Cat Spraying: How Do You Stop it
The most common unpleasant behavior when dealing with cats is spraying. With a licensed veterinarian and a dedicated guardian working together, this behavior can be overcome.
What is feline spraying?
Spraying or urine marking happens when a cat position itself upright on a vertical object and deposit urine. Unlike normal urination where a cat squats to urinate, when a cat is spraying it will stand straight up. When you find your cat spraying, you will notice the tail is erect with occasional jerking of the tail. The urine from the spray has a strong smell than urine found in the litterbox.
Why do cats spray?
When your cat is spraying, something is definitely wrong. For that reason, you should visit the veterinarian the moment you notice this behavior. If your vet finds out your cat has perfect health, then you have to explore behavioral causes:
Cats normally use urine marking to establish their territory. By spraying on a specific area, the cat warns other cats to keep their distance.
Cats are also sensitive to changes around them. For instance, when you move to a new city or have done renovations in your home, you may discover you cat has begun spraying. Cats also spray as a sign of potential breeding encounters. If you have multiple cats in your home, spraying usually occurs to demonstrate conflict among the cats.
How can you stop this behavior?
The first step to take when you notice this behavior is to visit your veterinarian. You cannot control spraying if your cat is sick. Here are some of the questions that can help you identify the cause.
Is my cat spayed or neutered? If you cat is not neutered, doing so is important especially if you have other cats in your household.
How can you give your cats more space? When you have more than one cat in your home, increase the number of litter boxes and ensure they are spread out. Alternatively, you can create a play room for your cats and allow them to enjoy playing outdoors as this helps reduce conflict.
Cleaning helps reduce cat spraying
You need to ensure you clean any cat spraying in your home. To completely eliminate the pungent smell, you can use enzymatic cleaners tailored to clean pet urine.
Conclusion
When this problem persists, consult your veterinarian to find out if there are any hidden medical reasons causing the problem. Your vet can prescribe anti-anxiety medication to help reduce the spraying.
References: Pet health network, Preventivevet, Wikihow
