Not In My New House! How To Stop Male Cat Spraying!

Congratulations to my oldest daughter.

She and her family recently move into a brand new house and it is beautiful. One of the biggest accomplishment and investments that anyone will every do in their lifetime.

She has a new kitten that is a few weeks old as well. This is a new addition to the family that already has two dogs and the kitten is the first cat in her home.

Do you think this new male cat will feel the need to mark his territory?

Cats relate things around the house and humans by their smell (olfactory stimulation). This is how this new male cat will relate within his new home that he is trying to get used to as well as his human parents.

Cats will scratch to leave their scent and unfortunately they may spray their urine to do the same thing. This can lead to very unpleasant odors that the home-owner will have to address.

In this article (inspired by my daughter’s new home and kitten) will discuss why cat male cat sprays, why they are not using the litter box, and how to stop male cat spraying.

How Can I Tell If He Is Spraying?

Smell!

Cat urine has a distinctive odor that you will recognize immediately and never forget. There is a protein in the urine called Felinine that will degrade over time and become stronger.

The smell gets stronger because the urine will cleave off sulfur molecules causing it to become the nuisance that it is.

This protein is part of the pheromone system for the cat that contains fatty acids that will penetrate just about anything and will last for weeks.

These fatty acids have been known to last for up to three weeks on a tree enduring rain and wind.

The only way to get rid of this smell is by removing the fatty acid deposits. This is especially true for the more porous materials such as carpet or cloth furniture.

So what ever cleaner that you try to use, it must have the ability to break up the Felinine protein and suspend it in water in order for it to be washed away.

There are some very good products on the market today that will accomplish this and some that will do this by using natural products.

Why Is He Not Using The Litter Box?

More than likely, your new male kitten will use the litter box. However, if he feels threatened or insecure, he might exhibit the bad behavior of spraying within the home to mark his territory.

Cats are creatures of habit. They need a routine and a safe environment to call home. If they spray, it may mean that they are trying to send a signal to a perceived competitor in their home.

One of the things you should not do is move the litter box around from room to room. Find an area that is somewhat private and quiet.

This will give them the security and stress free environment they need when doing their business.

Do not change the type of cat litter that you often use as well. They may react negatively if you are always changing the brand of cat litter.

Some cats litter products add scent to cover up the cats business they left behind. Sometimes, based on your cat, this can backfire as it will lead some male cats to not using the litter box and reverting to spraying within the home.

You may have noticed that cats love to sit on the window sills and watch the world go by. If stray cats wander by, this can give your male cat the need to mark his territory.

Installing blinds can give the barrier that you will need to keep your male cats from noticing the outdoor neighborhood cats.

Neutering, Will This Stop Male Cat Spraying?

With all the reasons we have discussed so far that might make a male cat spray within your home, there is another important one.

They will spray to advertise their sexual health to a female cat. This is their form of showing off for the female. and letting her know they are interested and available.

Neutering a male animal is a surgical procedure of removing the male cats testicles. Sometimes this can be expensive and painful.

You should only use a Vet that is knowledgeable in this surgical procedure.

A cat can still spray after this procedure. If they do, it needs to be corrected immediately.

However, the most common type of cat that sprays is the unneutered male cat.

There are many products on the market today that claim to stop the male cat from spraying. You need to understand that this is a behavioral issue and needs to be addressed accordingly.

How About The Vet?

Can medical issues make my male cat spray?

Yes!

Medical issues can be a major contributor to male cat spraying.

The following issues can make the cat spray:

• Liver disease
• Hyperthyroid
• Kidney or urinary tract issues
• Inflamed bladder
• High glucose

Even if your cat looks and appears healthy, they can still have one of these issues.

It is important to have your young cat or kitten checked out at the Vet to rule out any of these medical issues.

However, one of the biggest reasons male cats spray is they are stressed out.

So if you are like my daughter as she has two dogs, one being big and the other small one being very active, you need to be aware that your kitten may not feel safe and secure in their new environment.

What Do You Need To Do?

This illustrates your goal with your new male kitten or cat.

You do not have to wait for your cat to start spraying before you start teaching them not to. You need to be consistent and have a routine the male cat can follow. What ever you do, do not use punishment to teach them not to spray as this might aggravate the issue.

There are plenty of books that teach you how to correct this behavioral issue and tips on what you can do to make you home safer and more secure for your male cat.

A product that I use for my small dog to help her feel more secure and safe is the ThunderShirt. The ThunderShirt is also available for your cat or kitten.

They have other products that have proven to help ease your cat’s anxiety and is a natural form of treatment. This is called ThunderEase. ThunderEase will help with cat spraying issues and other emotional aspects that can cause unwanted behavioral issues.

I hope you found this article informative and helpful.

I would love to hear what you think about how to stop male cat spraying and your experiences. Please leave a comment below and I will get back to you ASAP.