Cats are animals that are always used as an example of cleanliness. Without the need for any training, from a very young age they use their hygienic tray perfectly. But, sometimes, this idyllic behavior is truncated, often without us knowing why, and the cat urinates or defecates outside its tray and chooses places that attract our attention.
In this article on our site we will focus on explaining a particularly worrying situation, such as a cat pooping on our bed. If this happens to you and you wonder why your cat poops on your bed and what to do, read on!
Cats and their litter box
Although many cats use their litter box without any problem, it is also true that some cats are extremely sensitive when it comes to relieving themselves. Any alteration, even if it is imperceptible to us, can make the cat stop going to the sand. We can start by preventing the rejection of the hygienic tray respecting three fundamental keys such as:
- Size: must correspond to the cat's length and width as well as the height of the edges.
- Location: the litter box is placed in a sheltered location, away from traffic or noise areas and from water and food.
- Cleaning: depending on the quality of the sand chosen, cleaning will be more or less frequent, but, in any case, keep the litter box as long as possible free of feces and urine.
As soon as the kitten arrives home we will show him his tray, which is usually enough for him to use it without problems. Of course, we must ensure that access to the sandbox is permanent. With these bases we take the first step to prevent our cat from pooping on our bed.
Why does my cat defecate on my bed?
Sometimes, even following the above guidelines, we discover to our dismay that the cat poops on our bed. In the first place, the first thing to be clear about is that he is not doing it to annoy us. Finding feces outside the litter box is the sign that you have a problem. Therefore, it is a symptom and it is up to us to discover its cause.
If our cat begins to defecate in our bed, the first thing is to go to the vet for a general check-up, as it may be due to a he alth problemFor example, softer stools, diarrhea or, on the contrary, constipation, as well as some pain that affects defecation can lead the cat to resort to our bed. Intestinal parasites or inflammations, inadequate nutrition or joint pain that hinder the cat's mobility can lead him to avoid the litter box. Elderly cats will be more at risk of suffering he alth changes that can affect defecation, such as constipation or osteoarthritis. On the other hand, diarrhea tends to be more common in kittens with parasite problems.
In any case, the veterinarian will carry out an examination and the pertinent tests to arrive at the diagnosis, essential to start the treatment and thus correct the inadequate elimination. But, in addition to physical causes, the cat can defecate in our bed due to disorders of psychological origin or problems with the litter box
Litterbox Problems
If your cat poops on your bed and the vet has determined that he is completely he althy, we will first turn our attention to the litter box. If you have recently made any changes to it, undo the change, as it may have caused the cat to reject it. In any case, check the following points:
- Litter: Some cats reject scented and coarse-grained litters. Put several centimeters so that they can scratch and bury their stools. Discover the different types of cat litter.
- Tray: while there are specimens that feel comfortable in covered sandboxes, others only accept them uncovered. Watch the height of the edges, especially if your cat has mobility problems.
- Location: you can bring it closer to the place where the cat defecates or, on the contrary, keep it where it always is, if it is a sheltered and quiet place, and put food next to your bed. It is about giving him the option of using the litter box in the place he seems to have chosen to defecate or deter him by putting food there, since cats often refuse to defecate where they eat.
- Cleaning: Not only do you have to remove the droppings frequently, you also have to wash the litter box regularly, using soap and water. Strong odors such as bleach can cause rejection in some specimens.
- Number of litter boxes: Even if you only have one cat, you may prefer to have more than one litter box. They usually dedicate one to urine and another to feces. If there is more than one cat, the recommendation is to offer them enough so that everyone can access and use them without being disturbed.
But a he althy cat with an ideal litter box could also end up defecating in the cat's caretaker's bed. It may be due to causes of psychological origin.
Psychological causes of rejection of the litter box
Sometimes a cat poops in our room, specifically on the bed, because he is going through a stressful situation for him that prevents approaching the sandbox. Here are some of the causes that may be involved:
- If there has been any change in the routine or environment of the cat, such as works around the house or the arrival of a new member, the cat can manifest its stress with improper elimination. They are very sensitive animals that are affected by changes, some imperceptible to us.
- On the other hand, a negative experience using the litter box, for example being surprised by an unexpected noise, can lead to the animal to find another place to delete.
- In homes where several cats live together, care must be taken that none prevents the rest from accessing resources. cat problems are another cause of defecation outside the litter box.
- It may also happen that the kitten has had some incorrect association that leads him not to identify the litter box as the appropriate place to defecate, relating the act to other textures.
- Finally, faeces can also be used to mark, although urine is more commonly used.
Whatever the cause, not always easy to determine, the cat chooses to defecate on our bed because, contrary to the negative feelings that the litter box arouses, the It perceives it as a safe place It is full of our smell, which is calming and, in addition, it is usually higher than the ground where its litter box is located. Cats often feel more secure if they can control from high places. In addition, the bed is a soft and pleasant surface.
All these problems are solvable, but it is likely that we will need the help of an ethologist or specialist in feline behavior and initiate changes in the routine, the environment, resort to calming pheromones or even drugs, always prescribed by the vet.
What do I do if my cat poops on my bed?
If your cat poops in your room, regardless of the cause, you can follow some general recommendations to prevent it while it is resolved with veterinary or behavioral treatment. They are as follows:
- The simplest thing is blocking access to the bed by closing the bedroom door, but of course it is still necessary to solve the issue.
- Clean the bed as soon as possible so that the smell does not encourage the cat to defecate in the same place again. Use enzymatic cleaners to eliminate odors.
- If you can't close the room, cover the bed with newspaper or plastic, as many cats find it unpleasant to step on these surfaces. Of course, just in case, it protects the mattress.
- Lastly, never scold your cat. Pooping in your bed has a reason. The cat is having a hard time and scolding it is therefore completely counterproductive. It could exacerbate a problem that needs to be resolved with your help.
And if the problem is that your cat urinates outside the litter box, don't miss this video with the main causes.
