I sure hope someone can help me. I have a 5 year old spayed female, Aspen, who I've had for 1.5 years. I also have a roughly 10 year old neutered male cat named Pumpkin who I've had for 8 years. About a year ago, they both started spraying in the house. At first it was just on a new couch I bought so I thought it was due to an unfamiliar object, but then they started doing it in other places. They've both been to the vet, so there are no apparent health problems. Pumpkin never sprayed before, even though I had two other cats in addition to him. He and Aspen's introduction was a littly dicey with some aggression, mostly on Aspen's part, in the beginning, but they seem to have come to a peaceful existence, and neither of them sprayed in the house until about 6 months after I had her. As a result I'm constantly cleaning. Fortunately, I planned for having pets by having hard wood floors and mostly leather furniture that's easily cleanable, but I don't want to spend all my time hunting out and cleaning cat urine.
Well, last night, while I was fast asleep, Aspen jumps on the bed, sprays ME on my arm and jumps down. I was, of course, thoroughly flabbergasted and disgusted. I got up to wash my arm off and tried to go back to sleep although I couldn't right away because I was scared she was going to do it again (fortunately she didn't). Pumpkin was asleep next to me on the bed on the other side.
This morning she seems normal and yesterday evening she spent the evening curled up next to me while I read. She's otherwise a great cat who loves people although she can be a bit rough with other cats. There is an outdoor cat who "lives" next door named Frank who's coming of age and no matter how many times I ask the owner if she's gotten him neutered, she still hasn't done it. I'm wondering if his presence outside the house is causing their spraying. During the summer I often leave the screen porch door cracked and my cats can go in and out during the day because there's a cat door into the house. I also wonder if some cat got in the house and caused them to start thinking they needed to mark their territory.
But, that doesn't explain why she decided to spray me. I know spraying is supposed to be marking territory, but I don't appreciate being her territory in that way. I would be happy with a nice face rub. The vet suggests I use Elavil which I was trying to avoid, but I'm thinking now I have no choice because she can't continue to spray me. I've also used Feliway in the past, but I'm not sure it helped much and as expensive as it is in this economy I don't want to buy things that aren't likely to work.
Just for information, they have three litter boxes in quiety, out of the way places, one on each floor of my house.
I hope someone can offer some useful advice about this problem. I really love her and she's otherwise a great cat, so I don't want to get rid of her.
Thanks.
Well, last night, while I was fast asleep, Aspen jumps on the bed, sprays ME on my arm and jumps down. I was, of course, thoroughly flabbergasted and disgusted. I got up to wash my arm off and tried to go back to sleep although I couldn't right away because I was scared she was going to do it again (fortunately she didn't). Pumpkin was asleep next to me on the bed on the other side.
This morning she seems normal and yesterday evening she spent the evening curled up next to me while I read. She's otherwise a great cat who loves people although she can be a bit rough with other cats. There is an outdoor cat who "lives" next door named Frank who's coming of age and no matter how many times I ask the owner if she's gotten him neutered, she still hasn't done it. I'm wondering if his presence outside the house is causing their spraying. During the summer I often leave the screen porch door cracked and my cats can go in and out during the day because there's a cat door into the house. I also wonder if some cat got in the house and caused them to start thinking they needed to mark their territory.
But, that doesn't explain why she decided to spray me. I know spraying is supposed to be marking territory, but I don't appreciate being her territory in that way. I would be happy with a nice face rub. The vet suggests I use Elavil which I was trying to avoid, but I'm thinking now I have no choice because she can't continue to spray me. I've also used Feliway in the past, but I'm not sure it helped much and as expensive as it is in this economy I don't want to buy things that aren't likely to work.
Just for information, they have three litter boxes in quiety, out of the way places, one on each floor of my house.
I hope someone can offer some useful advice about this problem. I really love her and she's otherwise a great cat, so I don't want to get rid of her.
Thanks.