Preventing Cat Spraying

It can be very upsetting when your cat takes up the habit of urine spraying your furniture. Unsanitary, difficult to clean, unpleasant and just simply no fun, it is a habit which must be broken. If your cat continues to spray, there are a number of reasons that they may be doing so - by learning what these reasons are and working with your cat to correct the problem, you can keep your cat from spraying.

First of all, take your cat to the vet. A male cat which has not been neutered will spray to mark their turf. Neutering your cat will usually reduce or even eliminate the spraying problem entirely. Spraying can also be a symptom of underlying health problems - it is sometimes seen in older cats who have never sprayed before, which can be a sign of health issues.

When you want to stop cat spraying, remember that you should not get angry or shout at your cat when he has sprayed on your furniture. Chances are, you did not catch him in the act; he will have no idea what you are getting upset about. Because some cats spray when they are anxious or upset, you may just be making the problem worse. Some cats will also spray after they have been moved to new home and in this case, the problem often goes away when the cat is more comfortable.

Cats will tend to spray if they are challenged by another cat. By making it so that your cat cannot see outside, the problem will be reduced. Other cats that your cat sees outside will make your cat want to spray to mark his territory. Keep your curtains and blinds closed and your furniture away from these windows; this should help reduce spraying.

If your cat has sprayed in a certain area, make sure that you clean it thoroughly. You will find that cleaning up an area that has been heavily marked can go a long way towards making sure that does not have similar associations for your cat. You will want to spray the area with a pet repellent that is undetectable to humans but unpleasant to animals.

When your cat sprays, the first thing to do is determine why it is that they are spraying. Finding out why your cat sprays can go a long way towards helping you stop your cat from spraying once and for all.