# Cat Poo on the Bed



## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

I would put this in the sticky section but it doesn't seem to get as much traffic as of yet. 

So on Monday afternoon I noticed a cat had pooed on the spare bed. Out of the 3 of them it could only have been Elsa or Elsworth. I was very puzzled as Elsa has never done this and I am scooping the same amount of poo as always from the trays which Elsworth uses. Elsworth had been in all night, I let Elsa upstairs around 9ish and got up at 11am. Didn't go into the spare room until a couple of hours later. The poo was solid but not fresh like it had been done minutes earlier.

Today the same thing has happened and again it is between the two of them. 

Elsworth has 2 trays upstairs, one covered, one open, same litter. He uses both frequently as well as the one downstairs which is also covered and has the same litter. I scooped both upstairs trays this morning and there was a poo in the tray in the spare room. I left the house around 6.20am and there was no poo, only Elsworth has access to the upstairs whilst we are out. 

I got home at 3pm, Elsa came upstairs and sat on the landing for a bit. Elsworth was milling around as usual. I heard no scuffles, no hissing, no growling but I did hear Elsworth in his litter tray not that long ago. Nothing unusual there. 

I have just gone into the spare room and there is a pile of small poos on the bed, similar consistency to Elsworth's poo but as I do not see Elsa's it could well be the same as they eat the same food. It was completely normal but definitely not "just been done" poo. 

Now my thoughts:

If it is Elsa, could it be that she needs to go to the toilet but can not get past Elsworth (she is reluctant to walk past him unless necessary) and did not want to use the tray right at the bottom of the spare bed because Elsworth uses it. 

If it is Elsa, is she protesting because of Elsworth? He has been here nearly 3 months, no other sign of a poo apart from one downstairs ages ago. It looked a bit suspect like it had dead animal in it so I wondered if perhaps Elsa needed to go as she is the only one who I have seen eat her catch. If she was that desperate that she couldn't make it a couple of metres to the tray or the cat flap would it not have been runny?

Would she not have started protesting before now? Nothing has changed, he has actually got better with her and she is less hissy and growly at him. 

If it is Elsworth why am I seeing regular poos in the tray? 

Is he protesting at being left alone? Starting from Friday I was in most of the day, Saturday the same but I had a friend over. Elsworth didn't like her and kept hissing, Elsa has met her before and didn't seem fussed. Friend went home on Sunday. 

Hubs went away on Saturday night and I worked the late shift Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, was off Wednesday and have been at work on the early today. Hubs got back on Tuesday evening and has done the usual full day at work today. 

Since Elsworth arrived I have made sure he got used to being left alone. I went back to work after 2 weeks and do a mixture of lates and earlies. He has been left alone more than usual this week due to an unfortunate timing of my shifts and hubs being away. He has always had the upstairs and the other two the downstairs, cat flap is always locked when we are at home and we let the cats out manually. 

Should I stop Elsa from being upstairs when I am unable to keep an eye on her and the same for Elsworth downstairs so that if it happens again I know which one it is? 

I have ordered some more Pet Remedy as I have run out so maybe if one of them is feeling a little stressed that might do the trick. 

Tomorrow both me and hubs are at work in the day, Saturday I am on early but hubs will be around although he will probably be out for a couple of hours in the morning. Sunday and Monday I am off, Sunday the in laws are coming, Elsworth has not met them yet. Elsa is ok with them, she is not enamored by strange people but does not go and hide like Elise. 

We had a weeing problem with Elise a while back but as soon as we stopped keeping her in at night this stopped. Elsa had cystitis before Elsworth arrived, came out the blue and went just as quick! No episodes before or after. 

Can anyone shed any light on why either cat might be pooing on the bed? Is there anything I may have forgotten that might have triggered it?

Thanks!!


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## Amelia66 (Feb 15, 2011)

Can you not just shut the door to that room?


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

Amelia66 said:


> Can you not just shut the door to that room?


