Rehome cat before moving?

[Fatetodate]

I currently live with my parents and own a cat who is my responsibility. She was homeless and we took her in after finding her in a sorry state and tried to locate her original owners but they didn’t want her.

I am in a new relationship and will be looking to move in with him in near future.

My issue is the cat sprays all over the house, I think because there are other cats here and she is stressed by that. Her spraying is out of control and I couldn’t possibly move anywhere with her. She will spray on walls, radiators, clothes, doors, wardrobes, literally anywhere to mark her scent. She had even stood on my bed and sprayed against the wall.

I have tried all the medications and talking to the vet but I believe it’s because she lived on the streets for 2 years she is just wired to spray.

please tell me what you think.

Be honest - rehoming means putting her to sleep. Who is going to want a cat who sprays everywhere?

I get why you don't want to take her but I feel very sorry for her.

She is your responsibility so I think ideally you need to care for her.

Being brutally honest - nobody will take on a cat that sprays like that, so it's likely she'll be PTS if you try and take her to a rescue centre.

IMO you have two options. Take her with you and see if her behaviour changes as a lone cat, or have her PTS yourself.

Probably been better off leaving her on the street than doing this

If your parents won’t keep her you need to take her with you as she’s your responsibility and nobody else will want her.

Take her with you. She's your responsibility.

Can't you take her with you? If there won't be other cats in the new home, surely that will help calm her down?

Like PP have said, that sounds like a death sentence.

Have you neutered the cat?
Do you clean the area?

I’d probably confine to one area and thoroughly clean the area.

The behaviour may change in a cat free home.

How has it been ok that she’s sprayed the last two years, but you are moving and now it’s not ok? Genuinely confused that it’s been allowed, it’s escalated and now you don’t want her.

The only place suitable would be a farm or other rural property where she can live outside, you could make enquiries

Have you ruled out any other medical causes for the spraying first by taking her to a vet? If so, it's likely due to stress. She may very well cope a lot better in a different environment. My sister adopted a cat who was rehomed for similar reasons and the cat is much calmer and happier with my sister and no other pets around. So I would take her with you and see how she gets on.

Plenty of decent rescues rehome cats to suitable outdoor homes. Scent marking issues are common in really stressed cats and would not be a reason a rescue would turn a cat down!

If it is the stress of other cats, then likely the behaviour will stop when you move and your cat settles in - scent marking with urine is not normal behaviour for neutered adult, female cats, its an indication of stress, so theres no reason to think it has become habit - if the stress is removed, the behaviour should stop.

Or be honest and say you don't want this cat, and PTS.

What "medications" have you tried?

Female, neutered cats don't usually spray.