Why do animals mark territory in the house?
For an animal, marking boundaries is a natural necessity. Thanks to this, he feels like the owner of the marked territory. In addition, during mating periods, males make marks in this way to attract cats. Excited females also leave their “calling card” to attract males.
By marking the territory, trees, bushes, objects, cats walking on the street become more self-confident. For an indoor animal, spraying furniture often serves as a calming effect. Whether a cat will mark after castration depends on a number of reasons.
Why does a cat mark after castration?
If a neutered cat starts peeing anywhere, it is possible that the operation was performed incorrectly. The cause is such a rare pathology as cryptorchidism, when the testicles have not descended into the scrotum and are located in the groin or abdominal cavity. Moreover, cryptorchidism can also be unilateral, when 1 testicle remains in the body.
Since not every doctor has sufficient experience for such operations, the veterinarian removes only the organ that has descended into the scrotum. The solution is to perform a repeat operation with a more experienced veterinarian.
Folk remedies for weaning cats from shitting anywhere
Vomiting in a kitten: why and what to do about nausea
These products repel cats so that they don’t piss anywhere:
- Cats cannot tolerate citrus fruits. In the place where your pet wants to shit, you need to lay out the peel of an orange, lemon or grapefruit.
- Cats hate hot vegetables. If you rub a paste of onion or garlic onto your pet’s “favorite” surface, the cat will no longer appear there.
- Perfume products. Not a very effective method, because... Purely individual, but worth a try.
- Essential oils. Extracts of rosemary, lavender, mint are mixed with water, citrus peel is rubbed into the solution and dripped onto the place where the cat pees.
- Vinegar and alcohol. Cats do not tolerate the smell of alcohol and vinegar. One small glass of alcoholic beverages on the table will give an absolute guarantee that the pet will not climb on it and will not commit its dirty deeds.
The listed compositions have good and time-proven effectiveness. They will discourage any desire to write in the wrong place.
Late castration
The best age for surgery is from 8 months to 1 year, when habits have not yet been fully formed. At an older age, it is necessary to use educational measures, which require a lot of time and patience.
If after castration the cat continues to mark furniture, walls and objects, then first of all you need to get rid of the smell by treating the marked areas with a cleaning agent purchased at a hardware store. Substances for carpets and sofas are sold in pet stores.
Stress
It happens that after castration, cats mark their territory due to stress. After all, animals are also characterized by anxiety, which at times even develops into depression. They are capable of worrying and being offended no less than people.
Sometimes such a disorder greatly spoils the life of not only the pet itself, but also the owners of the house. Stress can be caused by: a trip to the veterinarian, moving, other animals, quarrels in the family, and even rearranging furniture.
Cats, like humans, need attention and affection.
A pet can get sick and die if its habitat is encroached upon or a radical change in its usual environment occurs. In this regard, the cat sends a signal to the owner in the form of a habit of marking the territory, indicating that he has a problem.
Why did a neutered cat start peeing anywhere?
A castrated cat marks his territory . This is commonplace and far from a revelation. Don’t despair and panic; you need to determine the cause and understand how to deal with the situation. After all, curing the disease is simple. There are many reasons, but it is important not to swear at the cat
and do not punish him, this will cause unnecessary stress and anxiety for the pet and will only worsen the situation.
The cat does this based on the instincts and genes
embedded in it. The pet does this during puberty.
Whatever the reason, the first thing here is the desire to mark the territory and show the rights to the land and apartment. This way the cat gets rid of competitors during puberty. Shows that the property here is his and uninvited guests should not interfere.
There are rumors and opinions that if castration surgery is performed at an early age, about six months, the problem will disappear. However, some owners confirm that such a problem develops at any age and does not go away unless measures and solutions are taken.
Reasons why a neutered cat started peeing anywhere
Very often everything goes fine even after castration. The cat is litter box trained and knows where to go to the toilet. But at one point the cat begins to leave urine in places where this should not be done and where the pet has never done this. For example, puddles often appear near the sofa, very close to the tray, near the owner’s shoes and in other places. Often the places can be secluded, for example, behind a sofa or closet. It is worth noting that this also applies to cats; sometimes females can also mark their territory and show reluctance to see strangers within its boundaries.
First of all, the owners begin to swear at the pet, scold it and try to wean it from the habit using aggressive methods. All this makes the situation worse
due to the cat's stress and anxiety. Moreover, the pet takes offense at its owners. After all, the cat doesn’t do anything bad on purpose and doesn’t want to do anything bad. At first he doesn’t take revenge and does it because of his genes, but then a stage may begin when he will simply specifically do things where you least expect and would like to see. On the bed, for example. Therefore, you can’t swear, but we’ll talk about treatment methods a little later, and now we’ll look at the reasons.
There are many reasons for the disease in cats, let’s look at the most common ones. However, it is worth remembering that the final diagnosis must be made by a doctor
, because your pet may have a unique case that therefore requires a unique course of treatment. We will also dispel some myths that relate to the causes of urination, and consider other reasons why a cat refuses to go to the litter box:
Myths and additional reasons why a neutered cat began to pee anywhere
1Marking places: this is the most common reason, about which a few words have already been said.
It is mainly males who mark the territory, but females can also in some cases. This also applies to castrated animals. If we are talking about the male sex, then males mark territory on vertical surfaces. And it doesn’t matter so much whether it’s a wall or curtains. Females leave small puddles on the floor throughout the apartment.
