How Do I Stop My Cat From Spraying in the House?
House soiling, or inappropriate urination or defecation, is a common problem in cats. While in many cases the cause is a behavioral problem, sometimes medical issues are to blame.
If your cat eliminates outside the litter box,
she should be checked by a veterinarian for an underlying medical
condition before it’s determined that the inappropriate elimination is
due to a behavior
problem. In addition to a complete physical examination, your cat
should have a complete blood count, blood chemistry panel and
urinalysis. Other tests, such as radiographs that use special dyes to
outline the urinary tract, may be necessary as well. If an underlying
condition is determined to be the cause of your cat’s house soiling, the
medical problem should be treated, and her response to treatment should
be closely monitored.
Once any medical problems are treated, you may
still need to retrain your cat to reestablish normal litter box
elimination patterns. Please see our article, Litter Box Problems, for additional help.
ADVICE ON HOW TO STOP YOUR CAT SPRAYING :
1-See hints and tips to help stop your cat spraying in the house
2-Check with your vet if there is no underlying health reason for this behaviour
3-Check for any reason/change that may have triggered urine spraying.
4.Clean the sprayed area with water &
surgical alcohol & allow to dry (do not use products with strong
smells such as ammonia-based or bleach cleaners)
5-When dry, spray these areas with FELIWAY Spray daily to reduce the likelihood of urine spraying
6-Plug in a FELIWAY Diffuser in the room the
cat frequents the most to help stop urine marking by reinforcing your
cat's feeling of security
7-Improvement can be seen within the first week, but continued use for at least one month is recommended.
Cats may spray for territorial reasons or when they feel anxious or threatened. The presence of stray cats in your yard may cause your cat to mark near windows and doors as a way to identify that this is his territory. New pets in the household, or a conflict between existing pets in the same household, may also make pets feel a need to mark their territories. Changes in your cat's environment, such as rearranging his living space or moving to a new home, can add stress and induce marking. Occasionally, the spraying cat may target the clothing or bedding of a person or visitor in the house.
What Causes Spraying
Cats spray, or urine mark, as a normal way to communicate with others. While most cats mark by releasing small amounts of urine on vertical surfaces, occasionally they may also spray on horizontal surfaces, or even defecate.The majority of cats that spray are males that have not been neutered; hormones can play a significant role in urine marking.Cats may spray for territorial reasons or when they feel anxious or threatened. The presence of stray cats in your yard may cause your cat to mark near windows and doors as a way to identify that this is his territory. New pets in the household, or a conflict between existing pets in the same household, may also make pets feel a need to mark their territories. Changes in your cat's environment, such as rearranging his living space or moving to a new home, can add stress and induce marking. Occasionally, the spraying cat may target the clothing or bedding of a person or visitor in the house.