How to stop cat spraying after neutering. A helpful guide.

Cat Peeing Outside the Litter Box and Throwing Up

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When you have had your cat neutered you suddenly find yourself asking the question “How to stop cat spraying after neutering” It is a common problem for your cat to start this horrible habit up. I call it horrible because suddenly your home reeks of that horrendous cat urine smell and you have to start buying expensive cleaning products.

 

Ways to stop cat spraying after neutering

 

Seek Medical Attention

This should be the first thing to do if your cat won’t stop spraying after neutering. This is because it could be a serious illness leading to spraying. Your vet is going to examine your kitty to determine if spraying is caused by medical or behavioral issues.

It is important that you have your cat checked up in order to catch the infection early enough for prompt treatment. You should be concerned if your cat is passing urine with blood in it. It could be an indication that your cat is ill.

Other symptoms you may want to look out for include painful and frequent urination. Your cat may also appear to lick his genitals in an effort to ease the irritation. Upon observing these symptoms, you should be quick to see your vet. This way, you will be able to prevent the advanced stage of these illnesses.

Your vet is going to recommend the best method of treatment for your cat. In severe cases, your cat may require surgery to remove a blockage. The blockage of the urinary tract is caused by the formation of crystals in your cat’s urine. Sometimes small crystals will be dissolved by the use of administered medication.

Urinary Tract infections, crystalluria, and idiopathic cystitis are among the reasons why your cat is spraying. Make an appointment with your vet to be sure.

 

Treat underlying stress

 

As discussed before, stress is a major contributing factor to spraying cats. Cat spraying is actually a common and problematic behavior in cats. If your cat is still spraying after neutering, it is possible that he is stressed. However, it is also upon you to find out why your cat is stressing and resolve the issue.

The first sign of stress in cats is inappropriate elimination which includes spraying and urinating outside the litter box. Other symptoms include excessive grooming, constipation, or even diarrhea. Your cat may also scratch his skin more often than usual. In a multi-cat home, stressed cats will often want to keep by themselves. They will even spray to put up boundaries to keep other cats out of his space. In other cases, your cat may lose his appetite as well as vocalize more than usual. These are some of the physical changes you may observe in your stressed cat.

Once you determine the reason why your cat is stressed, it is going to be easier to eliminate the vice. For instance, if your cat’s stress is from competing for resources at home, you should increase the amount of food and water. You may also consider adding the number of litter boxes in your household.

Some cats will get stress and spray upon seeing other cats outside the house. This is usually aimed at engaging with the other cat. However, it might also indicate hostility towards the other cat for trespassing. In this case, you will have to come up with a way to keep the other cats out of your compound.

 

Using deterrents

 

Use safe cat deterrents to keep neighborhood cats off your property. You may also block the windows by leaving your curtains closed. Leaving the music on in order to keep your cat occupied is also helpful. This will keep him engaged and unbothered by the outside happenings.

You should consider increasing playtime with your cat if he seems tense. Normally, as we all know, cats are always looking for our attention. In case you have been working more hours and spending less time with your kitty, this could be why he is stressed. Exercising your cat and play is stimulating enough to eliminate stress and boredom. You can also get him toys to play with when you are away from home.

However, the fact that your cat won’t stop spraying may also be as a result of residues of testosterone in your cat’s body. It may take some time for these hormones to clear up completely. If your cat had already developed the habit of urinating outside the litter box, you may have trouble controlling him even after neutering.

If your cat is subjected to stress due to the new person in your home, you may consider introducing the two to each other. You should, however, be careful with the process of introducing new persons to your cat. For instance, you should not force your cat to sit on your friend’s lap unless he wants to. You can engage your friend in the feeding and playing activities to encourage the bond between them.

 

Keep the litter box clean

One of the major reasons why your cat may be avoiding the litter boxes is because they are not clean. Cats are quite sensitive and at the same time clean. This means that if he goes to the litter box and finds it dirty or even stinky, he will look elsewhere to pee.

You should make it a habit to scoop the soiled litter in order to get rid of the smell every day. This will encourage your cat to use the litter box and thus avoid spraying.

It is also important to make sure that you clean the soiled surface in the house. Your cat may have had an accident in the house and sprayed over your carpet or furniture. Use an enzyme cleanser to get rid of the smell and any taint of the urine. This will help keep your house clean as well as odor-free. It will also help your cat forget about his accident and thus minimizing the chances of repeating the habit.

 

Distract your cat

 

Distraction works well to redirect your cat’s attention. However, you will have to be keen enough to identify when your cat is about to spray. Your cat will walk to his spraying spot and turn his back to it before spraying. At this point, it may help to get his attention towards something else.

For example, you can use a toy to get your cat’s attention. Identify his favorite toy and grab it once you observe him heading to the spot. By repeating this severally, your cat is going to realize that you are not exactly pleased by the incident. Alternatively, you may offer your cat her favorite treat in small bits to avoid overfeeding him.

In the case where your cat is spraying to get you to react, ignoring him may work. This is especially after you have tried to make your cat quit spraying using the above method. If your cat ignored you even after you offered to play and went ahead to spray, you will need another method to curb his inappropriate behavior.

 

Do not punish your cat

 

As much as cats might be difficult to train, scolding your cat should never cross your mind. This is because it is an ineffective method to deal with inappropriate elimination. Pushing your cat away is going to expose your cat to possible stress. And this will only make spraying worse.

Instead, you should use the above-discussed methods to encourage your cat to use the litter box. Once you identify the reason why your cat will not use the litter box, you should be able to approach the problem appropriately. You should not regret neutering even if your cat continues to spray. You should give him some time for all the hormones to be off his body.

Encourage your cat by being warm and pet them after they have used the litter boxes successfully. Check for any infections before you start curbing the behavior. The goal is to stop a cat from spraying all over your stuff.

