Give Your Cat More Attention
For cats that spray for attention, devoting a little more time for playing and interacting may be all thats needed to solve the problem.
Grooming your cat, playing with toys, and rewarding good behavior with treats are great ways to interact positively with your cat. You can also try Nutro.coms list of simple, 10-minute games to play with your cat.
Spraying Solution #: See Your Veterinarian
If your cats spraying indoors is related to a medical condition, its important to see your veterinarian right away. Kidney disease and urinary tract infections are nothing to play around with, so be sure to book an appointment right away.
If you need a refresher on kidney disease symptoms, please read this post.
Spay Or Neuter Your Cat
Spaying or neutering your cat is one of the best ways to stop spraying. Although not all cats will stop spraying after they are fixed, it can help immensely in many cases.
Older cats that have been spraying for a long time are more likely to keep spraying after being spayed or neutered, but many cats will stop or significantly reduce the behavior.
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How Do I Treat A Spraying Or Marking Problem
As with all behavior problems, the history will help determine treatment options. The location of the urine marking, the frequency, duration and number of locations are important. The number of cats both inside and outside of the home should be determined. Changes in environment, social patterns of humans and animals, and additions to the home should also be examined.
“The location of the urine marking, the frequency, duration, and number of locations are important.”
What Exactly Is Cat Spraying
Inappropriate urination, whatever the cause, can manifest with cats squatting and peeing on a bed, rug, or pile of laundry. Or in the typical spraying scenario, the cat will stand, back up against a wall, door, or piece of furniture, and spray urine on a vertical surface.
To understand this behavior and stop it, cat parents need to think like a cat, Dr. Lund says. Cats are control freaks. They like to feel in charge, she notes.
That is why stress and anxiety, which bring on insecurity, fear, and timidity, can cause your cat to spray, the doctors say. What they are doing is trying to feel more secure, Dr. Lund explains. So the important concept for cat owners to realize is that their cat doesnt think their urine smells bad. makes cats feel more content.
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Spraying Solution #: Switch To Worlds Best Cat Litter
If youve been following me for a while, then you know I absolutely love Worlds Best Cat Litter. Their Attraction Action® Formula is specifically made for kitties who are having trouble or just flat out refusing to use the litter box. This high-performance litter has a natural, plant-based additive that safely draws your cat to the box. So if your cat is spraying indoors, try Attraction Action® to end the problem.
Why Do Cats Urine Mark
Animal species who live in social groups in which the members depend on each other for survival have sophisticated interpersonal communication. Particularly animals who can cause significant harm to each otherlike dogshave developed a social mechanism for preventing conflict through interpersonal ranking. They are prepared to assume either a leadership or deference position, and they can read another animals body language to interpret his intentions and react accordingly. But cats have a somewhat unique social structure in that they do not hunt, eat or sleep in groups like dogs.
Given the opportunity, cats go off on their own when they mature and claim certain areas or territories for themselves. They might share a territory with other cats, but its a time-share approachthey avoid each other whenever possible. They havent developed a social system or a communication system like dogs. Socially, cats who greet often handle things like two neighbors in an argumentalthough one might back down if he thinks he might get injuredneither individual will ever perceive himself as having lower status than the other. Cats have no system for working out face-to-face disputes, so face-to-face disputes can be dangerous for them. To avoid disputes, cats communicate indirectlythey leave messages.
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Urine Marking In Cats
The most common behavior problem reported by pet parents of cats is inappropriate elimination. Its estimated that 10% of all cats will eliminate outside their litter box at some point in their lives. Quite a few of these cats have issues with some characteristic of their litter box , but approximately 30% dont have litter box problems at all. These cats are urine marking, and urine marking isnt a litter box problemits a communication problem. Urine marking is a form of indirect communication used by cats.
At What Age Do Male Cats Start Spraying
Even though spraying is something that both male and female cats can do, male cats are considerably more likely to participate in this behavior. Once you get a new male kitten, its important to prepare for spraying so that you can either prevent it or correct it.
In most cases, male cats start spraying when they are around six months old because this is when most cats reach sexual maturity. Some males can start spraying as early as five months or as late as eight months, though.
Keep reading to learn more about male cat spraying behavior and what you can do about it.
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How To Prevent Spraying
Its extremely important to consult with a veterinarian any time a cat is having going outside the litter box. Inappropriate elimination behavior often means the cat is sick or experiencing pain.
