Why Does My Neutured Male Cat Keep Spraying Outside?

Even after being neutered, some male cats persist in spraying outside--or even indoors. They may do this all the time or only intermittently, and it may have carried on from the cat's pre-castration days or may be new behavior suddenly appearing. It's important to understand why male cats spray and what you can do about it.

  1. Why Neutered Cats Spray

    • Cats roaming outside can feel insecure.

      Male cats spray to mark territory; it's natural when uncastrated. If you don't neuter until sexual maturity, spraying might be a habit hard to break especially in cats who had past neighborhood conflicts with other felines. However, ongoing spraying may indicate he's feeling insecure; maybe there's a new cat hanging around? Spraying--in neutered or unneutered cats--is always a sign of anxiety. All males--castrated or otherwise--may still exhibit this behavior although it's less common in neuters, with only around 10 percent of neuters continuing spraying. Rarely, spraying outside can be caused by stresses in the home itself.

    Neutering on Time

    • Create safe exercise space for your cat.

      Cats who are neutered before sexual maturity are far less likely to spray. It's ideal to neuter a cat before he reaches 6 months of age, although this depends on his general health, size and weight--ask your vet's opinion on the right time to castrate your cat. Some veterinarians advocate not neutering too early as it was thought it may affect a cat's development, but recent research by the Winn Feline Foundation seems to dispel this belief.

    Preventing Spraying

    • Create happy indoor spaces for your cat.

      Even if your male cat only sprays outside, it's unpleasant. Try keeping your cat indoors for a short time with a litter box; roaming cats can feel under constant territorial threat. Your cat needs to recognize his home is safe, so the less he encounters scents of other felines the better. If you have other cats who go outside, lessen their outdoor time as they're also bringing the scent of strange cats inside. Create a safe exercise area that no visiting cats can access, as outdoor cats will not easily acclimate to being inside.

    Behavioral Tips

    • Behavioral products can prevent neutered cats spraying.

      As stress indoors can also cause spraying behavior, make the indoors more welcoming and interesting by adding more toys, cat trees, and hiding places. Keep noise levels down and visitors to a minimum. Make sure your cat can escape somewhere quiet when people come by. Avoid major changes in the home, such as renovations, until the cat's more settled. Give your cat lots of attention when he craves it, but give him peace when he wants time alone.

    Helpful Behavioral Products

    • A useful product in the prevention of spraying is the plug-in feline scent diffuser available from veterinarians; instead of spreading the usual diffuser floral scents, it makes the home smell of a happy cat, only discernible to sensitive feline noses. These specially-formulated products have success in settling the most anxious cats. Place diffusers in hallways of your home and in the cat's main thoroughfares to offset conflicting neighborhood scents and help your cat relax.

    Warning

    • If in any doubt that your neutered cat is simply spraying--for example, if you think he might be trickling urine or developing unusual toileting habits--take him to your veterinarian to rule out urinary tract issues. These are serious in male cats so you must act quickly.