Thursday, March 28, 2024

Why Is My Cat Spraying?

Both the male and female cats have the same noxious behavior of spraying around the house or corner of the sofa.

Many cat owners end up disciplining their pets instead of finding out the meaning behind spraying behavior among their feline friends.

So, why is my cat spraying? Well, it is not about dominance, but it could be about something that needs attention.

In this article, Kelvine Bruce DVM is going to walk you through some of the common causes and how to stop your little mat from spraying.

What is Cat Spraying?

Cat spraying is inappropriate urination of your feline friend on the bed, rug, or pile of laundry. You’ll notice your cat standing against the wall or furniture and spraying urine vertically.

As a cat parent, you need to think like a cat to understand the behavior and stop it. Most felines feel in charge, and they are control freaks.

These little balls do not know if their pee smells and they feel contented when they spray around the house.

So, how do I tell if my cat is spraying? Well, let’s find out more about the signs that indicate your feline friend is spraying.

Signs Your Cat Might Be Spraying

Why is my cat avoiding the litter box? Why is my cat spraying? These two questions usually toss the minds of cat owners on the ocean.

Spraying is quite different from avoiding to use of the litter box. You need to train your cat on how to use a litter box, but the spray is a sign of dominance.

Here are tips that will help you distinguish between the two:

  • Spraying usually occurs on a vertical surface, whereas inappropriate elimination of urine occurs on a horizontal surface.
  • Spraying cats typically stand with their back to their vertical while the tail keeps quivering on real-time.
  • Cats with the behavior of spraying still know how to use their litter box, especially when peeing and pooping.
  • The feline friends only use pee to mark territory but not their poop.
  • These little balls tend to spray on areas they want to claim only.

Reasons Why the Cat is Spraying?

Either unneutered or spayed male or female cats tend to spray less as compared to their counterparts. But the fact remains they do spray.

Here are some of the common reasons why is my cat spraying:

Marking their Boundaries

Cats are territorial creatures. So, they tend to spray around to mark their turf. This is common if another cat is roaming around the yard and leaving a mark.

Cats have strong senses even if you own an indoor one. They will be able to spot or smell an intruder in the compound. Spraying helps the cat mark their territory.

Reaction to Feral Cats

Indoor cats have the behavior of spraying around the doors and windows. This is common when they spot or smell an unfamiliar cat hanging around the yard.

Spraying helps them to mark territory since they are unable to reach the intruders and chase them away.

The feral cat will have no option but to leave due to the pungent smell of urine from the resident counterpart.

Conflict Resolution

Spraying is a common issue in a multi-feline household. Most of the cats will spray as a sign of drawing boundaries, settling disputes, and establishing a pecking order.

The pungent smell from the cats keeps them away from the fighting. Settling conflict through spraying is regarded to be much safer.

Mating

Research shows that both male and female spray. However, the unneutered male cat tends to spray to let the female cat know that he was there.

During the fertile days of the female cat, she will hover around, waiting for the opposite sex to come.

Change

Relocating to another house or renovating the same parliament can make the feline friend feel insecure and stressed.

Spraying behavior in cats is a sign of relieving stress and insecurity feelings, especially if the pet parent has moved to another house.

Underlying Medical Issues

Underlying medical issues can also trigger urine marking. Cats with urinary tract infections never use their litter box since they spend most of their time licking their genitals.

Some felines will even urinate in front of the owner while crying. It is recommended to visit a vet for a checkup.

Other medical conditions that force the cat to spray include; liver diseases, leukemia, excess glucose in the blood, Hyperthyroidism, and inflammation of the bladder.

How to Stop Cat from Spraying

Cat spraying is a disgusting thing, especially the smell. You’ll be forced to learn ways to clean cat spray.

However, you should devise some ways to stop a neutered cat from spraying. Here are some of the tips and suggestions on how to stop the spraying behavior in cats:

Never Punish the Cat

Many cat parents tend to yell on their feline friend after spraying or even rubbing their noses in the urine. One of the weird way to control cat spraying behavior.

These tricks tend to make the cat feel more stressed and even escalate the behavior. Sadly, this can also lessen the bond between the two of you.

Clean the Pee

You need to learn ways on how to clean cat spray since it tends to smell so bad in the house. Elimination of the disgusting smell will play a significant role in controlling the behavior.

There are several cleaners in the market, and the most recommended one is the enzyme cleaner. It helps eliminate the pungent smell permanently after application.

Change Mental Connections

The best way to stop the behavior is to change the area associated with spraying and try to devise things that can engage the mind cat-like playing or petting.

Purchase cat toys from a nearby supplier, and this will completely change the mentality of the cat.

Chase Feral Cats

Put a deterrent perimeter around your property to keep both feral and neighbors’ cats away from your yard.

The trick will help to stop the intruders from accessing your property and in return, stop the cat from spraying around the window.

Spay and Neuter

Spaying and neutering help adult cats from marking the house. You should also note that spaying and neutering also helps to curb hostilities among these felines in the house.

Consult a Veterinarian

Why is my cat spraying? Well, the question can quickly be answered when you take your feline friend to a vet for an examination.

The vet will take the medical history of your pet and diagnose the possible medical issues that are responsible for the behavior.

Treatment will later be recommended in case of an underlying medical issue. This will help to curb the problem of spraying at long last.

Sources and References

  1. Dr Sophia Yin. “Art & Science of Animal Behavior.” Cattle Dog Publishing.
  2. Karol Sestak. “Treatments for Feline Urine Spraying.” National Institute of Health.
Serina Russow
Serina Russowhttp://smartcatlovers.org
Hey there, I'm Serina, your friendly feline fanatic! As the proud founder of "Smart cat lovers," I'm on a mission to share my passion for all things cat-related. With years of experience in cat behavior and health, I'm here to provide expert advice on nurturing happy, healthy kitties. When I'm not tapping away on my keyboard, you'll find me curled up with my four adorable furballs: Whiskers, Luna, Billy, and Charlie.

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