Cats in the house are considered a symbol of home comfort, a source of positive emotions. But they often create problems, especially if they start shitting on the bed. It’s understandable when this is done by a kitten that can be retrained. But sometimes this happens to an adult pet, which is why some people can’t stand it and get rid of it. If you figure out why a cat shits on the bed and what to do about the problem, you won’t have to part with your beloved animal. It is quite possible to wean your pet from its bad behavior and eliminate the consequences.
What can you spray on the sofa?
If you decide to clean your sofa of cat urine in order to get rid of the nasty smell forever, then after drying it, you need to spray it with one of the following products:
- vinegar or potassium permanganate (weak solution);
- hydrogen peroxide;
- weak iodine solution;
- alcohol;
- water with lemon.
After cleaning the sofa on which the pet is peeing, citrus peels, pieces of onion or garlic placed in the corners are also used. Representatives of the cat family do not like the smell of essential oils (mint, rosemary, lavender), perfumes, construction chemicals, and detergents that have a strong odor.
How to stop a cat from peeing on the sofa?
If you don’t like cleaning the sofa after cat marks or don’t have time to clean the sofa at home, then the cat needs to be weaned from peeing on the furniture.
Expert opinion
Sofia Kovalevskaya
Experienced housewife.
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Under no circumstances should you use physical methods on your pet!
There is no need to intimidate the animal, chase it with a slipper, broom or other object; most often, it will also shit on the furniture, but this will be done in a more sophisticated way so that the owner does not notice the puddle for as long as possible. This state of affairs complicates cleaning the sofa, since urine has time to be absorbed into the upholstery material and crystallize.
How to save a sofa or bed from smell
Cat feces have a very pungent odor. If you do not remove it immediately after detection, then the cat will return to your bed for a very long time, guided by the marks left there.
What to wash clothes with
Remove the soiled laundry and wash it under the tap, thoroughly soaping it with laundry soap. Then put it in the washing machine, filling the corresponding compartments with powder, conditioner and odorant - a special product for eliminating unpleasant odors.
Remember to avoid using bleach and chlorine powders when washing. If you inhale these products, your cat may get a burn to the respiratory tract.
How to remove stains
To remove stains, use special products that remove uric acid. These include:
- alcohol and vodka;
- lemon juice or citric acid dissolved in boiled water;
- diluted vinegar;
- a solution of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda (suitable only for hard surfaces);
- a weak solution of potassium permanganate (suitable for dark, delicate fabrics).
Please note that perfume and cologne will not help here. They contain a very small amount of alcohol, so you will simply be wasting your favorite eau de toilette.
Help from essential oils
Representatives of the cat family cannot tolerate the aroma of citrus fruits, eucalyptus, lavender and fir. Essential oils from these plants are excellent for repelling baleen pests and do not require much consumption. For a lasting aroma, it is enough to apply just a couple of drops of the selected product to your bed linen.
Products from a pet store
In addition to household chemicals and folk remedies, special preparations from a pet store or veterinary pharmacy will be useful. Depending on their purpose, they have a repellent or attractive effect. The first option is suitable for keeping the cat away from your bed, and the second is for training him to use the litter box.
When you can't do without dry cleaning
If your pet is not neutered, then you will need a powerful professional dry cleaner. Also, you cannot do without it if pillows, blankets or mattresses are damaged. It is not recommended to wash all these items in a regular washing machine, as their filling can quickly become unusable.
Kittens
Small kittens do not immediately get accustomed to the litter box, so during the process of getting used to it they may walk in the wrong places. The owner must help the pet get rid of a bad habit. To do this, you need to seriously start training your kitten if you don’t want to endure puddles and feces on the sofa throughout its entire life. As a rule, for many pets a few days or weeks are enough for the situation to improve.
