Why does a cat shit on the bed and how to deal with it

If you're ready to adopt a cat, the last thing you want to deal with is a fresh pile of cat poop on your bed. But you're probably here because your cute kitty has been using your sleeping area as a litter box, and you want answers. After all, they are not the ones who should do the laundry, and even if they did, they wouldn’t.

So, what are the reasons why your cat poops on your bed? There are more answers than you think. But since it could indicate a larger underlying problem, you want to get to the bottom of what's going on.

A story about cats and bathroom habits

You can litter box train your kittens as early as three weeks of age. During this time, they should become familiar with their personal bathroom to explore it. Cats are perhaps the easiest to tame because they do all the hard work for you.

By four weeks, most kittens are litter box trained, but this may vary slightly depending on the cat. They have a natural desire to use the potty in an area where they can easily hide their mess. Kittens usually learn the most by watching their mother.

Cats are generally immaculate animals that take personal hygiene very seriously. They bathe on their own, taking care of their bodies independently. If you have an adult cat who has just started this behavior, you know that it is not due to litter training.

Image Credit: Dana Nguyen, Unsplash

So, when your cat poops on the bed and beyond, it's an obvious concern because it's not normal. While problems such as urination can stem from territorial markings, poop has a completely different cause. And what are some of these potential reasons?

Diseases

When a cat begins to urinate on its owner's bed, it is important to check its health. If puddles appear on the bed, urolithiasis can be suspected. It often disturbs pets aged 4-5 years.

The appearance of feces can suggest problems with the intestines. It is not possible to make a diagnosis on your own; the animal should be shown to a veterinarian. After a series of examinations, he will tell you whether your pet is sick or healthy.

Why does a cat pee on the bed when sick?

There is a simple explanation for why cats go to their owner’s bed when they feel unwell. With urolithiasis and intestinal problems, pets experience discomfort. They try to defecate on the tray, but this is difficult and painful. This will cause them to pee on the bed where they feel safe and comfortable.

There is only one way out of the situation - show the cat to the doctor so that he can prescribe treatment. Don’t forget about prevention to avoid exacerbations of pathologies. In particular, you need to adjust your diet or choose high-quality food that does not lead to problems with the genitourinary system and intestines.

Disease

If pooping on the bed is a new behavior for your cat and there have been no recent changes in the family, first look for illness. Some health problems are very time sensitive, so knowing what to look for can help.

There could be several medical reasons why your kitty is interested in your bed as a litter box. Here are some of the diseases that could be the culprits.

• Intestinal parasites
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Food sensitivity
• Hypothyroidism
• Diabetes
• Liver disease
• Cancer

Tray inaccessible

Sometimes people themselves are to blame for the fact that the pet does not go to the litter box. Perhaps your pet cannot get to the toilet because the door is closed. It also happens that the tray was put in a new place and was not shown to the cat. As a result, you can find puddles in the old place of the cat litter box, on the floor and even on your bed.

Another possible explanation is a change in filler. For example, a pet got used to stones, and then wood capsules were poured into it. The cat may simply not understand that now he needs to walk on them, which is why he will go looking for a more suitable place. If your cat craps on the bed after changing the litter box, you should help her get used to the changes.

Environmental changes

Cats are creatures of habit. If something in your family was fairly routine and then suddenly changed, it could lead to bad behavior.

Sometimes your cat—like a baby—can't process new information without acting out a little.

If you think back to when the problem first started, you may think of something that changed dramatically—even if it's not that big of a deal to you. This could be something as simple as reorganizing your bedroom. This can completely change your cat, causing her to do questionable things in response.

Kittens

Small kittens do not immediately get accustomed to the litter box, so during the process of getting used to it they may walk in the wrong places. The owner must help the pet get rid of a bad habit. To do this, you need to seriously start training your kitten if you don’t want to endure puddles and feces on the sofa throughout its entire life. As a rule, for many pets a few days or weeks are enough for the situation to improve.

How to quickly stop a kitten from peeing on the bed

After a small pet appears in the apartment, you should immediately place a tray. The kitten needs to be shown where it should go to the toilet. Let your pet sniff the sand, dig in it, and maybe even taste it. Some kittens go to the litter box the first time, so they don’t cause problems for their owners. If on the first day the kitten defecated on the bed, then you should not immediately abandon it. You need to be patient and not get too angry.

You should not constantly change the location of the tray, as well as the fillers. The kitten must get used to one thing, otherwise he will continue to go to the sofa. If an animal urinates in the wrong place, you should scold it and then take it to the tray. As a rule, a few times are enough for the problem to disappear.

