Do all male cats mark territory?

I was just wondering what people's experiences are with males and marking. My family has always had cats(usually each house had one, sometimes two) and out of all the male cats in all the different houses who were all fixed at a young age they still marked territory by urinating on clothes, floors, beds, even the people themselves. None of the females ever territory marked. Most of the cats were single cat households so there was no other  cat competition unless it was two females together or male and female and the female always ruled over the male. Do all males mark territory or will they mark if some other cat has done it before(you never know what has been done in a older home)in the house? Will two male cats mark to compete with each other? Does it matter exactly what age you get the males fixed? All the males were fixed before 6 months age but some started marking between 6 months and a year and a half. Only thing we could ever figure out is that the cats smelled its owners coming home smelling like another cat(all family members or friends have cats so it's almost impossible to not smell like another cat). My friend wants to get another cat but is worried if it's a male it will start marking. Her other cat started marking and after months her landlord told her to put the cat out. It lives in the lobby area and is perfectly fine with no marking behavior but sometimes she lets him back into her apartment for a visit. All the cats were taken to vet several times and were all given clean bill of health. Is it impossible to get a male and not have it mark or have we all just had a bad string of territorial cats? I an looking into getting a kitten(or cat) and am worried about marking behavior since I know the previous owners of my house had cats that marked(you could smell it when you walked in it was so bad). We had the carpets professionally cleaned but I am still nervous.

The majority of males will mark, but not all.  Jueveniles usually won't.  But, it's not just males that mark, it's females, too.  Cleaning the carpets, shampooing them, really doesn't work.  You have to use some really good stuff.  Even then, depending on how ingrained the marking is, they may still be able to smell it and go right back to it.  And, if they can't smell it, they'll just remark it!  The only way to stop them is to have them fixed, all of them.  Females too!!  Because a neutered male is still a male and will smell females going into heat. 

You said most of them came from homes where they were only pets?  It may be anxiety, too.  They aren't used to sharing and so they are marking to establish a territory for themselves and to aleviate stress.

Also, if you fixed them after they started the marking... It may have been too late. Not all stop marking if they were fixed after they started. 

I suggest you use the products others will suggest to clean and then get some Feliway and Calming Collars.  As for getting another cat when the landlord is already on your case about the smell.... That's your call.  I wouldn't until you have the smell under control and the marking solved.  But that is just me. 

The cats did not come from homes were they were only ones, they lived in homes where they were only ones. There was no other pet to compete with, unless they saw an animal through the window(all were inside only cats). All the animals except two females(who were fixed after kittens)were fixed before 6 months(6 months at the latest). That is why it is so confusing. They had no other animals in house with them to stress them and they were fixed young. Three of the houses were brand new homes so there was no previous animal. I will reclean the carpets with enzyme based cleaner although we told the company that cleaned it that it was animal urine we were focusing on. I really hope a cat does not start marking in house(male or female). I am also afraid if the cat starts urinating in house then the dog will think it is alright also. I do not know if dogs and cats work that way. We try to give them both the same rules but cats are famous for making up their own rules .

i don't think you can generalize and say that the majority of males will mark. I've only had two of my own male cats, both fixed at a young age, and neither marked. I've also fostered many male cats over the years, some fixed as kitens, others who were neutered until they were several years old. Only one of them marked. No issues at all with the others.

I've had 5 cats since moving out on my own. Marley and Willie moved out with me, Marley was a spayed female, Willie an unaltered male. Then I got Ruben from the shelter. Both boys remained unaltered until 1.5 and 2.5 years old. Neither ever marked. Now I have Fin and Winn. I found Fin almost three years ago, he was around a year or two and previously altered. Winn is a female, 2 years old next summer. Fin has also never marked. Maybe I just got lucky.

valentinekitten said:

The cats did not come from homes were they were only ones, they lived in homes where they were only ones. There was no other pet to compete with, unless they saw an animal through the window(all were inside only cats). All the animals except two females(who were fixed after kittens)were fixed before 6 months(6 months at the latest). That is why it is so confusing. They had no other animals in house with them to stress them and they were fixed young. Three of the houses were brand new homes so there was no previous animal. I will reclean the carpets with enzyme based cleaner although we told the company that cleaned it that it was animal urine we were focusing on. I really hope a cat does not start marking in house(male or female). I am also afraid if the cat starts urinating in house then the dog will think it is alright also. I do not know if dogs and cats work that way. We try to give them both the same rules but cats are famous for making up their own rules

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That's where it is then, they are stressed out from the living with new animals.  They are not used to it and marking out of anxiety and need to have their own "space"... How many do you have if you don't mind my asking?  I would not get another one at this point. You need to address the problems you have now.  They aren't exactly living harmoniously.  Until they are used to and calm with eachother, your problem isn't going to go away.  Does each cat have their own "area", a place they hang out most of the time?  If not, help each establish their own private spot that they can think of as theirs.  Put their favorite toys, beds, whatever there and show them that it's theirs.  Cats are territorial and need to feel they have their own space.  Confusion and competition with other animals causes this problem.  Fixing doesn't make it so they can't spray or even won't spray.  Fixing only desexes them. 

Dogs are a different species.  He shouldn't start marking, too.  Cats do make their own rules, you're right.  It's just a matter of learning what they are for people!
 

P3 and The King said:

The majority of males will mark, but not all.

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I think 'most' is quite incorrect. None of my neutered males have ever sprayed, and I have entire girls around them (breeder), nor have my friends males sprayed.
 

I think it depends on what's going on around the cat. Both my females and males have sprayed one time or another. Usually it is because something has upset them a lot. 

Valentine, are you talking about regular peeing outside the box, or spraying?

If it's spraying, I'm not sure what will help, but if it's just regular peeing you might want to take them to see the vet to make sure there's no urinary tract infection going on.

I know you said it's been going on for years (I assume on and off) but it's worth a shot.

missymotus said:

I think 'most' is quite incorrect. None of my neutered males have ever sprayed, and I have entire girls around them (breeder), nor have my friends males sprayed.
 

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Nor have mine... But I have heard from many breeders that a lot of times if they start spraying before neutering, they don't always stop so neuter them BEFORE they start.  My fixed girl, Paige, sprayed when she was upset about me bringing in a pregnant kitty to help with her kittens.  That is the only time I had a sprayer.  But, the majority of males UNneutered will spray.  That is an accurate statement.  Breeder or not...
 

Walentine, where did your family got your cats from?

I agree with the others. SO much spraying, either it is spray or pissing to mark revire, is NOT the common. Not in healthy, neutered cats.

Some accident here and there, esp if there is a good reason, sure.

Some one may do it more than most. Sure. may happen. Cats are individuals.

What Im thinking on, you being a family in the same region, perhaps get your cats from the same source?

Say, some back yard breader who you know and is nice and friendly fellow.

Or you are sawing poor kittens from some farm nearby, so they dont risk to be killed off?

You perhaps do get these cats from the same strain. A very high spraying strain.

A reputable breeder, or cats with good genetical recombination, wouldnt have it so.

But without good genetic recombination or even with inbreeding, you can easly get such strains..

What do you say about it?

Good luck!

ps. for cleaning, there are some good home remedies. Both which liquid soap to use, and solutions of winegar are very good.  Combined, it get good results. There may be others remedies too.

But nowadays there are also several different biological enzyme spray. These are best. Very efficient they says.         Or - combination of all these.   

I currently have 4 male cats and a male dog and NONE of them mark nor have they ever marked.  My oldest male cat is 15.

I don't think more males than females mark, if neutered young enough. It's purely an individual cat thing. Not knowing the circumstances of the kitties in your example, I can't make a good guess as to why they urinated inappropriately. Males can be more sensitive than females, so maybe that would account for the disparity. Did they spray (backing up to vertical surfaces) or just pee on things? Although they seem identical to us humans, to cats there's a big difference between vertical spraying and horizontal peeing., and so the causes for each can be very different.