How To Stop Cat From Going Under Bed
Its difficult to figure out how to stop cat from going under bed.
However, you are not going to want this to continue for too long. Its essential to find a permanent way of stopping the cat from going under the bed, especially when it wants to find a hiding spot.
Many cats do this when they are trying to remain hidden and out of sight. This includes after moving to a new house where the cat isnt used to the territory.
The signs can include:
- Difficulty Eating the Right Way
- Refusing to Mingle with the Family
This type of behavior doesnt happen on its own. There are going to be several examples of your cat wanting to remain hidden and this is going to be one of them.
As a result, you have to learn how to stop cat from going under bed.
This guide is going to teach you how to stop cat from going under bed along with what needs to be done next. Its essential to keep this in mind when it comes to stopping the issue right away.
What Are Some Preferred Cat Hiding Spots
A common way cats hide is to box themselves in somewhere, like at the back corner of a closet. A couple of years ago, I was talking to John Bradshaw, a cat science expert and author of Cat Sense, about why cats seem to pick such boxed-in places as hiding spots. He told me that out in the wild, felines are constantly searching for nooks and crannies to rest in because what they want is to basically have five sides out of six protected.
This is one reason why cardboard boxes are such a popular cat hiding spot. For five sides out of six nobodies can get at you and you can keep an eye on the sixth one, Bradshaw says.
A Few Alternative Solutions For The Problem Of Cats And Toys Under Bed
There is always the possibility to change your bed with an elevated bed platform that will allow you to very easily clean under bed:
This will make cleaning under bed a breeze! Nothing hard in vacuuming or wiping the floor under this kind of bed: you dont have to move a heavy bed, you dont have to bend and you can even run a roomba robot under this bed with no problem.
I would say this is an ideal bed frame for a cat owner and it is isnt overly expensive considering youll be using it for years and years.
Another way that you can totally prevent getting cat toys under bed is to get a bed with a solid platform extending to the floor like this one:
This kind of bed with no legs is not very easy to find but it does exist and is very practical if you have a cat, toddler or a dog at home.
It completely eliminates the need to even clean under it maybe clean around twice a year. This makes it a bed with the easiest under bed maintenance.
It can truly save your cleaning day and cut on your cleaning hours, which the majority of us busy people will certainly appreciate.
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Clean The Litter Boxes More Often
A filthy litter box is almost guaranteed to send a cat elsewhere to pee. Cats are very clean creatures by nature, so they prefer to use a clean litter box.
Would you want to go walking barefoot through your cats litter boxes? Well, if you dont scoop frequently, neither do they.
At a minimum, litter boxes should be scooped out once a day, and you should dump all the litter and wash and refill the boxes every month. Consider a self-cleaning litter box system if you find it hard to keep up on the scooping.
Your Cat May Be Afraid Of Another Kitty
If you have a family of kitties, then be aware that any tension between your cats may be causing one of them to hide. Or perhaps a neighborhood cat walking past the window might be upsetting them closing the curtains may help reduce any cause of fear outside the house. If your pet feels threatened, then theyll want to find somewhere safe to hide away. So make sure you provide them with access to a safe space as well as their own resources. Be especially aware that one of your cats could be blocking the others access to their food, water, and litter box. Having food, water, and litter box for each cat will help diffuse any tension
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How To Stop Your Cat From Waking You
The Spruce / Adrienne Legault
There are a number of techniques that you can try to train your cat not to wake you up at night. Some will require some behavior modifications on the pet owners part, so make sure that all family members are on board with the changes. Before you go to bed, decide how you will react to your cat. The middle of the night is not the best time to make a decision.
Plenty Of Other Scratching Areas For Your Cat
Stopping your cat from scratching your box spring is only going to move the problem somewhere else in most cases. So, if you dont have a good cat tree or scratching post yet, pick one up now at the same time as protecting your bed.
Spend some time with your cat helping them get to know and use their new tree/scratching post. Ive never had a problem directing my cats to use their posts after spending some time with them, so it shouldnt be too hard.
