Stop Cat Spraying Inside Your House
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by: jewel17
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Territorial marking is the number one reason why cats spray. Felines are compelled to let others of their kind know that they are around. They may also spray when they are looking for a mate. If you have another cat in your home that fights with the culprit kitty, the spraying may be done to show aggression. Cats hanging around outside of your house can also cause your cat to spray. A move to a new home, the arrival of a new child, or other upsets to the cat's daily routines can cause the behavior. A cat that is under any kind of stress such as living in a noisy household can also resort to spraying.
Male cats are often sprayers. A female that is in heat or stressed may also spray. The smell of the spray differs from that of normal urine since spray also contains chemicals produced by the anal glands.
The easiest fix to spraying is often just spaying or neutering your cat if he or she is still intact. Most altered cats will not spray, although some will. For the best chance of ensuring that your cat will not spray, the surgery should be performed before the kitty reaches six months of age.
You may consider punishing your cat for spraying. Felines do not realize the connection between a punishment and the precipitating behavior. Actually, punishment may lead to even more spraying since the cat could become more stressed. Do not punish your cat!
Make sure that litter boxes are cleaned regularly and scooped on a daily basis. Cats may spray if they are frustrated with litter box cleanliness. Keep routines consistent including feeding time, fun time with the you, bedtime, and litter box cleaning. Clean any accidents with enzyme cleaners so that the odor is removed. Otherwise, your kitty may smell the odor and think that spraying the offending area is acceptable.
After trying measures to curb spraying, take your cat to a veterinarian. Bladder infections and other health issues can lead to the behavior. Drugs for anxiety such as Prozac can also be prescribed, since your cat could be anxious even if you are not aware of it.
If you have cats that fight, try confining each cat to different areas of your home. Sometimes, the best way to solve this problem is to find a new home for the spraying cat. Neither the cats nor your family will be happy if there are chronic battles or spraying. The offending kitty may stop the behavior in a new home, especially if there are no cats living there.
As cats can be territorial, another tactic could be to confine your cat to a small portion of your home. Since the feline won't have as large of a territory to defend, the spraying may stop. And, you will be reducing the number of accidents that you will have to clean.
Cat behaviorists analyze cat behavior and develop plans to change unacceptable actions like spraying to more desirable behaviors like using the litter box. They can be successful in working with you and your cat to develop better behaviors.
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About the Author
For more info on cat spraying, see Part II of this article at more solutions to stop cat spraying. Annie Clark shares her home with two formerly stray cats. Even more articles and cat items are available at Feline Info
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