Cat Spraying?

How to Prevent it

What do you do to prevent a territorial cat from marking your house? There are many ways to prevent a cat from spraying your furniture, walls, and anything else that may be in their way. Spraying is a cat’s way of communicating to each other; however, humans may not exactly find their communication pleasant.

Spay and Neuter
Having your cat spayed or neutered helps ease the urge to mate. Spraying is often a way to communicate when a cat is in heat and which male is dominate. Preventing the mating urge will prevent some of the spraying, if not all of it.

Establish Dominance
Allow your cat to establish dominance. Spraying is their way of scent marking their territory and belongings. Give them scratch pads and toys to rub on. Leaving their scent by rubbing against things may be enough for them to be happy. Punish your cat either through a squirt bottle, scolding, or newspaper every time they try to spray. This will teach them that spraying is not the correct way to establish their dominance in the house.

Erase Prior Trouble Spots
If your cat has already sprayed certain areas, erase the scent. There are many pet odor removers on the market. Clean the area thoroughly and spray with a different scent. Floral scents and even a water-vinegar mix will work to finish destroying your cat’s markings.

Check for Illness or Stress
If nothing seems to work, you may want to go to the vet to see if an illness is the cause. Perhaps there is a problem with your litter or the cat may simply have trouble going and associated the pain with the litter box. You cat may need medication before they can be retrained to use the litter box and stop spraying.

Stress is a common cause as well. If you have brought a new pet or even a new person into the household, your cat may feel threatened and begin spraying for attention or dominance. Giving your cat plenty of extra attention to prove you still love them can help. Moving is another stressor. Help you cat get used to their new environment. Even though cats tend to be aloof, they still like to know you are there. Giving them affection and special treats make them feel comfortable. Once they are happy, the need to spray will go away.

There are obviously many more ways to break your cat’s spraying habit. However, these are the most common and effective ways. Knowing your cat will help you to better understand why they started spraying to begin with. From there, you can then break the habit much more easily.

Written by
C.D. Crowder

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