The most prevalent behavior issue reported by cat pet owners is improper elimination. Many of these cats have problems with some aspect of their litter box.
These cats are pee marking. And urine marking is not a litter box issue, it is a communication issue. Cats utilize urine marking as an indirect method of communication.
What are the reasons for cats to spray-mark?
Animals that live in social groups and rely on one another for survival have complex interpersonal communication. Animals that may inflict severe injury to each other, such as dogs, have evolved a social strategy for averting conflict through interpersonal rating. They can read another animal’s body language to comprehend his intentions and react accordingly.
Cats, on the other hand, have a rather unusual social structure in that they do not hunt, eat, or sleep in packs like dogs.
In the article “Cat Behavior Problems – Marking and Spraying Behavior,” veterinarians Debra Horwitzand Gary Landsberg said that cats leave several traces of where they reside or visit. Cats will mark with urine and scent glands on their paws, cheeks, face, and tail. Marking can take the form of cheek rubbing (bunting) or scratching (with both the odor from the glands in the footpads and the visible mark). Cats can even advertise for a mate. Other cats may see all of this information in the urine. Cats seldom have to interact with each other this way. The cat signals to other animals that it was present long after it has left by leaving an odor.
Horwitz and Landsberg said that cats will mark their area to show “ownership” and to express sexual receptivity and availability. Marking can develop owing to the presence of other cats in the neighborhood, whether outside or among cats in the same home. Cats will also mark their territory if they feel attacked or disturbed. To a cat, marking keeps undesired beings away—whoever and whatever those beings may be—and creates an aura of familiarity that makes him or her feel safer.
Do all cats spray-mark?
Yes. All do the spraying—both male and female—intact or neutered/spayed.
Horwitz and Landsberg said that urine marking is more frequent in intact male cats. When an intact male sprays pee, it has the distinct “tom cat” stench that is powerful and pungent. Although castration or neutering will lessen the odor and may diminish the cat’s incentive for spraying, roughly 10 per cent of neutered males and 5 per cent of spayed females will continue to spray. While cats in multi-cat families are more likely to spray, single-cat households can also spray.
How to stop cats spraying
Because spraying inside indicates that your cat is already feeling threatened, you do not want to terrify them by yelling at them. If you yell at them for spraying, it might raise their stress levels and cause them to spray even more, which is not good for your cat or your home!
Horwitz and Landsberg said that history will assist in determining therapy alternatives. The site of the urine marking, as well as its frequency, length, and number of places, are critical.
The treatment aims to reduce the incentive for spraying. The following are suggestions to consider:
• Castration is recommended if the cat is not previously neutered/spayed and is not a potential breeder. To rule out any medical issues, a urinalysis should be conducted.
• Litter box hygiene should be reviewed and improved.
• Discourage outdoor cats and keep indoor cats away from locations where they are prone to mark. It may be beneficial to keep your cat in a room away from windows and entrances to the outside, or it may be able to prevent visual access to windows.
• In a household that has many cats, keep these cats in distinct regions of the house, complete with litter boxes and sleeping quarters. Allowing the cats to interact for good experiences such as feeding, rewards, and play sessions helps them become acclimated to each other’s presence, at least on a limited basis.
How to clean the markings
Cats frequently spray the same place, so if you see a pattern, test the color-fastness of the region, then thoroughly clean the area with a 10 per cent solution of biological washing powder, rinse with cold water, and leave it to dry. After that, spray it with alcohol (available from your veterinarian or pharmacy) and let it dry. You should now have a sanitary, odor-free environment!
About the Author: Mariana Burgos is a freelance artist. She has been a solo parent for 16 years now because she is wife to a desaparecido. She and her daughter are animal lovers and are active in advocating not only human rights but the rights of animals as well.