Why cats spray, and what helps

Cats spray to leave a scent message, usually about territory, stress or mating. Neutering stops it in most cats, but not all, and stress in the home can bring it back. See your vet first to rule out illness, then reduce the causes: tension between cats, outdoor visitors, changes in the home and too few resources. Clean marked spots well and never punish the cat.

spraying is different from peeing outside the box. The cat is not unable to find the litter. It is writing a note.

What spraying looks like

A spraying cat usually:

• Stands and backs up to a vertical surface, such as a wall, door, curtain, sofa arm or appliance.
• Holds the tail upright, often quivering the tip.
• Treads with the back feet.
• Releases a small amount of strong-smelling urine, often at nose height.
• Looks as if it is concentrating, sometimes with half-closed eyes.

Cats also deposit urine in a squatting posture on flat surfaces when they have a litter problem or a health problem. Cats can mark with urine in this posture too, so do not rely on posture alone. Look at the amount, the place and the pattern.

Both male and female cats spray, neutered or not. It is more common in unneutered males and in homes with several cats.

Why cats spray

scent marking is normal cat communication. Urine carries information about the cat. Reasons for spraying include:

• Mating. Unneutered males and females in season spray to advertise.
• Territory. A cat that senses a rival, such as a stray at the window or a new cat in the home, may mark to claim the space.
• Stress or insecurity. Changes in the home, a move, new furniture, a new baby, a visitor, changes in the owner's schedule or conflict between cats can all trigger marking. Spraying may help the cat feel safer by surrounding itself with its own scent.
• Competition. Too few resources in a multi-cat home can cause tension that shows up as marking.
• Medical problems. Pain or illness, especially of the urinary tract, can lead to unusual urination. This is why the vet comes first.

Step 1: see your vet

Book an exam. The vet will check for urinary disease, pain or other conditions, and may ask for a urine test. They will also ask about neutering. If the cat is not neutered, ask about the surgery. Veterinary and welfare groups report that neutering stops or greatly reduces spraying in most cats, but some neutered cats still spray, so it helps but does not always solve the problem.

Seek urgent care at once if a male cat strains to pass urine, produces only drops, cries in the box or licks at the genitals. That can be a urinary blockage, an emergency, and it can look like spraying.

Step 2: find the trigger

Keep a simple log for two weeks. Note the time, place, what happened beforehand and which cat was involved. Look for patterns. Common triggers include:

• Cats outside. Cats seen through windows or doors, or coming into the garden.
• Conflict indoors. One cat blocking another from food, litter or rest areas.
• Changes. New people, pets, furniture or routines.
• Places the cat feels unsafe. Spraying near doors, windows and exits suggests a response to outside threats.

Step 3: reduce the trigger and meet the cat's needs

• Block the view. Cover the lower half of windows with frosted film or a screen if outdoor cats are the trigger. Close the blinds. Use motion-sensing deterrents in the garden to keep strays away.
• Make enough resources. Provide one litter box per cat plus one, in several places, plus multiple feeding stations, water bowls, beds and perches. See the litter boxes and new-cat checklist tool and our guide on introducing a new cat.
• Provide vertical space and hiding places. Cat trees, shelves and covered beds let cats avoid each other.
• Keep a routine. Cats like predictable feeding, play and quiet times.
• Play every day. Two or three short sessions with a wand toy reduce tension.
• Keep the litter box clean and appealing. Scoop daily.
• Give attention that the cat wants. Do not force it.
• Ease tension between cats. If cats clash, separate them and reintroduce them slowly.

A synthetic cat-face pheromone diffuser or spray may help some cats feel secure. Evidence is mixed, so treat it as an addition to changes in the home, not as the only step. Ask your vet whether it is worth trying.

Your vet may discuss medicines for severe anxiety. Never give a cat any medicine or supplement without a vet's instructions.

Step 4: clean properly

Cat urine contains compounds that stay for a long time. Clean marked areas with a cleaner made to break down pet urine. Soak, let it dry and repeat if you can still smell it. Avoid ammonia-based products. Do not use strong perfumes. If a cat can smell old urine, it will mark again. For porous material such as a mattress, deep treatment or replacement may be needed.

After cleaning, make the spot less attractive. Cover it with foil, use a piece of furniture, or place a food bowl or a toy station there. Cats rarely spray where they eat. Do this if your vet or a behaviour specialist agrees it suits your cat.

Common mistakes

• Punishing. Shouting, rubbing the cat's nose in the spot or spraying water increases stress and makes the problem worse.
• Assuming the cat is spiteful. It is using the only message it has.
• Skipping the vet.
• Using household cleaners with ammonia.
• Not neutering.
• Ignoring the outdoor trigger.
• Giving up after a week. Spraying can take weeks to fix.
• Using too few resources in a multi-cat home.
• Changing too many things together.

When to call a vet or a specialist

Call the vet today if a male strains to urinate or passes little or no urine, if you see blood in the urine, if the cat is unwell, hides or stops eating, or if the cat drinks and urinates much more than usual.

Ask your vet for a referral to a qualified animal behaviour specialist if:

• The cat is neutered, has been checked and still sprays.
• Spraying is in many places or is increasing.
• Several cats are involved.
• The home environment is hard to change.

Summary

• Spraying is scent communication and is often tied to territory, stress or mating.
• Book a vet visit to rule out illness and discuss neutering.
• A straining male cat is an emergency.
• Find and reduce the triggers, add resources and block outdoor views.
• Clean with a pet urine cleaner and never punish.
• Seek a specialist if spraying continues.