blissful peace with your beloved cat is what motivates you to keep moving forward.
Then, at the end of the day, you can finally be home only to confront with another annoying problem – your little feline urinated on a very inappropriate place – your clothes – when you were away. And instead of spending time with your family, you have to remove your cat’s urine out of your clothes.
But instead of exploding with anger then punishing her, you should try to find out what has triggered such behavior and how to refrain it from happening again. So, why is my cat peeing on my clothes? Let’s find out!
Why Is My Cat Peeing On My Clothes?
Internal Issues
Or, to simply put it, health problems. Your cat may be suffering from Urinary Tract Infection (UTI), which hurts her every time she urinates. That’s probably why she pees on your clothes – not only because of its comfort and softness but also it’s her way to tell you she is unwell.
A Favorable Position
If you’re wondering why your cat is peeing on your clothes even though they are folded neatly and placed on your high bed, it’s just because higher spots make the cat feel safe.
It is one of cats’ ancient survival instincts. What both of these factors have in common is that they meet her standard of safety: your clothes have your familiar scent and higher areas offer a better view that helps her detect potential dangers and threats.
The Litter Box Seems Wrong
If your cat is no longer a clueless kitty who has no idea what the litter box is for, then the next plausible explanation is that, for some mysterious reason, the box isn’t to her liking.
It could be chalked up to unpleasant in your impish princess’ opinion if the box is too small, unclean, or she has to share it with others. Consequently, she pees on your clothes as a way of expressing her displeasure.
“What Is Yours, Is Mine Too!”
With such bold declaration in mind, your little devil will mark practically everything in your house - your sofa, bed, and especially your clothes if they are left all over the house or on the floors instead of being put neatly in a hamper.
Dominant Behavior
Every cat owner should know that cats are highly protective and possessive of their territories. Most of these improper toileting habits happen between senior cats and new cats in your home.
So, if you have many cats, the Alpha one may be guarding the litter box and the others will have to wee elsewhere.
Convenient Pile of “Soft Toilet”
Regardless of the clothes’ condition (clean or not), all your feline friend cares about probably is: it’s convenient, nice and soft, and you can dig or paw at it while "burying" the wee just like you would in the sandbox. And, most importantly, it smells of my human!
“I Miss You, My Human!”
Sounds weird, but it’s the truth. This problematic behavior occurs most often when you’re away for a while and leaving your cat alone at home or in the care of someone else.
Even though cats prefer being left alone most of the time, they are by no means lone creatures. Cats can take care of themselves well – yes, but they can live peacefully and harmoniously with humans and other animals, as well. That’s why if your cat has become accustomed to your presence, enjoyed it even, it’s not a surprise if she becomes nervous when she has to part with you for a long time.
This time, peeing on your clothes isn’t territorial behavior. She just wants to mix your and her scents together on which your scent is the strongest. It calms her down and makes she feel as though you’re close by.
How to Stop My Cat from Peeing on My Clothes?
Visit the Veterinarian
You should ask the vet which cat foods are best for preventing UTIs whether your cat has one or not. If she, unfortunately, has UTIs, you must bring her to the clinic ASAP because this disease demands antibiotics for treatment. Otherwise, the kidneys will soon become involved.
Keep the Cat Litter Box Clean
A clean litter box will reduce the risk of your healthy cat getting infections and urethritis, as well as keeping UTIs-infected cat’s condition from worsening.
An unsoiled sandbox will do your clothes a great favor, too. Because when even taking a pee hurts, your distressed princess will most likely lay the blame on her litter tray, then seek out soft laundry that smells like you to soothe her misery.
Is Your Kitten Neutered/Spayed?
Such territorial habit is carried out by male cats of 5-6 months old, especially those that aren’t neutered. However, female cats have been recorded to mark, too. So, if you have a female cat, it’s best to spay her to prevent the bad toileting habit from happening.
Clothes Hamper
Be tidy, don’t scatter your laundry on the floors. Use hampers with pop-up lids for soiled clothes and put the cleaned ones in the closet after folding them neatly. This will reduce the chance of your things being peed on significantly.
“You Are Not Unloved.”
If the weird toilet habit stems from your precious princess’ jealousy of the new addition to the household (a new pet, a baby) or that she feels you’ve neglected her, the best cure is to show her you love her just the same.
Make time to strengthen your bond with her, e.g., petting, cuddling, playing, etc. This will show her that regardless of the changes happening, she still has your affections always.
What About Disciplines and Rehoming?
Now, sickness and uncomfortable aside, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't discipline your cat’s bad behaviors. You already know what is wrong with her and are willing to walk with her through this trying time, but you still have to impose discipline to indicate that what she is doing is wrong and shouldn't be continued.
However, be sure to restrain yourself from shouting or spanking her because violence will get you nowhere. Quite the contrary, if you scare her with such method, she’ll either fear you or become more mischievous and will take revenge on you later.
Some may suggest rehoming. But this is not the answer, either. No one wants a cat with sandbox avoidance habit. If you lie or neglect to bring it up, the poor thing is likely to be kicked out in the street eventually, when her new owner learns of this problem the hard way.
Conclusion
So, “Why is my cat peeing on my clothes?” Now you know the answer. Instead of jumping to a conclusion right away and punishing her for being naughty, you should first make sure such behavior doesn’t stem from a particular health problem. Only after that, you can go through other suggested possibilities.
Never forget that looking after your cat is like bringing up a baby. As an adult and her guardian, you need to make the kitten understand what she can do, what she shouldn’t do, and that even if there are changes, her place in your heart is never affected or altered.
Once your beloved cat can feel your love and patience, she will eventually get out of improper habits.