Whether a cat suddenly starts spraying or having other accidents in the house, or has been spraying for a long time, a visit to the vet is in order to rule out a medical issue. The veterinarian will conduct a complete physical exam and might recommended a urinalysis and/or bloodwork to make sure the cat is not suffering from a urinary tract infection or any other medical condition that might be causing the spraying.
If your cat gets a clean bill of health from the vet, you can assume the spraying is behavioral.
Here are some steps you can take to prevent spraying, listed in order of importance:
What Age Do Male Kittens Start Spraying
When a cat is first born, they look and act so innocent while growing up. From learning to meow to learning to walk, all of these are precious memories. Only then do they discover how to use their claws, eat things they shouldnât, and climb places off limits!
However, all of that seems entirely minor when they start spraying.
Most male kittens usually start spraying when they reach sexual maturity which is typically around 6 months. This is why most people get their cats neutered around that age. Nevertheless, as youâll discover later on, there are plenty of other less painful and inexpensive methods to stop your cat from spraying.
In some rare cases, male kittens can actually start to spray before 6 months with some starting in month 4 or 5. Unfortunately, there is just no way to tell how early a kitten will start spraying until they actually do so. This means youâll need to keep on your guard up for any foul smells not coming from their litter tray.
Now you know when your male kitten will start to spray, what about those females?
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What Could Be Stressing My Cat
Not all cats respond to the same pressures by spraying urine as it does depend on the individuals temperament. Broadly speaking, cats can be stressed by other cats, humans or the environment within which they live. Some specific stress triggers, for example, are:
- Conflict with other cats in the household
- Dense population of cats outside the home
- Invasion of your home by a strange cat
- New additions to the family
- Owner absence or change of work schedule
- Inappropriate punishment
See our information on identifying and addressing the signs of stress
Why Is My Female Cat Spraying All Of A Sudden
Spraying Due to Stress. A female cat may begin spraying if she is feeling stressed. Some potential stress triggers for your cat include: Reduce stress and make sure your cat feels as safe as possible. Make sure she has access to a litter box she can use undisturbed, as well as bedding in a safe, quiet place.
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If You Have Multiple Cats Encourage Them To Get Along
The tension between household cats can cause spraying. According to the ASPCA, cats living in the same house should have separate resources and plenty of space from each other.
Also, utilizing your vertical space with cat trees and perches will provide your cat with more opportunities to seek their own space.
If youre introducing a new cat to the household, do so gradually. Petfinder recommends keeping them in separate rooms at first. This lets the cats hear and smell each other before they meet face-to-face.
Coming Of Age: When Do Cats Start Spraying
Both male and female cats will begin spraying when they reach sexual maturity, which usually occurs at around six months of age. At this age, cats are analogous to human teenagers: theyre in an awkward stage and hormones are running high. They may begin acting out in a number of different ways, from destroying things and getting in fights to sneaking out and, yes, spraying everything.
If cats are spayed or neutered before reaching sexual maturity, they will almost certainly never spray anything. Because they never experience the flood of hormones associated with puberty, they never feel the drive to mate, and their territorial urges are often greatly reduced as well. With the two main reasons for spraying eliminated, these cats usually go their entire lives without ever spraying.
Cats that are spayed or neutered after reaching sexual maturity are slightly more likely to spray after being fixed, though they still rarely do so. For males in particular, spraying can be a habitual behavior, and a male cat may continue to spray periodically for some time after being neutered. Usually, though, they figure out pretty quickly that spraying just doesnt bring about the same satisfaction that it used to, and cease the behavior before long.
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When Do Male Kittens Start Spraying
If youâve just got yourself a new kitten then congratulations, youâve just started an incredible journey with your feline friend.
With so much to look forward too, from their first cuddle to their first hairball, having a kitten is full of interesting surprises.
Unfortunately, there will also be many challenges along the way. From litter tray training to, scratching furniture, youâll need to teach your kitten how to be a well-behaved kitty cat. One of the biggest problems youâll most likely encounter along your journey will be spraying.
Most common in male cats, spraying is when your kitty leaves noticeable smells around your house which are hard to ignore. Not only do they smell foul, but they can also damage wallpaper and furniture, costing you some serious money.
To get you prepared for this stage in your catâs life, weâre taking a look at what age male kittens start to spray and what you can do to stop them. No matter if youâve never had a cat before, weâve got all the answers to your questions.
