Make The Marked Spot A Happy Place
After the cleaner has done its work and dried, consider repurposing the space for play or for feeding your cat . If your cat marked an object, move it to a place thats harder to reach or even store it away for the short term. This action will help change your cats perception of the area and may help reduce the chances of re-marking.
Is There Medical Cause Of Spraying
Its estimated that roughly 30 house cats will spray urine for medical reasons, rather than behavioral problems. The most common medical cause of urine spraying is cystitis which is an inflammation of the bladder.
This can be caused by bladder monuments or infection but theres frequently no given cause in house cats. Theres lots of substantiation that cystitis is related to stress in house cats, a pattern known as nimble lower urinary tract complaint .
If left undressed male house cats are at threat of urinary blockage. This is where fortitude or monuments obstruct the urethra, or inflammation causes it to go into spasm. However, and will snappily come veritably sick, If the urethra is blocked the cat cannot pass urine. This is an exigency and needs immediate veterinary intervention.
Some house cats may borrow a more upright position to urinate, like spraying, due to pain in the hips or spine.
This can be due to a former injury or osteoarthritis developing with age. Other signs may be present similar to reduced amenability to jump, sleeping further, and fixing exorbitantly around the affected areas. Common pain can generally be linked on examination and successfully treated with pain killers. All cats who suddenly start scattering should originally see a warhorse to check for an underpinning cause.
Try A Slow Introduction
This is not to say that new cats should never be introduced into a household it only is to say that if you are going to do that, take the cats’ feelings into mind, and do the introductions as slowly as possible:
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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.
Why Does My Cat Spray Urine
Urine spraying is a normal part of scent marking behaviour. Cats use different scents to create a scent map of their environment.
Cats tend to rub their cheeks in the core part of their territory where they feel safe and relaxed. They use urine spray to mark the areas of their territory where they feel threatened. Cats may do this as a reminder to themselves to be wary in that part of their territory. When the smell fades, the cat will spray again to top-up the scent.
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Get Enough Litter Boxes
To prevent spraying in a multi-cat household, make sure that you provide enough litter boxes for your cats and you should be able to identify which cat is spraying. Try to position their litter boxes in a low-traffic area with exit routes and scoop or clean the litter boxes at least once a day. Be sure to distribute the resources of your cats like their food and water bowl as well as their bed. Also, place multiple perching areas so your cats will have their own space and privacy.
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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A Quick Guide To Male Cat Behavior: Traits And Personality
Cats make excellent pets and are suitable for all kinds of houses, however, before adopting a cat, you should know about the behavioral pattern of your furry friend. This is crucial, especially in case of tom cats, as they can be unpredictable at times in exhibiting affection and aggression. This article will make you aware of some interesting facts and traits about your tom cat.
Cats make excellent pets and are suitable for all kinds of houses, however, before adopting a cat, you should know about the behavioral pattern of your furry friend. This is crucial, especially in case of tom cats, as they can be unpredictable at times in exhibiting affection and aggression. This article will make you aware of some interesting facts and traits about your tom cat.
Contrary to popular belief, it has been observed that male cats are more affectionate and cuddlier than female cats. Male cats are seen as being more friendlier than the rather aloof and independent female cats. While their competitive behavior can make male cats more aggressive than their female counterparts, these are generalizations and there can be exceptions. It is generally believed that a cats behavior depends on its personality. Following is a list of unique traits which are particularly found in male cats.
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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Reasons For Neutering Male Cats
- Control of nuisance. Unneutered male cats are likely to stray over a large area, will mark their territory with a very pungent spray and are much more likely to fight with attendant noise nuisance.
- Health issues. Fighting males are much more likely to spread diseases such as FIV and FeLV to other cats. They are also likely to suffer from fight injuries such as abscesses. Because they wander over a large area they are also at greater risk of suffering road traffic accidents.
- Pet issues. Unneutered male cats will wander from home and may not return. They may also spray inside the home and may be aggressive to their owners. Therefore it is desirable to neuter kittens early enough to ensure that the above problems are prevented. Most people do not want to live with an unneutered male cat.
- Population control. Obviously, male cats do not have kittens themselves and it only takes one male in an area to make lots of female cats pregnant, so neutering a female cat makes a great deal more difference to limiting numbers, but it all helps!
