"Marking"

[AmericasTorturedBrow]

Rosie has taken to marking our spare bed (our fault for making that her original safe room) and DS's bed - which she's only done since we changed the sheets but is now doing every time we change the sheets, which is every time she pisses ad infinitum.

She's def marking as we have no problems with her pissing anywhere else - our bed is fine despite several sheet changes, DD's cot she's not even attempted to climb into, all other pees and poos are dutifully done in the litter box

What do we do?! How do you teach a cat NOT to mark her territory

[cozietoesie]

A right PITA.

When did she start doing this? And do you know the circumstances in which she's doing it now? (When during the day, what she's been up to, that sort of thing.)

It usually means they're unhappy or stressed about something so we need to find out why.

[cozietoesie]

PS - how many litter trays have you given her?

[AmericasTorturedBrow]

just the one so I'll get another

The only thing I think is different is we've started letting her outside while we're home (a first just with us, the last two days she's free to come and go but then I'm bringing her in before we go out), she definately marked the spare room before then but that was when we had a friend stay and also when DH moved in there when sick so I think that was territorial.

Maybe it's the stress of going out? She likes it and asks to go out but I think she's still finding ti pretty overwhelming. There doesn't seem to be a correlation yet between when she spays and when she goes out in the day

[cozietoesie]

I'd go for two, yes - but out of interest, what other cats do you have in the neighbourhood? (I'm wondering whether you have, for example, a territorial tom out there (or even another animal?) who is marking outside and making her edgy. It's not common for neutered females to spray so I think she must be feeling unsettled indeed if it's not possible for another animal to get inside the house.)