Help!! kitten peeing on bed...

[nemmanoo]

I have 2 kittens. We started letting them roam the house at night (they can go outside (as of this week!) but I want to keep them in at night). The more dominant kitten has now peed on the bed three times now. She did so a month ago and we stopped letting them into the bedroom for a while. She has now woken us up at 4 am the last two nights with a wet bed

Oops! Pressed post too quick.

Any ideas why she's doing this?? I can't keep cleaning duvets and if I try and keep them in a room they scratch the carpet to death and keep us up with scratching. Any suggestions would be amazing...

My cat has a habit of peeing in the bath and my friend had the same issue with the cat. Once we had ruled out medical issue they only way to deal with it is to keep them out of that room.

Do have enough litters trays? Once your bedroom smells of wee he will think that is an appropriate place to wee.

At least it's not just us then! We have 3 litter trays - I took the advice of one and a half per cat. I was hoping that when they go outside more then they'll use the trays less. She's never had an issue with using the trays other than these 3 occasions so it makes it frustrating!

Have they been spayed?.

For two cats you need two trays plus a spare. Don't wash them with disinfectant, hot soapy water is enough.

Some cats won't use a tray that has waste in it.

Yep - they were spayed last week.

I clean their trays out around 3 times a day - they usually miaow at me to do so

Lock them in the kitchen at night with their litter tray, scratch post, food, water and bed. Ignore their cries or they will rule you. Remember they have everything they need.

During the day keep your bedroom door closed and shoo them away if scratching carpet.
It's your bed, keep the cat hairs and wee out of it!!

I had this once with Darling Oneago - on his first night. I had used wood pellet litter as an experiment and he didn't approve of it so did a protest pee. As soon as I reverted (the very next morning) to our standard clumping Fuller's Earth, any misbehaviour stopped.

The new down duvet he'd used to pee on had to be dumped in my case.

I think keeping them out is probably the only solution! thanks everybody for the advice.
I'm going to get some of that spray that gets rid of the smell as well to discourage if they do accidentally get in there again...

Any chance of cystitis?

If you don't use a spray to break down the ammonia in the pee they will smell where they've been before and keep going there. Try Urine Off or something like that. Washing won't do it unless you add vinegar to the rinse cycle (also breaks down the ammonia).

That's what I was thinking gravitas - to try and discourage.

There's a thought Wolfie - but I haven't noticed her weeing more than usual or any other symptoms. Might be worth calling the vet though.

If she's peeing outwith her permitted places then there's something wrong with her life I'd guess. How active are they at night? (I'm wondering whether she might just be bored?)

I'm not sure really - I'm asleep!

They are going out during the day now - compared to the last 3 months when they've been inside, so surely that's keeping her stimulated?!

My cats are far more active at night if I kept them in they'd go nuts. Could you try letting them out? It might be a boredom/attention pee?

Stress. Make sure that she isn't get tied bullied, or that she has enough clean litter trays, cats hate dirty litter trays. When our cat was tiny he wouldn't pee or poo in his tray if there was any sign if anything. One a day he was so desperate he did it in our bath instead! After that we had 3 trays. Solved the problem! Good luck

I'd have thought so, Yes, but what she's doing sounds awfully like a protest pee. (Although a vet check might be no bad thing just in case.) Do you play with them in the evenings once they've come in but before the household goes to bed?

Oh - and is it always the one you think is the dominant one who is doing the peeing?

PS - I sense a power struggle between the two cats.

Thanks - all advice is appreciated

She's definitely not being bullied - she is definitely the dominant cat! And yep it's definitely her - we caught her in the act the last two nights and our other kitten was downstairs

I do some playing with them in the evening (straws are currently favourite) and I'd like to keep them in if I can - she's not scratching at the back door to get out at night so far (we don't have an option for a catflap). If she does start scratching to get out at night I'll let her as I'd rather she be happy!

In case it's helpful: I had this problem with one my cats. In the end, the problem was the feather-down duvet, which I think basically it felt like one big litterbox to him. The feather duvet went into storage and no more problems :)

(You suspect right cozie - they get on Ok but Olive (dominant kitty) is definitely boss and Ingrid is a tiny thing but she stands her ground. Olive has always been the naughty one!)

That is helpful mmmuffins: that's just what dp said!!

I'd keep an eye on them for a few days - as the weekend is coming up, maybe see how they each behave when they first hit outside in the morning, how they eat their food and so on.

It's just that there's been a lot happening to them recently, spayed, first outside etc and it's not always so obvious to humans that what might have been an undercat is seizing a time of change and maturing to make a bid for glory. (You can have great big physical powerhouses of cats who are real wusses when they come to go outside and, equally, small apparent wimps who in reality have an implacable will and won't give quarter when it matters.) It's only a thought anyway because once you've ruled out physical and environmental issues, trouble is likely going to be down in some way to another cat in my experience. Not always of course, just more often than not.

Sorry - x post.