Is your cat pooping on the bed? Has your bed become her favorite spot to carry out her poop business? Here’s why she is using your bed to do so.
Stretching on your bed after a long day only to find a puddle of stinky cat poop? As cat parents, we must understand that it is a serious issue if cats are pooping anywhere outside their litter box, including your own bed!
While the best way out would be to visit a vet if matters look serious, we help you list out a few common reasons as to why is your cat pooping on the bed.
Why Is Your Cat Pooping On the Bed?
Medical conditions, anxiety, stress, and litter box issues are the most common reasons for your cat pooping on the bed.
You may often find cats pooping and peeing around the house or anywhere in your favorite spot like the bed or below it. While you may be disgusted at first, this could be due to an underlying illness, or maybe their litter box is not suitable for their shedding activities.
Here is a list of problems that your cat might be facing that makes your bed her favorite spot to poop.
Anxiety or Stress due to changes in their environment
Cats are very sensitive to even the slightest changes in their environment or behavior. This causes them to feel anxious and insecure.
Various anxiety and stress-inducing factors can also be due to a new member in the house, change in their sleeping location, another cat friend, lack of time and attention, etc.
Although they do not express easily, their stress and anxiety may reflect in the form of behavioral issues like cat pooping on the bed or anywhere in the house.
Stress and anxiety cause certain hormonal changes in their body that make it difficult for them to control their urges to poop.
Medical Issues like irritation in the bowel
An underlying health condition like irritation in the bowel, intestinal parasites, or maybe a form of cancer may cause cats to eliminate poop and shed anywhere.
Moreover, they experience frequent pain, and pooping in the litter box makes them feel associated with shedding due to the infection. Therefore, they choose a different spot, like your bed. Therefore, never ignore when you notice cat pooping on the bed.
Alongside, if there are multiple cats using the same litter box, they poop outside in order for their feline friend to not face the brunts of their infection or irritability. Therefore, in such cases, take them to the vet as soon as you can.
Environment and Routine Changes like A shift in houses
A shift in houses, a new cat bed to sleep in, a new litter pan, a different cat food, etc. is not a part of their daily routine.
Cats take time to accept new changes which can cause them to feel stressed and nervous. The nervousness leads them to poop invariably anywhere in the house, including your bed.
Environment and Routine Changes like Litter Box
When it comes to their litter box, cats are quite picky and finicky about the type of box or the litter inside. Certain reasons why they would chuck the litter box and choose your bed instead are:
Type of Cat Litter
Cats like to dig and burrow their poop once they are done with their activities to make sure they don’t have to notice it again. That is why the litter has to be soft and easy to burrow, and gentle on their paws.
If the type of litter is sharp, they would not enjoy being around it and end up hurting their toes, forcing them to poop somewhere else more comforting like your bed.
Cat Litter Box
The litter box should suit your cat’s comfort and preferences. The size and style are important features to consider before getting a litter box for your fur friend.
If the box is too small for them to sit or enter, they would surely choose to opt-out and look out for a spacious zone like your bed.
Moreover, if the litter box is too open and not covered, cats don’t get the amount of privacy they need while pooping. This will lead to cat pooping on the bed.
Dirty Litter Box
Your cat’s litter box has to be cleaned and the litter needs to be replaced every 2-3 days. A dirty, ‘not so maintained’ litter box would definitely lead to your feline friend to venture out to a better place to poop at ease, that be your bed.
If you cannot afford to see your washroom dirty, how can you expect your cat to adjust to a dirty litter box?
Location of the Litter Box
The location of the litter box is one of the prime reasons why your cat won’t be using it. if you have changed the location of their litter box from the previous place where it used to be, your cat might take time to adjust and feel uncomfortable.
Similarly, keeping the litter box in a busy place around the house would hinder their privacy as cats like to poop and shed in quiet zones, away from the hustle and bustle of the house.
If you have multiple cats, keep their litter boxes in separate sections of the house. Also, place the litter box in a spot where your cat frequently visits the house. This will ensure that cat pooping on the bed stops.
This can include places like the corner of the living room or near the bathroom or any of their favorite spot around the house. This is done to make the litter box more accessible and encourage them to use it.
How to Stop Your Cat from Pooping On the Bed?