2 Other situations: cats are very sensitive and have a good memory, so it happens that he will not have the best association with the litter box. In this case, the cat will start walking around, but will not come close to the litter box. Then you should buy a new one and try to teach the cat to use it. Also, do not allow, for example, children or another pet (especially a dog) to drive the cat out of the litter box, because this may end in the same stress and reluctance to go there again. 3The situation in the home and family: it has been said more than once that a pet is a member of the family and a large part of it. Therefore, any stressful event affects the cat. For example, one of the family members left home forever, you yelled at the cat or even not at him, you accidentally kicked him out of the litter box, or you broadcast a loud noise on TV. All this can affect his psyche, especially if it concerns a move or a long absence of the owner. A bad mood has a bad effect on all animals, and even more so on cats.
Strange animals or guests
: If you already have a cat and the family decides to get another pet, then the old family member may be against it. The protest consists precisely in marking the territory and protecting it. Therefore, at first you will have to endure the fact that the old-timer does not want to get along with the new pet. However, after some time this will pass and the cat can become very good friends with the new inhabitant.
This also applies to guests or relatives. After all, this is something new for the pet, which means it will be wary. This works most of the time, but sometimes cats can be curious and friendly.
4 Late castration: marking territory in this case is simply a habit for the cat and it does it out of instinct and automatically. The cat gets rid of this behavior only after some time, for example, after 4-5 months, when a long period of time has passed since castration. The habit can disappear either on its own or after several methods, which we will describe further.
Reasons why a cat walks past the toilet - a neutered cat began to pee anywhere
Here are some reasons why a cat walks past the toilet and castration does not play any role:
5Disease: first of all, it is worth ruling out diseases. Some of them can lead to frequent urination, which is often not to mark territory, but is simply uncontrollable and can happen at any time. An increase in urine can lead to more negative consequences.
Due to some diseases, such as cistritis or urethritis, the animal goes to the toilet in small portions. However, he still does it in the tray if he manages to get there. The reason for improper use of the tray can be various allergies, diabetes or hepatitis. Check with your doctor for a more accurate list of illnesses, because in each case everything is individual.
6Age of the cat: the age of the cat does not always affect the marking of the territory and problems after castration. So, for example, if a kitten is less than six months old, he may simply forget or make mistakes, because the kitten is still a child and this is natural for him. Also, if the cat is already old, he may have a disorder due to old age. Vision is lost, paws begin to ache and ache, and then it does this completely unconsciously; sometimes the cat is not even able to climb onto the tray due to sore joints. 7The condition of the litter box itself: I doubt that you would want to go to a dirty and unkempt toilet. It’s the same for cats, only here it’s even more difficult. The tray is perfectly clean, but washed with strong chemicals. Due to the strong smell, the cat will not want to use the toilet. If you wash the tray, then you should make do with ordinary clean water and only as a last resort use a drop of baby liquid soap or special products, but not household chemicals.
It is better to choose odorless filler
, and if with a smell, then it’s better to have one that your cat already knows. After all, these animals are very sensitive to smells and cats are unlikely to tolerate anything new in the litter box.
Also, due to the fact that the kitten has grown into a cat, using the tray is difficult due to its size
. Choose full-size trays.
What to do if a neutered cat marks
There are various methods of weaning how to wean a neutered cat from marking boundaries, furniture and objects. The owner of the animal should be aware that the presence of several felines in the house will more often encourage them to mark their territory. To solve this issue, each pet should have its own place: a basket, a shelf, a box.
There are also educational measures when an animal is caught during an action. You need to have time to catch this moment and punish your pet so that he has unpleasant associations every time. For example, spray it with water or place a mousetrap in a favorite place.
If a castrated animal has left marks, then you need to carefully treat the surface, removing all traces with detergents, and then wipe it dry. Do not use products containing ammonia, the smell of which is similar to urine. It is recommended to rub the marked area with substances that smell strongly and will repel the cat: mothballs, lemon drops, etc.
Most cats do not dirty where they eat, so it is recommended to place water and food in areas they have marked. If castration, drug treatment, educational and other measures do not bring the desired result, then you should turn to drug therapy. The specialist will prescribe a drug to the cat that can correct hormones in his body.
All information posted on the site is provided in accordance with the User Agreement and is not a direct instruction to action. We strongly recommend that before using any product, you must obtain a face-to-face consultation at an accredited veterinary clinic.
Sprays to stop a cat from walking past the litter box
The cat's fur is falling out: why and what to do
Quite a few pet owners use repellent scents. The drugs stop you from writing in the wrong places.
Repellent spray
Spray “Mr.Fresh weaning off shitting”
This product will effectively help stop cats from crapping. The action is manifested in the following features:
- eliminating unpleasant odors;
- adjusting your pet's behavior;
- completely weaned from walking past the toilet.
Includes:
- Methyl nonyl ketone. It has a deterrent effect without causing discomfort to people.
- Perfume scent "Orange". Gives a pleasant aroma and completely neutralizes unpleasant odors.
- Sagebrush. Has an unpleasant taste, helps to scare the cat away from a secluded corner to pee.
Directions for use: shake the bottle and apply to the area of interest to the cat from a distance of 30 cm. Repeat the procedure 2 times a day.
Volume: 200 milliliters.
Price: 200 rubles.
Means with a repellent odor “Ms Kiss for weaning off shitting”
The spray is suitable for all surfaces and has no color. The product is used to wean cats from shitting in inappropriate places and from marking their territory. Use once a day. Valid for 3 days, can be applied to any surface.
Ingredients: water, solvents, fragrance, preservatives, emulsifier, dinatonium benzoate.
Volume: 200 milliliters.
Price: 140 rubles.
Important! The effectiveness of sprays depends on the frequency and selection of the correct location for use. Patience and an integrated approach will solve the problem of cats peeing in the wrong places.
