How to Keep a Cat From Marking My Bed

Cat marking on furniture and beds in the forms of spraying to mark territory, urinating, defecating or scratching is an unpleasant nuisance. However, this is the way that a cat tells you his feelings and needs. Cats can be trained to stop these behaviors through environmental modifications and a reward system. Marking can also indicate medical conditions that require a veterinarian's assistance in diagnosing and treating your pet's often-hidden health problems.

Things You'll Need

  • Cat litter box
  • Plastic cat litter bags
  • Paper grocery store bags
  • Cat litter
  • Scratching post
  • Cat treats
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Instructions

    • 1

      Have your cat spayed or neutered. Spaying and neutering remove your cat's instinct to mark territory to warn off rival male or female cats. Spraying is especially a male cat's way of attracting wanted female cats and warning undesired male cats to leave.

    • 2

      Keep your cat's litter box clean. Use clumping litter that has odor-absorbing properties in the cat's box. Do not use litter with fragrance because the cat will find this offensive and defecate outside the litter box. Rinse the litter box with clean water from an outside tap and dry when you clean the box. Fill the box with clean litter. Use plastic cat litter bags in the box if you live in an apartment or the weather is too cold to go outside to clean out the litter box. Place the cat litter bag first in the box and then put a flattened grocery bag on top of the litter bag to give a stable base to the plastic. Pour the cat litter on top of the flattened grocery bag. Keep multiple and separate litter boxes for each cat that you own. Keep litter boxes on each floor of your house so that your pet can relieve itself conveniently.

    • 3

      Take your cat to a veterinarian if urinating or defecating outside the litter box continues to be a problem. Urinating or defecating outside a clean litter box may signal a serious problem like a urinary-tract infection. Cats also will urinate or defecate outside the box if they are displeased or bored. Spend more time playing and paying attention to your cat if physical causes have been ruled out for your cat's behavior.

    • 4

      Take your cat to a pet-grooming service to have its claws clipped. The grooming service will have the professional equipment and expertise to cut your pet's claws. Clipping a cat's claws helps prevent the animal's need to loosen old claw sheaths on your furniture.

    • 5

      Buy a scratching post for your cat if the animal scratches furniture. Mimic scratching the post with your fingernails to show the cat where to scratch. Give the cat treats when it successfully scratches on the post.