I'm at my wits' end. Skaya has been living with us for 7 months now and she's still peeing outside her litter tray! To give you a bit of background, she’s a stray we rescued from the street, and she joined us when we already had another female cat. She’s currently on medication for stress and was only spayed 3 weeks ago. The main issue is that I often get a very rude awakening. She comes looking for cuddles in the middle of the night or early morning, and if I don't respond, she pees right on me and bolts! She also tends to pee on the shoe mat every now and then. I just don't understand this behaviour!! If anyone has any suggestions as to why, please let me know, as I’m really at the end of my tether!!!
Translated from French
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Hi,
I’ve got more or less the same problem as the lady mentioned. Here’s the situation.
My cat (spayed) is turning 2 in May. She’s from a good home; some friends of mine had an accidental litter. She’s known me since she was born because I went to see her almost every day until she was old enough to leave her mum and come home with me. She’s very skittish with everyone else; I’m the only one she really lets stroke her, and the only person she’ll come and lie on when she wants a cuddle.
We moved house seven months ago. I sometimes sleep on the sofa (I suffer from insomnia), and when I do, if I’m not awake between 7:00 and 7:30 in the morning, she comes and pees on my duvet—or even on me, depending on how my legs are positioned. But it’s only on the sofa and only during that specific time slot (even if I’m awake and just lingering there during those hours, she still comes over and tries to pee)! Her litter tray is clean and she’s been to the vet who couldn't find anything wrong, so it’s definitely behavioural!
I just don’t understand what message she’s trying to send me; it’s almost like a ritual. If I sleep in my bed, the sofa stays spotless and I hear her going straight to her litter tray to scratch around.
Can anyone shed some light on this?
Best regards
Right, we’re going to have to get this anxiety sorted because the situation is becoming a real nightmare, and we’re lucky it’s summer so at least the duvet has been spared!
No, animals don't experience the same emotions as we do. Of course they have feelings, and I’m not saying otherwise, but jealousy in pets usually manifests as anxiety. So, you wouldn't really say a cat is jealous, but rather that they’re anxious.
Yeah, so they definitely wouldn't have been fully weaned, which explains the behaviour. It’s either down to stress or just a way to get your attention while you're asleep (like my girl used to do).
My daughter rescued this little cat back in December when she was wandering the streets as a stray. She couldn't keep her, so she passed her on to me, and she’s been living with us for seven months now. She’s quite a character because she's fairly timid, but when she’s in a cuddly mood, it’s all big head butts, purring, and licks. She’s two years old now.
No, jealousy is a purely human emotion; I think your kitty is just looking for attention. How old was she when you got her? My little Kiara used to do the same and I had to train her out of it. This sort of behavioural issue usually stems from incomplete weaning (before they’re three months old).
Thanks for your reply. She’s been to the vet and there’s no sign of a UTI. Since she’s stressed, we’ve got a Feliway plug-in going and she’s on some calming medication. I reckon her issue is purely behavioural! I’m starting to wonder if she’s just jealous of my other cat!
Hi there, she’s clearly just looking for your attention; my little girl used to do the exact same thing... mind you, you shouldn't rule out the possibility of a UTI. I’d suggest a trip to the vet first just to make sure she’s alright. After that, you either need to keep her out of the bedroom altogether, or you’ll have to teach her that she gets no attention while you’re asleep, full stop.
