Alternative Methods To Stop Spraying
If you want to avoid neutering, you can use pheromone diffusers which can help keeping your house safe from cat spraying.
In case your cat is spraying because he is stressed, you will need to help your cat overcome anxiety and stress. Therapy is also an option.
Your cat may also spray due to health issues. Frequent spraying may indicate that your cat is sick and he might have a urinary infection. Proper medication will stop the spraying.
Urinating On Horizontal Surfaces
In addition to spraying, cats may urinate horizontally as a way to mark territory. This could be peeing on furniture, carpets, the floor, grass, or objects on the floor. This is a way for cats to communicate with each other, according to The Humane Society. A cat may want other cats to know that they were there or to tell them to stay away.
Urine Marking In Felines
Cats are generally possessive pets, and sometimes they can be protective of their own. understand that whenever you adopt a cat, she becomes your family and you hers. Naturally, cats will want to own their own and they do this using their urine. It might sound gross but every time your cat is spraying, you need to figure out what she is trying to tell you.
Urine marking is commonly triggered by intrusion of a stranger or another cat into your home. Once your cat has the sight of the outside, there is a chance that your windows and front door will be sprayed. Your cat wants to chase the intruder away by marking her territory.
In some cases, not only will your cat spray drapes and doors but also inside the house. This usually happens when you are running a multi-cat home. Sometimes your cat will feel the need for solitude like we all do. This may lead to her boundaries to keep the other cats off her territory.
Health issues
When we are talking about female cats spraying, we cannot ignore the possibility of your cat suffering from feline urinary infections. Female cats are actually at a higher risk of these illnesses as compared to male kitties.
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Rule Out Underlying Medical Conditions
If your cat is spraying, the first step is taking your cat to the veterinarian to rule out an underlying medical issue.
Your veterinarian will likely recommend testing that includes a complete blood count, chemistry, and urinalysis. The purpose of the testing is to look for possible medical conditions such as urinary tract infections, crystalluria, bladder stones, kidney disease, or other conditions causing inflammation of the urinary system.
If one of these conditions is diagnosed, treating the issue should help reduce the spraying.
Are There Benefits To Getting My Cat Spayed Or Neutered
- Your cats are much less likely to wander off when they are spayed or neutered. Intact cats, especially males, will wander off several times a year searching for a mate and may not come back for days at a time. Females that dont make their nest in your home will make it in a hidden location, and they too will be gone for a week or more while giving birth and caring for the kittens.
- Neutered male cats are less likely to suffer life-threatening injuries failing other male cats for the right to mate with a female. These injuries can cost you thousands of dollars in medical bills, and the filing will damage the cats most vital areas like the eyes and ears, which tend to suffer the most.
- Not getting your pet spayed or neutered increases its risk of getting cancer by 8% to 12%.
- A spayed or neutered cat has a much more even temperament that is more friendly toward humans.
- Having your pet spayed or neutered eliminates the risk, but your pet will contribute to the feral cat population.
- Since sprayed and neutered cats are less likely to wander off, they are less likely to catch and spread disease.
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Fixing Stress Related Issues
Why A Neutered Cat Sprays
Your neutered cat spraying may be caused by changes in your catâs environment. Things, like moving to a new home or adding a new pet to the family, can be very disruptive and stressful to a cat and spraying could be his reaction to this situation.
A neutered cat who sprays may also be marking his territory. This is especially true when there is an unspayed female or another male cat in the home that hasnât been neutered. Your cat may even spray when he detects the presence of another cat outside your home.
Cat spraying could also be a response to litter box issues. Your cat may be unhappy with the type of litter you are using or he may not like the location of his litter box. Or, he could be reacting to litter box odors that you canât even smell. So clean your catâs litter box once or twice a day. Wash out the litter box and replace the litter once a week. Also, make sure that you have enough litter boxes in your home. You need one litter box per cat, plus one. Make sure that the litter box is located in a private, low-traffic area.
