Kitten wetting the bed

kimbyanne

We recently got two exotic male kittens. They have both settled in nicely - both happily eating, drinking and using the litter tray. Our older cat isn't too sure about them, she is happy to be in the same room as them so long as they don't invade her personal space.

However we do have a problem with one of the kittens. He wets our bed. We first noticed it on Friday evening, a large puddle was on our bed which soaked through our top throw, duvet and duvet cover. We didn't see who did it. Same thing happened on Sunday evening - although this time is soaked through to our mattress (:mad:). Again, didn't see who did it.

By this time we had decided enough was enough, we didn't want to be constantly washing our bedding and we didn't want our mattress ruined. We went and got a special cleaner from Pets at Home which removes the odour and apparently discourages them from repeating. We also got a refil for our feliway (in case it was stress related) and we got two sheets of black sheeting which we now keep cover our beds (with a old duvet cover on top) for when we aren't in the room.

Anyway, last night it happened again and this time we are 99% sure it is one of the kittens (as he was laying in it and was wet underneath - plus his brother kept sniffing him). We had been tickling his tumm whilst he was on the bed, left the room for two minutes and the pee had appeared (exactly where he was laying).

Luckily because of th sheeting, it was just a case of chucking the duvet cover in the wash and cleaning the sheet.

However, this can't go on! It is really making having kittens less fun because I am constantly watching him in case he goes anywhere else! I don't understand why he would be doing it because he uses the litter tray perfectly fine! It only seems to be at night, just before we go to bed.

He is 15 weeks old nearly, had all his vet checks, jabs, etc.

Anyone got any idea why he is doing this or how to get him to stop!?

Fire_Fox

Could be many reasons - water infection, stress, scent sharing, too far to the nearest litter tray, not fully litter trained, excitement ... Kittens do have accidents just like toilet training toddlers do, it goes with the territory. Did you introduce them to your home slowly one room at a time? Are you putting them in the tray after each meal or before the offending time? Maybe shut them out of the bedroom when you are not present?

It's really quite difficult to clean all the urine out of soft furnishings, you might find one run through in the washing machine is insufficient. Maybe soak it in the bath in bio washing powder/ enzyme-based stain remover before laundering then use the spray as well? This would have the dual effect on stopping the bedding smelling of you in case that is part of the attraction.

ETA: from previous threads you have only had these kittens a matter of days, I wonder if you have just done everything too quickly? The point in introducing to one room at a time starting with one of the litter tray sites, and only later to older cats is that they feel secure and can make 'their space' smell of themselves easily.

kimbyanne

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Could be many reasons - water infection, stress, scent sharing, too far to the nearest litter tray, not fully litter trained, excitement ... Kittens do have accidents just like toilet training toddlers do, it goes with the territory. Did you introduce them to your home slowly one room at a time? Are you putting them in the tray after each meal or before the offending time? Maybe shut them out of the bedroom when you are not present?

It's really quite difficult to clean all the urine out of soft furnishings, you might find one run through in the washing machine is insufficient. Maybe soak it in the bath in bio washing powder/ enzyme-based stain remover before laundering then use the spray as well? This would have the dual effect on stopping the bedding smelling of you in case that is part of the attraction.

Yeap, the first couple of days they were in the bedroom, then we divided up the house so they could explore, then we let them have free run of the house once we felt our older cat was ok with them.

After they wake up I put them in the litter tray but they seem to be quite capable of going when they need to. Also, if I notice them going around sniffing or crying, again I put them in their litter tray.

Yes, we have been spraying with the cleaner, washing using a stain remover, spraying again then drying.

Their litter tray is in the hall but they also sometimes use our older cats litter tray (and vice versa)

I have cats all my life and have never had a kitten have accidents like this - he is very laid back so maybe he is forgetting where he is or something.

I don't really want to shut them out of the bedroom because they sleep on a basket near our bed.

Fire_Fox

kimbyanne wrote: »

Yeap, the first couple of days they were in the bedroom, then we divided up the house so they could explore, then we let them have free run of the house once we felt our older cat was ok with them.

After they wake up I put them in the litter tray but they seem to be quite capable of going when they need to. Also, if I notice them going around sniffing or crying, again I put them in their litter tray.

Yes, we have been spraying with the cleaner, washing using a stain remover, spraying again then drying.

Their litter tray is in the hall but they also sometimes use our older cats litter tray (and vice versa)

I have cats all my life and have never had a kitten have accidents like this - he is very laid back so maybe he is forgetting where he is or something.

I don't really want to shut them out of the bedroom because they sleep on a basket near our bed.

IMO do more cleaning than that, soaking all the duvets and sheets as I suggested. A spray won't get into the deeper layers of the duvet or mattress and cats can smell what we cannot.

I thought you only got the kittens six days ago? If so you haven't had time to let them fully settle in any one area nor do slow introductions with older cats as recommended? How can they have been isolated to your bedroom if the tray is in the hall? You should have one litter tray per cat plus one, or one on each floor of the house whichever is the greater number. They are still learning the layout of your home, remember it is a massive area for such a tiny creature so it's not that strange not to make it back to the litter tray. Given one started inappropriate toileting right after arriving I don't really understand why you would then push so fast with introducing them to the other cat and your entire house.

jenhug

the fact he is laying in it makes me wonder if it is an infection. I would definitely get him checked out by a vet.