Help! Our new rescue cat keeps using the bed as a loo.

[twinky]

We got our new cat on Saturday. He is quite shy and timid but affectionate. He has spent most of his time upstairs sleeping on my son's bed, only venturing downstairs to eat. I've put a litter tray in the downstairs bathroom which he has been using, mainly at night. However, for several days he has also gone into my bedroom and pooed on the bed. I'm getting desperate and on my 3rd duvet! I'm sure it's because he's nervous coming downstairs but don't know how to help him. Any ideas?

Litter tray upstairs? Then, when he's more accustomed to being with you, gradually move it downstairs...

Sounds like he just needs to have all his things in one place for now until he feels more at home!

Thank you. I considered that but wasn't' sure if he would get confused. I think I will give it a try as we can't carry on like this. I had heard Feliway being discussed on another thread and might look into that too. Thanks for the help.

Add another Cat litter tray in the bathroom and keep him confined in there to litter retrain for at least four days to a week before allowing him out again. I have just had to do 'confinement training' with two kittens. That combined with excellent advice from the knowledgable MN'er Cosie (to for the love of God add more litter trays!) has cracked it for us.
Good luck.

The thing is Catty he does know to use the litter tray. He will happily use it when there's no one around. I think he's nervous of coming downstairs when we are in the house. Think I'll add another one upstairs so if he gets the need he can go there. Fingers crossed.

My naughty kitten was exactly like that. It was a combo of bathroom retraining and Cozie's advice to put an extra litter tray there permanently and also elsewhere that seems to be working so far (fingers crossed).

as others have said keep him out of your bedroom and childrens rooms at night litter tray in the bathroom , put a blanket on the window sill if its wide enough or blanket in a shallow box on the floor if not and confine him to the bathroom for a week or so it hsould retrain him , i have four cats and foster kittens for a rescue and non of mine are ever allowed in the bedrooms

When our kitten did this the vets suggested washing all covers in biological washing powder/liquid with approx double the recommended amount. It seems to have worked! Good luck x

How is it going, since you added another litter-tray upstairs twinky?

Have you tried a covered/lidded tray? Some cats do like to be discrete.