How to quickly stop a kitten from peeing on the bed
After a small pet appears in the apartment, you should immediately place a tray. The kitten needs to be shown where it should go to the toilet. Let your pet sniff the sand, dig in it, and maybe even taste it. Some kittens go to the litter box the first time, so they don’t cause problems for their owners. If on the first day the kitten defecated on the bed, then you should not immediately abandon it. You need to be patient and not get too angry.
You should not constantly change the location of the tray, as well as the fillers. The kitten must get used to one thing, otherwise he will continue to go to the sofa. If an animal urinates in the wrong place, you should scold it and then take it to the tray. As a rule, a few times are enough for the problem to disappear.
Prevention measures
To avoid an unpleasant situation, it is necessary to accustom your pet to the litter box from the first day it arrives in the house. You need to take it there often, especially after sleeping or eating, and try to hold it until the animal does its business. After this, the pet must be praised. If the kitten has soiled itself, it should also be taken to the litter box, but without praise. You need to be patient and persistent, not to scare the baby or yell at him when he is about to go to the toilet.
It is not always possible to constantly be near the kitten to take it to the toilet. Then you can lock your pet in the same room with a tray and bowl while the owners are away until it gets used to it.
To prevent puddles and piles on the bed, you need to follow several rules for caring for an adult cat:
- choose a convenient tray and keep it clean;
- choose a litter that your cat likes. To choose the right one, it is recommended to put 3-4 trays with different types;
- when changing the type of filler, this should be done gradually;
- the pet needs to be given enough attention and protected from stress;
- monitor your health, regularly see a doctor, give medications for parasites;
- provide the cat with a balanced diet;
- In the absence of the owners, block the pet’s access to the bedroom; you can also cover the bed with a rustling film or paste it with double-sided tape.
Cats need care and affection, they are often very demanding. If the owner behaves incorrectly, animals can leave unpleasant “gifts” on the bed. This situation can be avoided if you create comfortable conditions for your pet.
Choose a suitable tray and filler
Pay attention to the cat and protect it from stress
Regularly show the animal to the doctor to monitor its health
Provide balanced nutrition
Main reasons
Even an obedient and problem-free pet can at some point “delight” its owner. You can often hear owners complaining that their pet is defecating in the wrong place. Sometimes they use a sofa or bed, since pets choose a comfortable area for them as a toilet.
Both cats and cats are prone to this, and both sexes have similar reasons. First of all, we can assume that the animal is stressed. He may have been taken to the vet, taken to a new home, or otherwise stressed. The reasons do not end there, so in the absence of stress, it is worth considering other provoking factors.
Why does a cat shit on the sofa and bed?
If the pet previously behaved well, then its behavior changed for a certain reason. The owner must first find out what led to the problem and then correct the situation.
Possible reasons:
- Diseases. If it is painful for your cat to defecate, she can choose a more comfortable place instead of the litter tray. For example, the owner’s soft and warm bed.
- Dirty tray. Some animals prefer to walk only on clean sand. If it gets even a little dirty, then the cat will go look for another place. By the way, the same reaction occurs when changing the filler.
- Mating season. Many animals begin to mark the entire house, including the sofa. Some owners sterilize their pets because of this.
- Young age. Kittens do not immediately get used to the litter box. They should forgive their mistakes and help them quickly get used to the house, and also learn to walk only in a special place.
- Old age. Over the years, urinary incontinence occurs, making it difficult for animals to get to the toilet.
If a cat shits on the bed, the owner must correct its behavior. Once you close your eyes to the situation several times, the animal will get used to defecating on the sofa.
Stress and strong emotional tension
Cats are susceptible to stress caused by fear, excitement, jealousy, changes in their usual daily routine, trips to the veterinarian, or moving to a new place of residence. A strong emotional shock can cause unwanted behavior in an animal, in which it forgets its “toilet” skills and begins to shit anywhere, even on the owner’s bed. This is how the cat expresses its emotions and calls on its owner for help. It is impossible to strongly scold or physically punish a pet for this offense; on the contrary, you need to show maximum attention to it. We recommend showing more affection, care and communication to the animal in anticipation of possible stressful situations, which include:
- change of place of residence;
- traveling by car or public transport;
- journey;
- arrival of guests;
- the appearance of a small child in the house;
- the appearance of another pet, etc.
