Pet Topics

The common misconception is that only tom cats spray inside the house. Unfortunately it is only that, a myth. In actuality males and females alike spray indoors. They do it for many different reasons.

Often there is not much we as cat owners can do to stop them spraying. It is most often understood as a territorial issue with cats.

One major reason cats spray is to “mark their territory”. The dominant male cat thinks of it as a warning to other cats that they are in charge and are the ruler of their domain. You may find male cats are likely to spray directly in front of others, felines and humans alike with no discretion. When a male cat sprays it is a very thick, sticky and odorous spray.

Another reason why cats spray is when a new cat is added to the household. Whether it be a kitten or an adult cat the original cat will interpret that as a threat. As the spraying commences you will need to be prepared to disinfect and retrain your kitty with each and every spray.

A more plausible reason to feline spraying is the introduction of new furniture, accessories or people. As this is a difficult one to avoid, since our lives are always changing and getting better, the cats have a harder time dealing with change. When you introduce new furniture it may have the smell of the factory on it and they are threatened by it.

There are three things to keep in mind as a simple solution to ridding your home of the dreaded smell of spraying done by your cats. White vinegar and water, baking soda and water and hydrogen peroxide (no water). These are all three home remedies that have been proven over the years to be effective. Now you can enjoy your home with your feline friends even more than before.

James Winsoar is the boss of Microchip Cat Flaps Ltd a company that distributes the Pet Porte range of microchip activated cat flaps. He also writes cat training articles to help cat lovers with cat care issues.