Help! Cat(s) spraying around the house and I've had enough :(

[One2Four]

We have 2 male cats, around 3 years old, and at least one of them is spraying around the house in multiple rooms now and has been doing so for several months or more. Sometimes we see one of them do it, other times we come across it afterwards. They do it on carpet, plastic fabrics, piles of books/papers & other things.

For context- We have cat flaps so both cats are free to go in & out at all times of the day. Both cats have been neutered. They are rescue cats who came together from about 3 months old. They seem to get along most of the time but on occasions do fight. We are a family of 5 with 3 kids so it can be fairly busy.

We've tried most of the standard advice but it's not worked and I've really had enough, so any practical advice would be brilliant.

Forgot to mention - we've had telephone advice from the vet and have booked a vets appointment for next week but keen to make sure we've not considered or missed anything obvious in the meantime. We love our cats but finding this tricky to manage.

Are they actually spraying or could they just be pissing? I would get a plug in like rescue remedy or similar and then start to get rid of the smell from where it's happening. So limit them to one room until you are 100%sure the smell has gone from the other rooms. It could be stress, it could be habit it could be medical (if not had a vet visit recently, book this) could even be their just little shits. You need to reboot their brain if possible so get rid of the trace ,keep house calm and put them outside and lock the flap if you need.

Do you have multiple litter boxes around the house?

Also do you mind me asking what age they were neutered at? Apparently it can make a difference!

Pretty sure it's just weeing. Definitely one cat, possibly the other & as a reaction. We've tried the clean, close off room etc, they seem to not do it for a little while then start in another room.

We don't have any litter boxes in the house, they happily go in & out of the house every day via the cat flap. Not sure it's something we might need to try anyway?

Both cats were neutered before they came to us, so before 3 months old but not sure exactly.

One of my cats started doing this after a nasty cat was picking on him and coming in through cat flap. Feliway helped and also washing any area he'd peed on or against with diluted surgical spirit. I was told 'once they start doing this they don't stop' but it's not true. It lasted a few weeks and I never got cross with him as I think this makes it worse. Litter tray for time being also worth a try.

You really should try litter trays. Get a good clumping litter - it may seem more expensive, but it’s really easy to clean out the clumps.

I know it’s often a touchy subject on here, but I really can’t understand why people get cats and don’t provide litter trays.

I’d get three cheap litter trays and a bag of ultra clumping litter. It’s very soft on paws, if the litters too rough they won’t tread on it.

It's not a hugely popular view on here but IMO shouldn't keep cats without providing them with permanent access to litter trays.

Cats should always have a safe, dry and clean space to toilet - that's even more important in a busy household with multiples.

The general rule is one tray per cat plus an extra, so you'll need three to start with. You may find they happily share but that's always the rule we've followed with any of our cats.

I don't think you can complain about cats toileting inappropriately indoors when you haven't actually provided them with a toilet.

FFS! You don't need a vets appointment - you need litter trays! Lots of cats don't like going outside to toilet. Get some trays - and I'll bet my house that solves the problem.

and if they're biggish cats, make sure the trays are big - and not hooded, at least to start with. And if you do put the hood on after a week or so then make sure you remove the flappy door - most cats don't like those.

Thanks everyone. We've started a pheromone diffuser which time will tell, plus extra scratching poles. I'll also try litter trays.

This is very sporadic and episodic, they will go several weeks or months without weeing indoors. One of them does find their monthly flea medicine distressing, and the latest incidents were within 24 hours, so I'm wondering if that might be a factor too.

Are you going to try having a litter tray?

Sorry, meant to say what litter tray are you going to try?

Personally, I think hooded ones are better - less risk of them missing the tray and spraying the wall behind!

I always tend to get the biggest try I can. I liken it to my days of drinking in “olde-worlde” pubs with the tiniest cubicles known to man! I used to hate doing that shuffle to squeeze between loo and door to then get the door closed. Cats deserve a generous-sized cubicle too 🚽 🐾

I feel your pain Op. I have a cat that is doing the same over the whole house. He’s definitely spraying and not weeing as I see him weeing outside. There has been a strange cat about but there’s nothing I can do about that, I do clap by hands to try and scare him away but he comes right up to the house and scratches to come in.
ive also got a house cat who likes to sleep all day and then race all over the house all night long! I haven’t slept properly for ages. She’s just quietened down now so hopefully I’ll get a couple of hours now. I love them so much but they are wrecking my health and home! Night night
best of luck Op hope you get sorted with your cats soon