Cats speak a different language than humans, so their behavior is actually usually how they try to express something. Squirting is one of these behaviors, but unfortunately, it’s not something any cat owner likes to see, let alone clean up. Understanding why your cat squirts and what you can do about it can help reduce stress and frustration for you and your cat.
What is urine spraying?
Male cats may urinate outside their box and pee inappropriately, but when they urinate vertically rather than on the floor or other horizontal surface, this is called spraying or marking. When a cat is marking, urine sprays on walls, table legs, sofas or other surfaces, while male cats stand, raise their tails, shake and lean against objects. It is usually a small spurt of urine rather than the steady stream that occurs during normal squatting urination. But while the amount may be small, the smell usually isn’t.
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Why do male cats squirt?
Cats may squirt for a variety of reasons, but these can often be categorized as reactions to environmental stressors or territorial behavior. Environmental stressors may include new people, such as babies in the home, new animals (such as puppies), construction or remodeling in the home, boredom with feeding practices or playtime, concerns about litter (such as smelly or dirty litter), litter it Disliked boxes, such as lids or self-cleaning boxes, etc. Basically, if a cat is upset or stressed about something, it might squirt water, but it can also be hard for cat owners to know what their cat is dissatisfied with.
Territorial reasons for spraying may include an outdoor cat that your cat can see or hear indoors or a new cat in your home. Sprinkle water to tell other cats that the space is already taken up by them and they can’t mess around.
Can I still spray a male cat after being neutered?
Spaying male cats makes them less likely to be sprayed, but a small percentage of cats will still be sprayed after the procedure. According to the Cornell Feline Health Center, 10 percent of cats continue to be sprayed even after neutering. Neutering your cat is especially helpful in reducing area spraying, as fewer hormones can affect it, but if your cat is stressed or craved for something in the environment, it can still be sprayed on its body.
How to stop squirting
Inappropriate elimination of all types can be difficult and frustrating to stop, but there are a few things you can do.
- sterilization– The best way to reduce gin spraying in a male cat is to neuter it. This is usually done at a young age, but can also be done on older cats.
- Neutralize odors—— If your cat is spraying inside the house, the first thing you need to do is get rid of the odor. Simply cleaning and deodorizing won’t stop your cat from spraying the same spot again, so you’ll want to make sure you use an enzymatic cleaner to clean up the urine.
- Replacing the litter box or litter box – If you suspect your cat is spraying water from litter or litter boxes, consider switching to unscented litter in a shallow, uncovered litter box.
- Get rid of stressors – If something in or around your home is causing your cat to feel uneasy or stressed, do everything you can to get rid of the stressor, or at least stop your cat from seeing and hearing it. Of course, this is not always possible, depending on what the environmental stressor is.
- Pheromones – Sprays, wipes and inserts can be used to provide your cat with natural pheromones. Pheromones are odorless and help to relax stressed cats.
- Anxiety medicine- If you can’t get rid of your cat’s stressors, prescription medications may help relax your cat.
- Anxiety Supplements – Similar to anxiety medications, various supplements such as L-theanine, whey protein, and colostrum may help calm cats and reduce the incidence of squirting.
- special diet – Your veterinarian can provide a therapeutic diet, which may help reduce urine spraying. These diets often contain calming ingredients, similar to anxiety supplements.
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