Young female cat spraying round house

[Cleebope2]

Any tips on how to stop a cat spraying? She is spayed. She does it when she wants out but I can’t let her out much except in the evenings. She is in during the day and I catch her spraying on walls, curtains, carpets. The house stinks and I can’t stand it much more. She is 19 months.

OP - unless a catio is possible of course.

I’d rehome her, she’s trapped in a house with a cat who doesn’t like her.

Yes you are right catneuterer she is the wrong cat for us. I want to give her to someone I know but my family are ganging up on me so I am desperately trying to make it work! She is a wonderful cat but I am feeling stressed trying to look after her. Maybe she will calm down andbecome more accustomed to her routine.

@Cleebope2

Yes it is protest spraying. I know it is because she wants out. I’m afraid I am a massive bird lover with feeders and nests around the garden. That’s what makes me happy. I cannot let her kill any more. I am trying hard to make her more placid indoors. I will buy more feliway. May also be because the older cat still hates her!

Why did you decide to get cats when you are a keen bird-lover then?

Denying natural instincts and forcing a desperate animal to remain indoors is plain cruelty.

I like birds and I have cats. I like rats too but nature is nature.

I even like the birds of prey like the sparrow hawks who kill the ground feeders.

Sounds like an unhappy cat. If you do rehome her, please don't get another one because it will very probably go the same way. Cats love getting out and love hunting, unpleasant though it is to deal with the consequences.

@RedCandyApple

In fact every person I know with a cat doesn’t have a litter tray, not past the first few months till they learn to go outside, if I got a litter tray they would never go out to do it.

This is bollocks. Mine have a tray but rarely use it and do the toilet outside. I keep it for times they need to be kept in or if bad weather prevents them doing it outside

I like birds too but got rid of my bird feeders when I got the cats as it didn't seen fair to attract birds to a garden that had cats in it.

Your cat is not happy so you either let them go out or you rehome them

Who’s pressuring you to keep her @Cleebope2? It’s ok for people who aren’t having to clean up cat wee.

You are trying to stop what is a natural urge in cats - to chase and kill small creatures. Cats are, by nature, hunters.

I've had many cats over the past 42 years. Some have chased and killed things, some haven't.

Either accept that your cat might continue to hunt, or stop feeding the birds, or rehome the cat. Keeping her indoors is not the answer.

[quote thecatneuterer]@RedCandyApple You're right, inappropriate peeing is sadly not that uncommon. However a female cat spraying is very unusual (so much so that I've never come across it).[/quote]
Entire females cats can spray, it's a territorial thing, can also be triggered by tomcats around.

OP, I assume it's a territorial thing for her as well, can you get a cat flap?

Does she display any calling behaviour at all?

I had a female cat who sprayed inside the house. I was really surprised when I first saw her do it. She was an alpha female and wanted to eliminate one of my older cats, who is afraid of her own shadow. I had to keep her confined to one room, the kitchen. She never sprayed in their, her own territory, I suppose. She had cat paraphernalia, a litter tray in there and access to the outside during the day. Could you restrict her to one easily cleanable room the during the day? But sounds like she's a cat who needs to be out during daylight hours.

@Undecicive

Does she display any calling behaviour at all?

That's a point. There is just the slight chance that a bit of ovary was left behind when she was spayed meaning she is still coming into heat. It's not common but it does happen.

Different things trigger it. I have noticed she does it if she sees another cat or squirrel in the garden. She wants to get out the window but instead sprays around the doors and window to mark her territory. She has started doing it in my bedroom and the patio door area. She uses the litter tray properly so it is like marking her territory. I’m not sure what calling behaviour is but I don’t think it is that.

I'm pretty sure you'd know if she were coming into heat. I doubt it's that.