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When Do Male Cats Start Spraying

What Does Male Cat Spray Smell Like

Cat Care & Behavior : When Do Male Cats Start Spraying?

A male cats spray smells stronger than his usual piss. According to many cat owners, a tomcats spray has a strong, musky scent that can be smelled even if you are far from the location that your cat has marked.;

Worse, you cannot eliminate the scent by just washing the area. To eliminate the scent left by your tomcat, you will need to clean the surface thoroughly.;

Although the typical spray will contain urine, it is not unusual for tomcats to also release some blood into the urine. This can give the liquid its strong aroma.

Compared to female cats, male cats will spray more frequently to announce their readiness to mate and to mark their territories.

Is The Cat Neutered

Spraying urine is significantly more common in un-neutered cats, both male and female.; If your cat has started spraying and is entire, you should speak to your vet about neutering.; Spraying often starts around six months of age as cats reach sexual maturity.; Spaying females and castrating males will reduce or stop spraying behaviour in up to 95% of cats!

As a Healthy Pet Club member, your cat can benefit from 20% off neutering!

Litter Inadequacies May Also Be A Reason For Your Cat To Spray

The issue of proper litter box maintenance should always be addressed when dealing with a spraying cat. Although spraying is not an elimination problem, if there are too few litter boxes in a multi-cat household, a conflict may arise over litter box use, which could contribute to spraying.

So, make sure you have one cat litter box;furniture for each cat, plus one extra. This means that if you have two cats, youll need a minimum of three litter boxes. The size and area matter too: The litter box should be bigger than the cat and be placed in a quiet, low-traffic area. Most importantly, keep it clean scoop the litter twice a day and clean the toilets with warm water and unscented soap once a week to reduce the presence of any offending other cat smells.

Problem: Your well-behaved cat doesnt connect with the litter box anymore and has started to leave unpleasant surprises around the house.

How to fix it: Try to change the litter box. For example, if you have changed the mix to a scented one or have placed a liner that makes your pet uncomfortable, she or he may decide to pee outside of the box. So, go back to normal. If you have multiple cats, place litter boxes in low-traffic areas with at least two exit routes the point is to avoid conflict between the cats. Dont forget to keep the box clean and completely replace the litter once a week.

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Prevent Your Cat From Seeing Other Felines

Some cats resort to spraying when they see intruders into their territories.

For this issue, the first thing that you need to do is to cover your windows with a curtain or blinds. This will limit the chances of your tomcat seeing other cats from your windows.

If the other cat belongs to one of your neighbors, consider talking to them about keeping their pet indoors. On the other hand, if you do not know the owner or if the cat is feral, consider investing in a cat-proof fence.

Urine Marking In Cats

Urine Trouble: When Do Male Cats Start Spraying?

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.

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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.

Signs Your Cat Might Be Spraying

It can be tricky to figure if your cat is spraying/marking, as opposed to avoiding the litter box and showing “inappropriate elimination.” So, here are some clues to look for that may help you distinguish between the two:

  • Inappropriate elimination urine generally happens only on horizontal surfaces . Whereas urine thats sprayed typically shows up on vertical surfaces .
  • If youre able to catch your cat spraying/marking in real-time, youll most likely see them standing with their back to their vertical target and holding their tail held straight up. You might even see their tail quivering, too.
  • A cat thats spraying/marking will probably still be also using their litter boxes regularly both for pee and poop.
  • Cats that are spraying typically only do so with pee they rarely ever mark with poop.
  • For cats that are spraying, the location they are doing it in is typically more important to them than the feel of the surface theyre doing it on. Meaning that theyre most likely to spray in areas they want to claim as their own or where other cats will see and read their message. On the other hand, inappropriately toileting cats will often do their business on a surface they prefer to whatever is in their litter boxes hence why this type of behavior often happens on carpet, laundry, or other cushy surfaces.

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How Do You Know If Your Boy Cat Is Spraying

It is critical to differentiate between spraying and inappropriate urination. Inappropriate elimination, including urination, is often a sign that something is wrong with your cat. Sometimes, it can be difficult to distinguish between the two. However, there are a few clues that you can look for.

