You are here:
- Home
- Animals/Pets
- Cats
- Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)
- cat urninating or spraying
Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/cat urninating or spraying
Advertisement
Question
I have 3 cats, 2 females and 1 male, and I am having a problem with the 3 year old female. Every once and awhile she sprays or urinates in the living room. I have 3 liters boxes which are cleaned regularly. I haved scrubbed the carpet everytime there is an accident. She has already caused me to tear up the carpeting in the dining room and I replaced the sub floor and flooring. She does it every once and awhile even if you are sitting right there. Any ideas on what else to do?
Kevin,
The most common reason for behavior like your female's is a urinary tract infection or urinary crystals. Both are painful and the cat associates that pain with the litterbox and goes elsewhere. When a cat pees in front of a person that is also a probable sign of a medical problem.
I would have her checked by the vet and rule out a medical issue causing her behavior before dealing with it as a behavioral problem.
Tabbi
Related Articles
- Feline Urination Problem: My cat is peeing in the bathtub
- Feline Behavior: Common Communication Breakdowns
- Who wants to be a Veterinaire? Veterinary Trivia game
- Who wants to be a Veterinaire? Veterinary Trivia game
- Feline Urinary Problem - My cat urinated on the bathroom rug. How can I stop this behavior?
Answers by Expert:
Dear Tabbi
Expertise
My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.
Experience
Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).
Education/Credentials
***********
Awards and Honors
* One of the top 50 Experts Of 2008 *
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.