Your neutered cat may be spraying because he is stressed. To learn more about the causes of stress in cats and what you can do to help, go to 14 Things That Stress Cats Out!
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Stop Your Cat From Ever Spraying Again
Is your female cat spraying after being spayed? If so then donât panic. The chances are your cat is spraying due to behavioral issues, and with the right guidance, they can be taught to stop.
Itâs actually possible to train your cat to stop spraying by resetting their senses and environment.
Weâve got the ultimate step by step guide on how to stop your cat from spraying in 7 days or less. No matter if theyâre spayed or not, any cat can be taught to stop spraying by following the T.T.S method.
This simple strategy has helped thousands of cat owners stop their cats from spraying, even after theyâve been âfixedâ by vets. With 3 simple to follow strategies and a secret recipe to make the best spray remover for under $2, why pay a cat behavioral specialist?
Everything you need and more is packed into this eBook to regain control over your house and live in peace with your feline friend.
Why Is My Neutered Cat Spraying
Neutered cat spraying is a big problem for cat lovers. You may have neutered your cat with the expectation that it would stop him from spraying only to find that the behavior continues. It may take a month or so for your catâs hormonal activity to calm down after neutering. But cat spraying is not always sexually related. So if the activity does not eventually stop, your cat may be marking due to other issues. Maybe urine marking has become a habit for your cat. Or your cat may be triggered from the scent of spots where he previously marked. Or, it could be that your cat is spraying because he is stressed.
Neutered cat spraying can be a difficult thing to deal with. While you find the behavior frustrating and offensive, your cat thinks itâs perfectly normal. Neutered cat spraying is often caused by stress. Spraying its scent onto a wall or piece of furniture helps to reassure the cat.
Your neutered cat spraying may be caused by a number of factors including:
- Changes in your catâs environment
- Litter box issues
- Your cat has marked the area before and the scent is causing him to remark the area
- Stress
To learn more about the causes of stress in cats and what you can do to help, go to 14 Things That Stress Cats Out!
For more information, go to Why Is My Neutered Cat Spraying?
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What If My Cat Is Stressed Or Anxious
Cats can be stressed by a multitude of triggers, and spraying can become the way they cope with stress.
Some examples of stress-inducing events include:
- A new cat in the home
- Rearranged furniture
- Boredom
Watch this video, which identifies 11 common stress-triggers for cats, to see if youve made any changes to your cats routine that may have induced stress. Then, address the issue by using some of these calming techniques to keep your cat happy and stress-free.
Is It Morally Right To Deny A Cat The Joys Of Motherhood/fatherhood
Mating behaviour in cats is purely a biological hormonal response. They aren’t aware that this will lead to a litter of kittens from a females perspective and tom cats do not get involved with parenting the litter anyway. It is a myth that a cat should be allowed to have one litter.
However, cats do enjoy the freedom of being able to go outside and play being neutered allows them to do this, giving them freedom from the biological need to mate and the risk of contracting infectious diseases. Read more in the neutering section of our website.
Cats don’t need ‘just one litter’ before being spayed photo by Susan Dobbs
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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.
Find The Method That Is Right For You
There are many options available to stop your cat from spraying in the house. Each cat is different, so not every method will yield the same result. Pay attention to your cat and look for signs of discomfort and other stressors. From there, choose a course of action most appropriate for your furry friend. Spraying may be a frustrating habit to deal with, but there is always a solution!
This article is accurate and true to the best of the authorâs knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.
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The Reasons Behind Cat Spraying
Urine is a powerful communication tool cats can tell a great deal about each other from it including age, sex, status and sexual availability. Although adult cats of both genders, whole as well as fixed, might spray under specific circumstances, intact ones are most often guilty of the smelly behavior.
Whole males, as a rule, are prone to cat spraying behaviors. Pheromones, released into the urine, advertise theyre ready, willing and on the alert for girlfriends. Additionally, cat spraying broadcasts clear messages to other male cats to stay away. Intact female cats spray, too the chemicals in their urine indicate where they are in their cycle.
