Our cat is spraying up the place

[yomamab]

Our almost 8-yr old cat is a male and was neutered when he was a few months old. We never had trouble before with him spraying in the house, but for the past couple of months he's been spraying and it's been getting worse. At first it was just one area but now it's anything goes! Yesterday was the most upsetting for us, as he sprayed on the tv before my husband could stop him. Nothing is safe around here anymore. Our daughter even moved his and his brother's cat beds and cat tree outside because those are peed up and it's getting smelly in here. I said that they'll get ruined outside (no, our cats do not go outside btw) and now the cats don't have any place to lay out on the porch besides the concrete floor. I hate this because now our house smells and we don't know what to do to stop this. We've tried those enzyme cleaners that are supposed to be so wonderful. Nope, doesn't work here. He's still spraying. Nothing is safe around here. Anywhere he can get too has the likely possibility of getting sprayed. If we wouldn't love him so much, we'd put him outside. Who knows, my husband still might do that because he has gotten really fed up with it. Oh, and another thing this cat does is caterwaul fairly often and when he's not caterwauling he's meowing in some way, which he didn't used to do. He does it pretty much most of the day. I know that there is a stray cat or two around outside, but I think there have always been stray cats (or else they're outside cats that belong to someone) around the area coming and going. Sam (our spray cat) acts like there's something outside when it's dark because he'll be jumping around up and down from one windowsill to another acting like he wants to get at something, but like I said, there have always been roaming cats outside and we never had this problem before.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Spraying can be a sign of a urinary tract infection. If that were the case, Sam will likely need to have a urinalysis/urine culture done, followed by antibiotics. The caterwauling can also be a sign of pain associated with a UTI.

It could also be something to do with a cat/animal outside, and perhaps they have sprayed the house or area around it, and he is responding to that. Not all cats will react to every stray that comes by, and especially not if the stray/animal isn't hanging around or spraying too. If not a cat, it could be some other wildlife that is upsetting him. The caterwauling could be related to that as well.. You might have an unwanted 'guest' that has taken up residence on your property.

If you can, check with neighbors who might have new cat or pet that is allowed to roam outside, or perhaps they have seen the critter that could be causing this havoc.

 

[heatherwillard0614]

I agree with FeebysOwner him starting peeing everywhere and also meowing catewauling might be a sign he is in pain.. and if that is the case makes sense why he is not using his litterbox. Also if there's a stray and he sees it he could be trying to mark and defend his territory. I'd try to block off any site to the outside where he can see any animals or strays that could be causing his stress, take him to a vet and make sure he doesn't have something going on causing pain, and then clean again with a co2 based cleaner. Take a black light around and clean it all until you no longer see any signs of pee.
I'm sorry I wish there was an easier solution. I hope if he is in pain he feels better soon.

 

[Alldara]

With these kinds of things you start with a vet visit to ensure it's not a health issue.

If you did already do that, we heavily suggested to another user that she have someone in to do a free pest control consult....and it turned out the spraying was caused by having rodents.