Do female cats spray? Or just Toms?

[Spidermama]

I'm trying to work out why, for the past two mornings, I have woken to the stench of cat spray and have had to virtually spring clean my home.

I have two female cats and there is a neighbourhood Tom who has been lurking lately and staring in at my cats through the window for hours.

Could it be that he is coming in at night, eating their food, and spraying? Or is it just as likely my girls are at it?

[Pineapplechunks]

Just toms I think.

It's very likely that he's coming in and spraying.

Do you have a lockable cat flap? Could you get one with a magnetic bit that only allows your cats in and out?

Cat spray is pretty rotten stuff.

[Spidermama]

The cat flap is a bit broken and can now only lock out incoming cats but they can still go out. I locked it last night. There was no spray issue this morning but one of my cats was soaking wet and miaowing furiously to get in as soon as I woke up.

[MrsL123]

We've got a lovely tom cat who for the last four years has waltzed into the house whenever he pleases. He's completely unphased by our two slobbery labs (afterall, he was there first ) but as toms go he's very nice, so we keep him around (he keeps the nastier ones away). He'll come in, eat the cats dinner, come into the lounge crying to be stroked, have a sleep, and then mosey on back to the kitchen to leave - but not before stopping to spray up the cupboard next to the door!

I always try to shoo him out before he gets the chance, but sometimes I'm not quick enough, so I always keep a bottle of that pet odour remover from PAH handy, it works wonders. If you're not sure where he's sprayed, do all the walls and surfaces up to about knee height.

[Spidermama]

MrsL123 I'm surprised your cats put up with that! I'm surprised you do too.

I've read more and learned it's not just Toms who spray. In fact I reckon my cats are spraying. Whether they are nervous of each other or the tom outside I don't know but I think I may have to block the cat door and regress to a litter tray again for a while.

I looked on the pet rescue centre websites at the pathetic cats in need of re-homing and decided I can't abandon my girls with out at least attempting to sort this out.

I have to say though, I wish I had never got cats.

[MrsL123]

Spidermama if you had some of the toms around you that we do, you'd be glad of a nice one to ward all the others away! They're nasty little buggers, and used to attack our cats at every opportunity, spray all over the garden, harass the rabbits and fight with each other in the middle of the night under the bedroom window. Since the nice one declared this his harem, we've been trouble free. Small price to pay - I think the girls know that they're onto a good thing and are happy to part with a bit of dinner in return for protection from the mob lol!

He's definitely owned by someone, because he's very well looked after, a bit podgy actually! I'm not sure he's even 'whole' anymore, or just pretending - he's very friendly and quite a sweety - if he'd stop the marking he'd be the perfect part-time pet!

[msrisotto]

Female cats can and do spray.

Vicky Halls has written some v good books about solving the problem by finding the cause and fixing it. The tom could well be it.

Perhaps giving Feliway diffuser a try would help. It diffusers cat pheromones throughout the house (like your cats are when they spray except Feliway is odourless!)

[msrisotto]

Do you have a cat flap? Can't think how he could get in otherwise.

Cat flaps are often a nightmare for making cats feel insecure about their territory - your home thus causing spraying. You could block it up (visibly so they can tell) and let them in and out by opening the door for them. This might make them feel more secure and stop them spraying.

[Totallyfloaty35]

Females spray,we had to rehome a Siamese as she used to spray everywhere,to the extent that the plaster on the walls started to disintegrate.It was very stressful and it takes a lot of scrubbing to get rid of the smell.

[lisa34]

I have a female pudder and she does spray but only outside on the shed. She seems to do it when the tom cat next door has sprayed the shed before her, she like to mark her territory!!!!

[RTKangaMummy]

our 2 FEMALE cats spray but only outside in garden

[MontStMichel]

I saw my old female cat spraying the bushes in our garden often - I assumed she was marking her territory! She never sprayed in the house though!

[JorisBonson]

One of my girls sprays. She's a bugger.