For starters, spraying is usually done on horizontal vertical surfaces like walls and furniture. Although your tomcat may spray on horizontal surfaces like the floor, more often than not, he will spray on a vertical surface.

If you happen to see your pet spraying, you will notice that his back is against the surface that he is trying to mark. And if you look at his tail, he will be holding it high. Sometimes, male cats will also quiver while spraying.

Where a cat sprays also matters. Usually, a tomcat will pick a spot where other cats can smell his urine and read his message. When a cat is peeing inappropriately, he will choose a surface that has a similar texture to litter, like a carpet or recently washed towel.

If your cat has begun spraying, he will still use his litter box to handle his business. Although most cats spray with urine, there are a handful of cats that can use their poop for this purpose.

Is The Cat Urinating Or Spraying

When Do Male Cats Start Spraying?

Firstly, its important to differentiate between true urine spraying, and inappropriate urination.; During true spraying behaviour cats stand with their tail erect, with the rear end elevated.; They may twitch the tail, pad with the hind feet, or pull a strange face before spraying a small jet of urine.; This is usually only a couple of millilitres of liquid.; Inappropriate urination is usually a normal sized urination in places other than the litter tray.

There are some problems that can cause both urine spraying and inappropriate urination, however leaving large volumes of urine in the wrong place can be a sign of more serious illness such as kidney disease or diabetes.; Its therefore important that this doesnt get passed off as spraying, and a more serious condition goes unintentionally ignored.

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Treating Urine Marking Caused By Conflict In A Multi

The first step in fixing any elimination problem is to rule out medical problems. Although there is no medical problem that contributes specifically to urine marking, physical problems can create increased anxiety in a cat, which can contribute to marking. Once your veterinarian has determined that your cat doesnt have a medical condition or issue, consider the following guidelines:

How To Handle Cat Spraying

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Keeping the house clean can be a challenge for anyone who owns pets. Theres nothing worse than getting home after a long day at work to a terrible odor or mess on the floor. Spraying is one of the most common behavioral problems in cats, along with scratching. But while your first instinct may be to discipline your cat for this undesirable behavior, keep in mind that she is predisposed to this practice, and it should be redirected.

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Some Final Thoughts On Cat Spraying

Although cat spraying can happen with any cat, it is a behavior that intact cats are more likely to engage in than those who are fixed. Once the reasons for the smelly behavior are identified, you should be able to stop it or at least reduce the occurrences by addressing the causes and modifying the environment.

This piece was originally published in 2015.

Cat Spraying In A New Or Redecorated Home

When Do Male Cats Start Spraying

Redecorating and building work can change the smell of your home. And any noise or new people in your home might make your cat feel unsettled.

Redecorating or replacing furniture effectively removes all your cats subtle scent markings that have been carefully placed by rubbing and scratching. These will now be replaced by the strong smell of new carpets, paint or furniture.

Keep your cat away from the altered room until the smells are not quite so strong and have mingled with the other familiar scents in the house.;

A cat might be less likely to spray if their scent is already there. You can also spread some of your cat’s scent yourself:

  • Take a soft cotton cloth and rub it gently around their face to collect scent;
  • Dab the furniture or walls of the room where the problem is occurring with the cloth and repeat this daily
  • Vets and online suppliers can also supply a product which acts in the same way. It contains copies of natural pheromones the scents produced by the glands on your cats face.
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    Keep Outside Cats Away From Your Cats Territory

    Because spraying is primarily a territorial behavior, your neutered cat could still be spraying because he feels threatened by the presence of outside cats.

    Keep all food and water bowls indoors in case they may attract unwanted visitors to your cats territory. Close the curtains to prevent your cat from seeing any neighborhood pets that might be walking by or visiting your yard.

    Cat Spraying: Why They Do It And Ways To Tackle It

    This page may contain affiliate links. We earn a commission for qualifying purchases at no cost to you. Our mission is to help save dogs’ and cats lives through our educational content. To help us create more veterinarian- and trainer-approved content, please consider buying one of our web-books for yourself or as a gift.

