Why is the cat peeing on the bed?

Stress or illness is the reason for a cat peeing on the bed. Your bed is a place that smells strongly of you. That is why the bed is significant in this instance. You might not smell it but your cat certainly will and she or he will recognise you by your smell including a visual recognition.

A cat deposits urine as a marker to announce that he or she is there. It is intended to tell other cats that she is around. We are mother cats in a human to cat relationship.

In peeing on a bed the cat is mixing smells - the cat's and yours. Cats exchange scent when rubbing against you. This is a form of greeting and a reassurance for the cat. It makes the cat feel more at home.

In depositing urine on a bed it can be either a form of scent exchange to alleviate stress or a case of territorial marking. These activities can overlap I think. The former is more likely.

A cat peeing on the bed probably means that the cat is stressed and the stress might come about because of your absence - separation anxiety. Solution: be around more.

Cats with urinary tract infections can pee involuntarily or feel a constant urge to urinate anywhere including outside the litter box. But these are often small drops of urine. Personally I feel that the cause is psychological and not physical.

The answer lies in the cat caretaker making the environment more friendly and relaxing for the cat.