How to know if cat is spraying

There are a few things you can do to determine if your cat is spraying. One way to check is to watch your cat in a quiet room and see if they start to spray urine or feces. If your cat starts to spray, it may be a sign that they are not feeling well and need to be taken to the vet. Another way to check is to watch your cat in a room with other cats and see if they start to spray. If your cat starts to spray, it may be a sign that they are feeling threatened or angry and need to be taken to the vet.

Overview: 8 Ways to Stop Your Cat From Spraying

Why Do Cats Spray

Cats use their scent to mark their territory as part of their natural animal behavior.

Whether a cat marks by rubbing on surfaces or urinating on them, scent marking alerts other cats that this location is already occupied and there is no room for others.

Urine marking is an instinctive behavior that is deeply ingrained in our cats, even pure indoor house cats.

When this personal scent changes, such as after a visit to the groomer or vet, other cats may not regard the cat as a member of their family until the foreign smell disappears, so cats usually begin rubbing after returning home to change their scent and restore their markings.

What Is Spraying?

Both male and female cats have the ability to spray, which they do by lifting their tails upright and squirting urine backwards onto a vertical surface.

Adult cats can spray, and both male and female cats can spray on vertical surfaces 6 to 8 inches high.It's amazing how adaptable they are when it comes to marking their territory, which can be done both outside and inside.

Although urination is another form of marking a cat's territory, urination is performed on horizontal surfaces such as furniture, floors, and items lying around.The more cats in a household, the more likely it is that cats will spray to claim their territory; in homes with more than ten cats, all cats usually spray.

When Do Cats Start Spraying

Spraying can begin as early as 5 months of age as cats reach sexual maturity, and symptoms include intense sniffing of the area, followed by the cats lifting their tail upright and squirting their urine on the surface of preferred objects.These can include a wall, a chair, a full-length curtain, radiators, clothing, plastic bags, and so on.

The amount of urine is small, perhaps less than 2ml, and it can sometimes be as few as a few brownish sticky drops; the urine smell of unneutered male cats is particularly pungent and distinct.It is frequently described as having a tomcat odor.

Potential Causes Of Spraying

Spraying has several causes, which can be classified as behavioral or medical.

#1 Behavior ProblemsBehavior Problems

When your cat exhibits typical naughty cat behavior, try not to take it personally.

• When you bring a new pet or a new cat home, your old cat may become jealous or stressed, and the once clearly distributed territory may be jeopardized by the arrival of this new cat.As a result, the old cat may wish to demonstrate to the newbie that it is all her territory, which may result in spraying even if the old cat has never done so before.Your old cat might not like it and get jealous or stressed when you bring a new pet or a new cat home. The once clearly distributed territory is in danger due to the arrival of this new cat. So, the old cat might want to make her power very clear to the newbie that it’s all her territory. This can lead to spraying even if the old cat didn’t do it before.
• Stress - For cats, stress is often unnoticed; changing furniture, buying something new, and rearranging the home, visitors or stay-in relatives are no big deal.This may cause significant stress for cats because their routine is disrupted; cats rely on their habits, which are not in favor of changes in the home.As a result, they may begin to spray while their cat parents are unaware of the cause, as they cannot see the stress factor for their cat.Stress for cats often goes unnoticed by us. Changing the furniture, buying something new and rearranging the home, visitors or stay-in relatives are no big deal for us. For cats, this might lead to considerable stress as their routine is changed. Cats rely on their habits and these are not in favor of changes in the home. Therefore, they may start to spray while their cat parents don’t understand the reason for it. They can’t see the stress factor for their cat.
• Mating - Unneutered male cats are looking for a mating partner, which leads to them marking their territory to deter potential rivals.They use spraying to attract female outdoor cats in the neighborhood. – Male cats that are not neutered are looking for a mating partner. This leads to marking their territory to deter potential rivals. Spraying behavior helps them to attract female outdoor cats in the neighborhood.

#2 Medical ReasonsMedical Reasons

For medical reasons, some cats will spray or exhibit similar behavior.

A cat suffering from urinary tract disease or cystitis may leave small amounts of urine in various locations, and these conditions may also result in spraying, particularly in unneutered males.They frequently have urinary tract infections, which can result in the formation of urate crystals, which can block the urethra.

As a result of that medical condition, urine cannot escape while a cat is sitting in the litter box, so male cats try to get rid of it by pressing small amounts out.

This can result in fatal medical emergencies, so it is critical to take your cat to the vet for a proper diagnosis and medication to resolve these medical issues.

Spraying in cats is usually caused by behavioral issues, but it can also be a sign of illness. Once you've identified the cause of their spraying, you'll need to eliminate the underlying cause to help them stop.

#1 NeuteringNeutering

Cat parents frequently inquire whether neutered cats spray. The answer is that marking behavior is significantly reduced or eliminated when cats are neutered, with only 10% of neutered male cats and 5% of neutered female cats still spraying after neutering. The answer is that among both males and females, marking behavior found much less or not at all when cats are neutered. An estimate of only 10% neutered male cats and 5% female cats still spray after neutering.

