How Can I Stop My Cat From Spraying?

By Darlene L. Norris

Why do cats spray? To understand this problem, you need to think like your kitty. When a cat sprays walls, furniture, the floor, or even his owner's clothes or bedding, he's telling other felines that this is "his" territory. This is called "territorial marking," or "urine marking," and it's a normal behavior for both males and females.

Most urine marking problems can be avoided by having your feline friend neutered or spayed before he or she is six months old. If your furry friend is already showing this behavior, neutering or spaying will stop the problem in 90% of males, and 95% of females, no matter how old your kitty is, or how long he's been doing it.

A feline who suddenly starts spraying for no apparent reason is stressed over something. The first thing you should do is check on your kitty's litter box situation. Have you changed your brand of litter lately? If you just started using a perfumed litter, that could be causing the problem. Is his box clean? Is it too noisy and busy around his box? Kitties are like people; they like a quiet private area when going to the bathroom.

The next step is to have your fur-ball checked by the vet. Sometimes health issues can cause your furry friend to start spraying.

If all is well on the litter box and health fronts, then it's time for some detective work. Your little friend is a creature of habit who doesn't like changes. Anything that threatens his territory can cause him to start marking it. Have you added a person or animal to your household? Perhaps your work schedule has changed, or you're away from home more. Have you remodeled your house or moved recently?

Can your little buddy see another cat outside? If he can, he may mark his territory by spraying, even though the other kitty can't smell it. Sometimes even the scent of another cat on a visitor's clothes may set off a territorial response.

To solve the spraying problem, you need to reduce your furry friend's exposure to the stressful situation. Close the curtains so your little friend can't see outside. Try to keep the stranger out of your yard. Clean up any urine around doors and windows, both inside and out. If there's tension between your fur-balls, you may need to separate them for a few days and then re-introduce them. Be sure each kitty has his own litter box. Sometimes, if you have too many cats, it can cause territorial issues. In this case, hard as it is, you may need to find new homes for some of them.

If you've just moved, keep your kitty in one room for a few days. He needs familiar things around him, including his food and water dishes, his favorite pillow, and his litter pan. Give him lots of extra love and attention, and he should settle in within a few days.

When your fur-ball rubs his head on you, he's "marking" you with his pheromones. You can make "friendly zones" for your buddy by using his own pheromones. Rub your cat gently with a soft cloth between his eye and his ear. Then wipe the cloth on the place he's spraying (after you clean it with an enzymatic cleaner). Do this every day for several weeks. You can also put a scratching post in an area he's sprayed in the past so that he'll mark it with the scent on his pads, instead of with urine.

Think like your cat, and you can end most urine marking problems.

Darlene L. Norris invites you to read How Can I Get My Cat To Use The Litterbox? for the solution to your litter box problems. Visit http://yourcatcareguide.com/wordpress now to sign up for The Cool Cat Care Ezine, and receive your free copy of Pamper Your Cat, a collection of 100 recipes for treats and main dishes for your favorite kitty. Your cat will love you for it!