Is there a way to stop my neutered male cat from spraying in the house?

Question

I have a 4 1/2 year-old male cat, whom I love dearly, that just will not quite spraying in the house...He was 1 1/2 when he was neutered, which is the probable reason for his continued spraying but I just can't turn him into an outside cat, he's too much a part of the family! Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Answer 1

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/our_pets_for_life_program/cat_behavior_tip_sheets
First a caution about what you should never do. Never, ever punish a cat for peeing in the wrong place, by yelling, rubbing his nose in it, or forcing or throwing him into the litterbox. You'll create far more problems than you'll ever cure, even if you catch him in the act. You'll teach him nothing but fear and distrust for his human bully, traits you want to avoid at all costs, and you'll only reinforce his fears of the litter box by throwing him into it.

http://cats.about.com/cs/litterboxproblems/a/urinewoes_4.htm

A. make sure couch is very clean, with non- amonnia cleaner with enzymes made for this purpose...
B. make sure cats litterbox is extra clean:
C. take kitty to vet to make sure it does not have a UTI: cats will go somewhere other than their box if urination hurts: they equate their litter box with the pain. Do this asap, and check for orange droplets at the lip of the litter box and on the couch.....
below are some more in depth pointers, but those are the 3 biggies: ESPECIALLY the get the kitty to the vet, it probably is a UTI: which can be fatal if left untreated= kidney failure.


If not just peeing , but truly marking,
Much like the miners during the Gold Rush, dogs and cats are territorial animals. They "stake a claim" to a particular space, area, or object. They let other people and animals know about their claim by marking it using a variety of methods at different levels of intensity. For example, a dog may bark to drive away what he perceives to be intruders in his territory. A cat may mark a valued object by rubbing her head against it. Some pets may go to the extreme of urinating or defecating to mark a particular area as their own. Urine-marking is not a house soiling problem. Instead, it is considered territorial behavior. Therefore, to resolve the problem, you need to address the underlying reason for your pet's need to mark his territory in this way. Before this can be done, however, take your pet to the veterinarian to rule out any medical causes for his behavior.

House Soiling or Urine-Marking: How to Tell the Difference


Your pet may be urine-marking if:

The problem is primarily urination. Dogs and cats rarely mark with feces.

The amount of urine is small and is found primarily on vertical surfaces. (Dogs and cats do sometimes mark on horizontal surfaces.) Leg-lifting and spraying are dominant versions of urine-marking, but even if your pet doesn't assume these postures, he may still be urine-marking.

Any pet in your home is not spayed or neutered. Intact males and females are both more likely to urine-mark than are spayed or neutered animals. However, even spayed or neutered animals may mark in response to other intact animals in the home.

Your pet urinates on new objects in the environment (a shopping bag, a visitor's purse), on objects that have unfamiliar smells, or on objects that have another animal's scent.

Your pet has conflicts with other animals in your home. When there's instability in the pack hierarchy, a dog may feel a need to establish his dominance by urine-marking his territory. If one cat is intimidating another cat, the bullied cat may express his anxiety by urine-marking.

Your pet has contact with other animals outside your home. A cat who is allowed outdoors may come home and mark after having an encounter with another cat outside. If your pet sees another animal through a door or window, he may feel a need to mark his territory.

Your dog marks frequently when you walk him.

What You Can Do

Spay or neuter your pet as soon as possible. Spaying or neutering your pet may stop urine-marking altogether. However, if he has been urine-marking for a long time, a pattern may already be established.

Resolve conflicts between animals in your home. (See our tips on Solving Aggression Between Family Cats.)

Restrict your pet's access to doors and windows through which he can observe animals outside. If this isn't possible, discourage the presence of other animals near your house. (See our tips on Discouraging Free-Roaming Cats.)

Keep your cat indoors. He'll be safer, live longer, and feel less need to mark his territory.

Clean soiled areas thoroughly. Don't use strong-smelling cleaners because they may cause your pet to "over-mark" the spot.

Make previously soiled areas inaccessible or unattractive. If this isn't possible, try to change the significance of those areas to your pet. Feed, treat, and play with your pet in the areas he is inclined to mark.

Keep objects likely to cause marking out of reach. Items such as guests' belongings and new purchases should be placed in a closet or cabinet.

If your pet is marking in response to a new resident in your home (such as a roommate or spouse), have the new resident make friends with your pet by feeding, grooming, and playing with your pet. If you have a new baby, make sure good things happen to your pet when the baby is around.

For dogs: Watch your dog when he is indoors for signs that he is thinking about urinating. When he begins to urinate, interrupt him with a loud noise and take him outside. If he urinates outside, praise him and give him a treat. When you're unable to watch him, put your dog in confinement (a crate or small room where he has never marked) or tether him to you with a leash.

