Spraying

[Hesalovernotabiter]

We have two female cats around four years old. Not sisters but have lived together since older was around 9 months. Cat M was neutered at 13 weeks before RSPCA allowed her home with us and cat B was neutered at exactly 6 months when we adopted her.

They both run along fine and are gentle, calm and just lovely cats- we love them to bits.

For probably about a year I thought I had been noticing spray marks on doors and things but couldn't be sure as it could easily have been a little drink or food splash from one of our small people... But yesterday I found proper evidence it could only be a cat and I strongly suspect it's cat M.

Oh wise ones, why is she doing this and how can I stop it?!

Is there any chance that another cat could be getting into the house?

I agree with Cozie. I'd be astonished if female cats were spraying. My money is on another cat getting in. Do you have a cat flap? Or accessible open windows?

I'm glad you have both suggested that as I think so too- didn't mention it as I didn't want to lead anyone. My DP says there is no chance another cat would come in but we have a cat flap with food right beside it! Only one male cat in our area so at least I know the culprit!

Other than lock the cat flap, is there any way to deter Mr cat?

Female cats will spray to mark their territory, exactly the same as tom cats. I've only ever had it in entire females when they are in call though and had one girl who peed down my mum's neck once .

I wouldn't rule out the idea that you have a tom cat coming around but don't completely discount the fact that it could be one of your girls. Wash the area with a solution of water and biological washing powder/liquid to get rid of the smell.

If your girls are chipped - not expensive to have done if they're not - then you can buy a microchip cat flap which will only allow them into the house. Sureflap is the one used by most posters here I think.

They're not real cheap - about £60-70 online - but are a very easy fit and seem to be very effective. That might be worth considering.

If it's your cats it's likely to be territorial. Like pp said, wash with bio detergent. Try to give the cats their own space, beds, food, litter in separate rooms.

Can you get a magnet/microchip cat flap, solve the issue of other cats getting in. I've never known a visitor cat spray though, they usually break in, eat, and run. It's not their territory.

Unfortunately the only way I managed to solve the spraying issue once mine started was to re-home one of the cats.

PS - tomcats seem to be a bit like bluetits in my experience eg if you see one you probably have six. Well maybe not six - but you could be Party Central when you're out during the day for all you know!

Female neutered cats can spray. My elderly female cat went through a phase of spraying on our living room curtains, often looking me straight in the eye as she did so. The only thing that stopped it was multiple litter trays (6 at one stage) all over the house.

female cats spray, neutered or not. As pp said, its territorial/stress.

Yes they can spray but maybe the OP should try securing the house first? A chip flap is probably a good idea in any case. If another cat(s) was getting inside, that might unsettle the OP's girls by itself.

Yes it is just possible it's a neutered female - but I've never come across this in all my many years of living in multi-multi-cat households. It's much, much more likely to be an unneutered male getting in. So get a Sureflap and that should cure it.

The bbc documentary on cats showed cats going into other cats houses and the owners had no idea.

One lady adopted the stray who was coming into her house because she was feeding him anyway.

There is a distinct difference in the smell of male and female spray, in my experience, but I'm not suggesting the OP gets down and sniffs! Male is more pungent. There is an excellent spray you can get from pets at home which removes spray from hard surfaces and fabric, called Simple Solution spray and odour remover, it's very effective.

The difference is smell is only if the male is unneutered. A neutered male can still spray but the smell won't be nearly so offensive.

I didn't realise that - I have only had male spray from invading unneutered strays, my boy cat is too well behaved to spray (hopefully). The spray from our former visitor ate through the chrome on our TV stand. I have also heard of a case where stray cats marking led to serious corrosion problems on a chemical plant (mysterious corrosion in a line about 8 inches off the ground).