Spraying

I am writing because I would like peoples opinions on my little
problem with my cat Samson. He likes to spray...everything. He is a
neutered male, and we are sure he was fixed before 6 months of
age...so it seems odd to us that he would mark so often. However, he
also has a problem with "making love" to blankets. He will grab a
piece of the blanket in his mouth and hump it. This is all brand new
for us, because in our 24 plus years of having cats, never has one
had these issues. It may be linked to his traumatic past. He was
raised not by us, but by a single mother with two ADHD twin 6 y/o
boys.

Well, the boys teased him constantly, and one day when he was
apparently quite young(his injuries had healed when we got him, he
was only 6 months old then)they picked him up by his tail and swung
him over their head like a lasso. His jaw hit a wall and shattered,
and his tail broke. He now has a twisted stub for a tail and scars on
his chin where the jaw was wired shut. Luckily my friend knew them,
and when they had to move to New York and couldn't take him with
them, she referred them to me. We took Samson in, and we found out
quickly that he had been severely emotionally damaged by his ordeal.
He would not allow any of us to touch him without inflicting a nasty
bite. Over time that faded, and he now only bites us badly every once
and a while.

Another chapter. We have 9 other cats, and he is the scapegoat for
them. He is ruthlessly beat up by them day in and day out. So his
only escape is to go outside. I hate letting him out, but if he stays
in, he sprays EVERYWHERE and is picked on. Sooo, I am in quite a
pickle. He still wants to come in sometimes, however,
being in means our house will take quite a beating from his spraying.
Right now, my parents are fed up, and want to get rid of him. I hate this sooo much, but until we
have a solid plan to kick his disgusting habit of spraying its possible. So, I am
very lost, as he is the nicest cat at times, and sooo sweet.
Please...help.

Please find this cat another home where he can be the solo cat. He has been through more than any cat should have to endure. Once he is found a proper home, he will stop spraying, because there will be no need for it. His habit is not "disgusting" it is instinct brought on by so many cats. He marks his territory in an attempt to keep them away from him.

Please rehome this poor cat- find someone with a lot of time on their hands, with no other animals a senior citizen perhaps who might need him as much as he needs them.

Welcome to TCS. I agree with Mary Anne. How sad to hear about your kittys traumatic past!

Ya, you smell cat pee all over your coffee maker in the morning and then tell me its not disgusting. I know it is natural, however, it is just plain gross at times. Going to the bathroom is natural also, but I never said it wasnt gross Anyways. I have lived with cats all my life and work at a vet, and I refuse to beleive getting rid of him is the ONLY option. If it was, I wouldnt be here asking for help.

Put yourself in Samson's place. You have lived with cats for 24 years, work at a vet and own nine. You should have an idea of how this poor cat must feel. Do you think he is happy or comfortable in his present surroundings? Be honest now.

That poor boy! He's been through a rough time.

You could try using a Feliway comfort zone diffuser to help calm him and to help calm the other cats (a calming pheromone that helps stressed cats - www.feliway.com - it can be found in pet stores or ordered online), and try keeping him separate from the other cats for a while. Spraying is a classic sign of stress. It might also be a good idea to shower & change immediately after you get home from working at the vet clinic- having to smell strange animals on you every day after you get home could be stressing out all of your pets. You'll also need to use a good enzyme cleaner to eliminate all traces of odor from every place he's sprayed, to keep him from spraying there again. It's also important to have a litterbox for each cat, so they don't have to share boxes.

Have you taken him to the vet to rule out a urinary tract infection or any hidden health problems that might cause him to spray, or cause the other cats to pick on him?

HOUSE SOILING PROBLEMS: MARKING & INAPPROPRIATE TOILETING BEHAVIOUR (click here)

Maintaining peace in a multi-cat household: The Multi-Cat Household (click here)

If these changes don't help, you may have to seriously consider that some cats simply can't tolerate living with other cats. They're extremely stressed and unhappy when forced to live with any other cats, much less 9, especially if they're the target of aggression - plus, he smells lots of other animals on you all the time, which adds to his stress. A Stranger in the Crowd: Dealing with Pariah Cats (click here)

Thank you for suggesting Feliway, I have considered trying it before. Its just a tad expensive if it doesnt work. I may have quite a few cats but our house is big enough, and no other cats have issues with each other. Just poor Sammy. I love the little boy, though he still bites alot. Thats my other issue, I dont think a shelter would rehome a cat that bites as much as he does. He bites hard too, so a old elderly couple who only wanted one cat wouldnt work. Bad with kids also. So I am kinda stuck. I dont want him destroyed, but with his aggression and peeing, I dont think any shelter would take him. I am actually postive, as I work in the shelters around here(Busy me). I love him, but my hands are scarred from his biting, he seems to bite when he gets "happy", like a overstimulation thing. I am so stuck, I have no clue where to go from here.

P.S Ruled out UTI, besides, its all horizontal spraying. No regular squat and pee

Have you worked with abused cats before? They take a special touch and a lot of attention depending on what they have gone through? He isn't ever going to be a normal cat, is probably PTSD and will have to be worked with gently. I sense a lot of anger and frustration in your postings and you need to be mellow to work with a cat that has been abused. I'm not criticizing, and my initial post to you was my first reaction to his story. I specialize in abused animals and have had cats that have been burned, crucified and been near drowning victims. He isn't going to accept the other cats right away it's going to take time and a great deal of patience on your part to help him adjust.

I would suggest you arm yourself with a lot of enzyme cleaners this website has it all, as well as a black light to find all the urine spots. If you like, I will help you through email you can reach me at [email protected] if you are interested. I've been working with abused kitties for over twenty years now.

Odor Destroyer