When a female cat is spraying all the time, it is usually characterized by small amounts of urine. However, the urine will have a pungent smell and is always directed vertically. This means that your cat will spray your fence, walls, doors, or even windows. It depends on the reason behind this disgusting behavior.
On the other hand, when your cat is emptying her bladder, this will involve larger amounts of urine. Cats urinate horizontally, probably on the carpet or floor. This is termed inappropriate elimination, a common vice in felines.
You will have to observe these characters in order to determine whether you are dealing with your female cat spraying or inappropriate elimination. Let us briefly look at inappropriate elimination in felines;
My female cat won’t use the litter box, please help!
This is a cry for help from most cat owners. Sometimes you may find it difficult to make your cat use the litter box to no vain. However, you are not alone on this one as most cat owners have had to deal with inappropriate elimination in cats.
For instance, you may leave your cat at home and find your house stinking of cat pee. In other cases, cats pee on their owner’s bed or furniture. This is not only embarrassing but also destructive. This is why you should not ignore cats peeing everywhere in your house.
In other cases, this might not only be a litter box issue but it can be cat spraying. This is way worse and even harder to correct. Usually, your kitty will want to spray your windows or door and sometimes your fence and car. It is not unheard of from cat parents who need to curb the behavior.
Unlike other behaviors, spraying is not hard to notice in cats. This is a result of the pungent smell that is left behind. There are several reasons why your cat may want to spray. Some of them are behavioral while others are medical. Should you notice your cat spraying all of a sudden, it is important that you get her checked up to rule out feline urinary infections.
Medical reasons for your female Cat spraying all of a sudden
Cat spraying, and especially a female kitty should not be taken lightly. This is because she can be suffering from a urinary tract infection. You should observe your cat for symptoms like frequent urination, which will often be in spraying form.
understand that she is trying to tell you about her pain and thus may spray in your presence. If she appears to have more vocalization than usual, and mostly painful moans, this could indicate an illness.
It is important that you get her checked up by the vet to rule out any medical illness. Your vet will examine her and make a conclusive diagnosis. Thereafter, the appropriate treatment or drug therapy will follow.
Behavioral Causes of female cat spraying
As mentioned earlier, spraying can be a result of behavioral vices. Cats, like human beings, undergo difficulties trying to adapt to different phases of life. And thus, when your cat is spraying, it is important to check on its emotional and psychological health. Some of the reasons why your cat is spraying include:
Stress
Felines are sensitive animals, both physically and emotionally. This makes them vulnerable to stress. In fact, cats are easily triggered to stress about the simplest things you could ever think of. For instance, moving to a new residence is likely to make her stressed out.
This is because felines do not adjust to change as fast as we may hope. Remodeling your house is also a possible cause of stress for your cat. When your cat is stressed or frustrated, it is possible that she will spray all over. In most cases, remodeling or moving to a new place leads to your cat spraying your furniture and items. She needs to familiarize herself with the new surroundings and thus spraying.
Too many visits to the vet’s office could also lead to stress. In addition to this, having a new person staying over could also stress your cat. This is because female cats tend to be protective of their owners and space.
All in all, if you just noticed your cat spraying, it is required that you monitor her. Reflect on the recent changes that you may have made. These could be the reasons why she is spraying. In most cases, the stress in cats is cured by removing the stress stimuli. Go back to the way things were before she started spraying.
If this is not possible, you will have to come up with other ways to curb her stress. For instance, you may leave the TV on with an interesting channel for her. This will eliminate idleness and boredom which may lead to a stressed cat. Cat toys also work well to eliminate boredom and stress in your cat.
Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety is also another perpetrator of why is my female cat spraying all of a sudden. Cats, as we all know, are always in the need of constant affection and petting from us. This is how we make a strong bond with felines and in the end, they end up being too clingy.
However, due to our life commitments, sometimes we are unable to keep this up. For instance, you might be required to travel for work and such. During this time, you may ask your friend to take care of your kitty, which is great. However, she is going to feel vulnerable that you left someone else to take care of her. She will feel that you are missing in action. This may lead to separation anxiety and thus spraying.
Your cat may spray your duvet or your favorite items. By doing so, he is trying to mix her scent with yours in order to feel your presence. This will also give her a sense of security whenever you are not around. This is likely to happen when you leave your kitty for a long period of time.
Urine Marking
Cats feel the need to mark their territories. This could be in the house or even outside. There are several reasons why a cat may want to mark boundaries. It is a common occurrence in fertile cats, especially when in heat. She wants to attract a male cat for mating using her urine. It is their natural way of life, even in the wild. A cat’s urine will contain information like sex, age, and intention.