That doesn't really get to the bottom of why. We are due to move house so if there are issues I want to know why and how to fix them so we don't take them with us.


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

oggers86 said:


> That doesn't really get to the bottom of why. We are due to move house so if there are issues I want to know why and how to fix them so we don't take them with us.


I also would shut the door to prevent it becoming a habit. When one of my cats had a UTI she started weeing up a plant pot. Despite the UTI being treated she continued to wee on the plant pot so I removed the pot & the problem was resolved.

May be add another litter tray & try a Feliway diffuser in case they are stressed

If you are moving, this may create issues in itself as the cats may be stressed by it .... or it may not, mine coped well with a move.


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## gorgeous (Jan 14, 2009)

My suggestion is to close the door too. For some reason cats do tend to like to poo on a bed.


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

Cleo38 said:


> I also would shut the door to prevent it becoming a habit. When one of my cats had a UTI she started weeing up a plant pot. Despite the UTI being treated she continued to wee on the plant pot so I removed the pot & the problem was resolved.
> 
> May be add another litter tray & try a Feliway diffuser in case they are stressed
> 
> If you are moving, this may create issues in itself as the cats may be stressed by it .... or it may not, mine coped well with a move.


Elsworth has access to 3 whilst we are home and 2 when we are out. The other two have 24/7 access to the outside. The times it has happened 2 cats have had access to 3 trays and 2 trays. I could put the downstairs one upstairs when we are out as the cat flap is then open for the others.

We are not officially moving but that in itself is causing me a whole load of stress. It has been one thing after another trying to buy a house since November. Losing out on one and then finding out the second has potential to go that way through no fault of our own is infuriating and I have been stressing about it for a week now!

Once the Pet Remedy arrives I will plug it in.

I am reluctant to shut the door as Elsa likes to sleep in there. If she doesn't have her safe spot she might not come inside at all. She doesn't seem to mind that Elsworth has access to it so maybe she would be happy to sleep on the sofa instead of the windowsill or under the bed.

If this move goes ahead there will be more space for everyone!


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## Jannor (Oct 26, 2013)

Could it be scent marking?

Only time I've had poo on the bed was when Sykes started to steal Tilly's favourite place on the bed, so Tilly poo'd right where Sykes had started to sleep. 

Sykes sleeps in the spare room now and it hasn't happened again.


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

oggers86 said:


> Elsworth has access to 3 whilst we are home and 2 when we are out. The other two have 24/7 access to the outside. The times it has happened 2 cats have had access to 3 trays and 2 trays. I could put the downstairs one upstairs when we are out as the cat flap is then open for the others.
> 
> We are not officially moving but that in itself is causing me a whole load of stress. It has been one thing after another trying to buy a house since November. Losing out on one and then finding out the second has potential to go that way through no fault of our own is infuriating and I have been stressing about it for a week now!
> 
> ...


You have my sympathies, when I moved it was so stressful. My buyer was mucking me about, everything was packed, I couldn't find anything, I was so worried I was going to lose the house I had set my heart on .... it was a horrible time.

Luckily the day we moved went smoothly & all the animals coped really well!


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

Jannor said:


> Could it be scent marking?
> 
> Only time I've had poo on the bed was when Sykes started to steal Tilly's favourite place on the bed, so Tilly poo'd right where Sykes had started to sleep.
> 
> Sykes sleeps in the spare room now and it hasn't happened again.


Well Elsworth had that room as his safe room and sleeps in his igloo on the floor. I moved that on Saturday so he could have my room when my friend was here and haven't moved it back. Elsa sleeps on the windowsill or under the bed. She rarely sleeps on beds preferring the floor, sofa or under the bed. Her preferences change frequently.


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

Cleo38 said:


> You have my sympathies, when I moved it was so stressful. My buyer was mucking me about, everything was packed, I couldn't find anything, I was so worried I was going to lose the house I had set my heart on .... it was a horrible time.
> 
> Luckily the day we moved went smoothly & all the animals coped really well!


