If you find any brown spots on the bed after your pet cat leaves, you may feel stressed or grossed. The same thing gave me a headache when this happened to my pet cat Muezza. Turning a blind eye to this issue may result in further sickness for your pet, which I have successfully tackled.
But why is the cat leaving brown spots on the bed? Usually, infection in the anal glands or urethral, diarrhea, flea dirt, territorial marking, and fur shedding are reasons for it. Alongside, bleeding from external wounds, hematomas, nose, and dental issues can also be responsible in this regard.
In this article, we will enlighten you about the causes and solutions of this issue depending on our experience and research. Thus, keep reading till the end.
What Are The Causes Of Cats Leaving Brown Spots On Bed?
My pet cat’s name is Muezza which is a 2-year 8-month-old Mix-Persian cat. I have spotted brown or copper-colored marks on the bed several times where it was lying. To address this issue, I conduct necessary research to diagnose the actual reason behind this.
I have found urinary tract infections in my cat. But with extensive studies, I have found several more reasons, which I am going to share with you as well.
According to my research, if your cat is showing this behavior, there can be the following potential causes:
1. Anal Gland Issues
If you find a brown spot on the bed sheet after your cat leaves, this can be anal gland secretion. When the inflammation of the anal glands occurs, it will block the passage of anal fluid. Then, the fluid will get thickened and may cause bacterial buildup.
When your feline pet faces this issue it will scoot on its rear and will emit a thick brownish fluid. This discharge fluid will cause brown spots on your bed sheet.
2. Poop Stains
Sometimes, when your pet has thick fur, poop can get trapped on their fur. Thus, when they sit on your bed, it may stain the bed sheet.
Also, your feline friend may suffer from diarrhea sometimes. Thus, it may keep leaking poops and staining the bedsheets.
3. Urinary Tract Infections
This is quite a common issue for most cats. Even my Muezza also suffered from this. My pet went through pain while peeping as its urethra was inflamed.
First, I couldn’t understand what happened to it. Then, when we visited a vet, the vet showed us a blood-stained pet diaper saying my cat was suffering from UTI.
Stress, anxiety, cystitis, or bacterial infection can cause this UTI issue in your feline pet. Besides, if the cat drinks less amount of water, its pee gets concentrated and crystal formation will occur. Thus, it will feel irritated while peeing.
As peeing gets painful for your pet, it will pee less in the box. Instead, they will keep peeing outside of the box, even on your bed sheet, which will leave a brown spot.
To understand this Urinary tract infection issue better, check this YouTube video:
4. Dental Issues
Cats can face dental issues named Odontoclastic Resorptive Lesions, which cause erosion of tooth enamel. Eventually, when the tooth crown meets the gumline, it may cause inflammation of the gums. As a result, little blood may come out from the gum, which will mix with their saliva.
The mixture of salivary enzyme and blood will be brownish. Thus, if your pet is facing this issue, most likely, you will find small brown spots on the bed after it leaves.
5. Flea Dirt
Fleas are common external parasites that can feed on the feline’s blood. The flea dirt is generally the waste that it exerts. In this case, you may find small brown granules or specks on your pet’s fur.
Usually, cats groom themselves quite frequently. Thus, it may leave those brown specks on the bed while grooming, resulting in copper-colored spots.
6. External Wound
If your cat gets any external wounds, it may bleed from there. Thus, it will leave a blood stain on the bed, which will look brownish upon drying.
Generally, cats are playful creatures and may get hurt easily here and there. Also, sometimes, they may get involved in territorial fights with other cats. This will also result in external wounds and bleeding.
7. Hematoma Of Ear
Ear mites, ear infections, or allergies can leave hematomas on your cat’s pinna. If your cat has this issue, its ear will be swollen. Thus, if your cat scratches its ear, the hematomas can burst and cause blood spots when it is lying.
8. Idiopathic Epistaxis
Idiopathic epistaxis refers to nosebleeds in cats. Generally, this type of nosebleed occurs due to an upper respiratory tract infection or trauma.
Your pet can start nose bleeding suddenly due to this epistaxis. The blood from this nosebleed may drip onto the bed, which will leave brown spots.