In other cases, your cat is just being protective of her territory. This can be triggered by a view of an intruder approaching your home. Your cat wants to communicate to the intruder that he owns the place and they should stay away.
Noise in the backyard is also a possible cause of spraying in cats. This is especially if there are burrowing animals in your yard. It gets worse if a stray cat can be able to access your house. Your cat will mark boundaries everywhere in the house to try and chase the other cat away.
You should make sure that your cat feels safe in your house. To be able to do this, consider leaving the drapes closed. This way, your cat will not be able to see the outside world and thus you will have eliminated the need to spray in order to mark.
To bond with you
As we have discussed above, cats are constantly in the need to feel the connection between you two. They crave attention from their owners and will do anything to get it. However, if your cat feels a little bit nervous, she might pray for your items. This works well for her to feel assured of your unending affection.
If you have not been able to play with your kitty more often, she may pray for your items. By combining her cent with yours, she will feel protected in your presence. It will also help a new cat adjust to the new home. You can limit the spraying by making sure you play with her. This should help her develop the need she is looking for.
Stopping your female cat spraying
The first thing you should do upon noticing your cat is spraying is to monitor her closely. This will give you an insight into why he is doing so. Only then will you be able to completely stop your cat from spraying.
In the case where your cat is exhibiting signs and symptoms of an illness, you should get her to your vet for a check-up. Upon close examination, the vet will recommend the best treatment for your kitty. This should have your cat feeling better in a few days.
Upholding proper litter box hygiene will also help you control your female cat spraying. This is especially when your cat is experiencing litter box issues. By making sure that the litter boxes are free of bad odor and always clean, your cat will feel encouraged to do so. Make sure to use the loose and soft material for your cat litter.
Cats may develop litter box issues if exposed to certain conditions. For instance, if you are running a multi-cat home, your cat may compete for the litter boxes. In the case where a bigger and maybe the older cat is bullying your female kitten, she may spray as a result of fear. However, there is something you can do in order to ease this kind of section.
First of all, consider separating the two cats. Restrict the older cat from accessing the younger cat. This way, your kitten will not be afraid. Alternatively, you may provide more litter boxes to ease the completion. Make sure that they are strategically located in the house. It is also important to make sure that the litter boxes come in the appropriate sizes respective to your cats.
Block your cat’s view of the outside world.
We had mentioned that your cat’s view of the outside could possibly lead to spraying. This is because the feline family if quite protective of its space. When your cat has a view of the outside, he may feel threatened. It could be another cat approaching your home, or it could be as passersby in the streets.
If you live on a busy street, it could help ease your cat’s fear by blocking the windows. Always make sure that the curtains are closed and that your cat has no view of the outside. In addition to this, make sure that your cat does not get bored when you are away from home. Provide entertainment like TV or soothing music. This will keep your cat calm and entertained throughout the day.
Restrict your cat from accessing your room
If your cat has been spraying your room, and especially your bed, you may consider locking her out of the room. However, you should wash the sprayed fabrics thoroughly. In addition, use enzymatic cleaners to get rid of the foul smell of the cat spray.
When your cat sprays a specific place, she is definitely going to come back and do it again. This is why was is recommended as your cat will not remember the previously soiled surface.
Increase play and petting time between you and your cat. This way, you will be helping her build that bond that she is looking for. Do this on a routine and preferably every day. Your cat will not be prone to feelings of vulnerability.
Has your female cat spayed in case she is spraying to attract a mate? Spraying is mostly associated with a cat in heat. 4-6 months old kittens are usually ready to mate and reproduce. Unless you want a bunch of kittens, consider having her spayed before then.
When you have a guest staying with you for some time, have them bond with your cat. This will help establish a relationship between the two and thereby getting rid of fear and anxiety. For instance, you can have them engage in your cat’s playtime.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is never a good idea to ignore a female cat that has started spraying all of a sudden. This is because it might be an illness or a behavioral issue. Get your cat checked up for feline urinary infections. However, do not punish your cat for soiling your house. Instead, try to understand the reason behind the spraying and correct the behavior.
Why is my female cat spraying all of a sudden? This is a question most cat parents come to me with. Spraying is also a common behavior among cats, which you should not ignore. If you follow this link you will find the answer to your question using a method that actually works. It is free to have a look so stop wasting your time looking for the answer when it is right here for you.
In order to facilitate the domestication of cats, the human race had to study their behaviors. Spraying is usually a means of communication for your cat with you or with other cats. This being said, we should highlight that spraying and passing urine are slightly different.
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