VERY DESPERATE...I'm ready to kill my cats?

Question

I have been reading the answers on here about cat spray and nothing is working. I have 4 fixed male cats from 2 years to 9 years old. They have started spraying since I moved to my new (old) house a year ago. WE have numerous stray cats outside. I have tried to block there view, put up a 6 foot stockade fence...used natures miracle, indoor no, no go, feliway, etc... put moth balls around whole house and windows outside, put pepper around my windows and doors. Used a hose on the strays, and shake a jar of coins loudly at mine and the strays when I catch them spraying. NOTHING WORKS. The strays keep coming around and my cats keep spraying. Last night one even sprayed near his food dish HELP!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

Some cats get into a habit and you can't change them. I have worked for a veterinarian for 2 years and have euthanized 6 cats for this reason. Sorry.
Maybe make them an enclosure outside, all the saftey and benefits of indoor life, but no offensive odors in your house.

Answer 2

Male cats are more Territorial and i could almost bet the last owners had cats that sprayed in the house now it is probably all in the wood ask a vet about behavior modifications in the mean time with this stray cat they do have cat traps that are built to catch the stray also ask a vet about this too when you have caught this stray take it to the pound because you are never sure if it has parvo or any other disease this may be a big help as well due to the fact your cats may feel threatend by this stray good luck to you

Answer 3

You aren't alone. I am going through a nearly identical situation with my cats as well, although the issue has nothing to do with strays but with angst between two of our male cats (out of 8 altogether, 5 females and 3 males), one who is 10 and the Alpha cat, and the other who will be 5, who is an Alpha wannabe. I have tried everything also - Feliway (my vet finally told me that it won't work with 8 cats in the house - too many different pheronomes! Well, duh!),Nature's Miracle, Urine Off, blah blah. I am at my wits end too - after two years of pissed on computers, clothing (dry cleaning bills are enormous!), furniture, walls etcI am ready to put my peeing boy down..and he is my favorite. But I digress.

Anyway, the issue obviously is the stray cats. Your cats are marking your house to let them know that the house is theirs and that the strays shouldn't be tresspassing. This is triggering anxiety and territoriality in them, as you know. Your best bet is to call the pound and have them lay some traps for the strays. If the cats get caught they can take them away. I don't want to think about what they will do with them, but it might help calm things down at home.

I feel your pain..believe me. It is beyond exasperating.

Answer 4

Maybe they're doing it because you have so many male cats? I have two male cats and they're also fixed and they don't spray, but they also don't really see stray cats. I know it's probably not something you'd want to try, getting rid of a cat... because it might not even be the cause. Here is a link to petsmart's odor stuff. I know that doesn't eliminate your problem but if they don't smell the other cats spray then they might not do it as often. Cat's do that to mark their territory or because they feel threatened or don't like a recent change you've made like getting a new pet, or moving. I hope I helped you even a tiny bit cuz I know how bad it smells when cat's do that... I had a female who refused to use the litter box and I had to get rid of her because everyone in my house was mad.

Answer 5

Spongebob is completely correct. Your cats are seriously stressed out by the surrounding feral cats. I can imagine your frustration & disgust but there is absolutley no way to stop the spraying unless you remove the cause of their stress. Blocking their view won't help because they know they are there. Have you considered allowing your cats outside to mark their territory outside? They are spraying inside because they are trying to warn those other cats to stay away but clearly it's not working because the feral cats outside can't smell it! Only you can. And it's working pretty good on you, but of course that's not the idea. I know it's sounds a bit nuts, but if your cats are up-to-date on their immunizations and rabies, just let them outside. You can even supervise them if you are worried about them getting hurt. And let them spray away till their heart's content. It's the only thing that has the best chance of being effective. Maybe those ferals are looking for a mate; let your cats communicate to them the way cats understand best - NO FEMALES HERE, GET LOST!

And call animal control or see if there is a feral cat rescue & release program in your area. These organizations, capture feral cats, sterilize them and then release them. That way they can no longer reproduce and those undesirable behaviors are eliminated for good.

I wish you and your kitties the best.

Answer 6

Kill you cats ??????? What a wonderful idea. We used to have many cotton tail rabbits, loads of quails ( bob whites ), and ground doves in the back yards here where we live.
More and more people let their cats have litters that they couldn't find homes for, so they let them shift for themselves. Now we have feral ( homeless ) cats living under porches, sheds everywhere.
The ground doves are gone, no more cotton tails, haven't seen bob whites in years. All these are native to this part of the country. They're all gone. Ground nesting birds and animals don't have a chance with dozens and dozens of stray cats covering every inch of what was nesting cover for native nature.

Answer 7

This is what you do just keep chasing the outside cats away or call animal shelter to come and catch the outside cats.Your cats are marking their house.That is there way of letting the outside cats know that is thier house.

Answer 8

You have a serious problem. Not only are you endangering your own physical health, you are ignoring the needs of your emotionally ill, anxiety-ridden cats.
Cats will NOT urinate inside unless they feel threatened. You have your cats in a box and the box is being stalked by predators. Get it ? Please, for the love of your cats, remove them from this situation. Cats are very clean animals, and your cats are unable to live the way intended. Read more at :
http://www.felineparadise.com/forum/showthread.php?t=362

I know you love your cats, but you are going to have to love them enough to put your own needs behind theirs. Good luck !

Answer 9

I had sooooo many animals--cats, dogs, ferrets... that did #1, #2 and #3 on the floors, and I worked with many of them, this and that, and little by little started taking the ones who wouldn't learn to the pound/shelter...

I finally got to the point of "who is running the house?" what am I going to put up with? a whole house REEKING OF FECES AND URINE for all visitors to enjoy (cause we get used to the smell and don't notice it anymore)... finally I said enough is enough and didn't put up with any of it and they went directly to the pound at first start...

then I just reread your question and if you are referring to spraying indoors, I answered it, but if it is an outdoor spraying issue, what is the big deal?

Answer 10

as i answered in another question..try the pheromone plug in diffusers available at pet stores. each one covers so many square feet. put them in the rooms where your cats pee the most, hang out the most and can smell the outdoor cats the most. try to get all the cats fixed(even the strays)by trapping and returning. many organizations offer free loans of humane traps and have info. on vets that fix feral cats for free and clip their ear a little so that you know they have been fixed. my vets assistant had this same problem at her place and the pheromone dispenser solved it.