my cat Lisa sprays everywhere, can sombody help ? I really tried everything !

gattina

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I red everything I could find here on this subject, but nothing fits for me !
Lisa is nearly 15 years old. She was perfectly clean until her 6th birthday. Then she started to spray the doors, the furniture etc. Even at the leg of my husband when he had just put his trousers on (no joke). Sometimes, she looks at us with almost a vicious "smile" turns around and pees against a chair. I took her to the vet. He thought it was hormonical, so she got medication and ... continued her spraying. I thought it over and over on the physcological side, but nothing had changed in her life. We all were the same persons, no new furniture no new pets. I tried everything possible, sprays, foil, pepper every advice I was given I tried. Nothing to do. I even tried a waterpistol which helped to educate kittens, shot when I saw her, but that also didn't bother her. So for years I check the whole house every morning, sometimes there is nothing but sometimes there is. I also stated that it was periodically. I tried to find out what and why she does it but cannot find anything. We have 2 litterboxes in the basement (for rainy and cold days) otherwise there is the garden and they can go in and out. At the time she started she lived with Max our male cat who crossed the rainbow bridge only a year ago. Since she came to us she has always lived with him. Now we have 3 more cats but there is no problem, she likes them all. Fortunately it doesn't smell, but a lot of things got badly dammaged. It's also awkward when we go on holidays. Fortunately my neighbour loves cats has herself three and doesn't bother to clean it up.
 

larke

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Is she neutered? If not, that's the answer. Get it done right away and the spraying should stop. She really can't help herself very much and will continue doing it otherwise.
 

aphrodeia

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I've heard great things about Feliway, when used to prevent spraying and calm agitated cats. Have you checked with your vet, to see if this might be an option for you?
 

hissy

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If for eight years you have been dealing with a spraying cat, have you even consulted a feline specialist about it?
 
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gattina

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Originally Posted by Larke

Is she neutered? If not, that's the answer. Get it done right away and the spraying should stop. She really can't help herself very much and will continue doing it otherwise.
Oh yes of course she is, already since she was 6 month old ! All my cats are neutred.
 
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gattina

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Originally Posted by hissy

If for eight years you have been dealing with a spraying cat, have you even consulted a feline specialist about it?
Yes I did, I have been at least 3 times at the vet for that, everything has been tried out, medication, sprays, more attention (if possible) there is nothing to do. Sometimes there are weeks without spraying and then it starts again. Otherwise she is a cude very affectionated cat and completely normal.
 
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gattina

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Originally Posted by aphrodeia

I've heard great things about Feliway, when used to prevent spraying and calm agitated cats. Have you checked with your vet, to see if this might be an option for you?
She is not agitated at all, quite a calm little cat, and all sprays which came out new on the market I have tried.

I am sorry you must all think that I am exaggerating, but it is no joke it's simply the thruth. I think we have to live with it, it's only sometimes I am really fat up, because when I wrote this, she had sprayed on my computer not very much but still and I was quite angry.
 

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If you have not tried Feliway please please try it. It is a bit pricey but it is completely worth it. It works wonders in most cases. There is a spray version and a plug in version. Definately get the plug in and if she is spraying in a few selected areas, but the spray too for those areas, but I would really give it a shot.
 

larke

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Hi, crazy idea here, but do you routinely use some kind of air (or hand) cleaner etc. that you spray around that she might not like the smell of? It could be that she is desperately trying to 'neutralize' what to her is a constant bad smell all around and that she has to breathe all the time. Febreze doesn't leave any odor (known to man :-), so I wonder if that's a possible thing you could use instead (of whatever you might use now).
 

urbantigers

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Have you asked your vet to refer you to a qualified behaviourist? If your vet can't solve the problem it sounds like you need a specialist who can study the problem in more depth and help you solve it. Whatever the cause, the sparying has probably become a habit after all this time so will be difficult to stop.
 
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gattina

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Originally Posted by Jen

If you have not tried Feliway please please try it. It is a bit pricey but it is completely worth it. It works wonders in most cases. There is a spray version and a plug in version. Definately get the plug in and if she is spraying in a few selected areas, but the spray too for those areas, but I would really give it a shot.
I am sure the spray and plug is very good for a "normal" cat, but in this case I don't know where to put the plug, she does it in the whole house and never at the same place for some weeks ! And it doesn't happen every day. Sometimes she doesn't do it for a couple of weeks.
 
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gattina

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Originally Posted by Larke

Hi, crazy idea here, but do you routinely use some kind of air (or hand) cleaner etc. that you spray around that she might not like the smell of? It could be that she is desperately trying to 'neutralize' what to her is a constant bad smell all around and that she has to breathe all the time. Febreze doesn't leave any odor (known to man :-), so I wonder if that's a possible thing you could use instead (of whatever you might use now).
It's not at all a crazy idea, I know of cats who did that, but I am using nothing, and the floors are cleaned with a normal product.

THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO TRIED TO HELP ME WITH THIS PROBLEM ! I think I will continue as I did, anyway it's true she is old and she won't change anymore.
 
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