Cats in the house are considered a symbol of home comfort, a source of positive emotions. But they often create problems, especially if they start shitting on the bed. It’s understandable when this is done by a kitten that can be retrained. But sometimes this happens to an adult pet, which is why some people can’t stand it and get rid of it. If you figure out why a cat shits on the bed and what to do about the problem, you won’t have to part with your beloved animal. It is quite possible to wean your pet from its bad behavior and eliminate the consequences.
Main reasons
First of all, you need to calm down and try to understand what could influence such a choice of a place for the animal’s toilet. Quite often, after this, some problems are quickly resolved. However, sometimes it is necessary to seek help from a veterinarian.
Cats don't just love to sleep in their master's bed.
Behavioral reasons
A cat pees on the bed if there are other animals in the house that display the habits of the leader, or dogs. The pet wants to protect itself in this way by occupying a high position in which no one can attack it without its knowledge.
For your information! Often the object for defecation is the head of the bed, since this will protect the cat from behind.
Physiological reasons
If we are talking about a kitten, then there may be physiological reasons for the fact that he urinates on the bed. Even a litter-trained animal at an early age can forget that it wants to pee and do its business on the bed.
But often the reason is cat owners - they forget that a small pet cannot go down without help, and therefore pees right on the blanket. This may also be a consequence of fright from sudden actions of people or loud sounds, which drive stress not only into kittens, but also into adults.
If a cat constantly pees on the bed, but does not go to the litter box, then this may not indicate its bad character, but simply the presence of diseases in the animal. Often, in this way, the pet says that it has problems that it is not able to cope with on its own, so it attracts the attention of the owner.
Note! The bed in this case does not play a big role, the animal simply does not want to go to the tray, since the pet directly associates the process of urination with it. The cat does not understand that the pain will haunt him even if he urinates in a place other than his own.
It’s difficult to break this nasty habit, but it’s possible.
Hormonal changes
Your cat's health is often the reason why she chooses bedding over her litter box. Castration and sterilization will help solve the problem of leaving marks on the bed. Such procedures will also protect the animal from many diseases, and therefore should not be abandoned.
Tray inaccessible
Often a cat pees on the bed due to the inaccessibility of its own litter box. Likewise, she may begin to take revenge or show that she also needs her space. The cat litter box should not be located behind closed doors or in other hard-to-reach places. Despite the fact that pets require privacy, you should not put their potty in a bin where it is difficult for the cat to reach.
It is also recommended to carefully inspect the litter box and decide whether it is suitable for your pet or not. Often it is quite small, since the owners do not want the cat litter to be noticeable and spoil the interior of the house. However, for the normal process of defecation and urination, the cat requires a tray in which she can stand quietly with all four paws.
The cat must fit completely in the tray
Dirty tray
Cats are clean animals and will not defecate in a dirty litter box. It is recommended to clean it at least once a day. If it is heavily soiled, you will need to clean it more often. However, it is also worth considering that each pet in the house requires an individual toilet, since this may be the reason.
Refusal to defecate in a dirty tray is associated not only with the desire to be clean. This has been preserved in cats as a reflex. The animal never went to the toilet where it lived, as the smell could attract enemies. Because of this, they also often tend to bury their feces. Shake the filler twice a day.
There are often capricious cats that refuse to go to the toilet if they have already urinated there at least once. This is due to their own safety, which they care about even in apartments.
Note! It is recommended to choose an unscented detergent. Often, the pet is scared off by the strong odor emanating from the usual place of bowel movement, which is why the cat may find a new place to urinate.
Your pet will not go to the toilet in a dirty litter box.
Changing the type of cat litter
The animal may get used to a certain type of litter, and when it is changed, the cat may begin to feel that everything has changed. She may not like the type, the smell, which is why she decides that she can no longer urinate in it. Your pet may not approve of many litters, so trial and error is recommended as each pet has different tastes.
Territory designation
A cat may pee on the bed if there are new people or animals in the house. In this way, the pet will show that there is already one individual in this apartment that is not going to put up with encroachments on its territory. If this is the reason, then the cat will subsequently stop peeing on the bed as soon as other animals or people leave the apartment.
Common diseases
Before “passing judgment” on a “naughty” pet, the owner should take a closer look at it. Perhaps the cat is not taking revenge or causing mischief at all, but is sick. Often it is enough to take tests and undergo an ultrasound examination at a veterinary clinic to identify a disease that is causing the pet to walk “smallly” in the wrong place.
Main reasons. The main causes of puddles in bed and other inappropriate places are inflammation of the bladder and urolithiasis. These pathologies are accompanied by severe cutting pain, so the cat cannot fully move and find a convenient place for the toilet.
Other factors. In addition, there are other pathologies and diseases that affect the urination process of furry purrs:
- Disturbances in the development of the genitourinary system . In this case, the pet, while still a kitten, cannot get used to the tray. As a rule, no measures help and mandatory consultation with a specialist and appropriate examination are required.
- Diseases caused by infection . Impaired urination is a symptom of cystitis, urocystitis, panleukopenia, nephritis, nephrosis. In addition, it can signal such a dangerous cat disease as mycoplasmosis, which affects the animal’s liver and other vital organs.