If a puddle on the bed is caused by a stressful situation, it is important to prevent the animal’s unwanted behavior from becoming established.
Proven ways to wean yourself from a bad habit
As an option, you can cover your favorite spot with double-sided tape or cover it with a rough-pile blanket—cats don’t like being uncomfortable.
The pet will not be able to do any mischief if it does not have access to the room.
So that a single mistake does not become permanent and the cat does not decide to spoil upholstered furniture regularly, it is important to instill in the animal the desire to go to its potty. You can stop a kitten or adult pet from shitting on the sofa using the following methods:
- Spraying furniture. For this, water tinctures on citrus peels, lavender-scented perfumes, special cat repellents from pet stores or essential oils are used.
- Organization of a personal toilet. If the cat is too clean and there is no way to constantly clean, you can put a second tray or change the filler, for example, to silica gel. At the same time, the box must be placed away from food, drafts and extraneous noise. The shape and size must match the parameters of the cat itself.
- Limitation. To keep your fluffy away from the sofa, it is enough to block access to the room where this piece of furniture is located.
Hormonal changes
During this period, the animal begins to behave inappropriately. During the mating season, cats mark their territory, urinating not only on the sofa, but also on other pieces of furniture. Hormonal imbalance and past pathologies also lead to the fact that the cat began to shit on the bed.
The owner should think not only about himself, but also about his pet. Due to the hormonal surge, the animal feels uncomfortable. Therefore, it is necessary to alleviate the cat’s condition in accessible ways.
How to stop a cat from shitting on the bed during hormonal changes
During the mating season, the animal will lure its partner in every possible way, including spreading its scent. If the owner does not intend to breed cats, then the right decision would be to sterilize the pet. The sooner this is done, the better, because adult cats sometimes retain the habit of marking.
You can use sedatives intended for the mating season. The animal will feel better and stop shitting on the bed. Additionally, you can purchase a spray that will wean you off the tags. It should be sprayed on the place where the pet gets into the habit of defecating.
If the problem is a hormonal imbalance, and the health condition cannot be improved, you can prohibit the cat from sleeping on the bed. Due to past illnesses and old age, the animal simply does not have time to go to the tray. You can make or purchase a comfortable cat bed. Most likely, it will have to be washed constantly due to the puddles that appear, but the owner’s bed will be in perfect order.
Tendency to leave puddles and marks
Some particularly capricious breeds, kittens, unneutered and older cats are prone to leaving puddles and marks. Each of them has its own motives, so the approach to solving the problem should be selected individually.
Capricious breeds
The most capricious breeds include Siamese cats and their closest relatives from the Siamese-Oriental group. Such cats have a very fine mental organization. They are easily offended or stressed. Because of this, the reason for their bad behavior is usually attributed to psycho-emotional factors.
Physiological features
Age plays a big role. A kitten that is not toilet trained will make mistakes for quite a long time. Raising him will take a long time, so you just need to be patient.
“Accidents” in older cats occur due to morbid incontinence or memory impairment. As they age, they forget the location of the litter box, often get lost in a familiar apartment due to deteriorating vision, and do not always have time to run to the toilet.
Constant hormonal surges in unsterilized pets can only be suppressed through castration. Without surgery, they will constantly mark the bed and other objects in an attempt to attract a partner to them.
Old animals
Long-lived cats often walk in the wrong places due to urinary incontinence. They are not always able to run to the toilet, which is why puddles appear in the places where the animal sleeps. Some owners decide not to let their pet on the bed so that they don’t have to constantly clean up puddles. As already mentioned, you can place a bed separately, which will have to be washed. It is useless to scold and punish an old cat, since he is not to blame for his behavior.
