People used to tell me that household with cat have particular smell and I never understood what they meant by this statement but now I fully understand and would like to shed some light on this subject.
Urine marking or spraying can become quite a problem for people who keep their cats indoors. Although all cats spray but the problem is more common in male cats that are not neutered and then in neutered male cats. Female cats spray as well but that phenomenon is very uncommon.
Spraying involves the cat depositing a small amount of urine usually on vertical surfaces like curtains, walls, flower pots and sofa backs. Cats spray while standing and their back to the surface that they intend to mark people might consider this a litter box problem initially but it has got nothing to do with litter box it’s an entirely different issue altogether.
Reasons Cats Spray
Cats start spraying once they are sexually mature. Cats spray to communicate with other cats in the household. They mark their territory by spraying and let other cats know about their presence and their zone. This problem is more severe in household that have more than one cat as cats have to fight over scarce resources that ends up in cats marking their territory. Moreover spraying becomes more severe in mating season as both male and female cats use it to attract one another.
Stress can be another factor leading cats to spray. If the cat feels threatened by the environment or circumstances it would also start spraying. If your indoor cats can smell, see or hear outdoor cats they would start spraying inside the home to mark their territory and if the cat feels over crowded in the presence of other cats in the house you would also have to deal with spraying.
Possible Solutions of Cat Spray
First of all it is advised that you take your cat to the vet to eliminate any medical problem that can lead to cat spraying. If the problem is not medical then you can start to look at other options that would help to stop the cat from spraying. One of the most common solutions of stopping cats from spraying is to get them neutered as the incidence of spraying becomes negligent if the cat is neutered. If the kitten is neutered at an early age there will not be any spraying but older cats tend to spray even after getting neutered but the incidence reduces a lot.
Anti anxiety drugs prescribed by your vet can also be helpful in reducing the spraying problem. There are pheromone products available in pet stores that come in spray or diffuser form that can be used to discourage the cat from spraying.
Keeping the litter clean and keeping one litter box for each cat in multi cat household will also help in deterring the cats from spraying. Moreover in multi cat households the owners should keep multiple food and water dishes so they do not have to fight over scarce resources.
It is advised that you use shields or plastic shields that would keep the outdoor cats away and would make your own cat feel comfortable in its territory. This would also deter the indoor cat from indulging into the activity of spraying.
A cat is more likely to spray in the same spot over and over so it is advised that you immediately wash away that area and use products that effectively remove cat urine odor. After washing the area with detergent containing enzymes use a mixture of half water and half white vinegar to get rid of the smell.
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