Cat Spraying

Cat Spraying

by Stan Beck

The act of spraying is simply a cat’s way of marking territory and letting all of ‘catdom’ know that it is his - a very natural, God-given instinct. However, this act brings a lot of stress and sometimes expense to the owner.

Spraying or Urinating

Let’s talk about urinating verses spraying. When cat’s urinate, it’s a means of waste elimination and it typically done vertically on a horizontal surface, like a litter box. Spraying is just the opposite - it is done horizontally, usually on a vertical surface, such as a wall, or couch at just about cat nose level. Although irritating, you can’t really blame the cat for doing what is natural and hard-wired into their DNA.

How to Combat Spraying

The best way to combat spraying is to stop it before it starts. First, we must understand that most spaying happens from non-spayed/neutered cats (especially males) - it is a sign of sexual maturity. Because it is an activity of a sexually mature cat, most veterinarians’ recommend that a cat be spayed/neutered before he/she is 6 months old - some even recommend it as early as 12 weeks.

Urinating in Strange Places

If you are find that Kitty is urinating in strange places, like the rug next to the litter box, this might be a sign of a physical problem such as a bladder infection. Or it could be a sign that Kitty is under stress or is somehow confused about some change in the household. Also, the smell of the litter box can be an offense to your cat - you may want to change the litter more often.

Cat Health
Cat Health