We have 4 cats. Female aged 3, male aged 2.5, female and male aged 1. Had them all from kittens.
The older male took to the kittens immediately and sort of acted like he was their Dad.
Older Female is aloof with people and other cats.
Younger cats like all cats and people.
The past few weeks the older male cat has been spraying all around the house. It started in one room and now there's not a room he hasn't sprayed in. The vet said he's stressed because the young cats are getting older and he feels threatened.
We have done the following:
Litter tray in each room (11 in total)
Feliway plug in in each room (except bathrooms)
Feliway calming spray
Four separate feeding areas
New cat tree that he's claimed as his, so we stop the other cats going in it to try to make him feel like he's got his own space.
Extra cat beds spread around the house.
He's been checked by the vet, no UTIs or other health issues. I'm at my wits end. It's horrible having him spray everywhere, knowing he's stressed and unhappy too. Also I'm worried the other cats will start to spray as someone told me that they may copy him.
Have I missed anything?
Is the only option to rehome him? Could we make him solely an outdoor cat? I don't know what to do. I want him to be happy and to stop spraying. I don't want to keep him outdoors or to rehome him, but can't keep having my house sprayed by him.
Any advice or tips that might help him to stop would be very much appreciated!