Kitty Litter Box Preferences
Does your kitty dislike or have trouble with their litter box? Try and understand if this might be the case. For example:
- Is the litter box clean enough? Cats are very clean creatures. So if their litter box is not as clean as they like, they might not use it.
- Is the litter box always in a room that is accessible to your cat? They need easy access at all times – and wont just hold it if they need to go, and cant get in!
- Is the litter box too high up? This might make it difficult for your pet to access, particularly if you have a more senior cat.
- Have you tried a different type of litter? Sometimes, the answer is as simple as your kittys preferences! They may dislike the litter youve chosen – so try using a different type to encourage them to use the litter box.
My Cat Doesnt Look Stressed
The domestic cat is a self-reliant species and it doesnt readily show emotion as this may make it vulnerable to attack. This means that cats are excellent at hiding signs of illness, pain or stress. The signs are there however but are very subtle often stress can only be established by looking for changes in patterns of behaviour. Urine spraying would certainly indicate that all was not right with your cats world.
Medical Reasons For Your Female Cat Spraying All Of A Sudden
Cat spraying, and especially a female kitty should not be taken lightly. This is because she can be suffering from a urinary tract infection. You should observe your cat for symptoms like frequent urination, which will often be in spraying form.
understand that she is trying to tell you about her pain and thus may spray in your presence. If she appears to have more vocalization than usual, and mostly painful moans, this could indicate an illness.
It is important that you get her checked up by the vet to rule out any medical illness. Your vet will examine her and make a conclusive diagnosis. Thereafter, the appropriate treatment or drug therapy will follow.
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What Should I Do If My Cat Sprays
If your cat sprays, dont panic. Clean the area, and dont punish your cat. Your cat is spraying for a reason and its important to figure out why so that you can help them, and prevent it happening again.
Firstly, you need to rule out a medical reason for the spraying. Contact your vet and arrange for a thorough health check. If your vet is unable to find a physical reason why your cat is spraying, then it might be a behavioural issue. It could be something like the introduction of a new cat or dog to the household, or a less obvious trigger like a new cat in the area that might be coming in through the cat flap at night. While you are trying to resolve the problem, treat your cat as you would normally. Cats are very in tune with changes in their owners behaviour and if they feel unsettled this could lead to more spraying.
Ive Cleaned Up The Spot But The Cat Keeps Returning To Spray What Else Can I Do To Reduce The Problem
ALQURUMRESORT.COM” alt=”Why is my cat spraying all of a sudden > ALQURUMRESORT.COM”> Because the purpose of spraying is to mark an area with urine odor, it is not surprising that, as the odor is cleaned up, the cat wants to refresh the area with more urine. Cleaning alone does little to reduce spraying.
“Cats that mark in one or two particular areas may cease if the function of the area is changed.”
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Common Reasons Why Cats Spray
Territory: Spraying is one way cats mark their turf, especially if another cat is lurking around and leaving their own mark in your yard. Even if your cat never goes outside, theres still the possibility that they will see or smell the intruder, and then spray around a door or window in response.
Conflict: In multi-feline households, spraying can also be a way for cats to draw boundaries, establish pecking order, and settle disputes.
Change: Moving to a new place, a home remodeling project, changes in routine, or the arrival or loss of a human or pet sibling can all make a cat feel insecure and stressed. The changes dont have to be big, either. Even moving around the living room furniture can upset a more sensitive kitty. Spraying is just one way for a stressed cat to show their stress.
Mating: Both female and male cats spray although unneutered males are more likely to leave their mark as a way to let the opposite sex know theyre available . Even if your spraying cat is spayed/neutered, if the procedure was done later in life, this could be a learned behavior theyve carried over from their previous fertile days.
Cat Spraying Why Does It Happen And What Can You Do
Cats dont need high-tech devices to communicate. In addition to body language, vocalizing, scratching objects and rubbing, they use urine to broadcast their intentions and emotions. Cat spraying, which is one form of urine marking, is not hugely popular with people, especially when done indoors.
It can be difficult to tell the difference between cat peeing and cat spraying because some cats stand instead of squat while urinating. The smell and the amount of urine indicate whether its urinating or a cat spraying behavior. Spray is highly pungent because it contains pheromones. This unpleasant smell sometimes is the only indicator that cats have sprayed in the house. One positive note is that less urine is deposited when cats spray than when they urinate.
Kitties are sometimes caught in the act backing up to a vertical surface, treading with the front paws, and quickly twitching their tails while spraying. Simultaneously, they may close their eyes.
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Reacting To Neighborhood Cats
Inside cats sometimes spray around doors and windows when they see or smell unfamiliar cats hanging out around their homes. They spray to mark territories and because they cant reach the intruders to chase them away or engage with them. Often, the unwelcome visitors leave their own calling cards, which the resident felines smell.
What To Do If Your Old Cat Is Really Clingy
Cognitive dysfunction is challenging for humans, let alone animals that somewhat depend on us for some of their basic needs. Therefore, if your cat is simply going through the natural aging process and is suddenly unable to remember where to go to the bathroom or when its time to eat dont be hard on it.
Felines are skilled creatures, and they arent likely to stop caring for themselves suddenly if they dont have a valid reason. Therefore, its time to help your cat out a bit.
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What Does It Look Like When A Cat Sprays Urine
The classical presentation for urine spraying involves the cat backing up to a vertical surface, often after sniffing the area intensely and showing a flehmen response. The cat stands with its tail erect and quivering and raises its hindquarters. The cat may or may not tread with its hind paws while squirting a stream of urine . Some urine marking can take place on horizontal surfaces , either in a squatting posture or by standing and spraying. The spray marks can be quite hard to find, you may just be aware of the smell. Sometimes all you can see is a small trickle of brown, sticky substance on a skirting board, radiator or door. Other favoured targets for urine spraying include electrical equipment, full-length curtains, plastic bags and clothing.