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How To Stop Your Cat From Peeing On Your Bed
Last Updated: August 26, 2020References
This article was co-authored by Brian Bourquin, DVM. Brian Bourquin, better known as Dr. B to his clients, is a Veterinarian and the Owner of Boston Veterinary Clinic, a pet health care and veterinary clinic with three locations, South End/Bay Village, the Seaport, and Brookline, Massachusetts. Boston Veterinary Clinic specializes in primary veterinary care, including wellness and preventative care, sick and emergency care, soft-tissue surgery, dentistry. The clinic also provides specialty services in behavior, nutrition, and alternative pain management therapies using acupuncture, and therapeutic laser treatments. Boston Veterinary Clinic is an AAHA accredited hospital and Bostons first Fear Free Certified Clinic. Brian has over 19 years of veterinary experience and earned his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Cornell University.There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 109,527 times.
Let Your Cat Pick The Type Of Litter
Heavily perfumed cat litter may seem to be the better choice , but cats tend to disagree.
Their noses are more sensitive than ours, so what seems pleasant to us can be overpowering to them.
They also like to stick with whats familiar, so a cat may urinate outside the litter box if you suddenly switch to a new type of litter.
Studies have shown that among cats, the all-around favorite litter type is an unscented, clumping clay litter containing activated charcoal.
If you want to try a new type of litter, make sure you have at least one box in the house that contains the old type of litter just in case. If your cat rejects the new litter, dont use it.
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How To Keep Cats From Going Under The Couch
Cats like to explore small spaces. Others like small places to hide when scared or anxious. Either way, the space under the couch is appealing to cats. Stopping a cat from going under the couch means either blocking the cat’s access to space, placing a deterrent in the space, providing an alternative hiding space and/or training. Many people believe cats cannot be trained but cats do respond to reinforcement training. Reinforcement training utilizes tasty treats to reward desirable behaviors.
Block your cat’s access to the space under the couch. Use pieces of wood, bolsters of cloth or even duct tape to block the opening. While it may be unsightly, it will keep your cat out and once it adopts a new hiding or exploring space through training, you can try removing the blockers.
Make the space under the couch undesirable to the cat. For example, place a nubby plastic runner with the nubs up under the couch. Your cat won’t like the texture and may stop going under there. Alternatively, try sticky tape with the sticky side up.
Provide an alternative space for your cat to explore or hide. Cat carriers and cat tubes are some alternatives. Train your cat to feel safe in the carrier or tube by gradually introducing it to your cat. Place treats inside the carrier or tube or spray them with catnip to entice your cat. Reward your cat with tasty treats such as diced tuna or chicken whenever it goes into the alternative space.
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Ensure Your Home Has Relaxing Vibes
If your cat likes to play hide and seek or you cant identify any changes to their environment or routine, consider how you can encourage your cat to be more confident in their environment. You could even consider giving your cat a private room, free from people and other pets. Make this their cat sanctuary, with everything they need to feel comfortable and secure dont forget blankets and their favorite toys!
You can also plug in a FELIWAY CLASSIC Diffuser in the room where your cat spends most of their time this releases happy messages and creates a comforting and reassuring environment for your cat. It helps them feel safe and confident and is clinically proven to help prevent signs of stress such as hiding. FELIWAY nurtures your relationship with your cat by creating a loving and relaxing environment at home.
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Understanding Your Cat’s Basic Needs
Cats are creatures of comfort, and if their routine suddenly changes or they find themselves under an unusual amount of stress, this can result in that nervous energy showing up on your sheets. “Cats have three essential needs: safety, security and stimulation,” K.C. Theisen, former director of pet care issues for the Humane Society of the United States, told The Dodo. “Safety is that they are not threatened or harassed, and have easy access to fresh food, clean water and shelter.”
“Security means they can get away from people or things they don’t like, can get to elevated hiding places and have a routine they can count on in the home,” she added. Stimulation reflects a cats need to be a predator, and chase and hunt toys in the home. A cat who cannot express their natural behaviors or is bored may act out inappropriately.
The good news, Theisen said, is once you attend to these needs, unwanted behaviors often go away.
