Hi, just wanted to add my little bit.
I did a feline behaviour course, I have 5 cats, 2 dogs and work for animal welfare.
A cat (male or female) can spray.
Normally they spray when sick or upset about something. First thing is get the cat to a vet and make sure nothing is wrong, the first thing a sick cat will do, is spray or wee outside the box.
Do not use any cleaning product with bleach and use lemon juice to mask any smell.
Never punish a cat, they don't see the point and it can create further problems.
The water pistol is a great idea, but don't let the cat see you use it, as it will associate you with the pistol and not the pistol with it marking is territory.
Yes, there are things you can use to stop the cat messing in the same place, for example, put his food down where he messes, a cat is a very clean animal and tend to avoid eating and messing in the same place.
Having his fixed is a great idea (for everyone, especially because a cat can father hundreds of kittens and of course, many will end up in a shelter like ours, also it's healthier, and makes them more social with people and other cats, because they don't have a need to go out and find female cats, instead they tend to stay home a bit more and hang out with their humans, also it prevents the spread of disease).
Um...gosh...there is so much you can say on this topic, spraying is the number 1 reason for people giving up their cats
it's very common and like me, sometimes you just have to live with it, as I have a Maine coon that sprays, he always has, and I don't expect him to stop now, he's over 8 years old, and I got him at 17 weeks).
good luck and have fun, your cat is just being a cat, sadly, it's not naughty in his eyes, cause he thinks it totally normal behaviour
It's disgusting though, and very frustrating for any cat owner. Hard when you got kids, cause of course it's not really hygenic.
You can find out the cause, but it would mean doing a survey of the cat and it's environment.
marie
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