Something weird and unpleasant just happened in my flat, and I would very much like the advice of cat owners.
I let the cat in as usual, about midnight when I got home, so she could get some food. I didn’t notice her movements for maximum 2 minutes - 1 when I went back down to the car to get something, and another when I was in the bathroom.
Then I have discovered urine on top of a duvet that a friend was sleeping in (days ago) in my living room. It had already soaked through the cover, both layers of duvet - it was folded over - and through the other side. Three things make this bizarre:
(1) The cat has NEVER urinated in my apartment before, and had only just been let in
(2) The stuff had already soaked through - how quickly would it do this?
(3) The cat then seemed really interested in the urine - there was even a droplet on the floor - and she was sniffing (and even trying to lick) it
Would this suggest that it wasn’t actually she that did it? Are cats usually interested in their own urine?
This is weird and upsetting, because the only other explanation is that someone has a duplicate key and just decided to piss on the sofabed in the last hour or so.
Urine marks territory, even toilet territory, and cats will often nose around the area to make sure they’ve marked it well.
Urinating in inappropriate places may be a sign of kidney or bladder illness, though, and you may want to have a vet look at kitty to determine if she’s sick.
As to your second question, the absorption rate would depend entirely on the material. It could happen pretty darn fast.
Cats are usually more interested in other cats’ urine. That’s how we’d catch the culprit if someone did a vengeance pee on our shoes (turns out the vengeance peeing cat was ill and trying to let us know.) They don’t usually get fascinated by their own urine.
It’s possible that it was a vengence pee, but the volume and cat interest seems awfully high.
(Mind you when my cat had a recent bladder infection he would pee vast amounts and was more curious about it than usual.)
Are you sure that no other beasty manage to dash into your flat as well?
I would get her to the vet immediately, too. If something is wrong, you want to help her as soon as you can.
Here’s a cat pop-psychology thought (but still, go to the vet!!):
You said your friend had slept using that duvet for a few days. Maybe your cat didn’t like your friend “intruding” on her territory (your apartment) and she is showing her displeasure that he still remains…in the the smells of the duvet…by peeing on him. It smells strongly of your friend to her sensitive little nose.
That might be why she peed on it, but as for her interest in the pee, that might be because she realized it was her! pee, but it wasn’t in her litterbox! If she’s always been a fastidious litterbox user, she’s never seen her own pee dripping around like that and would have been pretty fascinated. Maybe she knew she was expressing anger, but didn’t really know it would come out in the form of pee.
I would get the duvet cleaned in a hurry, it might be “challenging” her, in her mind. Get it out of the apartment , maybe move it into your car in a plastic bag, until you can get to the cleaner.
Cat is heavily pregnant - could that affect bladder control?
The other bizarre thing about the duvet is that it’s new, and the other night she fell totally in love with it, was rolling all over it, and slept on it for hours in a snug little curl.
It had a sort of “foxy” smell so I think it must be cat urine. And no other cat could have got in, no, so I guess it’s my damn feline.
(I already forgave her she has been soo cute the rest of the evening! Despite biting my elbow for now apparent reason).
Thanks everyone for the advice and info, it has been useful. And I already put both duvet cover and duvet (separately) through the washing machine.
Cats do all sorts of funky things when they’re preggers. And with a bellyful of wee ones, you can expect kitty’s bladder to be getting some extra pressure too. Her own pee is probably quite new and fascinating, what with all the hormones. Keep her inside so she has her kitties indoors, otherwise they might end up born outside and could end up on the loose and feral.
It probably wasn’t a vengenace pee after all, but she maybe eyeballing her favourite duvet for a birthing spot.
God. I really can’t imagine my mother weeing all over the potential site of my crib in readiness for my arrival! Cats are strange.
Sorry for forgetting to mention it, I was typing so late at night and in such a panic! The duvet is still in the washing machine rinsing after soaking in the bath all night.
I’ll see if I can get her a proper cat bed and get her to use that. (She did have a cardboard-and-gaffer-tape contraption with a soft towel in it, but never really liked it and my cleaner threw it out thinking it was rubbish).