rid of that.)
-Installed a dim nightlight over the litter box.
-Put a pee-proof pet blanket with a rubber lining at the foot of the bed to protect our bedding just in case.
-Tried coaxing her to use the litter box before bed with treats and attempts at developing "command" words. (Most of the time did not work. You can lead a cat to the litter box, but you can't make it pee.)
-Sprayed bed with Feliway before bedtime.
-Kept her out of the problem bedroom for a week.
- Increased her food.

The thing that I think made the biggest differences was the Feliway spray. It was kind of instant calm. She stopped frantically scratching at the bedding like she used to before she peed. Another thing I suspect helped was increasing her food throughout the day. We had been feeding her what the vet said to feed in terms of kcal but she started to seem very food anxious and low energy. I feel bad that we weren't giving her enough, but since she's just 1.5 years, she has been a growing girl with a changing appetite over the past few months we've had her. Now we know what she needs and I think she's generally a lot happier and plays more during the day and she isn't as anxious through the night.

Thank you for all the advice and support! Good luck to anyone who might be facing similar problems.

Great job figuring out what was causing the stress for her. Thanks for the update!