    You notice a wet spot on the side of the sofa, or the drapes, or maybe running down the front door. Hmmm, is that . . . ? Yep, it looks and smells like cat pee. Uh oh. Whats going on? Is your cat trying to tell you something?

    Actually, when your cat sprays, they are trying to send you a message! Its usually either, I was here/”this is my home, or Im stressed out.

    You see, spraying is all about communication for cats. Its different from fully peeing or pooping outside the litter box which, though could also be due to stress or problems between the pets in your home, is most often related to a problem with your cats litter boxes . And, just to keep things interesting, both spraying and inappropriate elimination can also be brought on by, or worsened by, an underlying medical problem or infection , kidney failure, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or a host of other problems). This article is going to focus on helping you with a cat thats spraying or marking. Read on to see if that might be your cat, and what you can do about it.

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    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:

  • Clean soiled areas using mild-fragrance soap. Strong-smelling cleaners could cause your cat to mark again.
  • Make soiled areas inaccessible. This will block your cat from marking the same area again.;
  • Keep items that smell foreign to your cat out of reach to discourage spraying.;
  • How To Stop Your Cat Toileting Indoors

    Symptoms of a Male Cat Spraying

    Once your cat has toileted or sprayed in a certain place, their sensitive nose encourages them to use that place again. The best way to break the habit is to keep them away from the area for as long as possible and clean the area thoroughly so they cant smell any scent.

  • Wash the area with a solution of biological or enzymatic washing liquid or powder
  • Use a plant-mister to spray the area with surgical spirit
  • Scrub this off and leave it to dry. Try a small area first on delicate fabrics.
  • Place some dried cat food in the area to help prevent your cat from using the area as a toilet
  • Once you have cleaned up, you can try other techniques to make sure your cat is as comfortable as possible weeing and pooing where youd like them to.

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    Change In The Litter Type

    A cat is sensitive to changes. If you change the litter type, the cat might not like the new brand and starts urinating everywhere but in the litter box.

    Make sure to change the litter back to the one your cat is used to, so he will be likely to stop spraying. Don’t change the location of the litter box, as your cat may be confused and start spraying.

    How To Discourage Your Cat From Spraying Indoors

    Has your cat started spraying indoors? Your first step should be to visit your vet to make sure there are no medical causes for your cat’s behaviour.

    The next step is to work out what makes your cat feel threatened and then take action to eliminate the threat. This process can be complicated because there may be many factors involved. It is best to ask your vet to refer you to a qualified animal behaviourist.

    Spraying is often connected to a change in the cat’s environment, such as a new cat.

    The location of your cat’s spraying may provide clues about their perceived threat. If your cat sprays on internal doorways and in hallways it may be because this is where they come into contact with other cats. To overcome this, you can help reduce conflict and create a sense of security by providing extra litter trays, bowls and places for your cats to sleep, play and scratch – reducing the need for competition.

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    What Not To Do

    • Negative reinforcement, like shouting at your cat, wont help the situation and will probably make things worse because your cat will end up feeling more stressed.

    • Deterrent sprays can also make your cat nervous and increase their stress. And even if the spray deters them from marking that particular spot, they will probably just go off and find a new place to mark.

    Although having a cat thats spraying in the house can be pretty frustrating, try not to take it personally! Your cat isnt mad at you theyre just letting you know that theyre either feeling threatened or insecure. If you and your vet have ruled out an underlying medical problem and youve tried some of the DIY solutions above and youre still not having much luck solving the problem, heading back to your vet or to a board-certified veterinary behaviorist truly is your best bet. And doing so sooner, rather than later, is a good idea. Not only can they help guide you with some other, more specific suggestions for your cat and home, they can also prescribe medications that have been shown to help spraying cats.

    Is It Only Male Cats That Spray Urine

    When Do Male Cats Start Spraying?

    Males and females are capable of urine spraying although the frequency is higher in males. The incidence is much higher in intact animals , suggesting it may be facilitated by sexual hormones, providing information about the sprayers presence and reproductive status. Approximately 90% of intact males and 95% of intact females show a significant decrease in spraying after castration/spaying.

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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

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