Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

Indoor cat constantly weeing on beds

73 replies

Janus · 07/06/2022 09:54

I’m so upset I just don’t know what to do. Our cat is an indoor cat and is about 18 months old. This weeing thing started when she was about 9 months old, the vet thought initially it was an infection and she had a short course of antibiotics which helped but it started again a week or so after the short course. She then had a longer course, stopped but started again after about a week.
The vets took her in and ran a full wee diagnosis as we couldn’t get a wee sample ourselves. Discovered there was no infection and said she must be stressed in life. I don’t really understand how she can be as she has an adored life!! We have 4 bedrooms she floats between, she spends the night with one of our children so has company. She has cat towers, play toys, we plug in feliway etc.
When she was about one we had her neutered as she was coming into season every 2-3 weeks. Strangely the weeing nearly stopped, she just liked to do the very odd wee on the dog’s bed!!
About a month ago everything got much worse, she has weed on a bed nearly every night. I am constantly washing duvets and bedding and I don’t know how I can carry on. She now sleeps in our biggest bathroom with 2 litter trays. In the day I feel sorry for her so I let her back in the bedrooms but put a plastic sheet on the bed.
She is going to the vets again tomorrow but I think they’ll just tell me again she’s stressed.
I just wondered if anyone else as ever had this and it was something else? If so I could at least get the vets to check if anyone has any other ideas?
Thanks for reading.

OP posts:

Original poster

Janus · 07/06/2022 14:11

Yes @Fluffycloudland77 and @Albgo we lost two previous cats on a road (many years ago) where we used to live, both were only just coming up to a year old so that’s definitely where our paranoia comes from as it’s happened, twice. Also why we thought let’s leave it until she’s a year old as maybe she won’t be a curious kitten! So sorry you had similar experiences, it’s a very tough thing to have happen.
We ended up buying an entire new mattress and bedding! It’s as clean as it can be, well it was until that’s where she started again. So even that didn’t make a difference @pearly1792
I am not on Royal Canin but we are on a urinary vet food but I will ask about that tomorrow. Thanks @goodplanbatman
I’ll mention those tablets @Pestoisthebesto too, thanks.
@GingeryLemons thats reassuring! I think we may have to try the garden once things are quiet again here.
thanks again for all your help, I do feel better having some suggestions for the vet.
Different litter and the feliway tablets already ordered!

OP posts:

AnnaMagnani · 07/06/2022 14:55

I can see you are scarred by the road experiences but unfortunately it is part of cat ownership.

I spent a long time living by a busy road in London, cats were fine, I just made sure I sent them out the back door.

Now I live by a quiet country lane and of course I've lost a cat on it - young cat bounding across to look at a fishpond with no bloody sense. The London cats were more clued up.

As a child we had a cat who broke her hip on the road, got fixed up by the vet and promptly went off and got herself run over again, this time finally.

I've reached a point that it is part of cat life. They live in the moment and aren't hoping to live into old age, just to enjoy themselves catting. I can see it with my current explorer, he'll be on his way home and then something more exciting will pop into his tiny head and he's off again with no concept of danger.

HistoricMoment · 07/06/2022 17:06

AnnaMagnani · 07/06/2022 14:55

I can see you are scarred by the road experiences but unfortunately it is part of cat ownership.

I spent a long time living by a busy road in London, cats were fine, I just made sure I sent them out the back door.

Now I live by a quiet country lane and of course I've lost a cat on it - young cat bounding across to look at a fishpond with no bloody sense. The London cats were more clued up.

As a child we had a cat who broke her hip on the road, got fixed up by the vet and promptly went off and got herself run over again, this time finally.

I agree with this very good post. I also think that personally, I would prefer a short life in complete freedom rather than a long life shut up in a small house.

Fluffycloudland77 · 07/06/2022 17:13

I don’t see it as part of cat ownership that they get run over. It broke our hearts when we lost the Bengal.

AnnaMagnani · 07/06/2022 17:17

I am not saying we weren't heart broken. But I am also saying that my explorer was not built to live indoors without having serious mental health problems.

He has to just do his thing and every time we let him out we know we are taking a chance, if I'm not OK with that then he isn't the cat for me.

coffeecupsandfairylights · 07/06/2022 17:23

Fluffycloudland77 · 07/06/2022 17:13

I don’t see it as part of cat ownership that they get run over. It broke our hearts when we lost the Bengal.

Of course it's heart breaking, but you need to balance your fears against the cats' quality of life.

I have indoor cats (we live on a busy road) so I'm not for a minute saying it's impossible to have happy indoor cats, BUT if any of mine showed signs of being unhappy and tried to get out, IMO it wouldn't be okay for me to force them to stay inside for my peace of mind.

As it is, they do go into the garden in summer and occasionally venture next door, but if they wanted to go further and started asking to go out, I wouldn't feel right about denying them that freedom.

