If you own a cat, you may eventually have to deal with inappropriate urine elimination or spraying. These issues can be frustrating, especially if your cat is indoor.
Urinary issues in cats are complex and can have various underlying causes- be it health or behavioral related. Peeing outside the liter box is different from spraying in terms of causes, smell and even the way it’s done.
Determining which your cat is actually doing—urinating or spraying—and why can help you and your vet address these issues with your cat more effectively.
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What Is Cat Spraying?
When cats spray urine, they will back up to a wall or other vertical surface and release a small amount of urine. This is usually more pungent than urine in the litter box due to additional pheromones. Cats can also spray horizontal surfaces, although this is less common.
Cat Spraying vs. Peeing Outside the Litter Box
When a cat urinates outside the litter box, it is often because there is more urine, or the cat prefers horizontal surfaces like a rug or bed. Inappropriate urination is often associated with lower urinary tract disease or a dislike of the litter texture. Cat spraying is more likely caused by underlying stress or anxiety.
Why Do Cats Spray?
Here are some of the most common reasons why your cat might spray:
-They feel anxious or threatened
-They’re marking their territory
-There’s something wrong with their health
-They’re not spayed or neutered
Cats spray to communicate with other cats in the household.
Cats communicate with each other by urine spraying. In general, most cats are solitary creatures, and even with multiple cats in a household, they will seek out areas to claim as their own. If one cat in the household feels like another cat is moving in on their space or trying to take their resources (food, toys, cat trees, litter boxes, etc.), they may spray urine.
Cats spray to communicate with neighborhood cats or stray cats.
If you have an indoor cat that lives in an area where there are other neighborhood cats, your cat may spray to mark its territory. The presence of other cats outside the house can be a territorial threat to your indoor cat, who will spray to let the other cats know that this area is already occupied. The idea is to discourage the other cats from hanging around.
Cats spray when they are stressed.
Changes in a cat’s daily routine or environment can lead to feelings of stress. Some cats who are feeling stressed may urinate outside of their litter box, while others may spray urine on vertical surfaces in the house. Stress in cats can be caused by changes in routine, like a new pet or person in the home, or things like remodeling or construction.
Cats spray to attract mates.
Male cats that have not been neutered or spayed are more prone to urine spraying, but even female and neutered male cats may do it as well. Intact male cats will spray urine as a way to attract mates or communicate with female cats nearby.
This is typical behavior for cats living outdoors, but can present problems if you have an intact male cat living indoors.
Urine spraying is more likely to occur in both male and female cats when they reach sexual maturity, around 6 months of age. While spayed and neutered cats can also spray, it’s less likely if the cat is in a stress-free environment and feels that their social and emotional needs are being met.
How Can I Stop My Cat from Spraying?
Most importantly, never punish your cat for spraying. This will not reduce the behavior and will make them scared of you and more stressed. Instead, try out some of these techniques:
Rule out underlying medical conditions.
If your cat is spraying, it’s important to take them to the vet to rule out any underlying medical conditions. Your vet will likely recommend tests that include a complete blood count, chemistry, and urinalysis. This is to look for any possible medical conditions that could be causing the spraying, such as urinary tract infections, crystalluria, bladder stones, kidney disease, or other conditions causing inflammation of the urinary system.
If one of these conditions is diagnosed, treating it should help reduce the spraying.
