How to Stop a Male Cat from Spraying Co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS Spraying is communicative behavior male cats engage in for a variety of reasons. As the urine emitted in spraying is pungent, and can cause stains to furniture and carpets, spraying can be a problem for many cat owners. If your cat is spraying, there are a variety of ways to correct the issue.

How to Stop a Male Cat from Spraying

Co-authored by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS

Spraying is communicative behavior male cats engage in for a variety of reasons. As the urine emitted in spraying is pungent and can cause stains to furniture and carpets, spraying can be a problem for many cat owners. If your cat is spraying, there are a variety of ways to correct the issue.

Know the difference between spraying and urinating. Spraying, or urine marking, is communicative behavior that can be caused by a variety of factors. Urinating, however, is usually due to need and can often be attributed to a litter box issue alone.

• Spraying marks are found on vertical surfaces as a cat sprays by backing up into an object. They also have less volume than simple urinating.
• The urine emitted during spraying will smell stronger as the cat releases certain chemicals to send messages to other cats.^[1]
• Spraying is more common in un-neutered males, multiple cat households, and in households where there have recently been changes.^[2]

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