kitten peeing on my side of the bed

[tommy123]

hey guys please help

my girlfriend got a kitten 3 weeks ago and has put it in her bedroom since getting her, my girlfriend has dogs that the reason it being in the bedroom ....

it has started peeing on my side of the bed started on the duvet but now its going under the duvet and going on the bed sheets happend about 5 times in the last week we really dont know what to do as she doesnt want the kat haveing the run of the house at the moment incase it pees on the childrens beds.. i dont know if the cat doesnt like me or something but im always playing with her and shes purring away constently

any help will greatly be appreciated

thanks in advance guys

[Lilith]

Hi and welcome and well...yuck!

I once had a kitten who used to wee in my shoes (and there was a joke on here the other week about 'Pissinboots' lol.) A friend's python used to regularly wet the bed - not his bed, his owner's bed, and if you've ever smelled python wee...

However. I'm not an expert and there will be more experienced people on here to advise, but just for starters I'd suggest that she obviously loves you and is determined to 'own' you - possibly the reason for her 'marking' your side of the bed.

On the other hand there is quite a houseful - dogs, kids, and she could feel quite threatened with all the different smells/noises. I agree socialisation has to be gradual here.

However, it's possible she's bored, in one room and especially at this time of year. I can understand your girlfriend's fear of her weeing in the children's beds, but could their bedroom doors be closed and the dogs put into one room/garden/walked while you let her explore, and play with her. The kids might enjoy helping with this, gently though, no screaming or chasing. (I know what kids are; I was once one myself.) Scrunched up bits of paper for her to chase, one of those tiny laser cat toy torches for her to run about after the beam.

Also - her tray. My youngest cat INSISTS on her tray being SPOTLESS. One wee in it - and she goes and makes a mess in the BATH! Also the litter has to be fresh. New! I thought we'd got over this problem but in the past 2 days the bath has been visited ...animals eh? So although I'm sure you're fussy about a tray, especially in a bedroom, it's just a point. Also, if she hasn't got one, the hooded trays can make a cat feel more secure.

As I say, other people will have better ideas and more info, but do hope you get to the bottom of this...errm I'll rephrase that...do hope you resolve this problem, paws crossed and good luck!

[booktigger]

Silly question, but is the kitten climbing on and off the bed by herself or are you putting her on the bed?

Are you using the same kind of litter? How often do you clean the tray?

[tommy123]

thanks lilith

she climbs on the bed herself its not that high off the ground were using the wood pellet and we change it regually... my girlfriend cleans it and feeds her i just seem to play with her at night before bed i really dont know if shes scared of me and thats why shes doing it or what .... i dont offically live in the house i have no items there that are mine only my clothes i take off for bed and maybe a ruck sack for work the day after someone told us to lock her in the bathroom when we are out the house then let her run around when were in

any advice will be take on board thanks guys

[Cussypat1974]

Hi and welcom to the forum!
A few questions to clarify a few things.....
How old is the kitten? Do you know what type of litter she was used to before coming to live in her new home? Has this been happening since she arrived 3 weeks ago, or is it recent? Does she poop in the litter? Or does she EVER pee in it?

I ask because if she is of age, she could be coming into season. My Pangy did this exact same thing at about 12 weeks..... Only on my partner's side of the bed! They CAN come into season at 3 months, and Pangy CERTAINLY knew the difference between human males and females! Solution here is spaying her, obviously. It worked for Pangy and she is now an old lady!

If she had a different litter before, she may not like the type you use. She might use it to poop, as poop MUST be covered, but might prefer to wee in a soft place. I use woody litter too, but it is quite hard on kitten paws if she is young and indoor only. If you suspect this, then get another couple of trays and use different litter types, to see what she prefers.

If she WAS using the litter and has now stopped, and particularly if it is just a wee issue (not a poop one) then I would strongly suspect a UTI, which will need veterinary attention. This CAN be stress related also, from hearing the dogs etc. kittens are pretty resilient, but she has just moved home, left her family and it has been a VERY stressful time for her.

As she is locked in the bedroom, I wonder how much time she is getting during the day? Does your GF or do the kids visit and play with her regularly? Lack of stimulation also leads to stress, on top of a total universe change (in her eyes), and this coild be ever behavioural OR down to an infection.

In cases of urinary issues, my first port of call is ALWAYS the vet. It is a VERY simple and cheap test to see if an infection is the root of the issue. Behavioural causes are FAR more of a nightmare, and will need total dedication and ultimately a change in lifestyle for the humans to some degree. For me, it meant not watching DVDs as 3 players were ruined in a week due to an upset cat!

Keep us posted..... These threads are always really interesting! And good luck!

[Lilith]

This might not be anything to do with the problem, but I never got on with the wood pellet litter, as it was impossible (well for me) to clean out the urine and urine smell. But it's a long time since I (or the cats I should say lol) used it and they're always updating this stuff.