Why Is My Cat Peeing Everywhere All Of A Sudden
If your cat has started leaving puddles around the house, its a good idea to speak to your vet in the first instance, to rule out a medical issue.
A common cause of inappropriate urination in younger cats is urinary crystals, which can cause . Urinary crystals may also be associated with a urinary tract infection, with both making your cat need to urinate more frequently. Cats can also develop due to anxiety and stress.
Older cats are more prone to problems such as endocrine disorders, feline dementia or sensory loss, all of which can cause heightened anxiety and therefore increase the urge to urinate or spray. Other diseases, such as kidney disease or diabetes, can cause an older cat to create more urine than normal, which might exacerbate the problem.
Genuine urinary incontinence is rare in cats. It most commonly occurs if the spinal cord has been damaged due to injury or disease. This damage can result in neurological problems that inhibit the bladders ability to contract and empty itself properly. Your vet will be able to diagnose the problem and set up a treatment plan.
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Tips For Detering Spraying
Keep in mind cats actually detect scent better than dogs do, so the removal of carpet and the use of some pretty hefty cleaners may be needed. In the meantime, you may have luck spraying vinegar on and in the area. Most cats really don’t like the smell of vinegar and may try to avoid the area.
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Does Vinegar Stop Cats From Spraying
The strong odor of vinegar will act as a cat repellant. A 1-to-1 solution of vinegar and water should be strong enough to clean the area as well as provide a few days worth of deterrent. This is an effective solution, but youll want to keep a spray bottle of the solution on hand to reapply to the area periodically.
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Clean Up All Urine Accidents Properly To Discourage Peeing Outside The Box
Between your care as a cat parent and the help of your veterinarian, youll have your kitty on the mend and back in the litter box soon. And one more thing: make sure you clean up any urine outside of the litter box completely, so that your cat doesnt return to that area to pee again. This is very important for re-training them to use the litter box and not picking up new habits. Try ARM & HAMMER Pet Stain and Odor Eliminator Plus OxiClean to neutralize the urine smell and remove stains.
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!
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Is The Cat Urinating Or 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.
Treating Urine Marking In Intact Cats
Here are a few things you can do to remedy the urine marking behavior of an intact cat:
- Neuter or spay your cat. Although marking isnt limited to advertisement for a mate, advertisement is one reason that cats mark. Neutering or spaying is a proven treatment for cats who mark as a reproductive advertisement.
- Close windows, blinds and doors. Prevent your indoor cat from seeing other neighborhood cats.
- Attach a motion-detection device to your lawn sprinkler. Set the sprinkler by windows to deter the presence of neighborhood cats.
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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.
How Can I Stop My Cat Spraying
Cat spraying can be tricky to resolve on your own as spraying can be caused by a number of different things.
The most important thing that you can do is ensure your cat has everything they need and keep an eye on the spraying and their general behaviour. This is particularly important if you have other cats in the house as there is a risk that there may be issues between them that you havent noticed. Here are some practical things you can do to help stop your cat spraying:
- Ensure your cats needs are being met. There are certain things that all cats need to be happy and healthy and providing this kind of environment will help to reduce any stress your cat may be experiencing.
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Spay Or Neuter Your Cat
Cats often spray to mark their territory, especially male cats. While spaying or neutering your cat wont remove their ability to spray, it reduces their hormone levels, which may also reduce their urge to spray. According to the professionals at Manhattan Cat Specialists, only 10% of males and 5% of females will continue spraying after theyve been spayed or neutered.
Why Is My Cat Spraying Urine Indoors
Cats may spray indoors when they are:
- threatened by other cats in the neighbourhood – or other cats coming into their home
- stressed by a perceived threat
- stressed by changes at home, such as a new baby or building work
Often cats spray because of a combination of factors.
And sometimes cats start spraying for one reason, but continue for another. For example, a cat that is punished for spraying may feel more anxious and may be more likely to spray.
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How Do I Clean The Place My Cat Is Spraying
If your cat has sprayed on curtains or upholstery, then you can use an enzymatic cleaner specifically sold for removing urine stains and odour. Some items may need to be professionally cleaned. You might then want to move these items out of the way while you deal with the issue of your cat spraying. For example, you could remove curtains or secure them above the level of your cat, cover furniture with plastic or use disposable incontinence sheets which will absorb any future spray before it gets to the item underneath.
Just cleaning the area your cat has sprayed may not resolve the problem, and your cat might simply find new areas to spray. As well as cleaning you can also apply a synthetic pheromone such as Feliway®, which your cat will find reassuring. Clean the area with warm water and then some surgical spirit before applying the pheromone.
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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Why Do Cats Spray
Spraying is different than inappropriate toileting, says Tarina L. Anthony, DVM, a longtime practitioner of feline-exclusive medicine, and owner and medical director of Aurora Cat Hospital and Hotel in Aurora, Colo. “Spraying can happen on vertical or horizontal surfaces, is usually a smaller amount than a ‘normal’ pee, and is used for marking,” she says. Whereas inappropriate toileting is on a horizontal surface, a larger amount of urine, and typically done when the cat perceives something is wrong.
“This could mean they feel poorly, don’t like the litter, the litter box, or the location of the litter box, or that they prefer the area or substrate they are choosing to urinate on,” Anthony says. “I always tell people, ‘urination is communication’.”
If cat spraying started after adverse change, the introduction of another pet, or conflict because a clowder of kitties isn’t cohabitating peacefully, think about consulting a cat behaviorist. They’ll be able to assess the situation more clearly and work with your veterinarian to come up with more targeted solutions as to why your cat is feeling stressed, fearful, or uncomfortableand spraying to get his point across.
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