Natural Remedy for Cat Spraying

Cats spray urine to mark territory. And while it might be natural to them, it's a big stinky mess for cat owners! While spaying or neutering your cat will alleviate the problem in most cases if the cat is fixed prior to six months old, some cats will still have the urge to spray. And some cats have already learned the spraying behavior prior to neutering. In those cases, there are some natural remedies or behavioral techniques that you can try to stop the spraying.

  1. Litter Problems

    • Your spraying problem may be solved simply by switching litter. Some cats don't like the scent or feel of a particular litter, so consider changing it and seeing if that helps the problem. In addition, veterinarian Dan Wasmund of the Woodside Veterinary Hospital (Marietta, Ohio) suggests that you have a separate litter box for each cat in your home. Keep all the litter boxes clean and wash them using only unscented cleaning products.

    Eliminate Other Cat Smells

    • If your cat or another cat has sprayed in or around your home, be sure to clean the area thoroughly and immediately. Cats are much more likely to spray areas where they smell urine. Cats have a much more acute sense of smell than humans, so even if you can't smell urine you cat may--clean soiled areas deeply. Never clean with ammonia, as cats associate that smell with urine, which would encourage more spraying. Instead, clean with a 50-percent vinegar/water combination, suggests the experts as fanciers.com.

    Behavioral Techniques

    • An article on fanciers.com suggests that a quick squirt with a water bottle will help your cat learn that spraying has a negative consequence. You must squirt the cat as soon as the behavior begins. Even delaying by a few seconds can make the intervention useless.

      Dr. Dan Wasmund suggests hanging tinfoil in affected areas: the noise will keep the cat away, and some of the urine may spray back at the cat, further deflecting him from the area.

    Tip

    • If your cat suddenly starts spraying when there have been no changes in his life, contact your vet as there may be an underlying medical problem.