My tomcat won’t stop spraying my house, how can I make him stop?
If your cat is spraying the house, you definitely are not having a great time. This I because not only will he spray your walls but also your bed, windows, and curtains. You will actually need to address this problem as quickly as you notice it. However, as mentioned before, it is important that you understand why he is engaging in the behavior. Only after then will you be able to curb the vice. Here are a few tips in which you can use to stop your tomcat from spraying:
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Have him neutered
Most cat owners will confess how frustrating it is to have a cat in heat. I mean, there is no way he is going to stop spraying the house in an effort to attract a mate. However, you can deal with this problem as soon as he calms down by having him neutered.
Upon neutering your cat, you will not need to be dealing with this every time he goes on heat. Neutering also helps in reducing the male cat hostility that may increase the chances of spraying to mark territory. This is because upon neutering him, you will eliminate the cat pheromones that lead to this behavior. In addition, your cat will also not feel the need to spray to attract potential mates.
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Uphold litter box hygiene
Litter box hygiene is quite a big deal for your cat. If you fail to provide clean and odor-free litter boxes, your cat may act up. And by acting up, I mean he will spray your house out of frustration and annoyance. Furthermore, there is no way he is going to use the litter boxes until they are cleaned.
For this reason, it is therefore important to watch the litter box hygiene. Even though the modern lifestyle does not do much to help us spend time with our kitties, you should be able to scoop the litter at least twice daily.
In addition to this, choose the most appropriate type of litter for your kitty. Loose and soft materials work well for most cats. Go for the odor-free type of litter as compared to that with odor. This will encourage your cat to use the litter box more often.
We cannot forget to mention how important the location of the litter box really is. Cats, particularly those that are just undergoing litter box training, will definitely need to be reminded about the latter. Therefore, it is important that you place the litter boxes in easily accessible places. For instance, make sure that the various litter boxes are placed in low-traffic areas of the house.
Also, make sure that your cat can comfortably fit in the litter box. Therefore, the size of the litter box is an important factor to consider while trying to encourage the cat to use the litter box successfully.
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Increase playtime with your cat
Loneliness, boredom, anxiety, and stress could possibly lead to your cat spraying your house. Cats, as we all know, require massive amounts of attention. Due to our busy schedules, sometimes we are unable to spend much time with our cats. This opens a window for your cat to boredom, stress, and anxiety which in return may lead to your cat spraying.
However, spraying as a result of this should not be as difficult to control. All you will have to do is to increase the amount of time you spend with your cat on a daily basis. During this time, you should come up with games to play with your cat in order to engage with him.
If your cat is spraying as a result of stress and anxiety, you will have to get rid of the stimuli. Obviously, there is something that is driving your cat to spray. Your job will be to find it and eliminate it for the sake of your cat. In the case where your cat is spraying from seeing other cats and people on the outside, blocking the window view will definitely help. The goal is to get rid of the stress or anxiety stimuli.
In the case you have left your kitty at home for a few weeks, maybe when you are on vacation, he may develop separation anxiety. It does not matter if you left your kitty with someone else; in fact, this could be the reason behind the anxiety. The caretaker should be sure to engage with your cat probably by playing with and feeding him.
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Provide enough resources
Inadequacy of resources in a multi-cat household will lead to stress and frustration. This means that your cat will express himself and what is a better way to do so than spraying? Therefore, it is important you provide enough resources if you are running a multi-cat home.
You should monitor your cat’s habits and energy levels. This will give you an insight into the amount of food you should offer your cats individually. This way, you will not have to deal with stiff competition for food and other resources. You will also be getting rid of your cat’s stress and thus solving spraying cat problems.
Having local tomcats spray your house, then you will have to use other measures to sort this problem out. The best way to keep stopping the habit is by deterring these cats from accessing your home. There are several ways you can be able to change this. Below are some of the ways that you can use to stop tomcats from spraying your house:
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Essential oils
Essential oils actually work well to top other cats from accessing your property and thus minimize the chances of cat spraying your house. This is because most of them are deterrents for cats and they cannot stand the smell. The first step you should take before applying this method is to clean up the sprayed surface. This way, you will make sure that the cat I not attracted to the scent he left behind and thus the need to repeat the behavior.