 

Cat Spraying. A helpful guide.

 

Cat spraying is a frustrating behavior to us humans but quite a common one among cats. There are several reasons why your cat is spraying and it is up to you to figure it out. Normally, sexual behavior is likely to contribute to spraying and inappropriate elimination.

Spraying is especially common in male cats even though female cats indulge in the behavior. When you have a male cat that is ready for mating, he is definitely going to spray. In return, this lets the neighborhood cats know that he is available for mating.

Equally, female cats may spray in an effort to get a male cat’s attention. This brings us to the importance of neutering our cats. We mostly do not want our cats to get pregnant as we do not have the resources to take care of all the kittens. Thus, neutering your cat is a form of population control among other advantages.

Neutering, which involves the removal of testosterone in male cats, will eliminate your cat’s sexual desires. This will, in turn, eliminate the behaviors your cat may display as a result of sexual urges. This makes your cat friendlier while eliminating unnecessary aggressive behavior.

By spaying female cats, you will also avoid having to protect your cat from his wildlife instincts. This is because she might want to hunt in an effort to provide her kittens. Spaying will make your cat unable to reproduce.

Your female cat will also not have to spray to attract male cats if she is spayed. Not only will you help control the population but also curb these undesirable characters.

Not only will neutering help you keep a docile cat but also eliminate the urge to mark territories. Male cats are fond of marking their territories in an effort to display dominance. Removal of testes is going to curb sprays resulting from sexual behavior instantaneously.

 

 

My cat won’t stop spraying even after neutering

 

As common as this might be, it remains a crucial question among cat parents. As mentioned above, neutering is a great way to eliminate spraying in cats. However, as much as this is effective, it may not always work. This is because there are other factors that may lead to your cat spraying. In order to be able to stop your cat from spraying after neutering, you will have to understand why he is doing so.

 

Other contributing factors for cat spraying include:

Anxiety and Fear

Cats are by nature sensitive creatures, both physically and emotionally. This makes them prone to anxiety whereby it is triggered by certain factors. Separation anxiety is quite common in cats, especially new kittens. Your cat may spray as a result of extreme fear of an object or subject in your household.

For instance, you may have a well-behaved cat all the days but he starts spraying instantly whenever you have guests. Exposure to new faces or even pets will definitely expose your cat to anxiety until she has learned how to live with them.

Sometimes, especially in female cats, spraying might be a result of emotional distress. This can be a result of jealousy. For example, if your cat feels like you are giving another pet or person more attention than you are offering her. She might start spraying in an effort to communicate with you about her woes.

It is also important to introduce your friend or partner to your cat if they are going to be around often. This will help you decrease the anxiety your cat may experience as a result of meeting new people every now and then. However, introducing someone to your cat should be careful as well as hustle-free activity. Below are some tips you may use when introducing your cat to your friend or partner;

  • Let your cat initiate contact – Once your cat exhibits signs of anxiety around your friend or partner, it is important that you let the two bond. After all, if they are all going to be meeting regularly, it is vital for them to bond. You should, however, not force your cat to mingle with the other person until he wants to. This means that your partner should not pet your cat if he does not seem too excited about it.
  • Encourage your friend to join on playtime – In fact, this is the most effective way to familiarize yourself with your cat. Since our cats enjoy play and exercise time, they tend to be more open than any other time of the day. You should let your friend engage in your cat’s playtime. You may also teach your partner/friend about the games your cat likes. This way, your friend will be able to bond with the other person and thus minimize anxiety.
  • When introducing your cat to your significant other, it means that they are going to probably spend a lot of time in your house. For this reason, it is important that they get to familiarize themselves with your cat. To help your cat get close to your partner you may consider leaving your partner’s worn clothing in your house. You should place it in a place your cat likes to curl up. This way, your cat will be able to recognize your partner’s scent.
  • Let the other person feed your cat – This is an advanced step you should take to make sure your friend or partner gets well along with your cat. Feeding time is also a good time to win a cat’s affection. If your cat has his favorite snack, you may occasionally let your friend feed it to him. It is, however, important to remain calm and patient even if your cat is not all enthusiastic about your friend.

To seek comfort and safety

Some cats will spray on your furniture or clothing even after neutering. This is to initiate a type of bond that makes your cat feel secure in your house. Chances are, your cat is quite attached to you, which makes it hard for him to be without you for long periods of time. However, by spraying on your stuff, he will be mixing your scent with his in order to feel your presence.

 

 

New Environment

 

Cats experience a difficult time trying to adjust to your place to start with. Moving into a new house or apartment may lead to your cat spraying before adjusting to it. This could be because he cannot find his way around the litter box or because he is generally unsettled.

In addition, you should consider several factors before considering moving into this new place. For instance, noisy places can also contribute to even more spraying. This is because your cat has a stronger sense of hearing which means that he will be uncomfortable.

You do not have to move into a new house to confuse your cat. Rearranging your house is also a contributing factor to spraying. Your cat may not be able to find his way around the house and it may feel totally different for him. The unsettling is caused because your cat has to find his new spot and even locate the litter box.

Whenever you buy a new piece of furniture, your cat will feel the need to familiarize himself with it. To do so, he ends up urinating on the new furniture which can be quite frustrating. No one wants to live in a house that will not stop the stinking of cat pee.

 

Limited space

This is especially important in a multi-cat household. You may have more than one cats which can be challenging for them to live together. Like human beings, our cats need some space sometimes which is why you may notice your cat going away after you pick them up. To mark their boundaries, cats will spray urine to alert other cats.

You should only accommodate the number of cats enough for your space. You can also create high and low hiding places for your cats. This will allow each cat the amount of space and alone time they may require without having to spray.

 

 

Cat Spraying No More

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