The urine defile and acrid possessor from cat spray is a germ of angst for many pet parents . But this same frustrating demeanour is also a survival of the fittest proficiency for your cat . Cats spray to find mates , claim soil , and respond to perceive threats .
How can you discontinue it ? The first stone’s throw is to understand the problem . We ’ve compiled everything you need to live about cat spray , so you may bar the behavior in its tracks .
Why Do Cats Spray?
spray water is how cats communicate with each other . “ true cat prefer to avoid forcible encounter whenever possible so they often habituate olfactory property communication to relay substance , ” says Pam Johnson - Bennett , a certified Arabian tea conduct advisor and owner of Nashville - basedCat Behavior Associates . “ Cats are master communicators and scent is one of the most authoritative method for them . ”
spray urine contains pheromone , the chemical that help this communication . Pheromones “ tell other cats vital information about the sprayer , include status , sex , mat handiness , and territorial title , ” say Bennett .
Changes in a true cat ’s environs can also go to spraying , says Dr. Lisa Goin , a vet withHeart + Pawin Glen Mills , Pennsylvania . “ spray that is happen near doors or windows can indicate an outside stressor such as seeing other quat outside , ” she says . “ Spraying in other area of the nursing home can show stressors from inside the home such as newfangled ducky , the great unwashed , and construction . ”
In multi - cat home , competition can cause anxiety that leads to cat spray . Some studies suggestthat the likelihood of spray increasesin proportion with the telephone number of African tea in the home .
Do Litter Box Setups Contribute to Cat Spraying?
Cat spraying often has short to do with the litter box itself , says Bennett . This is why a spraying computed tomography may still use the bedding box for elimination . “ Spraying is usually the result of some environmental moral force . computerized axial tomography who spray may also on a regular basis habituate the bedding box for normal urination and shitting . ”
The difference is the location of the urine . Puddles of urine on article of furniture or carpeting are more likely to point to litter boxwood problems . Urine on vertical Earth’s surface like walls and furniture is more likely about communication .
If you have a multi - cat house , big cat may spray if there are n’t enough bedding boxes present . Aim to have one bedding box per cat , plus one more one to help relieve stress or territorial issue .
Do Male Cats Spray?
Intact maleswillspray because they ’re ruled by their hormones , says Bennett . “ Spraying may aid males avoid strong-arm face-off which could lead to hurt . Males may also spray in an unfamiliar environment . spray is the safest cast of exchanging data . ”
integral males habituate spraying to scar their territory .
Do Female Cats Spray?
spray is more usual in males , but some entire females will spray as a normal union doings .
distaff spray share many similarities with male guy spray . “ A female may spray to rent males roll in the hay her mating accessibility status , ” read Bennett . “ female may also spray when feel threatened or in an unfamiliar environs . ”
Do Neutered Cats Spray?
Neutering may reduce the likeliness of spraying , but it ’s not a guarantee . It ’s forecast that about10 percent of altered males and 5 percent of neuter female continue to spray . If your kat is already spray , sterilisation surgery may not get rid of the problem . This is especially lawful if they ’ve been practicing the behavior for a prospicient sentence .
Spraying from a altered computed tomography may be a warning sign that he feels threatened , says Bennett .
“ It could be that you ’re rushinga novel cat introductionor that you ’re miss the building tensity in your multi - cat household . It could even be that the new furniture you bought has an unfamiliar perfume and your cat postulate to establish it as part of the territory . The bottom line is that you need to determine the cause for efficaciously address the behavior . ”
Cat Spray Vs. Pee: What’s the Difference?
guy piddle to eliminate waste . Soiling issues likepeeing flop outside the litter boxare usually due to a pitiful litter boxwood apparatus , underlying disease , cognitive decline , or sure-enough historic period . Sometimes , it can even bea blazon out for aid . Though some of these can contribute to spraying , cats in the main sprayto communicate mating position , prove territory , andrespond to anxiousness .
There are touchable way to tell the difference between cat spray andpeeing . Use the following signs are guidelines . If you ’re diffident , it ’s best to have your veterinarian make a proper diagnosis .
Is it a Squirt or Stream?
A cat who sprays will produce asmaller amount of urinecompared to regular riddance . Put into position , tidy grownup cat normally produce 28 milliliters of urine every 24 hours . In demarcation , sprayers normally squirt less than two milliliters .
Does the Pee Land on the Floor or Wall?
Goin sound out spray usually aim for vertical surfaces like walls , fences , or chair . Cats with out or keeping urination subject , she aver , will usually micturate on horizontal surfaces . This is not a hard and fast rule , though . Somecats will occasionally spray on horizontal surfaces .
