I have a 4 year old Maine Coon female who has spraying "flare ups." This all started at the arrival of my 2.5 year old daughter. She started by peeing in sinks shortly after the new baby arrival - I have two other cats (all indoor) so it took months to figure out which cat was doing it and she would maybe do it once a week. I finally found out it was her because after a party she followed me directly into a bathroom, jumped into the bath tub and sprayed the tub. So it started with both vertical and horizontal surfaces. I've taken her to the vet, and tests always come back clean. I've since tried separating her during parties but it seems like that makes it worse because when she comes back to the main living area, it has a different scent and she instantly starts rubbing and brushing up on everything. She sprays in multiple locations now (walls, doors, sinks, bath tubs, toddler toys, plastic horizontal surfaces) and doesnt seem to have a specific preference. She has been on prozac for over a year and I try the feliway diffuses but she will spray right next to those too. She doesn't usually spray constantly, there's usually a month break in between and there is *usually* a trigger (party, house cleaning, new windows, etc - so anything to bring in new scents). At the moment she had gone 8 months with nothing and then we had someone clean the house (oops). She sprayed the tv twice after that happened then calmed down for a couple weeks. Now she's on a new rampage and sprayed about 3-4 different things in a couple days. I have since quarantined her to the basement (where the cats sleep at night otherwise they wake us up at 5 AM). She rarely sprays in the basement (because there usually arent intruders or changes down there), but I feel bad leaving her down there too long because there isnt much natural light (a few window well windows). I have been letting my other cats up during the day and giving the spraying cat alone time, but I still feel bad keeping her down there when she would prefer to come up (meows at the door). I try giving her an hour up, but once she goes to spray (backs up and gets in position), I have to put her back down there. And co-cat tension wise, the other two cats are attached at the hip and this one is solo but there are rarely any cat scuffles.
So basically, how long is too long to keep her quarantined in the dark basement? She does have cat perches/trees and toys down there. And what other things should I try? I know the territory disturbances are the main trigger, but they are bound to happen eventually so should I keep her downstairs longer whenever I know there will be some sort of change? Any other tips would be helpful. I feel awful because she was good for 8 months and then someone cleaned the house and now we are having windows put in so we are back to square one. AH haha.
So basically, how long is too long to keep her quarantined in the dark basement? She does have cat perches/trees and toys down there. And what other things should I try? I know the territory disturbances are the main trigger, but they are bound to happen eventually so should I keep her downstairs longer whenever I know there will be some sort of change? Any other tips would be helpful. I feel awful because she was good for 8 months and then someone cleaned the house and now we are having windows put in so we are back to square one. AH haha.