When Male Cats Become Sexually Aroused
Male cats as young as a few months may begin to show signs of sexual interest, but are unlikely to father kittens just yet. Unneutered males younger than six months old may be interested in unspayed females in heat and may sniff a female’s genital area. These young males may cry when a female is in heat nearby and they are unable to access her. They may also mount other kittens and cats , although they are unlikely to be able to fertilize just yet. They may begin spraying urine about in order to advertise their interest in a female in heat.
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Why Do Cats Mark With Urine
Cats mark the locations where they live or where they visit in many ways. Cats will mark with scent glands on their feet, cheeks, face, and tail as well as with urine. Cheek rubbing and scratching are both forms of marking. By depositing an odor, the cat communicates to other animals that it was there long after it has gone. Cats will mark their territory to signal ownership and to advertise sexual receptivity and availability. Marking can occur due to the presence of other cats in the vicinity, either outdoors or among cats that live in the same household. Cats will also mark their territory when they feel threatened or stressed. This can occur with a change in household routine, compositions, living arrangements, new living locations and other environmental and social changes. In these cases, the cat may mark new objects brought into the household or the possessions of family members, especially those with which there is the greatest source of conflict or insecurity. Because marking is a method of delineating territory, urine is often found in prominent locations or at entry and exit points to the outdoors such as doors and windows and around the periphery. When outdoors, cats tend to mark around the periphery of their property, on prominent objects on the property, on new objects introduced into the property, and in locations where other cats have marked.
If There Is A Conflict Between The Cats
Another reason why cats tend to spray is due to conflict between cats in the household or with other cats that are outside the house. This is usually anxiety-based rather than intolerance-based. Usually, your cat will get angry with another cat since he does not have the skills to deal with the intrusion. The more he is prevented from avoiding other cats, the more likely your cat will mark or spray.
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Which Cats Are More Likely To Urine Mark
Both male and female cats can mark with urine. Urine marking is most common in intact male cats. When an intact male sprays urine, it will have the characteristic tom cat odor that is strong and pungent. Castration or neutering will change the odor, and may reduce the cats motivation for spraying, but approximately 10% of neutered males and 5% of spayed females will continue to spray. While cats in multiple cat households are often involved in spraying behaviors, cats that are housed singly may spray as well.
“Neutering will decrease the odor of tomcat urine.”
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.
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Does The Pee Land On The Floor Or Wall
Goin says sprayers usually aim for vertical surfaces, which is why you may notice urine on walls, fences, or the sides of chairs. Cats with inappropriate urination issues, she says, will usually pee on horizontal surfaces . This is not a hard and fast rule, though. Some cats will occasionally spray on horizontal surfaces.
Fixing Stress Related Issues
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How To Stop A Male Cat From Spraying
This article was co-authored by Jessica Char. Jessica Char is a Cat and Dog Trainer, Behavior Consultant, and the Founder of Feline Engineering and Canine Engineering. She specializes in modifying challenging pet behavior problems, such as fear and aggression, using positive reinforcement training protocols. Jessica is a Certified Fear Free Trainer, a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, and a Certified Separation Anxiety Trainer. She is also a member of the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants. Jessica received her BS and MS in Biomedical Engineering from Washington University in St. Louis.wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 13 testimonials and 83% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 420,861 times.
Spraying is communicative behavior male cats engage in for a variety of reasons. As the urine emitted in spraying is pungent, and can cause stains to furniture and carpets, spraying can be a problem for many cat owners. If your cat is spraying, there are a variety of ways to correct the issue.
The Male Cat Breeding Age
Cat breeding is actually not recommended for the majority of cat owners. Spaying and neutering cats helps control the cat population and can also decrease the cats’ risk for diseases and behavioral problems. Owners considering keeping their cats for breeding, however, may want to know the age at which male cats can breed.
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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
Cat Spraying Vs Peeing Outside The Litter Box
When a cat urinates outside the litter box, there tends to be more urine, and youll usually find the pee on horizontal surfaces like a rug or bed. Inappropriate urination is often associated with lower urinary tract disease or litter texture aversion. Cat spraying is more likely caused by underlying stress or anxiety.
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