Cat driving me bloody bonkers

[Carmex]

We've got 3 cats, 2 boys 1 girl. All been "done."

My ginger boy and my girl are perfect, never do much wrong at all. But my black cat, my god... He's a horror!!!

He scratches the wallpaper/sofa/carpets and he's a little shit for spraying on things. He goes through phases of this behavior, and I have NO idea what's triggering it.

He's always been like it, he's 4 now, had him since a kitten. He's very athletic, unlike the other 2 and I think maybe that's why he does it, because he wants to go and run about. He's in and out all day. I'm sure if we had a cat flap he'd just have his bum outside and his head inside all day, because he never knows what he wants to do.

anyone have any advice??

You do have a cat flap? He can go outside whenever he wants?

Do you play with him?

He sounds bored.

No cat flap. My DH works from home so let's him in and out we also leave bathroom window open because he comes in and out of there.

We do play with him, he loves playing with anything, he has zero fear, very fun to play with. I agree though, I'm sure he's bored or indecisive and that's what is making him act how he does.

He is either all go, ripping round the house, meowing, scratching, peeing. Out. Or he's completely soppy and wants to head bump and cuddle.

I'd go for a cat flap as a first try. He sounds bored and a bit stressed (by other cats I suspect) so removing a significant main stressor by allowing him to take himself off whenever he wants might well work. (A chip flap would be the best idea so that only your three could use it.)

Do they have trays inside in case the weather is inclement?

Has he always sprayed or is this a new thing?

A fair question. My boys have only sprayed in the past due to other cats - which seems to be their main stressor. (Once they had been neutered that was.)

He can go out when he likes via the window. He does seem to get on well with the other cats, they play fight and he cuddles up with them.

Yes he's always been a sprayer, unfortunately.

We've had to ban him for some areas of the house, which I hate doing but at the moment he can't be trusted.

He does go through stages where he stops spraying but they usually only last a week or so.

He knows when he's not going to do it because he'll run into the front room and dive on the sofa then quickly lay down, as if to prove he's going to be good. Where as if he's going to spray, he comes in, is very vocal and will sniff about and head towards the corner of the rooms.

Have they got litter trays?

I'm guessing he's a dominant top cat, spraying to keep the others in check.

I second Cozy. My previous male cat sprayed on two occasions once he was neutered. He did it on my brother's bag when he became a teen to show him who was the man in the house (he did that to my father each time he came home before getting fixed).

When we kept a NDN's male cat for a few days. There was no problem with females.

So maybe the problem is with the other male? Maybe someone would keep your other male for a while just to test that possibility.

As for scratching, well are there scratchings posts in your home?
I noticed that when my cat's due to get her claws trimmed she startd scratching in more random areas, but when they are done she ony does it at her dedicated scratching posts. Do you clip his claws?

did you try feliway?