When your female cat goes into heat, she’ll exhibit some unusual behaviors. One of the most difficult ones to deal with is when she pees all over the house. You might be thinking, why does my cat pee when in heat? It’s a concern most cat owners have, especially if it’s the cat’s first heat cycle.
Although this is irritating, there are reasons why cats pee when in heat. When your female cat sprays urine, she sends a signal to male cats that she’s ready to mate. She sprays small doses of pungent-smelling urine on upright surfaces, such as walls and doors. It’s also not unusual to find her peeing on your furniture and floors.
Unfortunately, the heat cycle can last from three to six weeks, so it’s a good idea to understand your cat’s behaviors during this time.
Why Does My Cat Pee on Things When in Heat?
When your female cat pees on things when she’s in heat, you don’t have to worry about her health. It’s a perfectly normal thing for a cat in heat to do. She can’t help her behavior because it’s driven by her instinct to attract males for mating.
Here are a few explanations of the reasons your cat pees on things during her heat season. Once you know the reasons, you can help her deal with the anxiety she’s feeling and be more patient with her.
Send Welcoming Signals to Tomcats
When your cat is in heat, she has a strong urge to mate. It makes her uncomfortable and anxious. She has to send signals to the male cats in the area that she’s ready to mate with them. One of the ways she does this is through scent.be
The urine she sprays has a strong odor that attracts male cats. You might even find male cats meowing at your doorstep because he got a whiff of her pheromones from the urine. Any male cats you see near your house will act more aggressively than usual. If other male cats show up, there’s sure to be a catfight as they compete for your female cat.
Marking Her Space
Most likely, you know that male cats and dogs mark their territory by peeing. Female cats do the same thing. It just happens more often when they’re in heat.
If you have more than one cat in your house, the one that’s in heat will mark her territory to claim her space. She’s trying to prepare for mating and doesn’t want other cats near her.
Also, during the heat cycle or estrus, your cat isn’t happy. She’s stressed, anxious, and uncomfortable. Spraying her surroundings helps ease her anxiety because it makes her feel more at home. She wants to spread her scent by rubbing her body’s scent glands on you and on your furniture, as well as peeing. These behaviors spread her pheromones in her whole living area.
Competing for Male Cat’s Attention
If you live in a multi-cat household, your cat might spray because she’s competing for the male’s attention. A lot of cats in heat urinate over each other’s markings to win over the males.
Why Does My Cat Pee on My Bed When She Is in Heat?
Usually, cats in heat pee while standing. Your cat might pee on the side of your bed, but it’s uncommon for her to pee on top of your bed.
If you find her peeing on your bed, look for other reasons she could be doing this. She could have a health issue that’s causing her to urinate more often. If your female cat pees on your bed, try not to get angry with her.
Most likely, she’s trying to let you know that something’s wrong. She might not be in heat at all. Ask your vet if your cat could have a medical condition causing this behavior.
Why Else Might a Cat Start Peeing on Things?
First, make sure your cat is in season. Check out the symptoms of a female cat in heat. If your cat doesn’t display these behaviors, she could be peeing from some other condition.
Symptoms of a Female Cat in Heat
- Overly affectionate
- Excessive meowing
- Peeing in the house
- Trying to escape out the door
- Lifting up her rear end
- Rubbing her butt against surfaces
Other Causes of a Cat Spraying Urine
If you’re sure your female cat is experiencing her heat cycle, then spraying is a normal symptom. However, inappropriate peeing could be a sign of the following health problems:
- Urinary Tract Infection – A few of the symptoms are similar to a cat in heat. These include an increase in peeing, crying while urinating, licking her genitals, and peeing outside her litter box.
- Diabetes – When your cat’s body can’t make enough insulin, it raises the sugar in her blood. Feline diabetes makes your cat very thirsty, so she drinks more. The excessive water causes her to pee more often.
- Age-Related – How old is your cat? As your cat gets older, her organs don’t function as well. She might even have age-related cognitive problems like dementia and organ failure. These issues crop up in cats 10-years-old and over. She might have arthritis, so it’s painful to get to the litter box on time. She might even forget where her litter box is located.
How to Get My Cat to Stop Peeing on Things While in Heat?
Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to stop your cat from peeing while she’s in heat. You can try a few methods to help stop your cat from spraying urine.
Wash Pee Spray as Soon as Possible
Be sure to clean the pee-stained area with an enzymatic cleaner as soon as possible. The enzymes in these cleaners neutralize the urine odor. This way, your cat won’t be attracted to pee in the same spot again.
Always Have a Clean Litter Box Available
Most indoor cats use litter boxes all the time. If you keep her litter box clean and fresh, your cat is more apt to use the litter box when she has an urge to spray. Also, try relocating the litter box, using a different type of litter, or getting a bigger one. Some cats don’t like the texture or scent of some litter.
Try a Feline Pheromone Diffuser
Pheromone diffusers made for cats plug into your wall outlet. Confine your cat to a room in your house and plug in the diffuser. It releases pheromones that comfort and alleviate stress in your cat.
You can also get feline-specific pheromone spray that you can mist onto her bedding and carrier. Another idea is to spray the pheromones onto a collar or bandana and place it on your cat.
Move Food and Toys into Soiled Area
Cats don’t like to eat or play near soiled areas. If your cat marks specific areas, clean the soiled location and put her food bowl there. Also, play with her in that area and leave her toys there. She won’t want to pee in her eating and play space.
Talk to Your Vet about Medication
If your female cat keeps spraying during heat, talk to your veterinarian about anti-anxiety medication. They help calm your cat which reduces or stops her from peeing in your house.
Consult an Animal Behaviorist
An animal behaviorist could give you some beneficial ideas for reducing your cat’s peeing during the heat cycle. Your vet can recommend an animal behaviorist, or you can check the Animal Behavior Society for one in your area.
Think About Spaying
Unless you’re planning to breed your cat, consider having her spayed. There’s no need for your female cat or you to suffer through her hormonal heat cycle. After spaying your cat, she won’t experience heat cycles anymore or the behaviors they cause. You can contact cat rescue facilities for discount coupons for spaying.