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My cat sprays in neighbors' houses
Help! Went to a neighborhood event Sunday and learned, to my horror, that my male, spayed, 4-5 year old cat has been spraying in 2 houses. The 2 neighbors didn't bring up the matter; it just developed in conversation. I feel absolutely SICK! Wish they had TOLD me! Neighbor #1 says that my cat is over there alll the time! He sneaks in whenever she leaves the door open and sometimes gets locked in when she goes out, not realizing he's inside. He has pee'd on her couch and sprayed on her drapes. Long ago, she mentioned that my cat visits often, and gets on her bed with her cat. I was horrified, but she said they seem to enjoy each other's company. So there was no cause for alarm. Now, it looks like my cat has taken advantage of her welcoming/passive/whatever attitude to start camping out there. She says she likes him, but major reprogramming is needed here, seems to me. I suggested she turn the hose on him. It's only water; unpleasant but not harmful. After a few such "welcomes" he might get the idea. But she's in a 2nd floor apt; can't access hose. She suggested spray bottle. I concurred, urging good strong spray. What to add to the water? I have heard cats don't like citrus, esp. oranges. I'm thinking of grinding up orange peels, straining, and giving her the concentrate to add to spray bottle. What else -- repellent but not harmful? Yes, I will ask the vet why cat has started spraying. I can hardly afford another visit, when he just had his annual physical, but... Thanks for any comments; ideas... Desperate |
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My cat sprays in neighbors' houses
Desperate wrote:
Went to a neighborhood event Sunday and learned, to my horror, that my male, spayed, 4-5 year old cat has been spraying in 2 houses. .... Yes, I will ask the vet why cat has started spraying. I can hardly afford another visit, when he just had his annual physical, but... .... He's staking a claim, marking (literally) his territory. "You let me in, and this place is now MINE!" If the neighbors don;t want him doing that, they should not let him in. Perhaps he can enjoy playdates outdoors. HTH --Karen D. 2 girl kitties; they sometimes spray too! |
#3
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My cat sprays in neighbors' houses
A little vinegar or Tabasco added to the water won't hurt the cat but
will make a memorable experience. Which ever causes the strongest reaction in the cat is best. You can also wipe the threshold of the door he is entering through with the same ingredient. Cat's noses are sensitive, it doesn't have to be so much that the house smells of it, just enough to reinforce what the water bottle means. This one is a little off the wall, but it seriously worked for me. The door to the patio through the garage swings into the garage and we leave that open. At a right angle to that door, is the patio gate which sits about 12" off the ground. I mentally painted a stripe in a quarter circle from the outside of the gate, to the outside of the door into the garage. This became the "No Zone" Princess gets to come out on the patio, but must stay on the patio, not in the garage, and not out the gate. I keep reinforcing the "No Zone" by looking at it and painting the line with my mind. If she advances towards the zone, I tell her "No" If she persists, she is taken back into the house and can not come out again that day. After about two weeks, she figured it out. From that point on, all I had to say was "No" and she would either sit down and watch the area for a moment, or turn her back and walk away. This isn't yelling, stomping or startling the cat. If you and your neighbor both paint a "No Zone" at the threshold of the door your cat uses to gain entry, you may be able to dissuade him even more. Good Luck (") (") 'Chelle p.s. Setting the precedence with the "No Zone" has worked in other aspects too. Anytime she is doing anything that is "wrong" I can tell her "No" and she stops. If I'm driving with her and she tries to get into my lap, I tell her "No" and she sits back down on the seat (she is terribly claustrophobic which is why she isn't in a carrier) I've mopped the kitchen and she is about to pad across it, "No" and she sits at the edge or walks away. |
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