Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/Female cat spraying on wall

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 5/26/2009


Question
I have a 3 year old female cat who was spayed at around 6-8 months.  Recently, I found her hunched against a wall and a stream of urine was coming out of her.  I cleaned it with an enzyme cleaner and she has repeated this act several times since.  I've read up on this and if it is her 'acting out' because of seeing another cat outside the house and she is marking her territory, if I get her to stop using that particular spot, won't she move on to another spot?  I put foil down at the suggestion of a friend and cleaned the wall the last time with 'Nature's Miracle'. What do you suggest?  There is no way I can get a urine sample to the vet because the amount she sprays is minimal with most of it going on the wall, not running in the floor.

Answer
Connie,

I'm very sorry I didn't answer your question earlier but the hard drive in my computer died and I was just able to get it replaced.

If she is reacting to cats she sees outside you don't block where she is going, you block the window that she can see the cats out of.
They react in that manner because they are 'marking their territory' inside because they can't get outside to defend it.

She may also have a urinary tract infection or urinary crystals. If it causes her pain to pee in the litter box, she will associate that pain with the litter box and go elsewhere. It is a common problem with cats. You may want to take her to the vet for a checkup to rule out a medical issue before dealing with it as a behavioral problem.

Tabbi

edit: an easier way to put her in the carrier is to stand it on end and drop her butt first into it before she knows what is going on.

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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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.

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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).

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