Our bed is one of our most cherished spots. It’s where we go to relax and feel comfortable before getting ready for another long day. For a cat owner, it can be frustrating to discover your kitty suddenly seems to think your bed is its new litter box. Luckily, however, there are a few common reasons behind this change of heart—and a few things you can do to fix it! Let’s take a look at them now.
Kitty Does Not Like Its Litter Box
Cats can be very picky when it comes to a litter box. If the litter box is too small, you kitty may feel cramped while trying to do its business. If the litter box is enclosed, your kitty may feel threatened or ambushed. Catster explains, “Even if there are no other threats or resident animals, instinct wins […] Felines prefer being safe in an uncovered box so that they can see potential threats and escape them.”
Solution: Try splurging on a bigger box or trying one without a roof. If you own an older kitty, they may be having trouble stepping up into the box. In this case, you may want to try a box with shorter walls.
Kitty Does Not Like Where Its Litter Box Is Placed
Not only are cats peculiar about the litter box itself, they also have preferences in regards to where the box is placed. Cats, like humans, appreciate a bit of privacy when they’re doing their business. Running kids, loud appliances, and other distracting noises can make using the litter box stressful for a kitty.
At the same time, you don’t want to complete isolate the litter box in a faraway corner of the house. Some cats may not be able to make the trek with a full bladder and will choose a more convenient place to relieve themselves instead.
Solution: Try to find an area that is easily accessible, yet still somewhat isolated from the hustle and bustle of daily life. If you live in multi-floor residence, it will be helpful to place a litterbox on each floor. Older kitties, especially, will appreciate not having to go up and down multiple flights of stairs in order to use the washroom.
Kitty’s Litter Box Is Too Dirty
By nature, cats are extremely hygienic creatures— and they don’t consider walking in a box filled with feces an urine a particularly appealing activity. Although it may seem obvious, you need to regularly clean your kitty’s litter box, or they may decide to pee and poop somewhere else.
Solution: The Humane Society recommends scooping your kitty’s litter every single day. In the case of multi-feline households, it may need to be done even more. In terms of emptying the entire box and replacing the litter, they say, “If you clean the litter box daily, you might only need to change clumping litter every 2 to 3 weeks. If you notice an odor or if much of the litter is wet or clumped, it’s time for a change.”
Kitty Is Stressed About Household Changes
Cats can easily become stressed and anxious if there are sudden changes to their household or routine. Anything from a new carpet to a new baby or pet can shake up your kitty and cause them to retreat to a safe place. For many household cats, that space is their owner’s room, and they’ll camp out here until they feel safe again. When this is the case, cats aren’t willing to venture out to the litter and will often relieve themselves in the bedroom (or bed!) instead.
Solution: The only way to help your kitty deal with stress and anxiety is by determining the underlying problem. Sometimes the issue can be obvious, e.g. a new rug in their favorite room. But other times, the answer can be a bit more complex. Once you’ve pinpointed your kitty’s cause of stress, the next step is to engage in positive reinforcement training to show them their house is safe, and there is nothing to worry about.
Kitty Misses Its Human
As discussed, kitties can become stressed when there are unexpected changes and disturbances in their world— and this includes a change in their owner’s routine. Anything from working more hours to not coming home for a few days can cause your kitty to become extremely stressed and make them wonder what is going on. In these cases of separation anxiety, it’s not rare for a cat to urinate places where they aren’t supposed.
Dr. Stephanie Schwartz explains, “[Cats] can’t help themselves. When their special companion is gone, they may think it’s forever. This sends their heart racing and their stress hormones off the scale. It can even initiate stomach and intestinal upset, thus the pooping out of place. To alleviate the anxiety, they start to label their “stuff” with their claws and pungent urine spray.”
Solution: The obvious solution to separation anxiety is to spend more time with your cat. “It’s all about the quality time when the owners are home so that he is tired and satisfied to rest comfortably by the time the owner leaves,” Schwartz says. If adding more quality time is not an option, try enriching their environment with games, perches, puzzles, and even the radio to help keep them distracted and entertained while you’re away.
Kitty May Be Having Medical Issues
If you’ve attempted all the previous solutions, and nothing has been working, it’s possible your kitty may need a trip to the vet. “It’s common for cats to begin eliminating outside of their litter box when they have a medical problem,” the Calgary Humane Society explains. “For example, a urinary tract infection or crystals in the urine can make urination very painful. Cats often associate this pain with the litterbox and begin to avoid it.”
Solution: Book your kitty an appointment at the vet to make sure there are no underlying bladder or kidney issues that may be contributing to the problem.
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