Neutered male spraying

Leo is a year old and neutered. He had been allowed outdoors for a few months until he fractured his leg. He was on cage rest for awhile but has now almost entirely healed and is allowed to roam the house again. But we've decided it's in his best interest to not go outside. When he was outside, I know he sprayed on things out there, but he never did it inside so I wasn't worried about it. Now that he's feeling better, he wants badly to go outside again. He will go to the door and howl to be let out and we usually try to distract him with a toy or something because we don't want him going out. Sometimes the distractions work, other times he wanders around the house and just howls until he gives up and goes to sleep.

About a week ago I caught him spraying the mirror in the bedroom. I rushed over and got him and put him in the "time out crate"... which is a large dog crate that is set up with a litter box and bed if someone needs to chill out for awhile. I cleaned the mirror and surrounding area really well. I had him checked out at the vet to rule out a medical problem and there is none.

A few days later, I found urine on a table in the bedroom. Again, I cleaned it up. Then this morning, I was going to make some ramen noodles and found that the entire package was soaked with urine. He's spraying in different areas completely so it's not that he smells the previous spots and goes again. I don't want to have to keep him in the "time out crate" all the time, but I'm really not sure what to do with him. I know it's related to not being able to go outside but it's in his best interest to stay indoors now. I could take him out on a harness and leash but I don't know if that would make the problem worse or not.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Spraying is a territorial marking device. It can be triggered by stress, I suspect what is going on here is due to his confinement. Try to look at it from his perspective - he used to have a much bigger territory. The house was the core of his territory, everything smelled like him due to the scent glands in his face and the oils in his coat, every time he brushed against something it renewed that smell. Outside, he would spray at the boundaries of his territory, to warn all comers 'this area is mine'. The strong urine scent marker is used a) on things that don't have a relaxed 'this is mine because I'm here with it a lot' scent, and b) to give a strong boundary warning at the edges of territory.

Your cat's territory has shrunk - but he still feels the need to patrol what used to be his outdoor territory. He is probably spraying indoors partly through stress, and partly through an attempt to protect the outdoor territory that he knows is still out there - he can probably smell that other cats have entered, and maybe themselves urine marked the places that used to be his.

I suggest 2 things - 1) get some Feliway - it emits a generic 'happy cat' smell, cats don't tend to spray where they have left 'happy cat' markers themselves, and 2) harness training could well be an answer here, so that he can still patrol his outdoor territory and have it smell of him, but under your supervision. The sudden shrinking of territorial boundaries can be very stressful - especially if there are other cats in the area who are now making claims on it themselves.

Make sure to use an enzyme cleaner on any areas he has sprayed so that the warning scent marker is completely gone, otherwise he'll feel the need to refresh it.

While this may well be behavioral/territorial - are you sure there's not a medical problem? Cats also pee when they're in pain from a UTI or from crystals in the urine - something male cats are prone to.

Just thought you might want to get him to a vet to make sure.

Laurie

Originally Posted by LDG

While this may well be behavioral/territorial - are you sure there's not a medical problem? Cats also pee when they're in pain from a UTI or from crystals in the urine - something male cats are prone to.

Just thought you might want to get him to a vet to make sure.

Laurie

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He's been thoroughly checked out. A UTI was my first thought. The vet has ruled it completely behavioral.

Oh sorry - you did say that in your original post.

Then I'd try Epona's advice. But I'd also make sure to give him LOTS of extra stimulation - lots of extra play. Maybe a new cat tree, some new toys - make sure you rotate his toys so he doesn't get bored. Maybe put up a bird feeder right outside a window.

I know the issue is territorial marking not inappropriate peeing - but maybe switching to the Cat Attract litter will help anyway. It seems to be working a lot of miracles. Certainly can't hurt to try.

Laurie

Is it possible that he could have been neutered and only one testicle was taken instead of the two? If he's still acting like a tom cat and sprays (inside and out) - I'd suspect he still has normal male hormones in his system.

When was he neutered and how old?

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Is it possible that he could have been neutered and only one testicle was taken instead of the two?

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I don't think so... I've checked. He's just always been very much a "boy", always very macho and territorial even as a young kitten. The spraying didn't start until he went outside and that was "his" territory. I know he's just frustrated because he isn't going outside anymore. Thanks for all your suggestions, I will try the Feliway and see if I can find the Cat Attract Litter... I do see him use the litter box though, so I don't know if that will make a difference, it's worth a try though. He gets plenty of play time but a few new toys certainly wouldn't hurt trying. And I'll give the walks on leash a try as well.

I have a male that sprays the walls when he uses the litterbox, thats the only time he sprays.