Owners must understand in detail why their pet shits on their bed. After this, you can, based on recommendations, correct bad behavior. It is worth remembering that it is often not the pet’s fault that it defecates on the owner’s bed. It is quite possible that he feels bad or does not understand that this should not be done. A good owner will definitely be patient and help the animal get rid of a negative habit.
Which cats are more likely to shit on the sofa?
How to stop a cat from tearing up furniture: reasons and what you can spray on the sofa.
Older animals have their own body characteristics. Often, as a cat ages, those reflexes that have been developed during life are suppressed. This is due to lower metabolic processes and gradual degeneration of nervous tissue. Also, permanent changes in the body of old cats occur with the genitourinary system. Older cats are more likely to have incontinence problems due to weakened pelvic muscles. Therefore, older animals can shit on the sofa due to health problems.
Old cats may forget where to relieve themselves
Non-sterile animals have more unbalanced hormonal levels. And this behavior is due to changes in the levels of various sex hormones. In addition, when a cat is not sterilized, he has a physiological attraction to the opposite sex. This includes both the mating season and the estrus period.
Note! In such an excited state, the animal simply has no time to think about where it is right to relieve itself and where it is not.
Diseases
When a cat begins to urinate on its owner's bed, it is important to check its health. If puddles appear on the bed, urolithiasis can be suspected. It often disturbs pets aged 4-5 years.
The appearance of feces can suggest problems with the intestines. It is not possible to make a diagnosis on your own; the animal should be shown to a veterinarian. After a series of examinations, he will tell you whether your pet is sick or healthy.
Why does a cat pee on the bed when sick?
There is a simple explanation for why cats go to their owner’s bed when they feel unwell. With urolithiasis and intestinal problems, pets experience discomfort. They try to defecate on the tray, but this is difficult and painful. This will cause them to pee on the bed where they feel safe and comfortable.
There is only one way out of the situation - show the cat to the doctor so that he can prescribe treatment. Don’t forget about prevention to avoid exacerbations of pathologies. In particular, you need to adjust your diet or choose high-quality food that does not lead to problems with the genitourinary system and intestines.
Methods for teaching a kitten to shit in the right place
In order for the kitten to get used to its new location and get used to it a little, it is necessary to place it in a small room that can be isolated with a door. It is necessary to place a litter tray in the selected room, prepare a sleeping place, a container for food and drink, and toys.
Your pet will need about a week to master the territory and get used to the new environment. After this period, you can move on to getting acquainted with the remaining rooms.
The main thing is not to do it too quickly and abruptly. This transition period is characterized by the fact that during the process of getting to know a cat, a habit may arise of shitting in any convenient place, therefore, at the first bowel movement, it is necessary to immediately remove excrement, no matter how much the smell attracts the animal.
A very effective solution to this problem is containers with cat food, which must be placed in those places where the kitten is accustomed to shitting. On an instinctive level, he will not go to the toilet in the place where he eats.
In a pre-purchased tray, it is recommended to put paper that needs to be soaked in cat urine, in the place where he is used to shitting, preferably placing paper with his favorite food.
It is very important for cats to learn and remember the real smell of a new home, which is characteristic of it. For this reason, during the adaptation period of the animal, it is not recommended to use artificial means to freshen and purify the air.
In addition, cats are very sensitive to the chemical composition of most household detergents and cleaners. In this case, you should not be surprised if the kitten begins to shit on the floor that has just been washed using a similar product.
Very often, such a manifestation acts as a protective function when sharp and unfamiliar aromas predominate in the living room; the cat thus tries to drown out the irritating factor with its aroma.
If the kitten has chosen a place under the sofa for relaxation, there is no need to drive him away from there, otherwise he will start shitting there in order to designate this place for himself.
To eliminate psychological irritants, it is recommended to arrange a small, cozy house for the animal. For these purposes, it is not necessary to purchase special designs from a pet store; just take a cardboard box, put soft fabric in it and place it in a warm, cozy place.
The main thing is to treat the problem with understanding and arrange a good place for the cat to live, then the cat will fulfill all the conditions and create additional problems.
