Have you ever found yourself with a cat that suddenly begins to urinate everywhere in your house? This practice, called spraying is, by far, one of the most terrible of all cat behaviors. If you are like me and hundreds of other cat owners, you have asked yourself this question, why in the world do they do it?
The first reason and the most basic of all is, they are marking their territory.
We sometimes forget that our cat is an animal, they are territorial creatures and marking territory is done by spraying. An outside cat, could be spraying a territory that is blocks around your house, an inside cat may spray urine in a few rooms of your house or the entire house. That is why it is so important that your cat have a "spot" in your house that they know is theirs.
Among the many reasons cats spray, another is when they are in heat.
All cats have a really good sense of smell and are easily attracted to the odor of spray. In the cat world, cats in heat, spray to attract the males that are around. It is virtually impossible to stop spraying in this situation and the only way to avoid this, is to have your female cat spayed. Spaying is usually an immediate solution to the problem, and another of the benefits is that it helps keep the cat population under control.
Keep in mind that cats will begin urinating outside of their box, for a number of reasons especially when they are under stress, which can occur in a variety of instances.
Your cat is sick.
No matter what you do, no matter how hard you try, all your efforts could be in vain if your cat is sick.
Since most of us look at our pets as small lions and tigers, it is hard for us to believe that they could get sick. But a cat is just like any other animal on this earth, they can and will get sick.
If you see your cat's behavior changing, they are not eating, you find throw up after they eat or if they just aren't acting normally, be sure to take them to your Vet for a check up
Maybe another cat has been brought into the house.
Make sure the first cat gets as much attention as they did before
There is a possibility that you have moved or changed their litter box.
If you have to move the litter box, make sure to put your cat in it a number of times each day until they know where it is.
Perhaps you have moved to another house.
When it is possible, take your cat to the new house a few times before the actual move and let them know where their new cat box area is.
If you have had your cat for some time, it is a good idea to look at what has been happening within your family for the past few months that could cause your cat to be upset and cause them to urinate where they shouldn't.
If you have just gotten a new kitten, some training will go a long way toward letting the kitten know where they are expected to urinate.
Older cats are prone to diseases and problems, the same way as older people.
Their joints can become stiff and painful, their eyesight can become cloudy or they may become blind, they can lose control of their bladder and bowels. No matter how active your cat has been, at age 9 or so, old age can set in very quickly. This should be one of your first considerations, when a cat's toilet pattern changes.
Cats are wonderful companions, full of life and love for their owners. When their litter box practices change and they start using your home as their personal toilet, there is usually a very good reason. Check out all the possibilities for their change in behavior before you decide to get rid of your cat. A little investigation will save you a lot of grief and maybe even save your cat.