New pets or children

If you're dating a new addition to the family—human or animal—it might not go over well with your roommate. After all, you didn't ask your cat if someone else could live with you. Your cat may have difficulty adjusting to this significant change.

They may crap on your bed, especially if a new pet or person is staying in your room. It's more of a call for attention than an angry act—no matter how you feel about it. Remember to introduce people slowly and be patient during the process. In this case, he should calm down as they acclimatize.

How to remove the smell of cat urine from the sofa

As soon as it is discovered that a cat has desecrated a favorite chair or sofa, you must immediately begin cleaning it up. Do not wait until the urine is absorbed into the upholstery material, much less dries.

Cat lover advice: getting rid of the smell of cat urine - video:

There is no need to rush and purchase industrial mixtures. In every home there are enough available tools that will help clean fabric furniture elements from cat tracks.

Laundry soap solution

Glycerin, which is present in sufficient quantities in laundry soap, breaks down the main flavoring agent in cat urine – urea. That is why using a soap solution is the number one remedy in the fight against mustachioed pet marks. The solution is prepared very simply:

• Three soaps on a grater or chop with a knife;
• Dilute in warm water;
• Rub the prepared mixture into the surface of the upholstery and leave for 10-15 minutes;
• At the end of the operation, you can wash off any remaining soap with a damp cloth.

To consolidate the effect, wipe the affected area with alcohol. This will temporarily prevent your cat from marking again.

Manganese or iodine

These medications can only be used to remove relatively fresh stains from upholstered furniture upholstered in dark materials.

In addition to its oxidizing properties, a solution of potassium permanganate has a significant deodorizing effect, which is especially important when eliminating various odors. To destroy cat dirt you need:

1. Dilute potassium permanganate in warm water, bringing it to a rich pink color.
2. Using a soft cloth or sponge without abrasive, apply the solution liberally to the marked area.
3. After 5 minutes, rinse with warm, clean water.

Lemon juice

Lemon juice is a powerful oxidizing agent that can quickly break down urea crystals, the main source of persistent odor. Therefore, as soon as you notice that the cat has peed on the sofa, we do the following:

1. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice directly onto the stain.
2. Take a soft sponge, soak it in lemon juice and wipe it.
3. If the contamination is old, the procedure will have to be repeated after 20 minutes.

In addition to eliminating the unpleasant odor, the lemon will leave its own, which cats don’t really like; in any case, they don’t like to mark places that smell of citrus.

Vinegar

This food product will help even from old traces of cat litter. To do this you need:

1. Thoroughly blot the sofa upholstery with a cloth or paper napkin.
2. Cover for a while with an absorbent used in toilets for pets.
3. Wait until it is absorbed and clean the treated area with a vacuum cleaner.
4. Dilute vinegar with water in a one to one ratio.
5. Take a clean cloth and rub the mixture into the stain.

Acetic acid destroys the strong-smelling elements of cat feces, but during the neutralization process, a byproduct of the breakdown is formed - thiols. It is also easy to remove with baking soda. Sprinkle the wet area to be treated with baking soda and let it dry. We remove the remains with a vacuum cleaner.

Soda

If you immediately notice that the cat has peed, take powdered baking soda and generously sprinkle it on the crime scene. Old stains are removed a little differently:

1. Make a liquid paste solution of baking soda in warm water.
2. Rub the prepared mixture into the stain. To do this, we use a piece of cloth or, for deeper penetration, a brush.
3. Leave until surface dry and then wipe with soapy water.

Hydrogen peroxide

Another medicine with which you can prepare an effective mixture for cleaning your sofa from cat urine. For this:

• Take 10-15 ml of peroxide (15 cubes in a syringe or approximately 3 teaspoons);
• Two tablespoons of liquid soap or shabby laundry soap;
• And two tablespoons of soda.

Generously cover the affected area with the prepared mixture and wait until it dries completely. Afterwards, wash everything with soapy water and rinse with clean water.

Alternative use of peroxide:

1. Rub baking soda into the fresh stain.
2. We take a spray bottle and spray the contaminated area with a solution prepared from water and hydrogen peroxide (we take the ingredients in equal proportions).
3. We wait for it to dry completely and remove the residue with a vacuum cleaner.

Stress without treatment

If your kitten has anxiety or increased stress levels that you haven't noticed before, this may be a sign that you should pay attention. Cats can have atypical levels of anxiety and are very sensitive to everyday stimuli. If you have a cat that you would call "shy," nervousness may be to blame.