80sMum · 07/06/2022 17:28

How very distressing, OP. I do hope that you find a solution soon.

teraculum29 · 07/06/2022 17:32

Get her checked by vets asap.

Cats usually peeing on beds, or soft towels where is something going on with their bladder or urine trackt.
Cats tend to look for soft spots to pee to relive the pain etc.

Twiglets1 · 07/06/2022 17:34

I wouldn’t get a cat if I lived on a busy road. Sorry but to me the whole concept of an indoor cat is cruel and unnatural

Sallylovesdaisy · 07/06/2022 22:07

Have you considered getting a cattio. Will give your cat a bit more freedom and will keep her safe...just a thought!

Original poster

Janus · 08/06/2022 10:14

@Sallylovesdaisy i haven’t yet but I wonder if that’s still shutting her in?
Just dropped her to vets for a wee sample and check up. Had a good chat with the vet and asked her a few things. One thing that did make me feel better is her saying that a British Shorthair is very suited to being an indoor cat as they, along with exotic breeds, tend to want to be indoors or very close. She said a lot of people with those breed cats tend to keep them in as they are expensive and people fear them being stolen, never thought of that. She asked if she’d ever accidentally got out and I did say we have left the odd door open by mistake and found her just sitting by it, inside, just looking out, she has never tried to go outside. She said she didn’t therefore think she was desperate to go outside.
She thought trying the different litter is definitely worth a try and the feliway tablets so I’m grateful for the suggestions.

OP posts:

Fluffycloudland77 · 08/06/2022 10:44

You know when a cats desperate to get out, we tried to keep two Persian kittens as house/catio cats in the 80’s and it did not work.

Original poster

Janus · 08/06/2022 11:45

@Sallylovesdaisy I’ve gone down a rabbit warren of Catio!! Used to have chickens and always had omlet products as they are so safe and they do them! They look amazing!! We have a big garden so could go for the big size and she could have a fab view of wildlife etc!
@Fluffycloudland77 thank you, I don’t think she’s desperate to get out for sure, she’s had opportunities and never taken them. Thank you.

OP posts:

Sallylovesdaisy · 08/06/2022 20:31

@Janus I’ve seen some catios and they do look great. Will give her a bit more freedom if you think that what she needs. A little bed with a view of the garden, and some toys. And maybe another litter tray out there would be nice for her 🤔😺

Fluffycloudland77 · 12/06/2022 09:25

Has she stopped weeing on the bed?

Original poster

Janus · 12/06/2022 10:26

@Fluffycloudland77 strangely she hasn’t done it once since going to the vets! Still haven’t got the test results yet but it’s all a bit odd! She is liking the fine sand type cat litter so maybe that’s the magic cure?? She has 3 trays now (😂) and is still using the wood fibre one but I’d say weeing more in the sand type. Maybe that’s it?? I’m also giving her the feliway tablet each day too. Could be that this is working? I’m still leaving the dust sheets on the bed during the day though, the big test will be taking those off which I will do once I hear back from the vets. I’ll let you know! Thanks for asking.

OP posts:

RollOnWinter · 12/06/2022 10:29

Let her out! Cats are not meant to be indoors all the time. I believe that ALL animals should have access to fresh air, space, and the feel of grass beneath their feet.

Had cats for 42 years, they've all been allowed out but kept in all night

Fluffycloudland77 · 12/06/2022 11:44

Good news. As long as somethings working.

Original poster

Janus · 12/06/2022 13:20

@RollOnWinter I have had cats for years too, she’s our first indoor cat and even when the doors have been left open by mistake she hasn’t tried to get out. We will try and introduce her to the outside once the building work has finished and she doesn’t get spooked, now isn’t the time to try for fear she won’t want to come back if someone is in the middle of laying the patio etc. I took advice from the vets this week and they very much insisted an indoor car is not an unhappy cat.

OP posts:

Original poster

Janus · 12/06/2022 13:21

@Fluffycloudland77 thank you, yes fingers crossed!!

OP posts:

dotty12345 · 12/06/2022 22:25

I live on a v busy road and have a 6 year old cat adopted due to owners emigrating. He's always been a house cat from a kitten but goes out into our (large) back garden on a harness and lead every day as he did with his original owners. He seems very happy and loves his walks. Would this be a happy medium?

dotty12345 · 12/06/2022 22:27

Original poster

Janus · 14/06/2022 21:28

@dotty12345 we’ve tried!! It’s so bizarre as she’s not fussed by the harness but when we put her on grass it’s like she doesn’t know what to do! She freezes and if we try and get her to walk it’s like she doesn’t know how to walk on grass, she does this exaggerated walk but really just wants to stay put! I don’t think she likes grass!!! She’s a fussy girl! Thanks for the idea though.

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3