Kitten Uses Litter Box but Pees in the Bed

Frequent wet messes on your velvet duvet may be a sign of a medical issue. If baby Scruffy has a urinary tract infection, relieving himself becomes extremely painful. Since using the litter box seems to cause discomfort, he'll think of his potty pan as something unpleasant, according to the Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine. He'll find a cozy spot to eliminate, in the hope that it doesn't hurt as much. Not only is your down comforter soft and fluffy, it smells like you, making it a comfortable place for him to go. Watch for blood in his urine or crying when he urinates. These clues may signal that it is time to take Scruffy to the vet for a checkup.

Your new addition to the family wants to make his new castle as familiar as possible, so he spreads his scent. He proudly makes his mark all over your house to signal to everyone that this is his turf. Typically cats mark vertical areas. Scruffy might lift his leg on the corner of your bed or back up his rear to your pillows and spray a small amount of urine. While both female and male cats can spray, un-neutered males are more prone to spraying, the ASPCA reports. He's simply signaling to female kitties that he is ready and available to mate. Getting him fixed may eliminate this unpleasant behavior.

Cats dig in their litter, creating a hole to bury their business. If digging through the litter becomes painful for little Scruffy's paws, he may look for gentler places to go potty. Fortunately for him, your soft bedspread is perfectly cozy enough for him to take his time and empty his bladder. Avoid this mishap by switching Scruffy's litter. Finicky felines usually prefer a fine-grain-textured litter, notes the Humane Society of the United States. If you're filling his litter pan with plain old clay litter, opt for newspaper pellets or clumping litter, which are gentler for his fragile paws.

Having a houseful of feline companions means that you need to provide several suitable potty areas. Picture this: pint-sized Scruffy spends all afternoon chasing his favorite mouse toy and then, suddenly, he has "the urge." He races to the litter box, but Max is taking his time relieving himself. Scruffy looks around, sees that your bedroom door is open, jumps on your bed and urinates there. Once the spot on your bed starts to smell like him, he'll be more likely to go there again, especially since he never has to wait his turn to potty on your bed. You should have at least one litter pan per feline and one on each level of your home. This way, when baby Scruffy has to go, he'll have plenty of options available.