Nuisance Urine Spraying

Visitor Frustrated by Nuisance Urine Spraying

I have a brother and sister cat that are approximately nine months old. The male has periodically urinated on various things (sofa, blankets, scraps of folded material, carpet), and is still doing it months after being neutered. My female cat has also been spayed.

My vet advised separate litter trays, letting them outside, and finally the "Feliway" which I have used for about a month.

I've done everything recommended, but in the last couple of days he has urinated again on two separate things. I'm sure this urinating is happening on quite a regular basis. Are there male hormone cycles which could cause this? Is there anything else I can do to put a stop to this? I can't spray preventative chemicals everywhere, and I am getting very sick of having to wash all these cushions etc!

~~ Maya

Expert Reply

Hi Maya,

I feel your frustration. Neutering can alleviate house soiling, but it's not a sure cure. Hopefully your vet has thoroughly examined your wayward boy for any physical ailment that provoke the spraying behavior. Let me ask you a few questions.

How were your male's house manners before he was neutered? If he was already soiling outside of the litter box, then the habit was probably ingrained, and neutering wouldn't affect it much.

Also, how often are you cleaning the litter box? Some cats are extremely picky, and won't touch a box that's only slightly used. There's also a possibility that he doesn't like the current brand of litter you're using. You could try a different brand to see it that helps.

What are you using to clean the areas he's soiled? The urate crystals can reactivate when the air is humid, and then he will be drawn back to those spots to soil again. I prefer to soak urine spots with a solution of white vinegar and water. It effective, yet harmless.

Hopefully something in my own questions will give you a new direction to try. If all that fails, you may need to consider confining your male cat to a limited area to prevent soiling at large.

I'm rooting for you~~ Kelly

Surgical Procedure to Eliminate Male Cat Spraying

I was recently advised by a veterinarian at UC Davis that there is a surgical procedure that can eliminate the male cat spraying. He did not mean surgery such as spay/neuter, but a more invasive procedure. Can you advise me about this surgical procedure, please?

~~Robin

Expert Reply

Hi, Robin,

I think the procedure he was speaking about was an olfactory tractotomy. This is where the cat's sense of smell is taken away. It has about a 50 percent success rate and is performed at U.C. Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Compare that to neutering, which often has an 80 percent success rate in stopping unwanted urinating. The age of the cat can make a huge difference in how successful neutering is in stopping the behavior.

Since the olfactory tractotomy is considered more invasive, it should probably be a last resort for most pet owners. The exception would be for someone wanting to breed their cat. There are also some other options you can try before resorting to the surgery, such as various medications and behavior modification techniques.

I hope this answers your question. I would discuss any concerns over potential risks with your veterinarian as well as other options you can try if you want to avoid surgery.

~~Lori

Surgical Procedure to Eliminate Male Cat Spraying

I was recently advised by a veterinarian at UC Davis that there IS a surgical procedure that can eliminate the male cat spraying. He did not mean surgery such as spay/neuter, but a more invasive procedure. Can you advise me about this surgical procedure, please?

~~Robin

Expert Reply

Hi, Robin,

I think the procedure he was speaking about was an olfactory tractotomy. This is where the cat's sense of smell is taken away. It has about a 50 percent success rate and is performed at U.C. Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. Compare that to neutering, which often has an 80 percent success rate in stopping unwanted urinating. The age of the cat can make a huge difference in how successful neutering is in stopping the behavior. Because the olfactory tractotomy is considered more invasive, it should probably be a last resort for most pet owners. The exception would be for someone wanting to breed their cat. There are also some other options you can try before resorting to the surgery, such as various medications and behavior modification techniques.

I hope this answers your question. I would discuss any concerns over potential risks with your veterinarian as well as other options you can try if you want to avoid surgery.

~~Lori