Peeing while dozing off next to me

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

It has happened twice in a week now: suddenly finding a wet spot on the couch after a long cuddle session. Breintje loves to sit next to me on the couch at night, and he often dozes off or goes into deep sleep (with the twitches) while he’s laying against my leg. When it was time for bed I found a small pee stain again.

The first time I wasn’t sure whether it was pee, as we have a black couch and my sense of smell is nearly gone because of hay fever. But after today I’m positive that it’s pee, because I saw some white mineral discharge and it smelt strongly.

Has anyone else had this problem too? I’ve found no signs of pee elsewhere, and he doesn’t seem to have issues on the box. I’ll check him for urine stained fur tomorrow when Bas is around. You need 2 people to check his belly…
Is he just too comfy and lazy to get up, or does it happen during deep sleep? Any ideas?

[Wick & Fable]

Wick pees in spot when he’s lazy, so that’s definitely a possibility. Ruling our urinary problems is a priority before assuming though. Presumably all health behaviors are the same?

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[Rain]

He could possibly have a UTI. I think that’s on of the symptoms:peeing in unusual places. I’m not sure if bunnies do that in their sleep. I’ve never heard of that. Maybe he’s just very happy and can’t contain himself!!! It’s a good idea to check for the urine stained fur. (Also who is Bas? Just curious!) Is Breintje neutered? That could also be a cause.
I would take him to a vet and also take a sample of the urine with you so that they can check it. And maybe some from the litter box. With litter I think you can just put a small amount of the soaked litter in a baggie and take it there.

[tobyluv]

One of my past bunnies would often pee as she fell asleep. She did not have a UTI or any kind of bladder/kidney problems. Evidently, her whole body relaxed as she fell asleep, including her bladder. I know someone else who had a bunny who did this, and I’ve seen it mentioned here before on Binky Bunny too.

Any change in urinary habits could indicate a problem, so you may want to have your bunny checked out, but it very likely could just be a natural occurrence of a very relaxed bunny.

[Bam]

After my Yohio passed away, Bam took to lying next to me on the sofa every evening. After a couple of months he started peeing as he was lying next to me. I put down puppy pee pads, but then he started to jump on the sofa and pee there during the day as well. So I had to block him from the sofa. I made like an exercise pen around the sofa and sat inside of it when I was watching tv. After some weeks, I could take the grids down, Bam had forgotten about the sofa.

I do not know why this happens. Something to do with oxytocin and vasopressin? A bummer anyway.

Bam didn’t have a UTI. He only went in his boxes and the sofa.

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Thanks for your answers everyone, the only thing that has changed is the time of our cuddle sessions: they’ve become a lot longer. Last week a friend of mine gave me a timer so my electric blanket can warm the bed without me having to check on it all the time. Breintje loves it, because this means more warmth, more cuddles, more lazy….ah…don’t want to get up… (probably: *dribble*)

I talked about it with Bas this morning and he started to laugh: his previous rabbit Waffie also did this out of sheer laziness when she was too snuggly for too long. He said to take more frequent breaks in the cuddle sessions, so Breintje won’t be tempted to let go on the spot. I’m going to clean the couch with vinegar today, hopefully Breintje isn’t going to choose this as his new spot.

Of course we’re going to keep our eyes peeled for symptoms of UTI, but so far we’ve found no other spots or circumstances where he lets go. He has cardboard flooring in his hutch and it’s still pristine, so we can easily check if he doesn’t dribble. Still going to check his fur tonight, and I’ll ask Bas to move some stuff so we can check his other comfy laying spots. Breintje has been neutered btw.

@Rain: Bas is my boyfriend, we’ve been together for nearly 3,5 years now. Cuddler of bunnies, eater of sweets, and sexiest man alive IMHO  He was the one who introduced Breintje to me, and after our second date Breintje already had a hutch at my apartment. I always joke that I’m in a relationship with 2 guys. 

Before we started dating he wanted to check if I got along with his pet bunny. He invited me to his dorm when we were at the bar, to “see his bunny”. Giggle, is that what they call it these days? So I walked home with him, and… he actually introduced me to his bunny  I knew I had a really sweet man on my hands then ^_^

[Bam]

That could be it. Bam and I cuddled for hours. Maybe he just didn’t want to get up and go to the bathroom?

[Bladesmith]

Clover doesn’t pee, but when we cuddle and snuggle (There’s a difference! I don’t care what people say! Don’t judge me! ~ lol.) and she falls completely asleep, along with dreams, twitches, and foot kicks, she poops. Sometimes a lot. It’s totes adorbs. She always wakes up and acts embarrassed.

[Bam]

Bladesmith, that is adorbs ?

[GarfyTheLop]

@ellie that is actually the sweetest story of how you met your boyfriend! He sounds like such a lovely guy!
When it comes to peeing, how much is it? Garf has started to do it too but it’s literally just a tiny drop?!

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

@Garfy: thanks! Hurrah for sweet nerdy guys
As far as I could see it was about 2 tablespoons of pee, it left a stain with the minerals clearly visible in the middle. Rabbit pee is often cloudy with a white mineral deposit because it’s so concentrated. This is how I noticed that it was pee. He often leaves wet spots on the couch, but that’s because he licks the couch when he’s happy.
Sorry to hear that Garfy has picked it up too, hope he wasn’t looking over your shoulder to get some new ideas.

[Author]

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