It is awful! We have agreed to every single thing asked of us on both occasions. We are dream buyers yet we are getting all the bad luck. We are now the ones digging our heels in as our completion date has been moved to the day our mortgage expires. I am refusing to exchange until I get an extension in writing as I am not willing to take the risk if something gets delayed.


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## Jannor (Oct 26, 2013)

oggers86 said:


> Well Elsworth had that room as his safe room and sleeps in his igloo on the floor. I moved that on Saturday so he could have my room when my friend was here and haven't moved it back. Elsa sleeps on the windowsill or under the bed. She rarely sleeps on beds preferring the floor, sofa or under the bed. Her preferences change frequently.


Sounds like it could be then if you moved her Igloo recently ... I knew it was when Tilly did it as they have lots of lit trays/access. Sykes was out when it happened so her access wasn't being blocked.

It's really difficult - good luck with getting house sorted!


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## Cleo38 (Jan 22, 2010)

oggers86 said:


> It is awful! We have agreed to every single thing asked of us on both occasions. We are dream buyers yet we are getting all the bad luck. We are now the ones digging our heels in as our completion date has been moved to the day our mortgage expires. I am refusing to exchange until I get an extension in writing as I am not willing to take the risk if something gets delayed.


That's very sensible. I was in tears at one point telling the estate agent I wanted to pull out because I was fed up of my buyer constantly coming back with more & more questions, her not filling in forms on time & generally being a b*tch ... luckily it all sorted itself out in the end ... hope yours does too


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

So the culprit is Elsworth! He has done a poo on the bed despite having 2 litter trays he has previously gone fine in. 

The things that have changed:
1. Pet Remedy unplugged
2. Igloo moved into our room
3. Friend stayed in that room and there is still the sheet and pillows that have not been changed. 
4. Litter tray moved into our room and back again.


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

Ok, put the Iglu back, change the bedding, turn the pillows over and give him lots of toys up there. It sounds like he's marking territory, so make the bed his again. Play with him there, lie on it yourself and do lots of cuddling there, give him treats there. In fact, do anything you can to make him feel good and in charge while on the bed.

Man, you relaly have chosen a high maintenance kitten.


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

carly87 said:


> Ok, put the Iglu back, change the bedding, turn the pillows over and give him lots of toys up there. It sounds like he's marking territory, so make the bed his again. Play with him there, lie on it yourself and do lots of cuddling there, give him treats there. In fact, do anything you can to make him feel good and in charge while on the bed.
> 
> Man, you relaly have chosen a high maintenance kitten.


Igloo back, everything but sheet taken off. Food put in the same room.

He is quite high maintenance but I expected it so I don't mind.

Is this likely to be a long term thing every time someone stays over?


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## ALR (Apr 16, 2014)

My cat Bubble does that from time to time. Generally it's to mark a territory. He's an only cat so he's not doing it for the benefit of another cat but for us. But I can see how this could happen if there were two cats around. 

He did it mostly when we first got him. My observation is that it's in places that he really likes but communal, e.g. in the doorway he likes to sit in. Also the last time it happened, was when I didn't give him a lot of attention because we had an emergency we were dealing with. Generally he gets a lot of fuss from us every day. Don't know whether that's a factor or not.

But I'd guess moving some of his favourite things from the room and having someone else's scent in, also means the room probably doesn't feel his any more so he's marking. I have a guest bedroom too but I don't put his food or water in there because I'd have to remove it every time someone comes in. It'd be good if you could slowly start moving the food a few inches every few days to a new permanent place so you don't have issues in the future.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

oggers86 said:


> > Is this likely to be a long term thing every time someone stays over?
> 
> 
> I think there is a strong possibility it will happen again if he is moved out of the room he regards as his special territory every time a guest stays.
> ...


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

chillminx said:


> oggers86 said:
> 
> 
> > I think there is a strong possibility it will happen again if he is moved out of the room he regards as his special territory every time a guest stays.
> ...


