How to stop cat spraying the front door. A helpful & useful guide.

How to stop cat spraying the front door. How much of a problem is it?

 

Cat spraying is common and also normal behavior. However, no one wants to live in a house smelling of cat pee. This is actually a valid and most common reason why cat parents give them up to the shelter. You don’t have to do this to that little kitty you have learned to love. All you need to do is understand why cats spray and how to stop cat spraying the front door.

Most cat parents may not be able to tell spraying from peeing. It is therefore important to define the difference between the two. While some cats will pee out of the litter box, it is not always spraying. It might be that your kitty is experiencing litter box problems, which happens to almost every cat. Spraying, however, will usually involve small amounts of highly pungent urine. This is the actual way to distinguish spraying from peeing.

Since urine provides a way for your cat to express himself, other cats are able to understand. However, you may not know why he has suddenly started spraying your front door. In this article, we are going to discuss some of the reasons why your cat may be spraying and how to make him stop.

 

How to stop stray cats from spraying front doors

 

Having a stray cat intrude on your property and spray your front door is annoying. However, before reacting harshly towards the cat, you may want to understand that he does not mean to annoy you. For this reason, you will need to come up with harmless ways to discourage the cat from spraying your door. These methods might include:

 

Motion-activated deterrents

 

Motion-sensor gadgets work well to keep stray cats off your property. You may consider installing an ultrasonic device that will sense motion. This means that once the stray cat comes close to your house, the device will produce a loud and irritating sound. Since the cat cannot stand the high-frequency sound, he is bound to turn back and leave. This way, he will not have access to your front door or property for that matter.

There are also motion-activated sprinklers and water guns that will fire water in the direction of the movement. Cats dislike getting soaked and thus this is an effective method to keep stray cats from spraying your house. You may place the gadgets on your front lawn for effectiveness.

 

Discourage Burrowing animals

 

Cats and especially stray cats have wild instincts that drive them to want to hunt. After all, that is the only way they feed since they do not have a home to go to. Having your yard full of burrowing animals like rodents and squirrels are only going to attract stray cats. On this note, it is therefore important to control these animals.

You may use appropriate products to get rid of burrowing animals if you have any. Fencing your property is also a great way to keep them off. Stray cats looking for prey will not have access to your property. This way, he won’t be prompted to spray your door.

 

Herbal Cat Deterrents

 

As mentioned earlier, your neighbor’s/stray cat is not looking forward to annoying you. Thus, you cannot approach this problem maliciously. Herbal cat deterrents provide a great way to make sure that cats are not spraying your door.

Unlike the cases where you only have to worry about your kitty, you do not have the capability of studying a stray cat. Therefore, deterring them from accessing your property works more effectively. The following herbal cat deterrents are quite effective in preventing stray cats from spraying your front door;

 

Citrus Peels – Cats detest the smell of citrus. Consider placing lemon or orange peels near your front door. This will deter the cats from approaching and spraying the door. Alternatively, you may mix lemon juice with water in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture near the front door in such a way that the cat can smell the citrus.

Eucalyptus oil – Eucalyptus oil comes with a strong scent that repels cats. Make a mixture by adding eucalyptus oil in water and once again in a spray bottle. Spray the area near your front door before leaving the house, or at night when stray cats are likely to spray.

Lavender oil – like all the other deterrents, cats also hate the smell of lavender oil. You should spray a mixture of water and lavender oil on the surface the cat is spraying. You may also spray the mixture on the front lawn to completely keep stray cats out of your property.

In addition, you may choose to soak cotton balls in the above essential oils and place them in your yard as well as the front door. Cats will definitely keep off the place.

Once you find out why your cat is spraying the front door, you will need to develop a way to deal with the vice. You may use the following methods to stop your cat from spraying the front door:

 

Address stress in your cat

 

As discussed earlier, stress is actually one of the reasons your cat is spraying. However, you will have to spend some quality time with your cat in order to understand his emotional status. At this point, you should understand that cats can be easily triggered to stress over certain things. For instance, a slight change in everyday routine, yours and his, may stress him. Usually, you express his feelings, he will use urine.

Stress can also be induced by boredom when you leave the cat at home with nothing to do. Instead, consider getting him a few toys that will keep him busy. Alternatively, consider leaving soft music on if you are going away for long hours. Leaving the TV on will also help your cat relax even when you are not at home.

 

 

Block his view of guests as well window

 

Your cat may be spraying as a result of seeing guests and passersby as well as other cats out the window. It might be a result of the anxiety that comes with meeting new people. As much as cats tend to be quite social, it is also likely that he is not going to enjoy the company of a stranger at first. In addition, viewing other cats may lead to spraying the front door. It could be that your cat is looking to meet the strange cat or he feels threatened.

If this is the case, blocking his view from the window and front door is helpful. This will shift his attention to engage in other things like toys or TV. Your cat will not feel threatened or like strangers are intruding on his space. In addition, you may also consider taking your cat to another room when you are having friends over. This way, you will keep your cat from seeing the visitor and thus eliminate anxiety.

It is also important to remember to keep stray and neighborhood cats away from your home.

 

Bond with your cat

 

This is an essential factor if you actually want to keep a happy cat. Cats are social naturally and they require companionship since domestication may not allow them to live together as a family. Therefore, once a cat is adopted, he might appear scared and anxious about everything in your house. He may even find it difficult to connect with you not until a few days after.

It does not matter if your new kitty is spraying the front door or you have spent years with him as they all need bonding time with their owners. However, how exactly do you bond with a cat? You can be able to do things by making sure to play with your kitty regularly. For instance, if you have recently been occupied, it might be of help to set aside a few minutes to play with your cat.

