Stop cats from spraying winter shelters

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could help me.

I took time and spent money to build two extra (I built a cathouse to hold at least 8 cats) winter shelters for the feral cats.  I rarely saw them do anything but sniff them out.  They never used them.  I made them out of styrofoam insulation 1" and even put two windows so they wouldn't feel trapped.  I didn't raise the bottom one too much off of the floor.  In any event, the bottom one was riddled with urine which is probably why none of the cats slept there.  How do you stop cats from spraying?  If i raise them past tail length would that help?  In other words if they were raised with a smaller platform where they can just jump up and enter would that stop spraying?  What a waste.  I'm considering building another permanent structure more in a tower style with just enough space to climb up and enter.  Im going to have doors going from box to box so that they do not feel trapped and to preserve heat.  I just do not want to do all of this if they will get ruined by urine.  Any suggestions on a material i can use that would be washable or should i just paint the wood?  I plan on sandwiching each box between 1" insulation. 

Thanks in advance.

Are the cats that are spraying spayed/neutered?  Do you know who is spraying?  Usually spray from cats is vertical.  If the bottom is covered in urine, then it sounds like someone or something is peeing.  Are you certain it is a cat that is doing the peeing?

i am still trying to catch a male (I believe) and I suspect it is him.  it was definitely cat urine and it was inside the box.

LuvCats222 said:

 
i am still trying to catch a male (I believe) and I suspect it is him.  it was definitely cat urine and it was inside the box.

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If you have a intact male, there is not much you can do to stop him from spraying.  He needs to be trapped and neutered.  If the shelters are made from styrofoam then then there is no way to clean it.  It must be tossed or the styrofoam removed.  I would concentrate on trapping this cat.

You also can get a black light to see exactly where the urine is. 

I've made shelters from Rubbermaid totes - I have used two totes, one inside the other, insulated with styrofoam.  I did one using a tote inside a wooden box with a roof.  It was a little harder to make but well worth it.  I put shingles on the box roof and had someone put piano hinges on it, so it could be lifted up.  Then the tote lid comes off and it can be washed out completely.  The lady I made it for is still using it, five or six years later.  She also has some two-tote ones that she made a wooden roof for.  She placed six shelters up on pallets and then wrapped plywood sheets with tarps.  This "roof" lasts about two years before the tarps need replacing.  The cats love sunning on it.   It helps protect the totes, too, so they last longer.

I know you can also buy doghouses with hinged roofs, so that night work, too.

If he's peed on wood, you can soak it with an enzyme cleaner (Nature's Miracle is good).  That might help get rid of the smell.

As ShadowsRescue said, though, if he peed on the styrofoam, toss it.

Sending vibes you trap him soon.