Spraying.....

[marie.1106]

My cat started spraying about 3 years ago...... i brought him to the vet and after blood tests, etc, they gave me some medicine caled "clomicalm" it was originally meant for dogs that bark too much, but vets began using it for cat's spraying habits...

i do admit the medicine stopped the spraying, but it was like a tranquilizer amd he was constantly sleeping and looking doped up..

I stopped the meds and started letting him out in the yard for about an hour a night... guess what

HE WAS CURED!! he does his sprayiing outside and no longer sprayed inside the house.

I know its AWFUL because it really stinks and hard to clean!!! Daniel's aim was more often then not my husband's motorcycle!!! YIKES!!

Hopefully you can work this out with him... I would hate to think of the poor guy being put down because of something that comes naturally to him.

 

[coaster]

Michelle, you asked me by pm recently if I was making any headway with Rocket's spraying, so I'll answer here in your thread. I finally had my consultation with the feline behaviorist on Saturday. Fortunately, I had some video of Rocket, showing his restlessness in the house and him fake spraying in a couple locations. She said it was quite apparent from his behavior that he was a very anxious cat and whether the trigger was the stray cat, the new cat, or a combination of things, he had a high level of anxiety and responded by marking his territory. And letting him go out didn't stop the spraying, either. So she's going to forward her recommendation to my vet that he be put on medication (Busbar) hopefully just for a few months until he's over his anxiety and he's back inside without spraying.

I think at this point, a consult would be a good next step for you, too. It sounds like you're pretty close to the end of your rope, there. And I do know what that's like.

 

[jaffacake]

Originally Posted by seaturtle

The vet did say that probably nothing will work as long as they are stressed.

Originally Posted by coaster

I think at this point, a consult would be a good next step for you, too.(

I agree with the above. If the cause isn`t medical then it`s something stressing Rocket out that`s making him feel the urge to spray. Something is making him insecure so he needs to keep marking his terratory so he feels safe.

Unless you can work out why he feels this way it`s just going to continue and everyone including him is going to be miserable

I know you said he doesn`t like one of the other cats? I think it would be good to see a behaviourist so you can work your way around this so everyone is happy. I can`t see it stopping otherwise

I hope you get it sorted. He`s a hansome boy and it would be such a shame for him to be pts because of this

 

[crazyforinfo]

Originally Posted by Jaffacake

I agree with the above. If the cause isn`t medical then it`s something stressing Rocket out that`s making him feel the urge to spray. Something is making him insecure so he needs to keep marking his terratory so he feels safe.

Unless you can work out why he feels this way it`s just going to continue and everyone including him is going to be miserable

I know you said he doesn`t like one of the other cats? I think it would be good to see a behaviourist so you can work your way around this so everyone is happy. I can`t see it stopping otherwise

I hope you get it sorted. He`s a hansome boy and it would be such a shame for him to be pts because of this

Thanks! I don't think Mom was serious. She never said such a thing before that wasn't due to serious medical issues. This is her baby boy. She is thinking of getting an apt for Thursday. I will update IF we go. She has a tendency to put things off.

 

[pami]

I know you said you dont drive, but is there any way you guys can get him in before Thursday...... if it is a UTI they are extremely painful for him.

 

[crazyforinfo]

Originally Posted by Pami

I know you said you dont drive, but is there any way you guys can get him in before Thursday...... if it is a UTI they are extremely painful for him.

It's not UTI. I have experience with that. No I can't get there before Thursday. Everyone works but me. Thanks for caring though. It's nice to see someone take the time to post here.

 

[hermione2011]

I too have spraying issues...I have 3 male cats (Patrick, Pete, and Buddy). Ever since Spock had her kittens near the front porch, they've been spraying like crazy anywhere they can hit. They've never done it before, either. What *really* upset me was when Patrick sprayed my shirt! I was outside sitting in a lawn chair with him on my lap. All of a sudden I felt this warmth on my shirt. Needless to say that cat was chastised and put back into the yard! He almost got my leg once, but I moved out of the way as soon as I saw that tail go up in the air.

 

[coaster]

Something I never realized until I had a spraying cat is how it changes your comfort level around that cat. Cats normally put their tails up in the air, they normally present their hind ends for inspection; two little everyday normal cat behaviors very similar to what leads up to a spraying incident. So evey time that cat does those normal everyday behaviors you tense up, your heart rate goes up, and you get a yell stuck down in your throat ready to come out. I tell you, having a spraying cat really plays havoc with your relationship. And I don't doubt the cat can sense that, and sensing that probably accentuates his need to spray.

 

[hermione2011]

Originally Posted by coaster

Something I never realized until I had a spraying cat is how it changes your comfort level around that cat. Cats normally put their tails up in the air, they normally present their hind ends for inspection; two little everyday normal cat behaviors very similar to what leads up to a spraying incident. So evey time that cat does those normal everyday behaviors you tense up, your heart rate goes up, and you get a yell stuck down in your throat ready to come out. I tell you, having a spraying cat really plays havoc with your relationship. And I don't doubt the cat can sense that, and sensing that probably accentuates his need to spray.

Oh yes. I get scared and step away when any of my male cats do that. Of course, I'm not scared when Andy does it because he's too young to spray. But when Patrick or his cohorts do it, it makes me so nervous. I'm even nervous to pick them up because he was standing in my lap when he did it. I'm pretty sure they can't spray while I'm holding them, but I can't help it! It's gotten to the point where Patrick and Buddy go away from me more often than not

 

[crazyforinfo]

Originally Posted by coaster

Something I never realized until I had a spraying cat is how it changes your comfort level around that cat. Cats normally put their tails up in the air, they normally present their hind ends for inspection; two little everyday normal cat behaviors very similar to what leads up to a spraying incident. So evey time that cat does those normal everyday behaviors you tense up, your heart rate goes up, and you get a yell stuck down in your throat ready to come out. I tell you, having a spraying cat really plays havoc with your relationship. And I don't doubt the cat can sense that, and sensing that probably accentuates his need to spray.

Originally Posted by Hermione2011

Oh yes. I get scared and step away when any of my male cats do that. Of course, I'm not scared when Andy does it because he's too young to spray. But when Patrick or his cohorts do it, it makes me so nervous. I'm even nervous to pick them up because he was standing in my lap when he did it. I'm pretty sure they can't spray while I'm holding them, but I can't help it! It's gotten to the point where Patrick and Buddy go away from me more often than not

It definately raises my blood pressure. Lucky for Connor I only caught him in the act once out of 20 billion sprays I smelled. I am fortunate to have Spunky the spray sniffer around. It's usually how I find them all.

I am tired of getting on my hands and knees sniffing the walls and furniture. If the neighbors could only see me.