Cats will mark their territory to signal “ownership” and to advertise sexual receptivity and availability. Marking can occur due to the presence of other cats in the vicinity, either outdoors or among cats that live in the same household. Cats will also mark their territory when they feel threatened or stressed.
Applying odor neutralizers anywhere your cat has sprayed may prevent him from spraying there again. Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that, when applied to household surfaces, mimics the scent of cat cheek gland secretions., and this may reduce spraying.
Cats urinate by squatting onto a horizontal surface; spraying occurs standing up. The cat makes a treading motion with her back feet and quivers her tail, leaving her scent mark on a vertical surface. If your cat has begun urinating outside of her litter box, be sure that the box is regularly cleaned.
Cats spray when they are stressed.
Some stressed cats may urinate outside the litter box, while others will spray urine on vertical surfaces in the house. Stress may be caused by any changes in daily routine, new pets or people in the home, or things like remodeling or construction.
Species appropriate punishment such as “hissing” or the use of punishment devices such as a water sprayer, can of compressed air, or hand held alarm are better than using any physical techniques since they are less likely to lead to fear and retaliation.
Clean it quickly
Thoroughly clean the area by wiping it down with warm soapy water, or a mixture of alcohol and water. Use a clean towel to blot it dry, let it dry naturally or use a vacuum. Do this a few times if necessary until there's no trace of the smell.
Cleaning cat spray properly is very important. Not only because it smells worse than regular cat urine, but also because if your cat continues to smell it, he will likely spray the area again. While soap and water might get rid of the offensive scent for us, a cat's sense of smell is much more sensitive.
Neutering your cat will reduce the amount of spraying of this kind, if not stop it completely. If your neutered cat is spraying this is called “reactional spraying”. This kind of spraying occurs when there has been a change in your cat's environment, either physically, or with the addition of new cats or people.
Cats commonly urine-spray when they want or feel they need to mark their territory. A cat's territory is basically the area they're prepared to defend. Another cat coming into or sharing that territory will know who the cat is and when she or he was there.
Cats will mark their territory to signal “ownership” and to advertise sexual receptivity and availability. Marking can occur due to the presence of other cats in the vicinity, either outdoors or among cats that live in the same household. Cats will also mark their territory when they feel threatened or stressed.
“Spraying,” or urine marking, is their way of telling other cats or new people to back off without a direct confrontation. Your cat may be spraying to communicate about territory or something else. Feline urine marking may happen because your cat feels: Threatened.
Cats spray during socially stressful situations, possibly to increase their self-assurance, or as a coping strategy for stress or even as a form of displacement activity. You will often see other cats outside spraying urine against bushes, fences and other objects.
Although having a cat that's spraying in the house can be pretty frustrating, try not to take it personally! Your cat isn't mad at you — they're just letting you know that they're either feeling threatened or insecure.
You should start to look for signs of spraying when your kitten reaches maturity. For most cats, spraying tends to start when they are 6 to 7 months old, although male cats can reach maturity between 4 to 5 months.
There is an unmistaken odour that comes with having an intact or un-neutered male cat. This pungent, ammonia-like smell is him signalling to all the ladies that he is available and ready to go. It is coming from his skin, urine and any spraying that he may do as well.
Marking by rubbing
Felines have scent glands on their cheeks, paws and flanks and when they rub against something—a door, a chair, you—they put their own personal scent on that object. This leaves the message for other cats that they've been there and laid claim.
Neutered cats can spray as well. Ten percent of male cats neutered before 10 months of age will still spray as adults. In households with numerous cats, at least one cat will likely spray, even if all the cats are neutered.
You can buy a blacklight flashlight from internet retailers such as Amazon and Ebay. The there is a compound in dried cat pee that will glow a green color under a blacklight. Shine it everywhere, including on walls where cat pee may be sprayed or splattered so thin that you wouldn't have otherwise noticed it.
Effectively, cat urine odour can last forever. It's one of the most persistent smells imaginable, with a way of hanging around no matter how much you try to scrub the stain or cover up the offending smell with air fresheners or pot-pourri.
Then you're going to want to douse the spot with an enzymatic cleaner or simply make your own cleaning solution by combining (white or apple cider) vinegar and water in a 1:1 ratio. Because the vinegar is acidic, it will neutralize the bacteria in the cat pee, offsetting its odor.
The all natural repellent pet stain & odor remover prevents cats from revisiting and spraying the same spot twice! When used to clean an area previously sprayed by a cat, Nature's Miracle® No More Spraying eliminates existing stains & odors leaving behind lemon grass and cinnamon scents.
While urine spraying is normal behaviour that can be performed by any cat, male or female, neutered or not, spraying indoors may be a sign that your cat does not feel secure in their home.
Spraying often starts around six months of age as cats reach sexual maturity. Spaying females and castrating males will reduce or stop spraying behaviour in up to 95% of cats!