Spray from intact cats is more pungent than from those who are fixed. The unpleasant smell is easier to detect from a distance important for advertising for a special friend.
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.
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I Am Finding Small Amounts Of Urine In Multiple Locations What Does That Mean
Some cats will mark their territory with small amounts of urine in various locations. These locations can be similar to those for spraying , but may occasionally be found on owners clothing or other favored possessions. However, small amounts of urine deposited outside of the litter box is more commonly due to either a disease of the lower urinary tract or litter box avoidance, which could have many causes. Similarly stool found outside of the litter box can be due to a multitude of medical causes including colitis, constipation and any other condition leading to difficult, more frequent or uncomfortable elimination. As with any other elimination problem, a complete physical examination and laboratory tests are necessary to rule out each physical cause.
How Can I Stop My Cat From Spraying
Since there are so many reasons why a cat might start spraying, there are also several ways to stop it. Every cat is unique and will respond differently to different techniques. Some will instantly stop overnight and never do it again. While others will require behavioral training over several days or weeks.
The first thing youâll want to check is your cats litter box. As weird as it might sound, itâs often the most common reason why cats start spraying in the first place. A litter box is a catâs sacred place to do their business and when you start messing with it, they can get stressed. Have you recently moved your catâs litter box to a different location? Or have you recently got a different brand of cat litter?
Cats love a routine and a safe environment. If their litter box is constantly moving around the house and having new litter put in every week, they can feel threatened and stressed. Did you know that scented cat litter is a common reason why your cat started spraying in the first place?
Scented cat litter often gives off a smell to cover up your cats business. Sometimes this can backfire and actually cause your cat to start spraying in order to cover it up. A good tip is to make sure you buy unscented cat litter from the brand. Changing the scent and texture every week is a bad idea if youâre trying to keep your cat in a routine.
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Spraying Reason #: Medical Issues
If your cat has stopped using the litter box or if he urinates right in front of you, its time to see your veterinarian. A urinary tract infection may be responsible for your cats recent spraying behavior.
Kidney disease may also bring about changed urinary habits, including more frequent urination.
Since cats cant verbalize when theyre in trouble, they may use changed behavior to signal to you that something is wrong.
Keep Neighborhood And Stray Cats Away From Your Yard
If your cat is spraying as a way to warn off outdoor cats, try these tricks:
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Cover any windows with blinds or curtains to block your cat’s view outside.
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Install motion-detection sprinklers near windows to deter outside cats from coming into your yard.
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Place Feliway diffusers inside your house in areas where your cat has marked.
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Use white vinegar or citrus-based sprays in the yard where outdoor cats have marked.
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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.
Could The Cat Be Stressed
If no medical cause is found for spraying behaviour in a neutered cat, the most likely reason is stress. Cats are very independent animals and dont readily show signs of weakness causes of stress may also not be easily apparent to us. Common causes include:
- Disruption to the cats territory
- A new cat moving into the area.
Spraying is primarily a territorial marking behaviour and cats are not naturally sociable animals. Unfortunately, this means another common cause of stress is households with more than one cat. Often conflict between individual animals is subtle to spot and doesnt always involve direct fighting.
Ultimately, the best solution for stress-related behaviour is consultation with a specialist veterinary behaviourist. This can be expensive but is often covered by pet insurance. In the meantime, the following tips may help:
- Make sure all resources in the house are spaced apart, and provide one per cat plus one extra to avoid competition
- If stress could be caused by a dog or small children, give the cat a safe area away from them such as using a baby gate
- If your cat can see other strange cats outside though glass doors, consider applying an opaque cover over the lower portion
- Clean sprayed areas with a solution of biological washing powder before spraying with surgical spirit
- If feasible, move a positive item to sprayed areas such as a food bowl or favourite bed
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