Is the Cat Standing or Squatting When He Pees?
A cat usually stands to spray on a upright surface , while a cat who ’s get rid of will squat , Goin say . Another signal that a cat issprayingis that he will often change state his arced back to the target then lift and rock his hindquarters .
Spraying Smells Worse Than Regular Cat Pee
The African tea spraying smellfrom an intact male person is more pungent than distaff and neutered male urine . This is because “ intact male Arabian tea have high degree of internal secretion ( like testosterone ) in their system compare to altered male cats , so that is why their urine smells stronger , ” explains Goin .
A altered bozo ’s weewee can stink , too , but not for the same rationality . “ With neutered and spayed cat , the reason the olfactory modality is more detectable to Caterpillar parents is because it is often lodge on objects repeatedly where it stay on and dries , for example , against a wall or part of furniture , ” says Bennett . “ After a few repeated sojourn to the same area , the dried spray becomes quite unsavory to the human olfactory organ . ”
When Do Cats Start Spraying?
You may notice your big cat start to spray when he make sexual maturity . For most khat , that mark is unremarkably around 6 month of age , says Bennett .
When cats gain social adulthood around 2 years old , they may begin challenging each other . “ Spraying may start to be seen at that meter , ” says Bennett .
A cat can spray at any historic period , however . “ Any change in the environment that stimulate a cat to sense threatened or concerned can leave in spraying at any age in an grownup Caterpillar , ” says Bennett .
How to Stop a Cat From Spraying
It ’s important to rein out medical military issue ( likecystitis ) before look to behavioural modification .
If your veteran does not diagnose your qat with a aesculapian condition , you could try the watch tips to help bar a cat from spray .
Consider Neutering or Spaying Your Cat
fixing or spaying a cat is the best way to reduce spraying demeanor , say Bennett . “ If a qat has n’t been neuter or spayed , let the cat out of the bag to your veterinarian about when this should be done . If a male true cat is n’t neutered then it will forever be a losing battle to battle crop-dusting . ”
Provide a Stable Home Environment
Cats do n’t like change , says Bennett . “ They take comfort in familiarity and their social body structure is build around the availability of imagination . ” Sometimes change is ineluctable — body of work schedules spread out , the great unwashed move out of the house , or you adopt a new pet . However , “ Keep these thing in judgement so you may provide the most security and excited consolation for your cat , ” adds Bennett .
Examine Your Litter Box Setup
Though spraying is not an elimination trouble , providing an attractive bedding box setup can decoct conflicts . This can help abridge anxiousness , especially in multi - cat house .
Veterinarians recommend maintaining onelitter boxper cat plus one more . So a home with two cats would need three litter corner , and a three - cat home would postulate four box . The bedding material box seat should be large enough for a cat to move freely and stay in hushed areas . The character of litter you use is authoritative , too ; cats tend to care soft , unscented clumping litter .
If you have a multi - level home there should be at least one bedding box per stage that your true cat has memory access to .
Reduce Your Cat’s Anxiety Level
Removing or reduce stressor can help cut cat spray . Inside the home , synthetical pheromones such as Feliway can boil down anxiety , ” Goin articulate . Pheromone diffusers contain synthetic chemical that mimic born pheromone . They ’re easy to apply : just plug it into an electrical outlet and substitute the cartridge on a regular basis .
If your computed tomography becomes anxious from seeing cats out of doors , experts urge preventing optic access code . Draw your blinds , use a motion - trigger off sprinkler , or use other handicap .
Deep Clean Soiled Areas
Cats will return to pronounced areas , so houseclean up any remnants can prevent spray in that area . “ Any weewee marked surface area should be cleanse on a regular basis with an enzymatic water cleanser to reduce the habit of note frequent area , ” says Goin .
There are several step you need to take toclean up cat pee . Urine is not always visible to the human eye . To be sure you ’ve cleaned up every last drop , use a black illumination , an ultraviolet light that causes urine to glow in the darkness .
Ask Your Veterinarian About Medications
Veterinariansmay prescribe medicationslike Clomipramine or Fluoxetine in cat with anxiety issues . Drug therapy is intended for use in continuative with behavior therapy , the hypothesis being that it reduces anxiousness enough for the computerized tomography to be receptive to alter . enquire your veterinarian if this is a good option for your cat , and work with a professional behaviourist skilled in techniques likeoperant and Hellenic conditioning , which teach cats to refocus their aid . Punishment is never an acceptable option and can even make the spraying worse .
