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Reducing Stress In Your Cat's Life |
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Written by Celia Haddon
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 So your cat has been spraying. Last issue I ran through what you needed to do to stop your cat marking its territory. You have cleared up thoroughly. You have bought a monthss supply of several bottles of Feliway from the vet, or you have treated the house by using the scent off your cat¹s chin. At last, it is over, and with a sigh of relief you decide to ease up. But will this happy state of affairs last? Or will you smell the horribly pungent odour of a cat who has decided to mark its territory again?
Spraying is a cat¹s response to stress. If you don¹t deal with the underlying causes, then it will probably start up again. The difficulty for most people is knowing exactly what is bothering the cat.
Siamese and orientals are particularly likely to get easily upset. Small household changs which moggies take in their stride, upset them terribly. This is where the help of a behaviour counsellor (see below) is well worth having if you can afford it. Sometimes pet insurance pays.
But, before you call in the experts, see if there is anything you can do to make your cat feel more secure. Cats can be upset by the following:
Fear of other outside cats. Keep the cat flap closed. Your cat may be spraying because of competition from another cat in the neighbourhood. Wash down the outside of the front/back door to clean up any smells left by neighbour cats. Put some of your own cat¹s soiled litter into the garden to make it smell like his territory. Use a magnetic cat flap to keep intruders out. (Staywell produce a good one). Or keep the cat flap closed so that your cat feels safe, and his territory is clearly defined so it doesn't need marking. This will mean supplying and litter tray and letting him in and out by the door. But the cat will feel safe. If spraying started after you installed a cat flap, get rid of it!
Sight of cats/wildlife/dogs. Sometimes a cat is spooked by the sight or smell of neighbouring cats/foxes/dogs. In which case the spraying will be near a window or a door. Block of the sight of the potential threat by covering the lower pains of the window etc. One cat was spraying on the windowsill because a neighbouring cat was jumping onto the windowbox and peering in.
In another case foxes probably caused anxiety which led to spraying. "I have three British blue cats, all from the same breeder -- a mother, Lily, and two female kittens, Helen and Penny . There is no catflap. The cats are let in and out of my house which has French windows opening out into a first floor balcony. It was there the mother and her close daughter started to spray. Then they sprayed in a porch, under windows, and the French windows to this balcony. All the places they sprayed potentially had a sight of the garden or are near a place where they can see the garden. There was a fox visiting the garden at night and also a local cat (but not a bully). I think they were frightened."
Fear of indoor cats. Sometimes a cat feels threatened by another cat in your household. This doesn¹t mean that the cats are fighting, just that one feels under pressure, and this may be difficult for an owner to recognise. The fearful cat needs a retreat. Try putting a cat flap with a magnetic collar into the airing cupboard or similar. Also make sure there is one litter box per cat or more, more than one bed per cat, and more than one feeding dish per cat..
Rehome one of your cats. If the cat is spraying because of competition within the household between cats, then you may have to consider rehoming the competing cat or maybe letting them live in completely different rooms. Sometimes it is the arrival of a newcomer which upsets the cat social scene. In this case, rehome the newcomer on the grounds of last in first out.
New objects. If your cat sprays on new objects, such as new furniture, shopping bags etc, then shut away the new items at first. Before giving the cat access, spray with Feliway or use the cotton cloth trick. Also add your own scent to the item by rubbing on or leaving draped on a dirty T-shirt or pyjamas!
Building works or decorators indoors. Keep the cat away from the altered rooms till paint smells etc have died down. Spray Feliway in the newly decorated room or do the trick with the facial glands and a clean cloth. Consider putting the cat in a cattery next time.
Visitors. Occasionally cats will spray over Christmas etc. when there are visitor. Consider using the cattery over Christmas. I don¹t think it is fair on a cat, which is frightened of dogs, to have to bear visitors who bring their dog with them. Again, consider a cattery during the visit.
New routine or home sitters. Sensitive cats can be upset when left behind with sitters, when their owners are on holiday. This is quite common. "Susie my rescue cat has suddenly started to mess in the home in spite of having a litter tray. She started when I was in hospital and even though I have come home, she won¹t stop."
Attention seeking. Occasionally spraying, which has started because of some other stress, becomes an attention getting device. As with attention seeking behaviour by dogs, the treatment for this is to withdraw attention by immediately walking out of the room every single time the cat sprays. This is difficult to do for the owner, not least because walking away while a cat sprays on the word processor is almost more than they can bear! Getting the help and support of a behaviour counsellor is probably the answer. Indoor cats are more likely to spray for attention. Try to give the cat other focuses for its attention, not just you more games, install a cat flap, etc. Reduce emotional neediness by refusing to respond to the cat¹s crying or attention seeking. Walk out of the room or turn the whole body and face and eyes away. Give the cat love, but only when it is not demanding it.
New cat flap. Spraying often occurs when a cat flap is installed for the first time. Get rid of it.
If home remedies don¹t work, you can find a counsellor near you by ringing the Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors on 01386 751151. Consult www.fabcats.org for Spraying and Soiling indoors or send an s.a.e. with small donation to Feline Advisory Bureau, Taeselbury, High St, Tisbury, SP3 6LD.
From Celia Haddon, Daily Telegraph. Visit my website at www.celiahaddon.co.uk
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