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Cat Peed During Bath (Why? And how can I stop This?)

If your cat has peed in the bath the chances are you are looking for a reason why, how to clean it up, and a solution to stop it from happening (Click here to see the price, on Amazon #Ad) in the future.

Why Did My Cat Pee During the Bath?

Your cat has peed in the bath for one of three issues, anxiety,  medical issues, or lack of litter boxes. Granted, there could be other issues. But, the chances are, these are the root causes of the problem that you are seeing.

What you will need to calm your cat

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03. Nature’s Miracle Calming Spray Click here for the price on Amazon #Ad

So, now you know why it’s happening, you may be wondering how to stop it, how to clean this up, if cats even like cats, and if cat baths are necessary, right? Keep reading for these answers, and so much more.

 

How these issues make your cat pee during the Bath

As discussed earlier, your cat is likely to have one of three issues, anxiety, medical issues, or lack of litter boxes. In this section, I will explain a bit more about how these issues make your cat pee in your bath.

Anxiety

Peeing outside of the litter tray is a common cat stress symptom that you should keep an eye out for. This is your furry friend’s way of telling you that something is wrong.

Peeing is often a form of stress release for cats. Therefore, if they’re peeing in the bath, it could mean they’re in extreme discomfort, anxious about taking a bath or have another underlying issue such as a medical problem.

Medical issues

Your cat may be associating the litter box with a painful or fearful experience. This can usually occur if your cat has a sore urinary tract inflammation, meaning they may then psychologically connect the litter box with the idea of pain and discomfort.

They may feel nervous at the prospect of using the litter box and will seek alternative areas to pee. This could be why your cat is then peeing in the bathtub during their bath.

Not enough litter boxes

Cats enjoy clean spaces and pleasant smells. They will not appreciate an unclean or overburdened litter box. If you haven’t cleaned their litter box in a while (Click here to see my best self-cleaning litter boxes), or don’t have enough litter boxes, this may be what is causing your cat to seek alternatives such as the bathtub.

How Can I Stop My Cat Peeing in the Bath?

So, now you know why it’s happening, and a full understanding of how these issues cause your cat to pee in your bath. Here are some solutions to stop this from happening again…

Provide more litter boxes

The problem could be that there simply aren’t enough litter boxes for your cat to feel comfortable. If this is the case, provide a few more litter boxes (Click here to see the reviews, on Amazon #Ad). Also, make sure that you are cleaning them out regularly because cats are sensitive to unclean environments.

Relieve your cat’s bathing anxiety

If your cat happens to be particularly anxious about taking a bath, try some soothing techniques to relieve their anxiety. A common method is to take a warm, damp towel, and begin to gently brush it against your cat’s fur as though you are petting it.

Slowly add more water to the towel until your cat becomes comfortable. This way your cat may feel the eventual bathing as less sudden and should become more relaxed in its environment.

Feliway calming spray

You can also try the Feliway Calming Spray (Click here to see the price, on Amazon #Ad), which is a popular product for alleviating your cat’s anxiety. This spray mimics the natural pheromone that cats release to mark their territory when they feel at ease, secure, and safe.

The spray is known to drastically reduce scratching and urine-spraying in cats since these are stress symptoms that the spray work to relieve.

How Can I Clean Up the Cat Pee in the Bath?

In a way, you can count yourself lucky that your cat has peed on an impermeable rather than a permeable surface. The bathtub is a relatively easy area to rid of stains and bad odors. That being said, cat pee is notoriously unpleasant and odorous to clean.

01. Drain the bath and scrub stains

The best way to clean it up in the bath is to drain the bath if there’s any water left, and then take a sponge and thoroughly scrub the surface to ensure that no visible stains remain.

02. Remove bad odors

Next, ensure that all bad odors are removed by using strong detergent and hot water to rinse out the tub.

03. Spray and deter your cat

Stay away from ammonia (this will counteract the cat urine which contains the same compound) and stick to citrusy scents (Click here to see the price, on Amazon #Ad) which can not only repel bad odors but also cats, therefore discouraging your cat from using the bathtub as a litter box again.

Do Cats Like Baths?

Generally, cats despise baths and it can be very tricky trying to bathe them properly since they can have severe anxiety about it. Many cat-owners have shared sour experiences of their cats scratching, biting, and even managing to escape from the bath during a bath.

You should always be careful when trying to bath your cat because they can injure you. One piece of common advice is to wear protective gloves and make sure you have a firm and steady grip on your cat.

Are Cat Baths Even Necessary?

It is a myth that cats need regular baths (will your cat forgive you? click here) and it should typically be discouraged unless they are undeniably filthy; for instance, if they get very muddy, have leaves stuck to their fur if they have very long fur that sheds, etc.

However, these are exceptional circumstances and most cats are excellent self-groomers. If your cat happens to have a disability, is obese, and/or ill, it may have trouble grooming itself. This is when you should also consider bathing your cat (Click here to learn how to keep it warm) since it may not be able to self-groom effectively.

Can a UTI Cause Your Cat to Pee in the Bath?

Yes. As mentioned above, if your cat has a UTI, it can associate the painful experience of urinating with using the litter box. This may cause your cat to think that it is the litter box rather than the UTI causing it discomfort. This is why your cat might think that peeing in the bathtub is a better option.

How Can You Tell If Your Cat Has a UTI?

There are various symptoms to look out for that can indicate your cat has a UTI. These may include:

• Problems urinating and only urinating in small amounts at a time.
• Cloudy or bloody urine.
• Excessive licking and grooming of the urinary area.
• Fatigue.
• Evasion of the litter box.
• Vomiting.
• Crying out in discomfort when urinating.
• More frequent attempts at urination.
• Reduced bladder control.

If your cat has any of these symptoms, you should take them to the vet for immediate attention.

How Can I Naturally Treat My Cat’s UTI?

There are several ways you can treat your cat’s UTI using natural methods:

Change your cat’s diet

The acidity in apple cider vinegar can fight harmful bacteria. Add half a teaspoon to your cat’s canned food every day.
Bone broth can help your cat consume more liquid and nutrients that are crucial to fighting an infection.

Keep Your Cat Hydrated

Make sure your cat is consuming plenty of liquids and that their water supply is purified. An easy way to purify water is to get a handheld water filter. As mentioned above, bone broth is another easy way to encourage your cat to consume liquid.

 Do Cats Pee When They Are Mad?

Your cat may act up behaviourally if it feels its surroundings are not pleasant. For instance, if the litter box is filthy, your cat may react in anger or distress and pee elsewhere.

Cats are also known to pee (Could they pee in your basement? Click here) if they are experiencing separation anxiety or are feeling abandoned. For instance, many cat-owners will find that their cats have peed in the bath (what about inflatable tubs? click here), in their shoes, or in other inappropriate places during a prolonged absence of the owner such as them having been at work all day.

Do Cats Pee When Scared?

If your cat is feeling scared or threatened, a common response is to urinate to mark its territory and feel more secure in its surroundings. If this is the case, you can try to pinpoint the reasons your cat may be feeling unsafe in the environment and try to make it more welcoming to them.

For example, create small, secure spaces your cat may want to hide and snuggle in. This way, your cat will feel that space is their home without having to inappropriately urinate out of anxiety and panic.