- Malfunctions of the central nervous system . Often, as a result of injuries and inflammatory processes in the brain, this area of the body is damaged, and the animal begins to suffer from incontinence.
- Metabolic disorders . They affect not only the functioning of the genitourinary system, but also lead to animal obesity and the development of diabetes mellitus.
- Labor activity. Often, furry pets choose the owner’s cozy and warm bed as a place to give birth. During labor, a certain amount of fluid may be released from a full bladder - from a few drops to a decent-sized puddle.
Animals that get dirty most often
Depending on their age, animals begin to mark more often. This depends on their hormonal levels, as well as their memory state. It is worth understanding the problem of pets and not swearing at them, as this will only aggravate the situation.
Old animals
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Older cats may forget about going to the litter box or where it is located. It will no longer be possible to retrain them, since it is useless.
Important! You just need to observe and when you notice the appropriate posture in the animal, move it to the toilet.
Unsterilized animals
Unsterilized animals pee on the bed and all places available to them to attract the opposite sex. This cannot be stopped without the use of auxiliary tools. If there are plans to continue the pet’s family, it is recommended to purchase special medications that will control the sexual activity of animals.
A cat comes into heat several times a year.
Incontinence in older cats
We must not forget about the age-related changes that occur in the animal’s body.
The age of cats is short-lived, and by the age of 10 they become elderly, and accordingly, due to their age, they can suffer from incontinence.
Naturally, in this case, no punishments or admonitions will work. And if veterinarians are unable to solve the problem, then you can listen to the advice of experienced owners:
- Special diapers help prevent “small” troubles in inappropriate places.
- Beds and other places where the cat leaves puddles can be covered with oilcloth or other waterproof material.
- The pet store sells products - solutions, sprays for treating surfaces that repel cats.
Otherwise, the owner will have to be patient and provide the pet with a decent old age.
Expert advice on how to stop a cat from shitting on the bed
Strong odors frighten members of the cat family. You can take advantage of this by washing your bed linen in water with a small addition of citrus essential oil. However, the concentration should be low so that the smell does not disturb sleepers.
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It is possible to use other methods. You need to prepare a spray bottle with water. Every time a cat encroaches on its owner's bed, it is worth spraying it. Cats are afraid of water, and therefore within a few lessons they will stop peeing on the bed.
You can show who is boss in the house. To do this you should do the following:
- As soon as the cat decides to defecate, grab him by the scruff of the neck.
- Look into his eyes and start hissing, imitating him.
- Don't look away until the cat does.
Note! During this process, you can gently and painlessly flick the cat on the nose several times. If he looks away, he will recognize the owner as a leader and stop shitting on his bed.
How to get rid of stains and odor
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The smell of cat feces is quite corrosive, and therefore you need to get rid of it as soon as possible. For these purposes, you can use many products that are available in every kitchen and medicine cabinet. Unpleasant odor can be eliminated with alcohol, citric acid, vodka, vinegar or glycerin.
Important! Treatment with the above means should be carried out as soon as possible. But you should choose them depending on the material of the bed linen. After processing, you need to send the items to the washing machine to fix the result.
You can remove cat urine stains using laundry soap. It will also help get rid of unpleasant odors. To remove yellow stains, many people try a combination of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.
Bed linen cannot be removed from urine in a washing machine all at once.
Tendency to leave puddles and marks
Some particularly fussy breeds, kittens, unsterilized cats and older people are prone to puddles and marks. Each of them has its own reasons, so the approach to solving the problem must be selected individually.
Capricious breeds
The most capricious breeds include Siamese cats and their closest relatives from the Siamese-Oriental group. Such cats have a very delicate mental organization. They are easily offended or stressed. Therefore, the reason for their bad behavior is usually explained by psycho-emotional factors.
Physiological features
Age plays an important role. A kitten who is not potty trained will make mistakes for quite some time. Raising them will take a long time, so you just have to be patient.
“Accidents” in older cats occur due to urinary incontinence or memory impairment. As they age, they forget the location of the litter box, often get lost in the family apartment due to visual impairment, and do not always have time to go to the toilet.
Constant hormonal surges in unsterilized pets can only be suppressed through castration. Without surgery, they will constantly mark the bed and other objects in an attempt to attract a mate.
Prevention of bad behavior
Bad behavior cannot be completely eradicated, and therefore it is recommended to simply make friends with the animal. To do this, it is recommended to follow certain recommendations:
- never shout or punish the animal in any way;
- play with your pet more often, show affection towards him;
- start feeding the pet if this action was previously performed by someone else;
- prohibit the animal from sitting on the bed, offering him an alternative such as a T-shirt or other clothing that has a human scent.
A cat, feeling safe around people, will not shit on the bed. However, this may resume when a new person or animal enters the home. You should be prepared for this and initially allow the animal to get used to the guest.
Punishment is never a good way to train animals to do anything. To consolidate positive results, you should use treats. It is recommended to be patient so that what you want is achieved.
