Spring time means Spray time:-(
Its this time of year when cats start to go out and about, wandering into each others territories and getting into scuffles. So what can happen as a result of this?
Well, if your cats territory has been invaded resulting in your cat being stressed they will often go on a mission to send chemical messages that this is their territory. This is when urine is sprayed in places which tell other cats this territory is taken and to stay away. Often the urine can be sprayed in certain points around the home which have a direct view of where the invading cat can be seen, for example if a cat is seen from a window to the back garden then urine will be sprayed around that area. Sometimes you will notice that cats urinate on electrical equipment, it is thought that the heating of certain appliances can enhance the odour to create maximum effect (there is little scientific literature on why this happens currently but I have seen numerous cases where this has occurred).
So what can you do, firstly get your cat vet checked to rule out any underlying urine infections that could be causing the problems. Do you have a microchip cat flap which only lets you cat in and out the home. Look at providing litter trays in a number of locations so they can toilet somewhere private, do not have a tray close to a cat flap or door, its a bit like asking us to leave the toilet door open in a public place and imagine how vulnerable you would feel in that situation.
Also make sure you provide Feliway a diffuser or spray of calming feline pheromones which can help your cat in times of stress. Ensure you thoroughly clean affected areas with an enzymatic cleaner so there is no lingering odours, cat will often respray over previous patches so ensuring proper cleaning has taken place along with providing a calmer safer home will help.
Urine spraying with cats can be a frustrating situation for owners to live with. Often making you feel depressed and sometimes uncomfortable with living in your home as you sometimes can smell urine but not exactly know where its coming from. If your cat is ding this then I am more than happy to come and help and make you and your cat feel happier and more relaxed in you home.
