Understand the behaviour

sillysmiles

We have a cat and a dog, the dog has a bean bag bed.
The cat has peed on his bed 4 times.
Each time the beans are emptied and the covers all washed so there shouldn't be any remaining smell. So why does she do it.
It's rare, there doesn't seem to be any common factors/events that I can work out why and how to prevent it.
The dog loves his bed, but replacing the beans is getting expensive.
The cat is an indoor/outdoor cat. She is only inside when we are here and will call us to go out wgen she needs to.
Twice, my husband has been around when she did it, but had just stepped out of the room. I don't think it is that she needs to go - more that she is choosing to pee on the dogs bed.
Help! Any insights?

KKkitty

Could it be a territorial thing?

sillysmiles

I should have added that the four times have been over the course of about a year. Also ita definitely cat wee but it isn't terribly strong smelling (in case that makes any difference )

Milly33

Oh i feel your pain.. Have to say Cats are so so loveable but the pee thing is very fustrating...

In my head i would be thinking he is marking "like haha your bed i think not, I will Pee on it" while sniggering evily.

Does the Cat have his own bed? if not you could maybe put one next to the dogs to see if this would stop him.

Or try (I was going to say washing but sure you can wash the beans in a spray) there is a spray you get in the pet shop that breaks down the pee as such. So the cat stops smelling that he has peed in this spot before. Might stop him.. I have used this and tis good, a little more expensive but it works.

After that im all for tough love, ban him from the room where he is doing this.. Do not encourage the peeing maybe no treats for the day...

My fella is driving me nuts peeing by the front door lately and im really at the end of my theader with him.. Considering just leaving the window open at night for him to go in and out I just cant be dealing with the smell of it every morning..

VonVix

Did the dog come to your home after the cat?

I remember when I was fostering two puppies one of our cats came into the bedroom and peed all over our bed (where the puppies had been previously playing) and I mean he peed EVERYWHERE! Seemed to be that he did not like the smell of them in his territory so he tried to hide it. It was weird because of all our cats he'd be the one you'd expect not to do that.

Nody

Only thing coming to mind is to provide a tower or similar high spot right next to the bag for the cat to "own" instead from a territorial perspective; you also said you cleaned the bed but did you use a bio deg. washing powder? If not the pee smell will remain there for the cat to smell (the protein in the pee not being broken down) which could trigger the cat to go there again.

sillysmiles

The cat doesn't really have "a bed" she sleeps on either the chair in the kitchen, a chair in one of the bedrooms or on our bed, depending on her mood. All the times she has done it have been in the evening, when she has been out most of the day - so I'm convinced it is not a need to toilet thing.

Possibly a territorial thing, they don't share a bed, but the get on well and will greet each other. He (dog) licks her head and she does that cat head butt thing.
We thought the first time she did it was because she was pissed off at him for eating her food so she peed on his bed. He ignored her for nearly two weeks. But that was probably a year ago.

The two most recent times (#3 & #4) she seems to have just wee'd on his bed while my husband was doing dinner. Strangely time #3 the dog kept licking it then until we had a chance to deal with it. Time #4 the dog just stayed lying it in.

The beans have been chucked out. I'll have a look in the pet shop for some kind of odor neutraliser for if/when it happens again, because they are expensive to replace

aonb

Who knows why cats do anything!
I had a beanbag which was taken over by the dogs.
They loved it.
The (new) cat pee'd on it twice - like you, no 'reason' for it!
Like you, I emptied it and washed the cover, but reused the beans.
So.... solution? Call me pathetic (I know its true) the bean bag is now in the cats "workroom" for her exclusive use She loves it and only sleeps on there (not in her other beds)
I bought the dogs plastic beds, and fill them with vet bedding etc
(for when all of them dont feel like sleeping on the sofa/armchairs etc etc!)

sillysmiles

I don't think I'd mind so much if she'd sleep on it, she wont even stand on it when you are watching her. If it is in the hallway, she will clear it with a jump rather than stand on it.

I'm a bit happier that I'm not missing something and that as I thought, cats are a law onto themselves!

aonb

sillysmiles wrote: »

I don't think I'd mind so much if she'd sleep on it, she wont even stand on it when you are watching her. If it is in the hallway, she will clear it with a jump rather than stand on it.

I'm a bit happier that I'm not missing something and that as I thought, cats are a law onto themselves!

so so true! This is my first cat (rescue) - Ive had dogs, horses, hens, various other 'smalls' all my life - I love my cat to bits, but only on her terms - she is seriously aloof, wierd, odd, and unbiddable in the extreme.... you can get no where, EVER, with a cat (speaks the voice of experience after 13 months!!)

Milly33

Really dont think you missing something to put it nicely just seems like the cats being an ass.. Sounds so harsh but they are a law onto their own... More than likely he just does'nt like the bean bag so he will pee on it...

Always skit at this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ywjpbThDpE

I think the spray that was good was Simple Solution Maxi Zoo stock it

me0w

How long have you had the dog and cat together? Cats are animals of habit. Did something change in the house that might stress her out? Do your cat and dog get along? If nothing change in the house to stress her out, take her to the vet she might have a bladder infection.

sillysmiles

We bought the house about a year and a half ago, the cat came with the house, left by the previous owner with our consent/discussion (ie she wasn't just abandoned). But she was an outdoor cat. Over time she became and indoor/outdoor cat and prefers to be inside a lot of the time. But she will tell you when she wants to go out, and regularly calls my husband by shouting in his face in the middle of the night.

The dog we have just over a year. They have always gotten on.

The reason I didn't think it was an infection was because it is spread out over such a large period of time (4 times over a year).

Alun

It doesn't have to be an infection causing it. Cats can get what is called feline idiopathic cystitis or FIC, in other words cystsitis which has no obvious cause, although stress and environmental factors probably play a big part.

See http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2014/02/21/feline-lower-urinary-tract-disease.aspx

We have a cat that has bouts of it now and then. It's a bit of a PITA, but it's not the cat's fault, just our fault for not understanding what's going on in their little feline brains, so you can't get too upset about it.

DBB

Cats are not my strong point, but would the cat folk here think there's a possibility that the bean bag would mimic a very attractive latrine-y substrate for a cat? Sort of like lovely soft, warm litter?!

SillyMangoX

DBB wrote: »

Cats are not my strong point, but would the cat folk here think there's a possibility that the bean bag would mimic a very attractive latrine-y substrate for a cat? Sort of like lovely soft, warm litter?!

Yep I've definitely found this with my guys, had to throw out three beanbags that became litter trays! The beans moving under their feet may mimic the feel of cat litter so when the urge strikes; why not go for the lovely cosy soft litter tray