These essential oils may include the following:
Eucalyptus oil with water
You can use this mixture to keep other cats off your house. Whether the cat is praying your front door, walls of your house, or even the fence, the smell of the eucalyptus is going to keep them away. You may use a spray bottle to apply this mixture on the lawn, doorstep, or your garden. Cats detest the smell of eucalyptus oil which makes it a great cat repellent.
Lavender Oil
Just as much as cats detest the smell of eucalyptus, they also hate that of lavender oils. You may apply the same method as with eucalyptus oil to apply this method. It is important that you do not use these essential oils in the house.
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Make your lawn and sprayed ground unattractive
Cats hate rough surfaces and most of them will definitely avoid uncomfortable places. Soil is soft and cats love the feel of it on their paws. This is why you are probably worried about cats spraying your house. Soft veranda will also be quite comforting for your cat. Therefore, if you notice that a cat that been spraying your house. You may consider making it unattractive for the cats.
To be able to do this, you can simply replace the flooring of your veranda with pebbles. Alternatively, you can get a mat that beeps to scare the cat away. Put it on the surface from which your cat sprays. Spraying vinegar on the area will also discourage cats from coming to your house.
If you have ever dealt with a cat who is spraying, you must know the hustle this may come with. It is frustrating and embarrassing. Clearly, you do not want to live in a house that is smelling of cat pee. Whether it is your cat or the stray and local cats, it is equally frustrating. Therefore, you should come up with a way to curb this behavior.
In order to stop tomcats from spraying your house, you will need to understand cat behavior. Cat’s use urine as a means for communication amongst each other. This means that whenever your cat or another cat is spraying, they are trying to send a message to express themselves. Luckily for us, we have been able to understand various cat behaviors and thus we can be able to control them.
The reasons a cat sprays
There are several reasons why a cat is spraying your house, whether he is your cat or not. In order to stop him from this habit, you will definitely need to determine the cause. Here is why cats will not stop spraying your house:
They are attracted to your unneutered kitty – Well, if you have a kitty that is not spayed or neutered, then you must recognize how frustrating it is to deal with spraying. Your kitty will mostly be the one to initiate the spraying, especially when in heat. When your cat sprays, for this reason, he leaves his scent for other cats. The local cats can pick up the scent and in return spray your house.
Stressed kitty
Stress is also a common reason for cat spraying. However, you can only be able to understand if a cat is stressed by spending time with him. If your tomcat suddenly started spraying your house, it might be time to check upon him.
Litter box issues
Cats that experience litter box issues will most often tend to spray your house. It is up to you to discover what could be causing these issues. Your cat may exhibit litter box issues as a result of dirty and smelly litter boxes as well as other behavioral vices.
Separation anxiety
Just like humans, cats may also experience anxiety. Often, when your cat is undergoing separation anxiety, he may tend to spray the house. This kind of anxiety might be as a result of being left alone for long periods of time. In some cases, your cat may be anxious as a result of the presence of strangers in your home.
Insecurity
spraying is also a common symptom of a cat who feels threatened. This might be as a result of another cat or local dog on your property. Some cats will feel vulnerable if left under the care of someone else.
All in all, if you are looking to stop tomcat spraying your house, then you have to first determine the reason why he is doing so. The above-listed causes are pretty common at some point in a cat’s life but you will have to be cautious when looking into this problem.
Sometimes, spraying can be a result of an illness. Female cats are particularly very prone to urinary tract infections than they are in male cats. Therefore, it is important to have your kitty checked if he appears to spray and experiencing pain and difficulty while doing it. Your vet will be able to give you a conclusive diagnosis and treatment for your kitty.
In this article, we are going to talk about how you can stop your cat and the local cat from spraying your house.
In conclusion
Having cats that are spraying your house is disturbing. You will need safe means in which you can deploy to curb the vice. The goal is not to punish or hurt the cats but to drive them away from your home. Therefore, be very careful to make sure the products and methods you use to control spraying are harmless. In addition, pay attention to your cat’s behaviors to notice any behavioral change. This way, you will be able to catch spraying early and correct it.
The question “Stop tomcat spraying my house” is the most common query that is asked by cat owners. However, this habit can be easily stopped, before your home starts to really smell, using a method that actually works. Follow this link to have a free look at this method and download it. It has been downloaded tens of thousands of times to now happy and content cat owners. Just go and take a look and make an informed decision. There are no pop-ups here so you don’t have to be concerned about me contacting you ever again.
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