| Cat Sprays |
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Dear Deborah: We have cats spraying on our screen
door. Our own cat is old and sick and needs help with all his
functions. Is his scent drawing other cats even though he doesn't
move around or spray? I've cleaned the area with bleach, Mr. Clean and Lysol and yet they keep spraying. We have an 11 year old neutered cat who is healthy and does go outside, but I don't think it's him doing the spraying. Can you help us? Stinky Screen |
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Dear Stinky Screen: Your house has become no-man's land,
up for the taking, because it smells to the cat world as though two make
cats live there. But the neighbourhood cats can only find
one. The cleaning products you used probably contained ammonia,
which is very similar to cat spray and cat urine. In fact, it's you the cats are battling with spray. Try cleaning with a mix of vinegar and water. If you can rig the screen so it triggers can alarm or so that it alerts you, you can probably teach the cats that your screen is guarded and booby-trapped. Otherwise, the only easy way to keep unwanted cats out is to get and train a good dog. |
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Dear Deborah: I enjoy your column and sometimes I learn a thing
or two about cats and dogs. Our cat, Tigger, is a neutered indoor, short-hair tabby. Our other cat, a female, is not as nice as Tigger. In fact, she's mean. She has full freedom outside. Tigger gets walked on a leash. Tigger does not mind our other cat at all, in fact he tries ever so hard to make friends, and put up with her moods. Tigger has been spraying. The vet says there is nothing physically wrong. I've tried some of the tips you've suggested to other readers like putting him in a windowless room at night, praising him for using the litter box and training him to avoid certain areas of the house that he finds tempting. I'm not sure why all of a sudden he started this dreadful habit but it does often coincide with visits from a new tom who moved into our complex. Please help. Stinky Spray |
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Dear Stinky Spray : In your letter, you mentioned that Tigger
loved to be placed in a windowless room and that he didn't spray in
there. Make use of this spray-free zone to break him of his
habit. When you cannot supervise him, place him in the spray-free
zone. When you can supervise him, catch him and redirect him every
time he sprays indoors. It is very likely that Tigger sprays to mark the boundaries of your property. Since he is not allowed outside free, he cannot spray his boundaries outside. Putting him in the windowless room makes him happy because the other male cat's scent is not there and he can rest in there without feeling the need to reclaim his turf and break your rules. The new tom cat has probably sprayed everything in your town-house complex, everything but your house. Tigger now finds himself in a walled-in city or fortress. Your moody cat is also free to roam and leave her scent, and the new tom probably marks over top of her scent, claiming her along with the property. This adds insult to injury for your jealous, turf-less male and draws the rival male closer. Restricting your female cat so that she, too, is walked on a leash, when outside would lessen her effect on the turf war. You could also try letting Tigger have outdoor freedom and give him a chance to do his marking somewhere else. |
| For more tips, get Deborah's
book, Good Dog! from your local book store. Deborah also writes for the Family Dog Magazine. Available at Save-On Foods, London Drugs, and in Free boxes everywhere. Send your pet questions to: Fax 604- 732-2088 |