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## ForeverHome (Jan 14, 2014)

chillminx said:


> oggers86 said:
> 
> 
> > So these days I tell any potential guest that I am sorry I have no room for them to stay, but am happy to put them up at the nearest B & B at my own expense. Can't say fairer than that really. And then everyone is happy.
> ...


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

I have taken off the sheet so now the bed is completely bare. I am going to hoover it and the carpet so it gets some of our smell back. He should need to go later on at some point so we will see what happens.


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## chillminx (Nov 22, 2010)

oggers86 said:


> I have taken off the sheet so now the bed is completely bare. I am going to hoover it and the carpet so it gets some of our smell back. He should need to go later on at some point so we will see what happens.


How about putting a used sheet off your own bed on the guest room bed? Then he should feel at home again.


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

chillminx said:


> How about putting a used sheet off your own bed on the guest room bed? Then he should feel at home again.


Good idea, will do that! Have plugged in what is left of the Pet Remedy. He is fine with clean bedding so if he is ok with our sheet for a few days I will put a clean one on and then gradually add back the rest of it. I sometimes sleep in there if I finish work really late so having it done is very helpful.


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## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

Amelia66 said:


> Can you not just shut the door to that room?





oggers86 said:


> That doesn't really get to the bottom of why. We are due to move house so if there are issues I want to know why and how to fix them so we don't take them with us.


I agree with Amelia66 I would close the door which will force the cats to go elsewhere hopefully in their litter trays.

You may never get to the bottom of why, makes sense to me to prevent it rather than try to understand it.

I haven't read the whole thread yet so hopefully someone will have suggested a possible solution.

One of my cats has started weeing in the dog kennel which houses their outdoor litter tray. He chooses to wee in the opposite corner to the litter tray. With him I think its because I recently change the cat litter I use, I couldn't get our usual one.


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

sskmick said:


> I agree with Amelia66 I would close the door which will force the cats to go elsewhere hopefully in their litter trays.
> 
> You may never get to the bottom of why, makes sense to me to prevent it rather than try to understand it.
> 
> ...


I may have to close the door but I am going to try and prevent it happening in the room first.


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## moggie14 (Sep 11, 2013)

sskmick said:


> You may never get to the bottom of why, makes sense to me to prevent it rather than try to understand it.


If you don't understand why, then you can't prevent it. Getting to the bottom of a behavioural issue is the only way to solve it completely 
I hope you can solve the mystery and keep everyone happy too


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

moggie14 said:


> If you don't understand why, then you can't prevent it. Getting to the bottom of a behavioural issue is the only way to solve it completely
> I hope you can solve the mystery and keep everyone happy too


That was my feelings but if it is just a case of preferring to poo on the bed then prevention is necessary. If I start an elimination programme then maybe I can figure out what causes it. If it was a strange scent then in theory getting rid of it should fix it.


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## ForeverHome (Jan 14, 2014)

For what it's worth I agree, if you prevent poo in one place you're not solving anything and most likely moving the problem elsewhere. Sorry not being any help in this issue but I'm interested in the suggestions and ideas


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

Well we have no poo on the bed but one in the litter tray. I need to wait a few days before I decide if it was a fluke or not but it is a good start.


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

2nd poo in the tray next to the bed!!!


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## carly87 (Feb 11, 2011)

He's obviously just a high maintenance boyo who's determined to keep his own things as his. I'd suggest that in the new house, you don't put any of his stuff in the guest room, and positively discourage him from going in there on a regular basis so that you can avoid him laying claim to it.


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## oggers86 (Nov 14, 2011)

carly87 said:


> He's obviously just a high maintenance boyo who's determined to keep his own things as his. I'd suggest that in the new house, you don't put any of his stuff in the guest room, and positively discourage him from going in there on a regular basis so that you can avoid him laying claim to it.


He is definitely sensitive. He is scared of strangers which is interesting as when he was at the breeders he would happily go to anyone. His mum was all over my husband and his brother is a show cat so clearly has the right temperament. Maybe that is just his nature or it might be because we rarely have people over.


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