Female Cat Spraying

[Judey]

I have a female 6 year old, spayed cat who is spraying all over! She has been medically cleared. We have tried (and still use) Feliway plugins, spray, rescue remedy and have Littermaid litter boxes. There are 4 other cats in the house. All of the cats are indoor cats! There are no new triggers that we know of. This female has been on Clomicalm since Christmas. After the first week we saw slight improvement. She returned to her old ways. The dosage was increased with no effect.
Has anyone ever used Fluoxetine (Prozac), Clomipramine (Clomicalm) or Elavil (Amitriptyline) for spraying? HELP my husband says if we dont get it under control soon...out the door she goes!

 

[rubysmama]

Hello and welcome to The Cat Site.

Sorry you're dealing with your female cat's spraying. Since she's been medically cleared, it might be behavioral. I don't have any experience with either either inappropriate spraying or those medications. Hopefully some other members will be able to offer opinions/advice.
Meanwhile, here's a TCS article that may have some helpful tips. Good luck.
How To Solve Litterbox Problems In Cats: The Ultimate Guide

 

[maggiedemi]

Hi. Is she eating a lot of dry food? I only ask because this happens with my cats if they eat too much dry food and not enough canned food.

 

[Judey]

Hi. Is she eating a lot of dry food? I only ask because this happens with my cats if they eat too much dry food and not enough canned food.

Thank you for your reply. She eats mostly dry food. She has been examined by our vet and given a clean bill of health (feels it's behavioral.)
I give her tons of extra love and praise her when I find her spots clean.
It's frustrating but I won't give up. She has a forever home, no matter what!

 

[di and bob]

Spraying is almost always tied to stress. You must find what is stressing her out and take care of it. Is anyone bullying her, is there a new cat outside, is there a new guest frequently to your house? When we moved and there were several feral outside cats, our ten year old starting spraying. It took a year but he finally got over it and stopped. I finally started letting him outside to spray and he quit going inside. I also put plastic carpet runner. nub side up to hurt his feet where he always went. It worked!

 

[maggiedemi]

Unfortunately vets don't study nutrition much. If your husband is threatening to get rid of her, why not try canned food for a week? Friskies is only 50 cents a can at Walmart, so that's only $3.50 for a week's worth. I only mention it because the same thing happened to me and I solved it. It's worth a try.

 

[Judey]

Unfortunately vets don't study nutrition much. If your husband is threatening to get rid of her, why not try canned food for a week? Friskies is only 50 cents a can at Walmart, so that's only $3.50 for a week's worth. I only mention it because the same thing happened to me and I solved it. It's worth a try.

I sincerely thank you for any advice. The canned/wet food is definitely worth a try. I have tried so many other things, what's one more!
On a positive note it seems to be lessening. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[Judey]

Spraying is almost always tied to stress. You must find what is stressing her out and take care of it. Is anyone bullying her, is there a new cat outside, is there a new guest frequently to your house? When we moved and there were several feral outside cats, our ten year old starting spraying. It took a year but he finally got over it and stopped. I finally started letting him outside to spray and he quit going inside. I also put plastic carpet runner. nub side up to hurt his feet where he always went. It worked!

Hi and thank you for your reply.
I have had cats for my entire life. My babies have such varied personalities. Right now I have 5 inside, 4 females and 1 male. And 1 outside cat who has a saga of his own.
I agree with everything you said about stress. Fortunately, or should I say unfortunately, there is nothing new.
I got Willow as a kitten she is now 5. Like I stated before she has been spayed and and been medically cleared by our vet regarding this issue.
I have 1 or more Feliway diffusers in every room. I use the spray as well. I use rescue remedy in the water bowl. I started using Jackson Galaxy's Stress Relief AND she is on Clomicalm twice daily since December.
Letting her outside is definitely not an option. She has never been outside.
We have an appointment this Friday to discuss other options.
Keep your fingers crossed!

 

[Timmer]

I used prozac on my female cat, and it worked. A very low dose for about 6 months. I found those diffusers and sprays and Jackson Galaxy stuff to be a waste of my money.
She never acted dopey or goofy on the prozac, either.
I would add that when a cat does that it's oftentimes to let an outdoor cat know "this house is MINE." It's also mating season, so that might be a reason. Territorial.

 

[Judey]

I used prozac on my female cat, and it worked. A very low dose for about 6 months. I found those diffusers and sprays and Jackson Galaxy stuff to be a waste of my money.
She never acted dopey or goofy on the prozac, either.
I would add that when a cat does that it's oftentimes to let an outdoor cat know "this house is MINE." It's also mating season, so that might be a reason. Territorial.

I used prozac on my female cat, and it worked. A very low dose for about 6 months. I found those diffusers and sprays and Jackson Galaxy stuff to be a waste of my money.
She never acted dopey or goofy on the prozac, either.
I would add that when a cat does that it's oftentimes to let an outdoor cat know "this house is MINE." It's also mating season, so that might be a reason. Territorial.

