Cat Peed On My Comforter (What Now?)
If you have discovered cat pee on your comforter, you are likely to be unhappy about it, looking for reasons why, and some tactics to stop it from happening again…
Why did my cat pee on my comforter?
When your cat pees somewhere outside of its litter box, your first assumption should be that something may be wrong. While you might be angry, your cat didn’t do this out of spite, but something could very well be wrong with their health.
Cats have Struvite crystals that occur naturally in their urine, and these can sometimes form into stones that make urination painful and often uncontrollable. Urinary tract infections also occur from time to time. That said, do check the litterbox first just in case it’s dirty – because that’s the other most common reason for this behavior.
Finally, if your cat is not neutered (and sometimes rarely even if they are), your cat may simply be being territorial, and the comforter didn’t have their scent on it and so your cat decided to correct this – marking the plush comforter as a way of saying ‘this is mine’.
If the last reason might be the case, you’ll want to consider getting your cat neutered to reduce territorial aggression or you might want to strategize a few ways to keep your cat from accessing the comforter again once it’s cleaned.
What is a comforter?

A comforter on top of a bed.
‘Comforter’ is simply a term for what amounts to two blankets being sewn together with some soft insulation in the center to make it plush, warm, and inviting.
The term is also used sometimes for quilts and on rare occasions, thick blankets, but generally the proper usage denotes that there’s insulation added in the middle.
Should I discipline my cat for peeing on my comforter?
No, you should not discipline your cat for peeing on the comforter. Your cat doesn’t know that they’ve done anything wrong and they won’t even understand why you are upset. Punishment thus won’t accomplish anything besides making your cat think that you are unnecessarily cruel at random.
It’s better to simply clean it with an enzymatic cleaner so that the uric acid content of your cat’s pee will break down and the comforter will start smelling normal again – though it will take a few cleanings, sad to say.
How can I clean the cat pee off my comforter?
Avoid detergents and whatever you clean it with, don’t use the dryer either, otherwise, the heat will activate the scent, and afterward everything you dry might smell like cat pee! The reason why detergents won’t work is that they only cover the smell, but don’t do anything to the uric acid in your cat’s urine.
The uric acid is responsible for your cat’s ‘signature scent’ in that urine and while detergent can’t touch this, Enzymatic cleaners CAN. Their enzymes will break down the problematical uric acid and with multiple cleanings, your comforter will start smelling pleasant again like it’s supposed to.
How can I prevent my cat from peeing on my comforter?
Keeping your kitty away from the comforter in the first place is always going to be the best way to go and you have a lot of options to do this in your home already. Let’s take a look at some quick and simple solutions that you can try.
Lock the room door
If you can remember to it, always locking the door is going to resolve the issue most of the time. While some cats can still open doors or sneak in behind you, as long as you are watching for this then you should be okay. For extra security, we recommend spraying a little citrus oil on the door.
While it’s a pleasant scent for humans, cats seem to smell the acidity or something else that they don’t like in the citrus aroma, and it tends to keep them away from areas where you’ve sprayed it.
Hide it in a locked cupboard
A locked cupboard keeps the kitty away and if you have moths, then you get a little bonus protection for your comforter as well. Keep in mind, however, that if the said cupboard is still reachable by your cat, then you might want the added protection of childproofing plastic fasteners on the doors.
These are very common and require the press of a button to release them and open a cabinet door, which keeps children out and also works a treat for curious kitties trying to get to your comforter.
Cover it with plastic
A plastic cover can help, as it should provide a protective layer should your cat get to the comforter and decide to try and spray it. If your cat kneads the area first, however, then their claws may poke holes in the plastic and some urine may well seep through.
Why do cats like comforters?

Cat sleeping under a white blanket.
Cats like comforters largely for the same reason that we do – they are soft and comfortable. Often the material feels nice under your cat’s paws, as well, and if they are territorial then they might decide to ‘mark it’ as theirs.
This occurs less frequently if your cat is neutered or if you invite them onto the comforter with you so that they can put their scent on it simply by being there and rubbing against the comforter.
If you don’t want cat fur getting on it, however, you can always spray a little citrus oil onto the comforter and that should keep them away.
How do you get cat pee out of a comforter without washing it?
Without proper washing with a commercial enzymatic cleaner, it is going to take a lot of time to properly remove the cat urine and the smell from your comforter. That said, if you absolutely can’t clean it, then you should start with a water bottle that has 50%water and 50% white vinegar.
Spray the area thoroughly with the vinegar, wait for it to dry, and then sprinkle it liberally with baking soda. After that, simply repeat the process as needed, but keep in mind that you will be doing this for a long time and enzymatic cleaners are going to be a much faster option.
How can I get rid of the smell of cat pee on the comforter?
To get rid of the cat pee smell in a comforter, you’ll need to obtain some commercial Enzymatic cleaners and then you’ll have to give the comforter multiple cleanings to remove the smell. Cat urine is stubborn stuff, and you’ll want to make sure that you air dry after each wash, or the smell could cling to your dryer.
The enzymes will break down the worst part of cat urine – the uric acid—and while it will take many cleanings, eventually the cleaner will remove all of it and your comforter will smell nice again.