Cat
Spraying - What Is It, Why Do Cats Do It
And How Do You Stop It?
by
Mike Taylor
If you own
a cat chances are you have had a
spraying issue at least once. Spraying
is a different type of urination problem
in that instead of peeing on the floor
or in a litter box your cat will go on
an upright surface like a chair leg or
door jamb usually at nose level for
other cats to smell. It is important to
know that in some cases a female cat
will also spray urine directly on the
floor.
The
primary reason a cat sprays is because
felines are very territorial animals and
like to mark their turf by spraying
urine to let other cats know who owns
that little piece of the world. Think of
it as an invisible but smelly No
Trespassing sign.
Many times
a cat will spray because of behavioral
problems like anxiety, stress or a
feeling of being threatened by something
or someone.
Here are
some common behavioral reasons a cat
will start spraying urine:
* If
personal items are being sprayed it is
usually a sign that your cat has some
issues with the person.
* The
addition of a new cat or even having too
many cats for the size of your house can
cause spraying problems.
* If you
notice things being marked near windows
or screen doors where your cat can see
outside it's a pretty good chance there
is a cat hanging around your house or
passing by frequently.
* If the
cat is put into a stressful situation
like someone new moving in (a new baby)
or being introduced into a new living
environment they might feel the need to
spray.
Constant
spraying can also be caused by physical
problems such as Feline Lower Urinary
Tract Disease (FLUTD). Your Vet can
perform a simple urine test to determine
if your cat has FLUTD and it is very
treatable illness.
To
eliminate spraying you need to get into
your cat's head and discover what is
making them spray as medication from a
Vet will only offer temporary relief.
Spend time watching your cat to see if
you can discover what is triggering the
spraying. This could take some time so
be patient and remember to not punish
your cat as this will now make the
problem go away and may aggravate it.
While you
are observing your cat to determine the
cause of the spraying you might want to
put some lemon juice where your cat has
been spraying as cats do not like the
smell of lemons and this might stop them
for a bit. Remember that lemon juice is
acidic so you want to be careful and not
put it on surfaces that might be
damaged.
A final
option is to have your cat neutered as
they have a tendency to spray less often
than un-neutered cats. You should always
discuss the benefits of neutering with
your Vet as their can be other health
issues to consider.
Cat urine
spraying and the resulting odor are
problems that can be controlled provided
you take the proper steps and work with
your cat to solve them together.
About the Author
Visit
Cat Urine Remover for more
information about
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