The Feliway and Jackson Galaxy items are expensive and I don't think they are helping at all. I'm afraid to stop any using them though for fear that any good, no matter how little, they might have done will be undone.
We have a neighbor who has dogs. This keeps any strays away. My outdoor cat, Sweetie, has been with me as long as Willow, so I doubt that is the reason.
All the reasons for spraying are very valid reasons but I do not think any of them are the reason for Willow's behavior.
I have read that the Prozac works well and am hoping that I will have the same luck with it. We see the vet tomorrow and I will discuss it with him.
Willow was on my lap purring contentedly as I scratched her neck and chin. I told her, promised her, that no matter what, she will always be mine and will always have her home.
For me my pets are family. My commitment to them is forever. <3

 

[Timmer]

I agree, they are my family too.
I think the prozac is going to help you. I got mine at the regular human CVS drug store and cut it in quarters. Very small dose. I used to get it made up at the compounding pharmacy as a fish flavor and squirt it into her food. The compound stuff is WAAAYYY more expensive than the human pill form.

 

[maggiedemi]

Canned food is cheaper than Prozac. Please try it. Okay, I'll shut up about wet food now.

 

[Judey]

Canned food is cheaper than Prozac. Please try it. Okay, I'll shut up about wet food now.

Lol. You don’t have to shut up.
I sincerely appreciate any/all suggestions.

 

[S Babies]

Hello. I am new here with 5 fur babies..3 female 2 Male. 2 of my females are 4 years old. One of them recently broke an upper canine and had to have extraction which resulted in a nasty infection. After three weeks of antibiotic treatment and many vet visits, stella is now doing great. HOWEVER...my other 4 year old Shameena had started urine marking all over the house and attacking Stella frequently. Unfortunately I did not quarantine Stella after surgery so I think Shameena sees her as a stranger. Shameena has gotten a clean bill of health and has been on amitriptyline for four weeks....still marking. I don't want to regime her as I bottle raised her.....I adopted stella from a shelter. I have many feliway diffusers in various rooms. Every one gets part of a can of wet food every day in addition to dry food on a free basis. Any suggestions?? I love them both so much...as well as my three older cats who are 15, 14, and 10.

 

[S Babies]

Hello. I am new here with 5 fur babies..3 female 2 Male. 2 of my females are 4 years old. One of them recently broke an upper canine and had to have extraction which resulted in a nasty infection. After three weeks of antibiotic treatment and many vet visits, stella is now doing great. HOWEVER...my other 4 year old Shameena had started urine marking all over the house and attacking Stella frequently. Unfortunately I did not quarantine Stella after surgery so I think Shameena sees her as a stranger. Shameena has gotten a clean bill of health and has been on amitriptyline for four weeks....still marking. I don't want to regime her as I bottle raised her.....I adopted stella from a shelter. I have many feliway diffusers in various rooms. Every one gets part of a can of wet food every day in addition to dry food on a free basis. Any suggestions?? I love them both so much...as well as my three older cats who are 15, 14, and 10.

Btw...They have been in then same home for four years

 

[di and bob]

Any upsetting change, a new cat in the neighborhood, new litter box, a move, and in this case a seemingly strange cat moving in that smelled of the vets, will cause spraying which is the marking of her loved property and warning others it is hers.When I moved and introduced two cats to two resident cats, my Burt started spraying to. They do it because SOMETHING is very upsetting and making them nervous. It took him many months to calm down, but i wanted you to know he did eventually and stopped spraying. Your Shameena is upset, nervous, and is showing it by spraying. Her anxiety was increased I'm sure by sensing Stella was hurting and sick. Your attentions were focused on Stella, which was only right at the time, but only increased Shameena's anxiety. I know how upsetting this is, but give her lots of attention and calming strokes. Get a black light flashlight to look in the dark for places she has sprayed you have missed and get a good cat urine ENZYME cleaner for the spots, it actually destroys the urine, not covering it up. (a cat still smells it, even through ammonia, vinegar or peroxide.) Get a roll of clear carpet protector runner with those little 'nubs on the back, and cut pieces to lay nub side up where she returns to. It is easy to move and the little nubs hurt their feet so they don't go there to spray.
Spraying is started because something is wrong. Shameena WILL settle down and return to her old self, it will just take a lot of time and reassurance (and patience) on your part. You have a kind heart to ask for advise, you love that little girl. since you now know this happens, I would suggest you take her in for any vet visits with one of the others, they will smell the same then. You might want to keep her in a separate room for a day afterwards, to keep her calm. I take all four of mine in at the same time, but that is a handful! All the luck!

 

[S Babies]

Thank you. I do use an enzyme cleaner and a black light. I will definitely try the carpet runner. It's so hard though because Shameena is almost bully like toward Stella and chases her with Stella hissing. It's not all the time but frequent. And since being on amitriptyline Shameena does not even really want to play with me. I spend time every day living on all my kitties...my makes are Spook and Socks, girls are Saphira, Shameena and Stella. Seems like it's becoming territorial. I have five cat towers, all in different rooms. They will eat together fine....sometimes Shameena gets a wild hair and just gets mean to Stella, and stella can be the smae with the other cats. Thinking of trying fluoxetine for Shameena next.

 

[maggiedemi]

Can you increase her canned food and decrease her dry food?

 

[Boogercat1]

I have had the same problem and my vet also said it is stress. But, she also prescribed a food by Royal Canin called Calm as well as cosequin for cats. The supplement reduces any irritation that may induce spraying. So far (fingers crossed) she hasn't sprayed that I know of and its been over a week.