I’m posting because I’m at my wits' end with my cat. She used to be perfectly litter-trained, but for the past week, she’s been peeing on my daughter’s bed!
I’ll try to explain the situation clearly.
We adopted a little stray cat back in July 2020 through a local rescue centre. She’s microchipped, and I was supposed to have her neutered in December, but it wasn't possible due to the lockdown. She went through her first heat, and then I finally managed to get her spayed on the 5th of January. Everything went well, despite her getting very stressed in the car on the way back; she had an accident in her carrier because she was trying so hard to hold it in (she was panicking, meowing, and scratching at the bars to get out to go to the toilet)... anyway, she recovered well from the op, was eating and drinking fine, and using her tray. Great! But then a week ago, we had a couple of friends over for lunch, and since then, she’s been peeing on my daughter’s bed every single day. Her litter tray is kept in that room because it's a quiet spot with no through traffic, and she usually sleeps with my daughter. The weird thing is, she’s still pooing in her litter tray... it can be anything from one to several accidents a day. No matter how much we wash and disinfect everything, or use lemon and lavender to try and deter her, nothing works...
I should mention that my friends have a dog, so we thought she might have picked up the scent and it upset her. But I’ve scrubbed everything thoroughly, so I just don't understand...
Please help us, my daughter and I are desperate!
Thank you!
Translated from French
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Hi everyone,
My domestic shorthair, who's nearly 10, has started peeing on my daughter's bed, always in the same spot. My daughter stays with me every other week. I originally thought it might be jealousy, but after reading your posts about UTIs, I’m definitely going to take her to the vet regardless. The only difference compared to what other members have asked is that Holy has always gone to the toilet outside! My other daughter adopted a cat who has been with us for two years now, and she always uses her litter tray—we’ve never had any accidents with her. That’s why I’m so puzzled about Holy. Thanks in advance for your replies and have a lovely evening!
Hi @Greylox, thanks for your reply. Yes, I've been trying out the second litter tray for quite a while now and it's working really well: she's using it for everything (both pee and poo), and I've also washed the soiled sheets and so on. There’s definitely an improvement, but she’s still having the odd accident every now and then... I hope things get back to normal soon!
Hi there,
Peeing issues are always a bit of a nightmare to sort out.
It’s possible that the infection is still hanging around: I’d give your vet a ring to see what they think.
She might also have associated the litter tray with the pain of urinating. If that’s the case, you could try a different style of tray (like a corner tray) with a different type of litter, or even keep the same litter and see if there’s any improvement.
The smell might still be lingering even if you’ve cleaned it (cats have an incredibly sharp sense of smell), which might be encouraging her to go back to the same spot. In this case, you should look into using an enzymatic odour neutraliser.
Have you tried putting a second litter tray in another part of the house?
Lastly, to protect the bed: try putting a foil space blanket over it. Cats really don't like the feel of that material under their paws.
Hi everyone, it’s been a while since I last checked in. It turns out Romy had a nasty UTI, which explains why she was peeing on the bed. She’s just finished her course of treatment (about two and a half weeks of antibiotics), and things seemed to be looking up—no accidents for two days, but then she weed on the bed twice again last night... I’m at a bit of a loss. Is it possible it takes a bit of time after stopping the meds for her to completely stop peeing on the bed? Thanks for any advice.
Thanks, I’ve already washed the soiled laundry with bicarb and vinegar in addition to the washing powder, and I’m regularly clearing up the mess and using bleach to clean as well, but it keeps happening... I’ll give a second litter tray a go, you never know! Thanks for the advice.
Building on what was said in the previous post, you could also try cleaning the litter trays with bleach. Cats are actually attracted to the smell and it encourages them to do their business there.
If adding an extra tray, cleaning them more often, and using bleach isn't enough, it’s possible that these accidents are down to stress. You could try using some calming products like Feliway, Petscool, or Zylkène, for instance. If the problem persists, don't hesitate to ask your vet for advice.
Hi there,
As cats get older, and through experience, many of them find that a single litter tray just isn't enough anymore. It’s actually quite easy to understand—since they often need to do a wee and a poo just minutes apart, cats don't really want to step in what they've just "delivered". Especially since they then have to groom themselves afterwards!
I’d suggest trying to offer her a second tray. Also, if you aren't already using it, try clumping litter. It’s a bit more expensive, but it allows you to scoop out both the poo and the urine clumps, which really helps with the smell.
Stick to simple trays without hoods or flaps so your cat feels more comfortable. Check the trays every morning and evening and clear out any mess; she really needs a spotless area to get back into the right habits.
Clean any soiled laundry with white vinegar followed by bicarbonate of soda (soak for 10-20 minutes) before doing a normal wash. The goal is to remove any lingering scents that might draw her back to the same spot.
Cover that area of the bed with a towel and place a bin bag underneath to manage any further accidents more easily (which can't be ruled out, as she’s just following her instincts). Usually, the change in texture will make her hesitate.
Aside from the very common issue of needing more than one tray, there’s also a risk she might have bladder stones or crystals. This is very common in cats fed exclusively on dry food, as they simply don't drink enough. Ideally, a cat should drink about two glasses of water a day, but they almost never do. If the mineral load isn’t diluted enough, it causes crystals which irritate and infect the urinary tract.
This makes peeing painful, and your cat then associates that pain with the litter tray, leading her to avoid it.
The best way to reduce this risk is to include wet food in her diet. Wet food has a high water content and ensures she stays hydrated. Aim for about 80-100g of wet food a day over two meals (morning and evening, for example). If this is the issue, the stress of your friends visiting might have been the trigger.
Best regards.
