Cat pooping on my bed

[Mini Coop]

We have a very sweet calico older kitten named Lady. We have her mother too, so we've had her from birth. She's affectionate and well adjusted, very calm, and great in every way, except for the fact that yesterday was the third time I found poop on my bed. And this time it was loose poop and was on top of a priceless family heirloom quilt from the 1930's. Fortunately, with the help of enzyme soap and extremely judicious use of bleach, I was able to get the stain out.

I wonder if this is an anxiety thing when we're gone. I accidentally closed the door to the laundry room when we left to go to the fair yesterday, so Lady couldn't get outside and the dogs couldn't get in, because there's a dog door to the laundry room. But, nevertheless, I don't want the cat pooping on my bed. Normally she either poops outside or in a litter box. Since this has happened three times, it is definately becoming a behavior problem, and a very unpleasant discovery right before bedtime!

 

[GertieBird]

Cats stop using the litterbox for lots of reasons. It could be anxiety, not being able to get outside, no longer liking the litter, litter not clean enough, illness......

Be sure you have enough litter boxes. Technically, you should have one more box than the number of cats you have. Though I don't know of anyone (including many I know in the vet field) who does this. The box(es) should be scooped daily. If the boxes have lids, try removing them.

Also be sure kitty is acting normally (i.e. not sick). An abrupt change of diet (or even getting a rodent outside) can cause gastric upset (loose stool) and that can cause inappropriate elimination.

Getting an enzymatic cleaner to treat soiled areas will be more helpful than bleach. Bleach may remove the smell for you, but not for your cat. You need a product that breaks down the stink-molecules so she can't just repeat the behavior because your quilt now smells like her litterbox.

Hope this helps....this is only where I'd start (I had this same issue a few weeks ago.....seems keeping the box cleaner has helped).

 

[Sherry]

There is also a product that my vet sells called CatAttract. Used in litter boxes to attract the cat to the box.

Also, if loose stool, cat may be sick and unable to make it to the box.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

If she was using the litter before fine and now she isn't I believe she is not feeling well. I would take her in for a check up to be sure. Have them run some standard blood work on her. Lock her in a room with her litter for at least a week so she gets used to going in it again. Did you change litter? can't don't like a change of litter at all.

 

[ZooMummzy]

Quote:
I agree, could be a variety of reasons but in an older cat, the first thing I look at is illness. I know when all of my older cats stopped using the litterbox it usually indicated they were sick. I would have your vet look at her if you can.

Lol now you can know someone who does do the "one more littlerbox than cats" thing. I won't tell you how many I have (you'd think I'm crazy!) but I have an entire room with just litterboxes. They are cleaned every other day and other than a couple of my cats who just have bad attitudes in general, no litterbox issues at all.

For cat messes, I use apple cider vinegar after I get the stain out (using bleach). The apple cider vinegar is much cheaper than the enzymatic cleaners and is natural. I never had any luck with the cleaners. The cats kept using the same place. My vet told me about the vinegar and it works! I buy it by the gallon and put it in the laundry when I wash their blankets. For dog messes, you need to use white vinegar.

 

[Mini Coop]

The quilt is a white background quilt, made entirely of tiny sextagons that are about one inch across, with pastel flower patterns made of tiny sextagons, all entirely handstitched in the '30s by my first husband's Grandmother Jacka. I used the enzyme soap but it wouldn't entirely remove the stain, so I was able to dab some bleach with my fingertip, which worked immediately, then rinse it out right away, thus avoid damaging the quilt. So, the quilt is saved from being damaged.

I really think this is an anxiety thing, since it's on my bed. It doesn't make sense for a cat to jump on a bed to poop. She was all alone yesterday because the dogs couldn't get in the house, and she really loves the dogs. We do have several litter boxes, although one of them is in the laundry room. As far as the loose poop, that might be because she got a treat last night, the other two times the poop was normal, so I think it was a temporary upset.

Maybe I'll put a litter box in my room. Is there something I can put on my bed to repel her from wanting to use it as a litter box?

 

[ZooMummzy]

Quote:
Not that I know of. Every thing I ever bought online or at the store for repelling cats was a waste of money. We keep our bed covered with an old blanket just for these types of things. I don't have anything special like a quilt on my bed, but I sure hate crawling into a bed that has been peed or pooped on! Kind of ruins the whole relaxing thing, lol.

It could be anxiety but I still go with the illness thing. It was my cat's way of telling me something was wrong. I'd watch her over the next couple days and see if anything else odd happens or behavior changes.

 

[Mini Coop]

It's funny because it was only recently I decided to actually use this quilt, and then this started

Maybe I'll find a place to hang up the quilt. It's too special to just keep in a closet.

 

[danamillette]

My cat dit that once. It ended up being a urinary tract infection. I'd have her checked out.

 

[Barnyard]

I have a good friend with cats and they are all litter boxed train and that is where they do there business.........untile she leave's for a vacation. Everytime she leaves for a few day's they use her bed for a potty!!! I know that they are just ticked that she left and that is what they do.....