How to Stop a Cat From Spraying
Few people want a home reeking with the pungent smell of cat urine. Cats usually spray to mark their territories or to leave a scent reminder to themselves, or because they're under mental or physical stress. Sometimes a change in a cat's environment will stress the cat to the point that it provokes spraying behavior. In the worst-case scenario, you might have to restrict the cat's access to most of your rooms, limiting it to rooms with easily cleaned floors and furniture. Often, however, the problem can be solved in other ways.
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Instructions
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Arrange an appointment to have your cat spayed or neutered. Unaltered male cats are most likely to spray, but unaltered females can be territorial as well. Preferably, get your cat fixed before it is six months old, before a pattern of spraying behavior becomes established.
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Draw blinds or curtains over any windows through which your cat might see another cat outside. The sight of a strange cat could provoke your cat into spraying to secure its territory.
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Remove causes of anxiety and stress. Keep to a regular feeding routine; do not allow children to play roughly with the cat; and do not bring in strange animals, such as friends' dogs. If you have a nervous cat, confine it to a separate room when you have guests, especially guests who have their own animals and carry those animals' scent. Natural sprays to reduce anxiety in cats are available from veterinary clinics or pet supply stores. Use them according to the instructions on the spray, or follow the advice of your vet.
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Wipe away all feline urine spray with a product that removes the scent of cat urine. Such products are available online or from pet supply stores. Removing the smell makes it less likely the cat will spray that area again.
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Use a pet repellent on areas your cat continuously sprays. Select a repellent for indoor pets, not one to repel strange cats outside, which might be too strong.
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Tips & Warnings
If your cat is urinating copiously outside its litter tray, rather than spraying, contact your vet as soon as possible. This is likely to be a sign of illness.
References
- Photo Credit Michael Blann/Lifesize/Getty Images