The best way to stop your cat from pooping on the bed is to keep their litter box clean, reduce their stress and anxiety, and show them to a vet to rule out medical conditions if any.
Here are a few ways which are effective to stop your cat from pooping on your bed.
Adjust the Litter Box
Maybe your cat is used to a particular type of litter or style of the litter box and a sudden change is not being accepted easily. This causes stress and anxiety and leads them to poop on your bed. Therefore, replace the type of litter and see if your cat likes it.
Also, keep the litter box simple, clean, and in a suitable environment, away from the hustle and bustle of the house. This would make your cat more accustomed to using the box for shedding and not choosing to jump on your bed.
Reduce Their Stress
A slight change in the environment or your behavior towards them will cause them to behave awkwardly and resort to measures such as cat pooping on the bed.
Try to find out and understand whether your pet is going through a tough phase and spend enough time with them to make them feel relaxed and happy.
Pamper them with treats, toys, and accessories in order to reduce their anxiety and stress.
Distract From Your Bed
You can use something to keep your cat away from the bed. A citrus spray or a fragrant deodorant or any odor or smell that your cat deters from would be best to keep them away from the bed or poop on it.
Alternatively, you can also use their toys or belongings as cats do not like to dirty the places where their belongings are kept. Keeping them distracted and away from your bed will keep cat pooping on the bed.
Train and Treat
Each time your cat uses the litter box, offer them a treat, and shower the best praises on them. That way, each time your cat feels like pooping, it would use the litter box by default in order to get a treat from you.
Training and teaching your cat to use the litter box and not your bed requires patience and lots of love.
Visit The Vet
The first and the most appropriate measure to take would be to consult a vet about this issue. Your cat may be pooping anywhere about the house or using your bed due to an underlying medical condition or any stress associated factors.
A vet would be able to guide you well and take necessary medical interventions if needed to stop your cat’s unusual behavior.
FAQs
How to clean cat poop from the bed?
Use a mild detergent or enzymatic cleaner with a damp cloth to clean the cat poop from your bed. You can gently dab the stain using the cloth once or twice until the poop is out and the stain has lightened. Repeat several times to get rid of the odor and dirt.
Do cats poop on the bed when they are scared?
Cats have several reasons to poop on the bed, one of which could be due to anxiety or stress or because they are scared. Sudden behavioral or environmental changes can cause cats to behave unusually and hence they poop out of spite.
Why does my cat poop on the bed in front of me?
When your cat poops or pees on the bed in front of you, it could be a sign of stress or anxiety or a call for help.
Cats also do that when they require attention and are feeling left out. Also, if their litter box is dirty and not usable, they will poop at other spots including your bed.
How do I get rid of cat poop smell?
Use a strong vinegar solution with water and rub it over the spot a few times with a wet cloth, in order to get rid of cat poop smell.
Sodium bicarbonate or an enzymatic cleaner also helps in getting rid of the smell. If the cover or mattress is machine washable, you can run a few cycles with a mildly fragrant detergent to get rid of the poop smell.
How can I clean dried cat poop?
Blot the poop stain with paper towels dipped in a solution of soda bicarbonate and water to clean dried cat poop. You can also add a disinfectant to kill the germs. Alternatively, you can use a pet stain remover to remove the mark and odor from the spot on your bed.
Final Note
There are several reasons for your cat to behave unusually. One of their very common yet unusual behavior is to poop on your bed.
At times, our felines may be suffering from internal anxieties or an underlying medical condition which can be a cause of cat pooping on the bed..
While we cannot do much about our pet’s habits, it is our responsibility, as a cat parent, to understand the reasons for their stress and anxiety. You can also consider visiting a vet to rule out the chances of your kitty having an illness that makes them use your bed to poop.
Dirty litter boxes, non-suitable environment, change in the litter box, etc are the few reasons for your cat to make your bed their poop spot.
We help you rule out a few concerns while also helping you with certain measures that you can take to keep your cat away from pooping on your bed.
After all, your bed should be a cozy place for you to sleep, not for cat pooping on the bed.!!‘
Read More:
- Are Heated Beds Safe for Cats?
- How To Stop A Cat From Peeing On Bed?
- How To Clean Your Cat’s Bed?
- Why Won’t My Cat Sleep In Her Bed