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Cats/male cat spraying

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Expert: - 1/23/2010


Question
Hi,

I have a female and a male persian cats. My female gave birth to two male boys 4 weeks ago, therefore I had to separate my adult male from the female with a wire fence just to avoid him harming the new borns. My adult male is around 1 yr and 4 months and he never sprayed before. Today, I surprisingly found urine stains on the floor next to the wire fence!!
What do you think triggered this? Is he trying to mark his territory because of the 4 weeks old males?? or is he doing this to attract the female for mating?
BTW, my female is currently in heat.

Is there anything to do to maybe eliminate this behaviour? I know neutering is an option, but I am planning on using my adult male for breeding purposes. (He never mated before)


Answer
Moe,

When females are in season, males will often spray as an "answer" to their calling.  There is nothing I know that can safely curb this beahvior.  And even the things that may not be safe often dio not work.  If you are going to keep a whole male, spraying goes along with it.

Sorry I coald not be of more service.

Best regards.... Norm.  

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Norman Auspitz

Expertise

I can answer most non-veterinary questions about cats. My particular expertise is pedigree cats, breeding and showing. However, I am versed in feline behavior, cat breeds and their characteristics, general feline husbandry, and the like.

Experience

I judged for the Canadian Cat Association from 1975 until 1982. I am currently an approved allbreed judge for the Cat Fanciers'' Association (the world''s largets cat registry), and have been judging for them since 1991. I have been breeding pedigreed cats since 1971 and have been exhibiting pedigreed cats in shows since 1970. I obtained my first pedigreed cat in 1970 and have never looked back. In 1971, I obtained my first Abyssinian which has become my primary breed. In addition, I have bred Manx and Persians. Currently, besides the Abyssinians, I am also breeding Maine Coons.


Organizations
Cat Fanciers'' Association, inc. (CFA) and the Manx, Maine Coon, and Abyssinian breed councils. I am currently Abyssinian breed council secretary.

Publications
Cat Fancy Magazine, The Abyssinian Chapter in The Cat Fanciers'' Association Complete Cat Book, and Articles for various editions of The Cat Fanciers'' Association Yearbook

Education/Credentials
I received a B.S. from Drexel University in 1968, a M.Math from University of Waterloo, in 1970, a Ph.D. from University of Waterloo in 1975, and a MBA from McMaster University in 1980. I received my approved allbreed judging status in the Cat Fanciers'' Association in 1999.

Awards and Honors
We have produced a number of Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) National winning Abyssinian and Maine Coons. We have produced a number of Abyssinian and Maine Coon Distinguished Merit females (an award for a top producing cat), including the first Distinguished Merit Abyssinian in the red (sorrel) color. I am the CFA Abyssinian breed council secretary and belong and/or hold office in a number of cat clubs. I am also a member of the CFA Judges Association.

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