What this means is that if youre able to pinpoint the need that isnt being met for your cat, youll be able to make the change that can help your cat feel like himself again.
Here are some of the most common:
Never Scold Your Cat For Hiding
Dont scold, shout or force your cat from under the bed or do anything to control or correct them. This would make them more anxious and likely to hide. They will perceive this as a threat and will act fearfully, with avoidance or aggression. Remember that they have retreated under the bed to feel safe and they will feel more secure if they are able to move about freely. Instead, focus on how you can lessen their stress as this will likely decrease their need to hide.
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Why They Do That
Cats aren’t drawn to the treasure trove of dust bunnies and lost socks that congregate under your bed. This spot is quiet, dark and secluded — three things cats love. Cats hide for a variety of reasons, and prefer a safe place to retreat to. It provides a nice den to unwind after a stressful situation, hide when she’s feeling shy or just catch a few dozen winks in another nap.
Make The Necessary Litter Box Adjustments
If you and your vet have determined that your cat is healthy and the problem is litter box related, make whatever changes are necessary.
If youve suddenly switched to a hooded litter box, consider removing the lid or switching back to a pan. Consider Natures Miracle Just For Cats Advanced High Sided Cat Litter Box . The extra tall walls are designed to keep scattered litter at bay without a lid.
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Placing Items Under The Bed
Good And Bad Hiding Spots
Generally speaking, it is up to the cat guardian to decide whether or not to allow a cat to hide in a particular spot, as long as it is safe. If there are places where you dont want your cat to hide, try to give them an alternative that has similar qualities to where they are trying to hide. Do they like small, dark spaces? As I described earlier, Oliver likes to hang out on the second shelf of my linen closet , on top of a pile of clean sheets. Im fine with him being in there, because its safe and comfy. But if I wanted to provide him with an alternative, I might give him a cardboard box with a sheet inside it, placed in a nearby location.
To deter cats, do not startle them out of a hiding spot, yell at them, or squirt them with water this can only create fear and damage your relationship with the cats and make them want to hide from you. Instead, you can restrict access to the hiding spot with a door that they cant open. If theres no door, you can use scents that cats dont like in the area, or place a vinyl carpet runner in the area with the nubs pointed up . Sticky paws, or double-sided tape, spread on cheap placemats or cardboard and placed in the off-limits area can also deter kitties from cat-naps!
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Use Scent To Keep The Cats Away
- Cats dislike the smell of rue, lavender and pennyroyal, Coleus canina and lemon thyme. Plant a few of these throughout the garden.
- Cats steer clear of strong citrus scents. Throw peels directly onto garden soil.
- Sprinkling brewed coffee grounds over the soil may also help. Get free big bags from most local coffee shops!
- The scent of human hair is said to deters cats. Empty your brushes onto the garden and reclaim your territory!
- Commercial cat repellents copy the smells of predator urine. Its advertised as non-toxic and organic, said not to harm plants. Do your research.
Why Do Cats Pee Inappropriately
It’s important to understand why your cat is peeing inappropriately in order to solve the problem. Cats pee on their human’s bed or outside their litter box for certain reasons.
Medical Problems. Your cats peeing issue may be because of a health problem. Talk with your vet if you’re concerned about your cat’s health. They may want to look at your cat and take a urine sample. Once your vet has completed tests on the sample, they will have an idea of the best treatment. Your cat may get pee problems due to any of the following conditions:
- Urinary tract infection.Kittens rarely develop urinary tract infections, but older cats are more likely to develop an infection. If this is the case, the urinary tract system may be infected by bacteria which causes inflammation. Your vet may suggest antibiotics for the treatment. Once the antibiotic treatment is finished, your vet will recommend follow-up testing to make sure the infection is gone.
- Metabolic disease. Excessive peeing may be caused by kidney disease. It may also be a result of diabetes or thyroid problems. Your vet may run some blood tests to rule out these conditions.
- Bladder stones: If your cat has developed bladder stones, they may cause blockage or irritation. Your vet may order X-rays to check the size of the stones. While large stones can be removed surgically, smaller stones can be dissolved using a special diet.
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