I saw the book, Why Cats Do That by cat expert Karen Anderson. Why do cats purr? Why do they shift their whiskers in and out, rotate their ears and bite your hand as the pet them? Anderson explains kitty's curious quirks and distinctive behavior in detail.
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Sounds cute.
does it tell you why they "spray" ?? I'm upset about that w/ two of my boys.... arrrgh!!Probably. Isn't that to mark their territory?
neutered are not supposed to do that... but two of mine are.. they are feral rescues.. and they may need to find new homes.... I'm heartbroken.
Babs, I am surprised they are still spraying. That is hard to deal with. Have you asked the vet?
Jan, here is a pic of my Spencer kitty:) He passed on a few years ago. I really miss him. He had a lot of quirks. I may get the book to pass on to my daughter. She's got a quirky one too.
Cute picture - Spencer with his ducks!!!!!!!
Love cats!!!
When I lived in Sherman Oaks on Dickens St., I had a cat named Charles, tabby, darling, named after guess who? Miss him too.
yes.. talked to the vet.. they were checked for health issues...
made sure my litter boxes were the cleanest ever.. but pheneromes in the area to keep them happy.... put stuff on litter to entice them to "go" there.. but this is not bathroom habits... it's spraying....
and if it were just on walls.. I may be able to deal... but they've sprayed on furniture.... my couch in the living room and the one in the family room... I had to get rid of the furniture!!!
I have four cats and four dogs.... I've never had an issue before these two.... I'm fearful my other cats will start it... and yes, I know it's these two cause my husband saw them! They did it right in front of him!!
Don't know. Maybe you will have to let them go. Too bad.I'm afraid so, Jan..... I've contacted a no=kill center... It's called Last Chance they'll take them.... and I'll give a donation... Babs I saw this and thought I'd share my experience. I have had cats all my life. 12 years ago I got one of my mums burmans because he was being bullied by a queen (one of my mums 8). Sam sprayed the bin in my kitchen (that seemed to be his place) and as a result we had to make sure he was shut in the kitchen over night or when we weren't in... at least this then became his area and he wasnt given the opportunity to do it anywhere else. They do it to mark territory. Sam would do it every 3 weeks (I washed the floors with bleech) and basically when his smell became too weak he would do it again.
Sam passed away a couple of years ago and I bought a new burman, Milo. We had him neutered at 5 months old. At approx. 6 months old their reproductive organs start getting geared up and once they've sprayed they will always spray. I bought another birman kitten this year (Milo's brother, same mummy different daddy), he was neutered at 5 months old too. Milo is 3 and has never sprayed. This does mean that he doesnt mark his territory outside either so other cats will come and spray his garden... before he chases them off that is.
You can try all the different scent markers, water sprays, foil but they dont work. The vet will tell you that once they've started they will always do it. My SiL had the same problem with her cat and she has him operated on to stop it, unfortunately it didnt work and so he had to go to a couple who housed him in the garden. A shame but once she'd had the carpets and curtains replaced the house was smell free.
Sorry to not be the bearer of better news.
wills! Thanks for sharing that.. and though you feel it may not be better news... I feel more that I am doing the right thing.. I think they will be happier and I know I will too.
Your story of when to neuter may have alot to do w/ this tale as well.... My Cashmere (Ragdoll) was neutered at 4 1/2 months of age... my female was not neutered til 9 1/2 months which is when we rescued her... my feral brothers, the trouble makers, were not neutered til 6 months.... since I had purchased a neuter certificate to have them done at less cost and the vet would not do it sooner.... I guess in the long run I've lost money since that I tried to save w the neuter cert...
Lesson learned: short cuts sometimes cost more time or money.
I don't know if this will help or not -- it worked in one case I know of for the same issue. Change brands of cat litter. If using a clay formula switch to the other kind and vice versa. This was a long time sprayer -- and the change in formula was an instant cure.
What cats do things: because they think it's cool and they want to drive you crazy. Babs
If you decide to get rid of them, try placing them at a farm.
Farmers love cats, especially the ones who house hay in their barns.
the last chance ranch... it is a farm.. with dogs and horses.. etc.. and they adopt out too... no animal is put to sleep....
They are very sweet brothers and this is heart breaking... but I cannot have them spraying around the house... we've battled this for months and months... taking them to the vet... changing litters... getting MORE litter boxes.. getting some w/ lids and some without.. anything to appease... it's not working... and I can't take the spraying and ruining my furniture.... they will be happy there I hope..
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