By Sara from Ontario, Canada
Hi, I am the proud mom of 10 healthy, happy cats, from ages 9 years to 1 year old. I've had all since kittenhood and even one since she was 4 days old. All of my cats are spayed and/or neutered.
I hate to be the barer of bad news, but even neutering does not guarantee that you kitty will no longer spray. I have two male cats that still do even though they are, and one of them was neutered well before he ever was able to spray. Truly, there is no absolute, but it is always a good thing to have your animal fixed, if for nothing else, they don't make anymore babies that need homes that aren't available to them, or homes they are turned away from. Male cats that aren't neutered spray smells 10 fold that of a neutered male cat.
On a brighter side: My boy Q-bert didn't get neutered until long after he started to spray. It was horrible, but I couldn't afford to get him fixed. I loved him so with his bigger than s*#t attitude wrapped up into this little stubby package, but my boyfriend, who didn't care much for him from the gate, was beginning to hate him. It was amazing and welcomed how lucky we were that he totally stopped spraying (and calmed a little, but not so much to destroy his charm, as I saw it).
I guess what I'm trying to say, is use your resources, do what is right for both you, your cat and the possibility of future cats, and remember that he's your pet for life. His life and yours. You'll be happy you did it, even if the outcome isn't 100% like my Q-bert, 75% is far better than not.
Again, I repeat get rid of the boyfriend, fix the cat. What has the boyfriend done to this cat to tick him off so badly? Yes unneutered cats do spray but a cat who is urinating on a human's clothing has been mistreated by that person (INMHO), I have seen this behavior many times and it is usually because the animal was mistreated by that person. I would look into a low cost spay/neuter clinic (contact the local SPCA. Good luck
I say ditch the boyfriend and keep the cat and then take him to get him fixed. Sorry, if this sounds flippant but he should be considering what the ramifications are if he doesn't get him fixed.
The Humane Society in Winnipeg neuters cats for $25 for low income people. Check with yours. It's probably about the same price.
I agree with the others: Get him fixed. It's the responsible thing to do. It'll help with his behavior, prevent unwanted kittens, and be healthier for the cat in the long-run.
Even with three cats, we've never had one spray, but we've had other accidents. We picked up an enzymatic cleaner at Petsmart, which seems to work well. It's called PetZyme. I think that's their brand, but other brands can be found elsewhere. Best of luck! Hope he gets it done soon!
Check with your local humane society for spay/neuter vouchers, which help pay for neutering. Also use an enzymatic cleaner to get rid of the smell.
Also you can make your own room deodorizer by mixing water and fabric softener together in a spray bottle. I would get a box and start putting 5 dollars in every week until you have enough for the surgery.
Here is a search I found on this subject: http://www.ehow.com/how_2126804_stop-male-cat-from-spraying.html
There are many other articles, but neutering is the kindest thing to do to stop the pet overpopulation problem. Hope he decides to do this for his pet.
Blessings, Robyn
I'm sorry, but nothing will stop your cat from spraying like getting him fixed will! In the long run getting him fixed will save you tons of money because he won't be getting in fights & wandering off, so less vet bills! And, think of all the homeless kittens he'll make if you don't get him fixed!
You can get a male cat fixed for around $50 (hasn't he already done more that $50 worth of damage?) Do yourself a favor, call your local Humane Society. They may know of a low cost vet or one who will neuter your cat for free!
Just Google Humane Society & your city or e-mail one of the URL's below.
---> Please take care of this, the longer you wait, the more chance he won't ever stop spraying!
CHECK THESE OUT:
Low cost &/or free pet neutering: (Male cats $51)
http://www.friendsofanimals.org/programs/spay-neuter/index.html
http://www.feralcatproject.org/how_help_cats.aspx
http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=16707
In the mean time, to clean up the smell, Use an enzyme-based pet cleaner called "OUT!". It's sold at Walmart & Target for under $ 5.
Directions:
To clean cat pee area: Blot up mess with paper towel then Saturate the area with a product called "Out!" ($4.79 at Walmart) or ANY "Enzyme" pet cleaning product. Then leave the Enzyme pet cleaner on overnight then blot it up. Next, you can pour Hydrogen Peroxide on the area (first test carpeting for colorfastness) Peroxide cleans with oxygen. And, lastly you can use a half white vinegar & half water solution. If you use one or all of the above, your cat-pee smell will go away. My favorite number one thing to clean up any pet mess (hairballs, blood, pee & poop) is Out!, I like the light Vanilla scent it leaves behind, not like the other brands that have a strong floral scent. I sprayed a bit of the Out! on a nasty hairball mess, then left it to sit for about 45 min, then came back to finish cleaning it up & the mess was totally gone! What a surprise that was! It's the enzymes in it that actually "eat" or dissolve the stain, mess & odor. If the mess is on the carpeting, be sure to spray enough so it soaks way down in the carpet's padding!
For complete directions how to remove all traces of pet odors from carpeting read my post here:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf36405218.tip.html
A side note: Never use Ammonia to clean up Cat or Dog urine! Because Cats & Dogs will be attracted right back to that same spot to go again, since all urine is so strong in ammonia, this "fools the pets nose" & they thing the ammonia is pee. (which attracts them!)
My persian has just started spraying on the furniture, the fridge and occasionally a sofa. What can I do to stop this? He is ten years old and has never done this sort of thing before.
Ginty From Scotland
Neutering may be in order. If not that, I would suggest a trip to the vet for a urinalysis to rule out bladder infections, crystals, etc - very common in older male cats.
If medical conditions are ruled out, you can look at his environment. Has the litter box been moved ? Have you changed the type of litter he uses ? Any changes at all can throw an older cat off.
As a last result, I have had good results confining a cat to a small area where the only comfortable place to 'go' is the litter box. This can be a small bathroom, or in more extreme cases a large dog crate works well. At first you may not even be able to give him any bedding. The most appealing place to go, should be his box. After he is consistently using the box again for at least a few days or as long as a week - release him from the box but leave it accessible as well as his additional litter boxes.
Make sure to also clean all his marked areas with an enzymatic cleaner. I use Nature's Miracle. Its pricier than making a home cleaner, but it is the only thing I have found that actually works.
Good Luck! (08/04/2005)
By Sarah
By SNIGDIBBLY
Remove the odor from the places he has sprayed!
If it is behavioral, it is hard to change. Give your cat an extra litter box -- your cat will love the attention. Groom your cat everyday for more attention. A content cat might not spray. I have six cats, and right now, I am fortunate in that there is someone who can groom and brush them each day. (08/05/2005)
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By Maryeileen
My neutered male cat has begun spraying when he doesn't get what he wants. At first I thought it was a mistake, then after observing this behavior over several months, it became clear it's deliberate. When he didn't get the food he wanted, he sprayed the unwanted kibble so it was ruined. Another time, he sprayed directly onto the bag of the kibble he preferred, like it was his way of "'pointing". This type behavior began happening at least once each day. He's not trusted indoors, now. Can this cat be helped, and if so, how?
Gator from TX
By Ingrid
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