territorial female

Question
My 5 year old female torti is healthy (last vet visit less than 2 mos) She recently began "marking" on our carpet, usually in the same spot, and usually right in front of us. she seems to go right to that spot at night right after she has been outside. She only leaves a very small amt of urine so I think it's territorial. There are no other cats in the house. Her litter boxes are cleaned daily. This is a new behavior. I have tried to remove the smell with Nature's Miracle stain and odor remover as best I can. Any suggestions?

Answer
Hi Donna.  When a behavior like this develops, it's best to have her back to the vet try ensure that it isn't being caused by a urinary tract problem first.  Urinating in small amounts, outside of a litter box and directly in front of you can all be signs of pain.  If you use clumping litter, also try to keep an eye on the size and number of urine clumps in her litter box.  Several small urine clumps as opposed to a few large ones are another indication she's experiencing pain.

If she's given a clean bill of health and she's spayed, you may want to try using some pheromone products and flower essences with her.  I use a pheromone product called Feliway in my own home at all times.  Pheromones are hormones which help calm stressed cats and reduce territorial behaviors.  The plug-in diffusers are easy to use and last about a month.  See www.feliway.com to learn more.  In addition to the Feliway Comfort Zone diffusers, you may want to purchase a spray bottle to use directly on the accident areas.  Instead of cleaning it up with Nature's Miracle, wash the area with rubbing alcohol, rinse with water and then apply the Feliway several times a day.

Flower essences can be beneficial to some cats, too, and I like a line called Spirit Essences (www.spiritessences.com) because they were formulated by a holistic veterinarian and an animal behaviorist.  Your kitty would probably benefit from Safe Space for Cats.

It sounds like your kitty could be having encounters with cats outdoors that are upsetting her, and this is the reason she's feeling the need to come inside and mark your home immediately.  I would strongly consider making her an indoor-only kitty.  My own cats were all indoor/outdoor cats once.  I decided to make them indoor-only ten years ago.  After an adjustment period of about 2 months, they settled down, and now the cats won't go near the door if given the opportunity.  They are all much safer and healthier today than they were then.

If the behavior persists, you may need to consider the use of an antidepressant.  Prozac is the most successful medication for controlling urine marking in cats.  There are some other choices, as well.  Many cats only need to be on the medication for a few months' time, and then they can taper off the medication.

Of course, if your kitty isn't spayed, absolutely start with this right away.  Females can be just as bad with urine marking as tom cats.

Good luck!

Jessica