My personal preference is the Sainsbury's 'ultra-clumping' which is Fuller's earth based and comes in small bags but lasts forever. It's mildly deodorised too. When they've 'been', you can see where they've 'been' lol. This is the downside - it's like chipping out CONCRETE! It's got so that I keep a metal wallpaper scraper beside each tray because the old plastic scoop just isn't man enough! But at least I know I've got all the mucky stuff out.

This is what works for me but there are all sorts of litters on the market and everybody's got different likes and dislikes. And so have the cats - as Cussypat says, it could be a good idea to find out what litter the kitten's been used to before she came to you. Cats can be very conservative. Also yes, when they start coming into heat they often forget their housetraining.

Something else I thought of - it might be a faff but it might work. It's said that tinfoil repels cats so you could try a length of tinfoil in the bed when you're out of it. Though this didn't work with my naughty Molly in the bath - Citrus Flash is better - and so I wonder, is there a citrus version of Febreze or similar, or, if you and your gf don't mind citrus scent, even lemon or orange peel or oil - messy I know but anything to deter the little horror from piddling where she shouldn't...

Again good luck!

[Cussypat1974]

I have the bath used as a toilet too from time to time lol! When they start, I start to leave the plug in and just an inch or two of plain water. They do NOT like wet feet and it puts them off for a few weeks!

I couldn't handle the concrete of the fillers earth litters at all lol. Plus, I can compost the woody stuff..... The house probably DOES smell of cats, but I think anyone who knows me kinds expects that lol! And I invested in a steam mop, and fill it with iron water which seems to deal with any smells as it disinfects. Some people hate the way the woody stuff tracks sawdust all over the floor, but Ai got rid of all carpets so it is pretty easy to clean that up.

It can be hard to find the right litter for your household, and then the CAT disagrees and it is back to square one! Lol!

[andybriz]

Oh no! When my two were kittens, we luckily only had one pee/bed incident. We had more problems with them peeing on the carpet in corners of rooms. We tried everything the internet suggested, various sprays, citrus fruits, pepper! Northing really worked, the only thing that worked was moving furniture in to the spots.

To be honest, the first year was a bit crazy, my two fought, peed everywhere, ruined furniture, we had to put most breakable things into cupboards as they knocked everything over, the house became very minimal! We could only have them in certain areas, and felt like we had to supervise them all the time. I wondered if we had done the right thing. However since they turned 1, they've turned into the most perfect cats and the house is back to normal. They go to the toilet outside, have access to the whole house, don't knock things over, leave the furniture alone! I think it's just part and parcel of deciding to get a kitten as opposed to a cat...

By the way on the subject of litter, I literally tried every single brand of litter before deciding on Breeders Celect (Pets at Home or online). I can't recommend it enough. I think its amazing. It's like recycled paper. It doesn't smell, track or anything, there isn't any dust, it's soft on paws. Try it! Mine go outside now but I keep a litter tray on the landing as we get them in at night, not that they ever use it!

[Lilith]

I have the bath used as a toilet too from time to time lol! When they start, I start to leave the plug in and just an inch or two of plain water. They do NOT like wet feet and it puts them off for a few weeks!

Ha - my thought at first. And you know what, sod's law! The bathplug leaked! So I went to Wilkinsons' and bought another. That leaked too. I went to B&Q and bought another of the dastards - and THAT leaked! I tried wedging it with a rag - plug bounced out and Moll bounced in...

Mind you my bath's a 1983 avocado real collector's item - hey perhaps I could sell it on ebay as very rare retro shabby chic, only slightly polluted...errm no probably not!

[Cussypat1974]

Lol Lilith! Just make them aware of the plug problem!

I tired the recycled paper litter too and found I needed to change it every half hour! It didn't suit us at all..... But it really is a matter of finding what suits you and your cat/cats. I could see paper working for 2 cats but not for 32! The wood pellets are what works for us, and it took trying everything on the market to get there. Most cats will use it, I find it easy to clean, I can compost it, it is cheap. But then I have 32 cats, so the boxes I need to tick are not the same as a 2 cat household's!

[Sue Goddard]

Just a thought...
Have you tried "puppy pads" they have a mild attractant which encourages peeing on the pad...you could try putting one where the litter tray is...they aren't called "training pads" for nothing..worth a try?

[Cussypat1974]

Worth a try Sue, but I have never had any luck with them personally. But if the litter is the problem, then you don't want the cat thinking that soft things are a toilet....... Because then ALL soft things become toilets!

[Cussypat1974]

I have only seen those pads for Dogs, not for cats. I think that is for a. Good reason because training the two species is so revert different. If a cat gets used to going on newspaper, goodbye books! Dogs take longer to learn but are more easy to train to a place than a surface type, in my experience.