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My cat pees while sleeping. What's wrong and how can I stop it?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Female | spayed | 6 years and 6 months old

Hi there. My 6 year old female cat has began to urinate while she is sleeping. When she is awake she uses her litter box no problem. From my research so far, I have read that it is because she is releasing her muscles when she is sleeping. This is something I need to fix ASAP as she is urinating on beds,couches, chairs etc and I’m constantly trying to mask the smell! Apart from seeing a vet, what are some options to help her stop urinating while sleeping (they are large wet patches)?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Daniel Fonza, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on July 7th, 2018

Unfortunately, if there is a medical condition / infection, there is nothing you can do over the counter. You will have to have Nookie seen by a veterinarian so that the most appropriate diagnostic and treatment recommendations can be made. I would confine her to a bathroom or a small room for the time being until you can get her seen by a veterinarian. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Claudia Fioravanti
Veterinarian
Published on April 14th, 2019
Hi there is nothing you can do at home on your own, apart from keeping her clean and offer food and plenty of water.I would recommend to have her checked over, she might need some hormonal therapy to help with the incontinence once a possible infection has been ruled out. Hope this helps and that Liberty is well again soon.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Laura Johnson VMD
Veterinarian
Published on March 12th, 2018
Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Lilly!

Urinary incontinence is uncommon in cats. We see if more often in spayed female dogs. I would recommend having Lilly examined by your Vet. Bring a urine sample with you or do not allow her to go for a few hours before the appointment so they can collect urine. They then can check or infection. It might be wise to do blood work to check her kidney and liver levels and blood sugar. A belly X-ray may also help to look for bladder stones or other abnormality of the spine or something pressing on the bladder internally.

After the exam and results are back your Vet can discuss medication options.

I hope this helps and I wish Lilly the best!
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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My cat is peeing in his sleep. What are the possible medical causes?

It is possible that he has a urinary tract infection, urinary bladder stones, or a tumor in his bladder that is causing this, though often we see urgency to urinate, pain with urination, etc. Its also possible that its a neurologic problem resulting in him not knowing that he's urinating in his sleep. Does he have any other symptoms? Ideally, take him to your vet for an exam. Your vet will probably recommend doing a urinalysis and perhaps some bloodwork. If a cause is found, the treatment is targeted for the cause. If no cause is found, your vet may recommend a prescription that helps him to tighten his urethra (Proin). However, this is a very rare problem to see in male cats; so we would not want to assume that something like that would help if there is an underlying cause. Additionally, to use a mediation like Proin inappropriately could cause a problem with preventing him from urinating when he should. I hope thats helpful, sorry I don't have more specific answers for you!! Best of luck.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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My female cat is 2 and keeps peeing on my bed. What should I do?

I am not sure what a doona is but when a cat has inappropriate urination this can be caused by a few different things. She can have a urinary tract infection, it can be bladder stones, it can be stress related or it can be a systemic disease that is causing her to urinate more. I recommend bringing her to the veterinarian and having a urine sample performed to rule in/out a urinary tract infection. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

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My kitten pees in my bed at night. How can I stop this habit?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Jimmy Choo. I am sorry to hear about your situation. How frustrating! A lot of times, I recommend that the cat is seen by his veterinarian to ensure he does not have a medical problem. However, at his age, a urinary tract infection or inflammation is less likely. My guess is that he is very young and is having accidents. You can add another litter box to your bedroom or place him in a small room with a litter box over night. Be sure to provide water. This will help him to use to the box overnight. Once he is not having accidents at night, you can allow him access to your bed again. I hope this information helps!

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My cat peed in her sleep for the first time. Is it normal or serious?

If this was a once-time occurence, I wouldn't worry too much. But cat's shouldn't really urinate when they are sleeping. They can develop urinary incontinence which is most evident when they have been laying and there is a small amount of urine when they get up. Sometimes a UTI or other urinary issues can present similarly to incontinence. If you notice the leaking urine continues, then your cat should get checked out by a vet to see what is going on.

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Why is my litter-trained cat peeing on the couch, even at night?

Hello, and thank you for your question. I'm sorry to hear that Kiki is urinating on your couch! This may be related to a medical problem or a behavioural issue. I would start by using an enzymatic urine cleaner designed to neutralize the odour on the couch, as the pee smell on the couch may keep her coming back to it. I would also think about any possible stressors in the house. Have you changed the litter type recently? Have you moved recently? Loud noises? Frequent visitors, or pets that are bullying her? I would also try out a product called Feliway, which is a feline pheromone designed to help reduce inappropriate urination behaviours and reduce stress in cats. If these have been tried and she is still urinating on the couch, I would take her to a vet to evaluate for medical issues such as a urinary tract infection, urinary crystals or stones, or bladder inflammation. They will likely examine a urine sample and conduct a full physical exam. I hope this helps, and that Kiki is feeling better soon!

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Why is my cat peeing on me while I sleep during my pregnancy?

If you litter box is covered, I would try uncovering it and adding an additional uncovered litter box somewhere else in the house. If your vet has already ruled out an urinary tract infection, I would also consider adding some feliway diffusers around the house. Feliway is a cat pheromone which can help to calm stressed cats and help with inappropriate urination. If this doesn't help, I would talk to your vet about starting an anti-anxiety medicine like amitryptiline. I hope this helps and he stops soon!

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Training & Behavior

My cat pees when other animals are around. How do I stop him?

Have Meow Meow examined by your veterinarian to diagnose medical causes for the inappropriate urination. A urine sample can be collected and submitted for urinalysis and urine culture to rule out UTI or stones. Once medical causes are ruled out, you can focus on behavioral issues. Provide an additional litterbox in a neutral area of the home. Consider different brands, types and depths of litters. You can also use a litterbox attractant to get him back into the box. Thoroughly clean soiled areas with an enzymatic cleaner such as Nature's Miracle. To decrease any anxiety he may experience when other animals come over, you can try a pheromone product such as Feliway spray or plug in diffuser. A small animal repellant can also be used along the border of your property. You can buy a liquid or powder form in most hardware stores or home improvement stores.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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