9. Territorial Marking
Cats can spray urine to mark their territory, which may be responsible for the spots on the bed. Generally, the color can be faint yellowish to brown. The concentration of the urine will influence the color intensity on the bed sheet.
Besides, when they rub against the bedsheet, they secret their scent from skin glands. This secretion may also leave brown spots.
10. Fur Shedding
You can notice brown spots on the sheet if your cat sheds its fur excessively. The brownish color may result from dirt, skin oils, or other substances adhering to the shed hairs.
Generally, your cat will shed excessively if it is allergic to any detergent or certain fabric. When allergies cause irritation, your cat may scratch itself excessively. This will result in more hair loss or bleeding.
- Pregnancy Complications
If your feline pet is pregnant, pregnancy complications can result in blood stains on the bed sheet. Generally, during the initial period of pregnancy, a cat’s vaginal bleeding refers to miscarriage.
But, if it happens around the end of the gestational period, your pet is most likely facing labor pain.
How To Address Cats Leaving Brown Spots On Bed Issues?
As you already know the causes behind this behavior of your feline friend, it will be easier for you to deal with it. Here are some solutions that you should follow.
I also did the same when my Muezza got the UTI issue.
- Examining Cat: If you find spots on your bed sheet, the first thing you need to do is examine your cat properly. Look for external wounds, flea dirt on fur, and excessive scratching issues.
- Visiting Vet: Leaving a spot might have many underlying health issues that you can’t detect with bare eyes. In this case, you need to pay a visit to a vet for proper checkup treatment of your pet.
Also, never give any medication to your pet without consulting a qualified vet.
- Diet Change: If your cat is suffering from diarrhea, you should give your cat a high-fiber diet. You can also give them supplements to help them with their anal gland discharge.
Also, ensure that your cat is taking enough water to prevent the concentration of urine. Besides, avoid giving them dry food. Instead, food with 60-80% water content is ideal for them.
- Teeth Brushing: To avoid dental issues, you can brush your pet’s teeth. For this, you need to hold your cat’s head 45° upward. Then, use veterinary toothpaste and a soft toothbrush and brush its teeth for the 30s.
- Litter Box Management: To prevent urinary tract infection, you need to keep the litter box clean. Also, make sure the box is easily accessible for your pet.
- Brushing Fur: You can brush your feline’s fur frequently to reduce excessive fur shedding here and there. Also, many deshedding tools for cats are available in the market.
- Hypoallergenic Bedding: To prevent allergies, you can replace the bedsheet with a hypoallergenic one. Also, you can try changing the detergent that triggers your pet’s allergy.
- Anti-itch Spray: If you find your pet scratching itself excessively, you can apply an anti-itch spray on it. This spray will help to reduce skin irritation due to allergies.
FAQs
In this FAQs section, we will answer several familiar questions about cats leaving brownish spots on bedsheets.
Should I Punish My Cat For Leaving Brown Spots On The Bed?
No. You shouldn’t punish your cat as it can create stress in your pet. This may worsen the situation further. Thus, instead of yelling, you need to search for the underlying reasons for this occurrence. Then, address these issues while focusing on positive reinforcement.
Can The Brown Spot On My Cat’s Period Blood?
No. Unlike female humans, female cats don’t bleed during their oestrus. Thus, whether the cat is male or female, if you notice blood near the urinary tract, it’s never normal. In this case, the cat most likely has an infection in its urinary tract.
Will The Brown Spot On The Bed Always Be Smelly?
No. Whether the spot will be smelly or not will depend on the reason for that spot. The strong unpleasant smell will come from the spot if it occurs due to the cat’s anal gland issues. Yet, if a pet’s external injury causes the spot, you won’t get any smell.
Conclusion
Generally, excessive fur shedding, scratching, external wounds, and flea dirt are responsible for the spot-leaving behavior of your cat. Alongside, those spots can be an indication of severe issues like dental problems, urethane or anal gland infections, hematomas, and nose bleeding.
You can change a cat’s diet, clean litter boxes, brush teeth or fur and use hypoallergenic bed sheets to address this issue. But you can’t take proper steps if you can’t identify the specific causes behind the issue. In this case, you should consult a vet to diagnose its underlying health issues.
Leave a Reply