So when do male kittens start spraying? Well, hereâs everything you need to know.
What Age Do Cats Start Spraying
Ed Malaker
Spraying is known as that irritating habit your cat displays when they begin urinating outside their box to mark their scent. Its usually accompanied by meowing and other feline noises, but not always. If your cat has suddenly picked up this unfortunate habit, keep reading while we list several reasons that can cause it as well as what age it usually starts occurring. Well also tell you what you can do about it.
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What Age Do Cats Start To Spray
Spraying is one of the less-attractive habits that cats can develop over time. Males are much more likely to spray than females. At what age do cats start to spray?
Cats, especially males, start to spray around six months of age. This timing aligns with their sexual maturity. Your pet may start spraying at this time to mark his or her territory. Spaying or neutering your kitten can of spraying by up to 95%.
Cats spray for a multitude of reasons that range from territorial behavior to medical issues. Read on to discover the details of why and when cats spray and how to solve it.
My Cat Has Stopped Spraying Now After A Few Weeks Do I Still Need To See The Vet
Urine spraying can come and go, depending on the presence or absence of whatever it is that is stressing your cat. Often the problem returns and the longer you wait before tackling the problem, the more complicated it can become. Urine spraying is difficult to resolve as it is a normal behaviour for the species and often the identified stress triggers may be outside your influence . However, prior to a known and anticipated stressful event, it may be beneficial to use a Feliway® diffuser for those cats which have a history of urine marking during times of increased anxiety.
The problem can be reduced or contained to your satisfaction but guidance should be offered regarding the long-term wellbeing of the individual cat.
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Train Your Cat Before They Start Spraying
No matter if you have a male or female kitten, both can pee, so both can spray. As we mentioned earlier, since there are no signs when a cat will start spraying, they can literally start at any second. But when they do start, maybe think twice about running to your vet.
Itâs still possible for cats to spray after theyâve been neutered. Do you really want to spend money if its not guaranteed to fix the problem? You canât exactly ask for a refund if it doesnât work.
If you want to truly stop your cat from spraying, then you need to teach them how to behave. In our detailed T.T.S system, we show you step by step how to stop your cat from spraying in 7 days or less. Why spend hundreds of dollars on an unnecessary operation thatâs only going to cause your kitten pain?
Stop your cat from spraying the easy way with our simple to follow eBook. Click below to learn more about whatâs included.
What To Do When Your Cat Sprays
The right response to spraying can help discourage your cat from doing it again. When your cat sprays:
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Spraying Solution #: Curb The Stress
If youve recently moved, it may take some time for your cat to feel comfortable in his new home. Start by providing small boundaries for him, perhaps giving him one room.
If a new person has been introduced into the family, make sure to give them and your cat plenty of time to bond.
In addition, pheromone therapy can produce wonderfully calm behavior in cats. I use this diffuser from Feliway in my house. It emits pheromones that mimic those of a nursing cat mother, calming your cat naturally.
For more about pheromone therapy, see this post from Dr. Liz Bales, the Cat-vocate.
Other natural and effective therapies that can be used during transitional periods include Zylkene. This capsule is lactose-free and contains a naturally soothing milk protein. Its safe for both short and long-term use, so its perfect if your cat just needs to get over the hump or if the situation is long-lasting.
Urine Marking In A Household With More Than 1 Cat
Cats dont like change. They can give a frosty reception to anyone from a visitor to a new baby, and may be aggravated when a new pet is brought into the home. Thats because they arent equipped to deal with confrontation.
Since cats see each other as equals and dont follow a hierarchy like dogs do, they usually move around the house independently of one another that includes eating, perching, and visiting the litter box. This doesnt mean it will be a conflict-free zone.
Conflict between cats often goes unnoticed by cat owners, because it comes in subtle ways before it escalates. Cat conflict style could be described as passive-aggressive. They may stare at each other silently or block each other from food dishes before escalating to spraying, hissing, and fighting. You might notice your cat losing weight if they dont have access to the food bowl. Since cats spray to mark their territory, keeping the conflict level low is in everyones best interests. Recent studies have shown that cats who spray could also be experiencing long-term stress.
In multi-cat households, its important to first determine that cat spraying or soiling isnt happening because another cat is bullying and denying them access to the litter box. Separating cats may be necessary to find out who the offender is.
You can help your cats avoid conflict by setting up their environment to make sure all pets have easy access to what they need and to avoid other behavioral problems.
Continued
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