If your cat has started using your bed to poop, this could be a sign that something around her litter box is causing her stress. Maybe you recently installed a litter box in the laundry room, and now they're afraid of that big, loud dryer—they associate the litter box with scary things.

Industrial detergents for odor removal

If all the methods described above are powerless, products specially designed for this will help remove the persistent smell of cat urine from the sofa.
You can find it in places where household goods are sold or in large pet stores. A feature of these drugs is their selective effect on organic pollutants, which, as a rule, are the main source of stench. Specially designed odor remover – video review:

The best effect of neutralizing the smell of urine is observed from those mixtures that include proprietary developments of manufacturers - special groups of enzymes (enzymes). Under the influence of these substances, uric acid crystals are destroyed, which almost completely neutralizes the foul-smelling fraction in traces of cat litter.

Before using them, you must carefully study the instructions. In addition, these products have one important feature: the effect of their use will be noticeable no earlier than 2-3 days after treating the stains.

Households with multiple cats

Cats can be territorial or aggressive with other felines. If they feel they need to make a statement, they may poop outside the litter box. For cats, competition is real. If they feel that the natural order has been disrupted, this may cause the battle to take an alpha position.

Even if it's not your fault, your cat may do this to other cats - and not to you at all.

Image Credit: Paul Hanaoka, Unsplash

Plain old grudge

We've all been the object of our cat's scorn. This is not a pleasant place. Cats can be downright ruthless when they're unhappy, giving you behind-the-scenes clues that they're just scared.

If you have done something to upset your cat, you may want to rekindle the relationship. Your cat may be telling you that she doesn't approve of your new boyfriend. Or they might smell another animal when you get home - how dare you! You need to look into the triggers to fix the problem.

Proven ways to wean yourself from a bad habit

As an option, you can cover your favorite spot with double-sided tape or cover it with a rough-pile blanket—cats don’t like being uncomfortable.

The pet will not be able to do any mischief if it does not have access to the room.
So that a single mistake does not become permanent and the cat does not decide to spoil upholstered furniture regularly, it is important to instill in the animal the desire to go to its potty. You can stop a kitten or adult pet from shitting on the sofa using the following methods:

• Spraying furniture. For this, water tinctures on citrus peels, lavender-scented perfumes, special cat repellents from pet stores or essential oils are used.
• Organization of a personal toilet. If the cat is too clean and there is no way to constantly clean, you can put a second tray or change the filler, for example, to silica gel. At the same time, the box must be placed away from food, drafts and extraneous noise. The shape and size must match the parameters of the cat itself.
• Limitation. To keep your fluffy away from the sofa, it is enough to block access to the room where this piece of furniture is located.

What to do if your cat shits on the bed

If your cat poops on the bed and you can't figure out why, there are a few things you can try to find the root cause.

• Look for other signs . The problem may not only be that the cat is pooping on the bed. There may be other strange behavior going on that you may not have noticed. Make a mental list of other symptoms your cat exhibits. Try exploring your home yourself first to see if anything has changed.
• Eliminate potential triggers . If you know what the cause may be, you need to find a way to accommodate your cat. If they are afraid of the new family member or don't like their new litter, they are counting on you to solve the problem. Try to eliminate one thing at a time. Once they stop pooping after you change a few things, you should be able to discover the original trigger.
• Keep your cat out of your room unattended . Make sure you close your bedroom door when you are not in it. This way they really can't shit on your bed. If this habit is passed on elsewhere, you may want to visit your veterinarian.
• Use sprays that are safe for cats . There are certain smells that your kitty would rather stay away from. You can make your own diffuser at home by mixing ingredients such as garlic, peppermint, citrus fruits and vinegar.
• Keep the tray clean . Cats don't like a dirty litter box. If you wait too long to clean it, your cat may resort to other places. To avoid this, clean the litter box once or twice a day, depending on how many cats you have.
• Make an appointment with a veterinarian . To be on the safe side, you may want to take them to the vet no matter what. In fact, you might be missing something major. To err on the side of caution, examine your kitten to rule out anything more significant.

Article Author: Ashley Bates Ashley Bates is a freelance writer and pet lover currently studying the art of animal therapy. A mother of four human children and 23 furry and feathered babies, Ashley volunteers at local shelters, advocates for animal welfare, and rescues every creature she finds. Her mission is to inform and educate about pets to prevent homelessness. Her specialty is cats and dogs.

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.