For dogs: Practice "nothing in life is free" with your dog. This is a safe, non-confrontational way to establish your leadership and requires your dog to work for everything he wants from you. Have your dog obey at least one command (such as "sit") before you pet him, give him dinner, put on his leash, or throw him a toy. Establishing yourself as a strong leader can help stabilize the hierarchy and thus diminish your dog's need to mark his territory.

For cats: Try to monitor your cat's movements. If he sniffs in an area he has previously marked, interrupt him with a loud noise or squirt him with water. It's best if you can do this without him seeing you. That way, he'll associate the unpleasantness with his intent to mark, rather than with you.

What Not to Do

Don't punish your pet after the fact. Punishment administered even a minute after the event is ineffective because your pet won't understand why he is being punished.

Pets Aren't People

Dogs and cats don't urinate or defecate out of spite or jealousy. If your dog urinates on your baby's diaper bag, it's not because he is jealous of, or dislikes, your baby. The unfamiliar scents and sounds of a new baby in the home are simply causing him to reaffirm his claim on his territory. Likewise, if your cat urinates on your new boyfriend's backpack, it does not reflect his opinion of your taste in men. Instead, he has perceived the presence of an "intruder," and is letting the intruder know that this territory belongs to him.

Dominance or Anxiety?

Urine-marking is usually associated with dominance behavior. (See our tips on Dominant Dogs.) Some pets, though, may mark when they feel anxious or upset. For example, a new baby in the home brings new sounds, smells, and people, as well as changes in routine. Your dog or cat probably isn't getting as much attention as he was used to getting. All of these changes cause him to feel anxious, which may cause him to mark.

Likewise, a pet who is generally anxious may become more so by the presence of roaming neighborhood animals in your yard, or by the introduction of a new cat or dog into your household. If your pet is feeling anxious, you might consider talking to your veterinarian about medications to reduce his anxiety while you try behavior modification techniques.

Answer 2

Last week, the director of our rescue group contacted us and asked if we could foster a male cat that was abandoned when his family moved. I went and got the cat and he was intact and sprayed. I was expecting this/watching for this and made arrangements with the vet for him to be boarded there until they were able to neuter him. Both my vet and this book I have called "The Cat Owners Home Veterinary Care" said that approx 80% to 90% male cats who spray stop when neutered. When I picked him up and brought him home from being neutered, he did it right away. I gave him another chance and he did it two more times. Also, like you all the other cats in our house are spayed/neutered (4 cats of our own; 2 neutered males,1 spayed female and 1 male kitten who is too young to be neutered yet and 1 spayed female foster cat) so I thought after he got neutered it would not be a problem. According to my vet and once again the book I have, it says if a neutered male continues to spray, you can either try a regimen of drugs from your vet. I am not sure, but I think it is along the lines of a tranquilizer type deal. OR you can alter the cats environment which basically means have it be the ONLY cat there. Because if a male cat is in the same house, the cat that sprays might continue to do so to show dominance over the other male; or if a female cat is there,even if spayed, the spraying cat will continue to spray to show the female his prowess and invite her to possibly mate. I really dont have any advice for you, because it is a tough situation. I know you love all the cats, and do not want to part with one. Is there any way you could have the male cat that started the spraying become an outside cat? I am not sure, but I think if the other ones did not spray before he came, they will quit after he leaves. I think the only reason they are doing that is because he marked what he perceives as his turf by spraying, so they are doing it back to him. I would talk to your vet and possibly and animal behaviorist. I know how bad male cat spray can smell, so I know what you ar e going through. GOOD LUCK and I hoped this helped and was just not me talking about a similar experiene. PS-I hope it works our with you and you can find a way to keep all your furbabies

Answer 3

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Answer 4

Last year my beautiful Manx cat Theodore went out for the evening and never came back. I love cats and the house didn't feel the same without one, so I picked up Lola from a rescue centre. She was very frightened and would pee all over the house. I found Cat Spraying No More� on the internet and the techniques worked almost immediately. I haven't had a problem with Lola since. Amazing!

Can't stop your cat peeing in the house? Then worry no more...

Answer 5

No, I agree you don't want to turn him into an outdoor cat, it will be confusing and unsafe for him. Check with the vet to make sure there's nothing else going on, and they may have some ideas for you. Otherwise, if possible, try washing the area with a bleach solution to kill the smell. He's coming back to it because of the smell. There are also cat repellent sprays available, some work better than others.

Good luck!

Answer 6

Sorry, usually once they start inside the house marking their territory, they don't stop. Please don't turn him into an outside cat, that wouldn't be fair to him.

My cat did it his whole life, thankfully, it was usually just one spot. He lived to be 15. That's a long time spraying, but that's just the way it was. Take them good and bad.

Good Luck.

Answer 7

There's probably not much you can do. Once they start, they're not likely to stop.

Make sure his litter box is ALWAYS clean. You can also try cat-off. It didn't work with my cat but some cats respond to it.

Good luck.