Cat Spraying: Why They Do It And Treatment Options

A common annoyance with domestic cats, constituting 40% of all house soiling complaints, happens when one’s cat stands back to an object and releases a pungent spray. This is called ‘cat spraying‘, and is directly related to the cat marking their territory. It’s mostly un-neutered male cats (toms) who spray, but some female cats are known to perform this activity as well when in heat.

Cats spray for a variety of reasons. They spray during territorial disputes, when they are aware of another cat in heat, when stressed and often after fights with other cats. So the cats, normally solitary creatures, mark their territory as a way to reduce conflicts with other cats in the area. Mostly cats will spray outside, but if there are conflicts within the home, they will spray inside as well.

Once the cat sprays something it must be thoroughly washed immediately as the unpleasant smell will entice the cat to spray again. When cleaning the object avoid substances with ammonia in them as the cat spray has a similar scent and the cat will confuse it with its own spray and spray again.

So what do you do about this behavior? Can it be stopped before it starts? If cat spraying is a problem for your tomcat, getting him neutered is the first step toward a solution. Also, seeking out the instigating factor for the spraying can help - try seeking the help of a cat whisperer or an expert in cat psychology for assistance. If you’re always noticing spraying in the same place, try rearranging furniture or objects to discourage the behavior. It may also help to separate your cat from other neighborhood kitties that may aggravate the problem.

What you should not do, is punish your cat by taking him to the area and hitting. This will teach the cat to fear you and will have the opposite effect of making the cat more stressed and may even increase the cat spraying problem.

Even with taking all the precautions, cat spraying will be difficult to eliminate completely but can be easily be controlled and minimized. It is just an occurrence that comes along with the responsibility and pleasure of owning a feline friend.

The problem of ‘cat spraying‘ is when a domestic cat will soil its house to mark its territory by backing into furniture or any household item and release a pungent spray. Approximately 40% of all soiling complaints are made of such instances. Females cats will sometimes do it when they are in heat, but generally it is mostly un-neutered male tom cats. Employing a cat whisperer who understands cat psychology to come into your home can also lessen the problem. Don’t ever try to punish your cat by bringing him into the area and hitting him. This will lead your cat to be fearful of you.

- Paul Proctor