HELP! Galaxy is peeing on my bed!

[phesina]

This is a new thing..

A few days ago, I shut both cats in the bedroom because the apartment maintenance people were coming to do some work. When I got home, I found that Galaxy had peed on one spot on the bed and pooped on another. I cleaned that up, figured it was a one-off because of the disruption to their routine.

Last night when I was about to go to bed, I found the sheets and quilt damp at my end. I wound up changing the sheets and switching the quilt down to the other end, so I could get to sleep.

This afternoon I had covered up the top end of the bedding with a towel, but when I was about to go to bed about 15 minutes ago, I found another damp spot on the quilt. I don't have a substitute for the quilt, so I sprayed the area with Nature's Miracle and covered it above and below with towels.

This is totally new behavior for Galaxy. She has never had any problems with litter-box habits or use.

I don't know what to do about this! Do any of you have any ideas?

Thanks VERY much!

from Pat and Sparkler and, yes, Galaxy

[cats4ever]

Pat, I'm sorry about Galaxy's issue.
This can be a complex problem.
First, you need to go to vet to rule out any physical reason like a urinary tract infection. If Galaxy is cleared of that, it will be, most likely, a behavioral issue, which, unfortunately, is more difficult to treat than an infection.
Was the pooping accident a one-time occurrence? How do you know it was Galaxy, did you see her doing it?

[phesina]

Thanks, Heidi. Yes, a call to the vet is the first order of business tomorrow. I will be so relieved if it is a physical problem, because then it can be treated!

The poop was just the one time. The peeing has happened a couple more times since then. It seems to be starting to be a regular occurrence, which I want to stop before it does become regular.

I know it's Galaxy because Sparkler isn't really physically capable of hauling herself up onto the bed and doing all that, then getting back down again. I've had Sparkler since she was a kitten, some twelve years, and she's never done anything like this.

For that matter, I've had Galaxy since just before last Christmas, and she's never done anything like this before.

I've kept her shut out of the bedroom so far today.

This morning I changed the litterbox Galaxy usually uses in the living room for a clean one. She's peed in that since I put it there. I washed out the other with bleach. Maybe I should put one next to the bed? There's already another litterbox in the bedroom, but I wonder if Galaxy thinks that one is Sparkler's.

Thanks, from Galaxy and Sparkler and me....

[cats4ever]

I think that's a good idea putting a litterbox next to the bed.
Even though behavioral issues are harder to treat, it's not hopeless, but a lot of people aren't patient enough.
When Miss Kitty was 4 years old (14 years ago), she started peeing outside the litterbox. it was behavioral. Since then, she has been on antidepressants. It took a while to find one that was working for her, but I did, and now she has been on fluoxetine (Prozac) for many years, and she's doing great!
Good luck at the vet tomorrow!

[phesina]

Thanks, Heidi, from Galaxy and me! (And Sparkler, too, of course.)

I'll keep you posted...

[phesina]

I'm going to let Galaxy come in the bedroom overnight. I don't think she'd pee on the bedding by the pillows when I'm sleeping there!

(I hope not, anyway .)

I took her in and showed her the new litterbox next to the bed.

Oh, and Sparkler has been alone in there all day. On the off-chance it has been her rather than Galaxy, she didn't do any!