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Cat Peed On Big Joe – End Of My Beanbag Chair?

 If your cat has peed on your Big Joe beanbag chair the chances are you are annoyed and wondering what to do about it…

Why did my cat pee on my ‘Big Joe’?

For reasons not fully understood, beanbags are a popular spot for kitties to pee. It might be the vinyl smell, reminiscent of the litter box, or the bean-like stuffing inside them that feels pleasant as your cat kneads the surface of your Big Joe – whatever the case, kitties are attracted to them, and peeing is not uncommon.

So, now you know. But, could this be some confusion, mistaking it for covered-over litter? How can I prevent this from happening? Should I just move the beanbag and be done with it? Keep reading for these answers, and much more…

What is a ‘Big Joe’?

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A ‘Big Joe’ is a revisit to the golden age of beanbag chairs. This popular line offers ‘standard’ beanbag styles in various colors, as well as ‘chair’ type styles with backs to them and more.

They come in sets or single offerings, for both adults and children, and while they are quite comfortable, bean bags have always been a potential target for a urine-marking by kitties.

 If you get one, it is recommended that you put it in a room of its own so that you can close the door and your kitty cannot be tempted by the soft surface and bumpy internal texture.

Could cats confuse your Big Joe with covered litter?

Your cat might be attracted to the ‘covered litter’ feel, or possibly simply desirous of ‘marking’ your Big Joe, to discourage repeat behavior, it is best to clean it thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner so that the scent doesn’t tempt them to mark it again.

After this, try to leave the door closed to the room that it’s in or to cover it with a plastic cover if this is not possible. This should help minimize the chances of a repeat performance.

How can I prevent my cat from peeing on my Big Joe bean bag?

While the best defense is simply putting your Big Joe in a room that you can shut the door on, you certainly have some other options. Some citrus sprays smell great to humans, but kitties seem to really dislike them. You could spray them in the area or even on your Big Joe and this will keep some kitties away.

Covering up your Big Joe with plastic, when it’s not in use, is another good tactic and you can put some double-sided tape on this cover to keep your cat from peeing there anyway. Cats hate the feel of tape on their sensitive paws, so this is a great way to deter them from peeing on your Big Joe.

Should I discipline my cat for peeing on my bean bag?

No, you should not discipline your cat for peeing on the bean bag. Even if you put their nose in it, your cat won’t understand what you are upset about.

To them, they’re just marking something they like with their scent and establishing territory, so punishing them will just make your cat think that you are mean and erode some of the trust that you’ve been carefully building up with them.

Clean the bag with an enzymatic cleaner and get a cover for it or move it to a room that you can safely close the door on.

How can I clean up my bean bag after my cat peed on it?

Your best bet is going to be removing the beans from your bean bag and then washing the cover in your washing machine, with detergent and with 2 cups of white vinegar. After this, you’ll want to put it in your dryer but you must use a no-heat cycle.

This is just to get the cover to shed as much water as possible before you go to air-dry it later. After it, air dries, clean it by hand with an enzymatic cleaner to ensure that all of the traces of cat urine scent are gone.

They should be, but this is a little added security, as your cat may pee there again if they catch the weakened scent of their own urine already on it.

Why should you ‘NOT’ move your bean bag if it’s been peed on?  

The reason why you don’t want to move your beanbag when it’s been peed on is those little beans that fill it up inside. Currently, in its unmoved state, the ‘problem beans’ are on top and in a certain section.

If you immediately move the bag, however, they are going to mix in with the rest and you’ll have to replace all of them. Your first step for cleaning is going to be liberally soaking the affected area with a color-safe enzymatic cleaner.

This should neutralize most of the scent and if the urine soaked through, the cleaner should as well. This will help you to save as many of the ‘beans’ as possible so that you don’t have to replace all of them to restore your bean bag.

What litter box issues can cause your cat to pee on your bean bag?

Cats are very particular about their litter boxes, so if your litter box is changed on an infrequent or even ‘as-needed’ schedule then there will be occasions when your cat might feel that it’s too dirty to use.

This can result in peeing on a bean bag, behind the computer desk, or in other areas that your cat deems a better place to ‘do their business’ than the dirty box. There are two easy ways to help avoid this. The first is to get a spare box, already filled with clean litter, that you store under the sink.

That way you can change the box on a regular schedule very quickly, by simply swapping out the boxes. You can also try the strategy of having more litter boxes available, especially if you have more than one cat.

In this way, there are good odds that one of the boxes will be clean enough to use and your cat will leave the bean bag alone!

How can you train a kitten to stop it peeing on your ‘Big Joe’?

While you can’t really train your cat to stop peeing on the Big Joe, you can implement a few strategies to lessen the possibility. Aside from locking your Big Joe in a room where your cat can’t get it, one of the easiest ways to get them not to pee there is to simply put a covered litterbox nearby.

As long as it’s kept clean, this provides a more attractive option for your cat to ’do their business’. Aside from this, you could make room or just the Big Joe unattractive to your kitty with citrus or other cat-repellent scents.

Finally, a cover for your big Joe will keep the urine off of it, and if you put a little double-sided tape on top or simply as a barrier around the furniture, your cat won’t want that sticky feeling on their paws and they will start viewing the Big Joe as ‘off limits’.

How can I remove the stain from your ‘Big Joe’ bean bag?

Enzymatic cleaners are good, and you can try soaking the surface for 15-20 minutes with these to see if it makes a dent on the stain. You can also remove the beans from your Big Joe and place the cover in the washing machine, with 1 cup of detergent and 2 cups of white vinegar.

It may take two washes, but this should help the stain to break up and get the scent out of the cover quite thoroughly. Once the washing is done and the urine smell is gone, put that cover into your dryer on a no-heat tumble cycle to get out as much water as you can.

After that, air dry it – preferably outside – and check the beans to see if any have a bad scent and discard the ones that do.

While you might not have to replace all of them, it’s a possibility to prepare for, but save as many as you can as quite likely most of them will still be good for putting back in the beanbag.

Why is it a good idea to get your vet checked after it pees on your bean bag?

While sometimes your cat just likes the feel of the bag or simply wants to mark it, sometimes urination on furniture can be the result of health issues, such as urinary tract infections. If this peeing behavior is new, then it’s a very good idea to bring your kitty in to the vet for a thorough checkup.

When cats have a urinary condition, they often can’t control themselves, and peeing outside of their litter box is the first sign. So, take them to the vet. They can quickly rule this out so that you know your kitty is not sick or in pain.