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Why Do Cats Spray?

Est. read time: 8 min.

Cats are highly skilled predators, but they’re quite passive-aggressive outside of hunting.

If cats feel that they are being confronted (say, another cat threatens them), they are attempting to mate, or they experience high stress in the home, they rarely get into a “cat fight.” Contrary to popular belief, cats are more likely to avoid direct confrontation. Instead, they leave messages for the offender to show who's boss. They would rather leave a subtle hint than have a full-on tussle.

Unfortunately, this “subtle hint” is often your cat spraying. Read on to learn what cat spray is, why cats do it, and how to get a cat to stop spraying.

What is cat spray? Where does it come from?

Cat spray is a combination of urine and additional pheromones, usually oily secretions from the anal glands. This makes it chemically different from normal cat urine. 

What does cat spray smell like?

Because of the additional pheromones, cat spray typically smells like a more pungent version of cat pee. Some say it smells like ammonia, while others say it has a heavy fishy or musky odor.

Cat spraying vs peeing

So when cats spray, is it urine? As we learned, cat spray is partially composed of urine. However, the behavioral triggers for cat spraying vs peeing are different, which we’ll explore below. 

Cat spraying should not be mistaken for misplaced or inappropriate urination. Here are some ways to identify cat spraying vs peeing: 

  • Cats usually spray on vertical surfaces. This might include walls, furniture, or curtains, when your cat is completely upright with her tail erect. 
  • Spraying emits a smaller quantity of urine than misplaced urination. Misplaced urination results in a pool of urine on the floor from your cat crouching as if she is in her litter box. 

If you notice a large amount of cat urine outside the litter box, you should consult with a veterinarian as soon as possible. This could be a warning sign of a urinary disorder, urinary tract infection, kidney disease, arthritis, or something else.

cat spraying vs peeing infographic whisker

Why do cats spray?

Urine marking is a form of communication by cats to other cats that uses a cat's sense of smell and vision to send a message. When cats spray, or mark with their urine, they are defining their territory in an attempt to gain control of the situation. When might cats spray to mark their territory? Here are some common instigators:

  • Your cat has been incorrectly introduced to a new cat or pet in the household. 
  • There are too dirty or too few litter boxes in a multi-cat household. 
  • A room or favorite spot of your cat’s is closed off or inhabited by other household objects (your laundry, the kids’ book bags, etc.).
  • An outdoor cat is catching your cat’s attention through the sliding glass door. 

Anything that disrupts your cat’s preferred way of doing things will cause increased stress and a desire to spray to gain control.

The role of hormones

Any kind of conflict between your cat and other animal, human, or even unwanted object can provoke spraying, but its likelihood is increased if your cat has not been neutered or spayed (otherwise known as “intact”). Intact cats have higher levels of hormones, which make them more emotional and reactive to stress. 

Why do male cats spray?

Unneutered male cats are most likely to spray as a means of marking their territory. In fact, they may do so multiple times an hour. Not only does their spray signify ownership, it’s also a means of attracting females for mating purposes.

Why do female cats spray?

Unspayed female cats are most likely to spray while in heat, which can begin as early as 4 months of age in felines. When a female goes into heat, she’s emitting powerful chemical signals to nearby males that she’s ready to mate.

Do neutered cats spray? What about spayed cats?

Yes, neutered and spayed cats may spray if they’re feeling stressed or territorial. Rather than advertising sexual readiness, spraying in fixed cats conveys an attempt to gain control of a stressful situation. 

How to get a cat to stop spraying

The only way to completely eliminate the chance of spraying is to make your cat feel comfortable and at ease in your home. That may sound like a tall order, but there are measures you can take to ensure cats don't spray anymore.

Spay or neuter 

The first rule of business when it comes to avoiding spraying is to spay or neuter your pet. This procedure can be done in kittens as young as 8 weeks old. The general recommendation on when to spay and neuter cats is to “Fix Felines by Five”—in other words, by 5 months of age. Why? Female cats can go into their first heat cycle as young as 4 months of age, but typically around 5-6 months of age. 

woman cleaning cat spray on couch while cat watches

Use an enzymatic cleaner

Whether they’re old stains or new spots, it’s important to remove cat urine smells as soon as possible. Otherwise, your cat may return to the scene and spray again. 

The best pet-safe cleaning products tend to be fragrance-free and enzymatic. Enzymatic cleaners target organic matter and can be an effective means of breaking down the chemical structure of cat urine, which will help remedy any unpleasant odor.

Separate and slowly reintroduce pets

If you have other pets in your household, determine if this is the source of the conflict. Make sure your animals are interacting harmoniously. If this is not the case, experts suggest a temporary separation and reintroduction:

  1. Start by setting up each of your cats in their own space. This should be behind closed doors where the other cat can’t go. 
  2. Once or twice a day, rotate home base stations for an hour or two. 
  3. Eventually, use a barrier to let them check each other out. 

If it appears that your pets are fighting for common ground, provide each one with his own space (read: territory) in separate rooms to avoid conflict over a single or the entire area. 

When it comes to meals, feed them at the same time and distribute resources evenly to demonstrate that they can share a common resource and live together peacefully.

Try cat pheromones

Synthetic pheromones such as Feliway are a great way of positively influencing your cat’s behavior, as pheromones can ease a cat’s anxiety, reduce stress and stress-related behavior, and help with behavioral problems like spraying. Feline pheromones typically are sold as a wall plug-in or spray. 

Limit stress

Veterinarians suggest that indoor cats should be exposed to the outdoor environment through windows, perching points, and chaperoned adventures outside. This will keep their imaginations fueled and have them not feel severely isolated inside. 

But if there is an outdoor animal that comes around often to scope out the premises, your cat may feel threatened and that their territory is at stake, leading to a higher risk of spraying. If this is the case, limit your cat’s time observing the outside world or try to steer away other animals that may come into your cat’s line of vision.

Stick to a routine

It is also important to remember that any change in your cat’s routine will cause stress. They expect their living arrangements, feeding times, and interactions with other people and animals to be consistent on a day to day basis. Also make sure that your cat has an enriched environment: Schedule consistent playtime or invest in toys that your cat loves. 

If any major life change is about to take place, give gradual clues as opposed to completely blindsiding your animal one day. If you are planning to bring another cat home, bring in another litter box one day, possibly a baby gate the next, maybe new toys the next, etc.

cat using Litter-Robot 4 while man pets another cat

Try a self-cleaning litter box

Always have one more litter box than the number of cats you have—or switch to a self-cleaning litter box like Litter-Robot. Not only does Litter-Robot work for up to four cats—removing the need for multiple boxes—it also helps with territorial issues by providing a clean bed of litter after every use. That is, no more “remnants” of the previous occupant for your cat to fixate on.

Don’t punish your cat

It is also important to know that your cat should never be punished. Although some animals respond to punishment by seeing the pattern and learning from their mistakes, this won’t work for cats. Instead, punishment will prolong the desire to spray because they will feel further threatened on top of the original stimulus. If they feel even more threatened, their stress levels will go up, and so will their tendency to spray.

Be proactive

Urine marking should neither be a frequent occurrence nor taken lightly. Cats spray now and then, but if it becomes a frequent issue and your efforts to fix the situation fail, consult a veterinarian. Your cat may be trying to tell you something important, and it is your job to figure it out.

Your cat may act avoidant when it comes to conflict resolution, but you shouldn’t. Address the problem once it starts!

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