Playing in the morning before you leave for work is actually quite effective in eliminating separation anxiety and boredom.

If you have a visitor staying with you over a few days, it might also be helpful to make sure that they bond with your cat. This will make your cat comfortable and more at ease during their stay at your home. Your friend can join in during playtime or even engage with your cat during feeding time. This should stop the cat spraying the front door.

 

Provide enough litter boxes

 

 

 

 

As much as spraying may not be a result of inappropriate elimination, litter boxes play a large role in curbing the behavior. This is why you should always make sure that all the litter boxes in the household are clean at all times. One of the challenges of actually owning a cat is placing the litter boxes strategically.

The thing is, cats are quite sensitive, especially emotionally. This means that your cat needs to feel safe and comfortable with the location of the litter boxes. You should strategically place the litter boxes in order for your cat to want to use them. Usually, look for a private place with low traffic in the house.

In addition, the litter boxes should always remain clean if you are looking to encourage your cat to keep using the litter box. Dirty litter boxes are not only a turn-off for your cat but they can also make your cat very frustrated. This frustration will make your cat spray all over.

Choosing the right type of litter is also important. In most cases, cats prefer soft and loose material for litter. However, every cat is different. You should, however, make sure that your cat is comfortable with the type of litter you choose. Additionally, make sure the litter box is big enough for your kitty to fit.

 

Clean the soiled surface

 

Once your cat has sprayed your front door, it is very important that you clean the soiled place completely. You should use enzyme cleaners in order to wipe out all the urine and also the smell. This will help discourage the cat from repeating the behavior.

Once your cat smells the pungent smell from a previously sprayed place, he might be prompted to repeat the behavior. Failure to wash up the place may lead to this habit becoming chronic and thus harder to correct.

By washing and getting rid of the cat pee smell, your cat will not remember the incident and thereby there are few chances of repeating the habit.

 

Do not punish the cat

 

The reason why your cat is spraying is probably that he is trying to communicate with you. Instead of scolding your spraying cat, try and observe him for a while. This way, you will be able to tell why he is engaging in spraying the front door.

Once you figure out the reason behind your cat spraying, then you can definitely be able to correct the behavior. However, by yelling and scolding the cat, you may end up encouraging the behavior.

 

Get him neutered

Neutering your cat is actually a great way to stop cat spraying the front door. This is due to the fact that he may be doing so because of sexual behaviors. Usually, your male kitten will start his reproductive life at the age of five months. This means that he will want to mate during the season and the best way to let neighborhood cats know that he is available is by spraying.

Once you neuter your cat, you will be eliminating these behaviors. Unneutered cats also tend to want to mark territories more often than neutered cats. You should have your cat neutered in order to avoid a lifetime of dealing with cat pee.

However, it is important that you remain resilient with this process. This is because some cats may not quit spraying immediately after neutering.

 

 

Why is my cat spraying the front door?

 

Front door spraying could mean various things. As mentioned above, most cats will use urine as a way to communicate with you or other cats. This behavior may start at the age of 5-6 months when your cat has reached reproductive maturity. In other cases, you might have to deal with this problem if you recently adopted the kitty. Below are some of the reasons why your cat is spraying your front door;

 

• Marking territories

As mentioned above, cat spraying will often have a pungent smell. This is aimed at keeping other cats away, and it is a common occurrence amongst male cats. Because of their territorial nature, cats tend to be hostile when they notice the intrusion. For instance, if your cat can sniff neighborhood or stray cats around your household, he may spray to keep them off your house.

In other cases, your cat will spray your front door to attract mates. This is especially common in unneutered cats, both male and female. However, males are most likely to exhibit this behavior for sexual reasons. This is why spaying and neutering are important once your cat commences his reproductive stage. After all, no one wants to have more kitties than they can handle.

A cat will spray the front door in order to stamp authority in protecting his home. This is usually triggered by intrusion by other cats or animals into the home. Your cat will definitely want to exhibit dominance and let the other animal know about his boundaries. This way, he feels more secure in his surroundings.

 

Creating a bond with you

 

Cats crave their owner’s affection, they want to feel your affection. Unfortunately, we cannot spend all the days with our cats despite their need for companionship. It is important to understand feline behavior since cats do not understand human behavior.

In order to feel that strong bond with his owner, your cat may spray. Your cat will target your front door as a way to reassure their safety. It may also be a way to guide you home to him.

 

To get your attention

As much as your cat may walk away when you want to pet him, he is an emotional and quite a social creature. Upon the introduction of a new family member or roommate, it will expose him to stress and need for your attention. Some cats will actually spray your door as a result of the anxiety that may come with living with the new person.

For instance, bringing a new baby home may stress your cat. Due to their jealousy nature, some cats may need more attention than usual. Therefore it is important to allow room for your cat to bond with your baby.

playing and exercising your cat will however maintain a strong bond between the two of you.

 

 

Reacting to intruders

 

Unlike urine marking, your cat spraying the front door may be a reaction to the intruders. This might be another cat from the neighborhood or even a stranger. Your cat may do so as a result of extreme fear of the stranger approaching or passing by his house.

Alternatively, he may also spray your front door to stamp authority. He wants to let the intruder that there is someone home. You may also consider turning your doorbells off as they may trigger your cat to spray your door every time someone rings it.

 

In conclusion

 

spraying is annoying and frustrating behavior. However, you do not have to spend a ton of money trying to make him stop. The above-discussed methods should help you keep your cat or stray/neighborhood cat from spraying your front door. The essential oils act as herbal cat deterrents while you could also use motion-activated gadgets. The goal is also always to stop these habits without harming the cat.