In general, neutered cats are much more relaxed because, due to their lower hormone impact, they don't feel the need to fight for their territory.

Neutering is the most effective way to keep a cat, particularly a male cat, from spraying; however, this should be done at a young age because older males may have an ingrained habit of spraying that is difficult to break and eradicate.More information on Spaying and Neutering Cats can be found in the video below.

Nonetheless, the cat may continue to spray until the hormone levels decrease after neutering (this may take a few weeks), which is something the cat parent should keep in mind and be patient with.

#2 Environmental ChangesEnvironmental Changes

Environmental changes, like most behavioral issues, can often help to alleviate spraying in cats.

Clean the Area

Thorough cleaning of the soiled areas is required to prevent the cat from spraying in this location again, and the cleaning agent should not have an overpowering odor.Otherwise, the cat may want to swat it to get rid of the strong odor, which is counterproductive.

#3 Rearrange Your Cat’s EnvironmentRearrange Your Cat’s Environment

Changing the feeding location to the area where your cat likes to spray can help to stop the spraying because cats dislike eating in places that smell of urine.Additionally, ensure that your cat has an adequate number of litter boxes, which should be one more than the actual number of cats.In the case of two cats, a third litter box should be added to reduce the cats' proclivity to spray.

#4 Avoid Spraying New ItemsPrevent Spraying On New Items

Some cats dislike newly purchased items in the house; one way to prevent her from spraying on it is to keep it in a room that the cat is not permitted to enter.Hide the target object in a drawer for a while if it is small enough.

#5 Limit Your Exposure To Competing CatsLimit Exposure To Rival Cats

Some cats are motivated to spray when they see a rival outside the window, so access to those lookouts should be reduced or restricted to prevent them from marking their territory inside the home.nbsp;

Spraying can be caused by a multi-cat environment; if multiple cats live together in one cat household and do not get along, they should be separated and kept in different rooms.This allows them to avoid contact, reducing stress and territorial behavior and preventing spraying.

#6 Provide StimulationProvide Stimulation

Giving your cat lots of attention and keeping her active with exercise and mental stimulation through interactive toys is a good way to prevent spraying. Homeopathic remedies may help your cat reduce anxiety.

#7 Medical SolutionsMedical Solutions

After ruling out medical causes, behavior modifying drugs such as Clomipramine or Fluoxetine may be used to treat spraying, depending on the veterinarian's or veterinary behaviorist's advice; they reduce urine spraying, separation anxiety, dominance aggression, and excessive grooming.

Bromocriptine, another drug that may be used to prevent cat spraying, has a reported success rate of 85% in treated males and 40% in treated females.However, with prolonged use, Bromocriptine can cause a variety of side effects, including hallucinations, limb flicks, and head or body shakes.

In general, behavior-modifying drugs should only be used as directed by a veterinarian, as a last resort, and should not be used for an extended period of time due to potential side effects.

#8 Feliway® Feliway® 

Synthetic pheromones distributed by diffusers are also beneficial. Feliway®, which mimics feline facial pheromones (substances excreted from the body), sends a message to the cat to feel happy and safe.She feels more at ease and relaxed as a result of the artificial pheromones, which reduces or completely eliminates the spraying.

Conclusion

Although spraying is an unpleasant problem, it is not one that cat parents and all family members must live with because there are effective preventive measures in place that can successfully prevent or stop spraying.

The most important thing is to identify the source of the spraying; only by knowing the source of the problem can we take corrective action.As a result, punishing the cats will only increase their stress and cause them to spray more.nbsp;

Remember that your cat is not a machine that can be turned off with the press of a button; it takes time and patience to determine the cause and correct the problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you get a cat to stop spraying in the house?

The best way is to neuter your cat; other options include reducing stress, keeping their environment unchanged, and using an anti-spray treatment such as Feliway®.

Do neutered cats spray?

Because their hormone levels have decreased, most neutered cats no longer spay, as they are more relaxed and less stressed.Neutered cats do not need to mark their territory because they no longer exhibit mating behavior.

What odors keep cats from spraying?

Although Citronella oil is commonly used as a mosquito repellent, it can also help to deter cats from spraying.Lavender and mint can also help because cats dislike these scents.

How do you punish a cat for spraying?

A quick spritz from a spray bottle filled with water is an easy way to discipline a cat for spraying, which most cats dislike.They will immediately stop spraying due to the appearance of the spray bottle.

How do you stop a cat from spraying inside?

The most important thing is to identify the source of the spraying; only by knowing the source of the problem can we take corrective action.Synthetic pheromones distributed by diffusers, for example, are also beneficial. By mimicking feline facial pheromones (substances excreted from the body) through Feliway®, the cat receives a message to feel happy and safe.

Why do male cats spray?

Male cats who have not been neutered are looking for a mate, which leads to them marking their territory to deter potential rivals.They use spraying to attract female outdoor cats in the neighborhood.

Do male cats spray after they've been neutered?

Only 10% of neutered male cats and 5% of neutered female cats spray after neutering, according to estimates.