Do I or don't i

Queries and discussions about cat rescue & rehoming
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kimbybimby
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Do I or don't i

Post by kimbybimby »

hi everyone.
Please don't judge me
I'm a now single mum on benefits with a 4 year old little boy and a 2 year old cat and a 1 year (2 in July) cat. its the nearly 2 yet a old male cat that's causing problems.
he's white and completely deaf therefore is an indoor cat. The problem I have is he's spraying everywhere and if it's not spraying it's weeing. my house smells absolutely vile and I'm having it. He's getting neautered next week but I can't put up with this smell anymore. We only have floorboards and he's doing it on those on furniture and against the wall. I have multiple litter trays and his fav kind of litter. I'm debating about re homing him but I'm conscious that no one will take on a deaf spraying cat. also my son will be absolutely devastated as they are inseparable. I'm at a loss. I can't deal with the stench.
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Hazel
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Re: Do I or don't i

Post by Hazel »

I might be wrong but I think he'll stop when he's neutered. I'm sure someone will be along soon to advise if he will stop spraying naturally or if / how you'll need to help him. Good luck. x
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Walesgang
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Re: Do I or don't i

Post by Walesgang »

Hi there

Hazel is quite right.

Your boy may stop spraying when he is neutered.

I have a blind cat (neutered female) and despite her disability, she is basically a cat.

Your boy will be spraying for reasons a cats spray. The main one is territory. A neutered Tom should have less of an urge for this. Males and females, neutered or not can spray, though. If they feel insecure in their territory.

I would start with neutering.

I would also TOTALLY clean any areas he is already spraying in. If you don't, he might continue to spray there as marker spots.

Try these first and give it time to get the hormones out of his system.

If the problem persists, please ask again for more ideas before giving up on your boy. As you say, he may not be easy to rehome and your son would miss him.

Please let us know how you get on
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Sue Goddard
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Re: Do I or don't i

Post by Sue Goddard »

I think you indicate that you have 2 cats..Spraying, as has been suggested, is a territory thing and there is probably conflict between the two cats, vieing for dominance. An unneutered tom in the house is asking for conflict. Sometimes even if neutered they will still spray as mine did.
I had brother and sister Siamese and both sprayed.(God it is a pain..!! Abby the girl liked to spray electrical sockets..we had quite a few short circuits. Oh and anything shiny..toaster, steel fridge, washing machine, windows....).Baileys sister was a bully but looked and acted to us as if butter wouldn't melt in her mouth..!! She was half his size . When she died Bailey, the boy never sprayed again. His character changed too..he became much more loving..
There is a lot written about conflict in multi cat households...you might be lucky and have a harmonious household but cats are generally solitary animals. They do have to establish a pecking order and that's when spraying raises it head. We even had a cat psycologist come a see what the problem was..she said Abby was the problem..!!. No surprises there. We loved them both so much that we could'nt let either one go so we put up with the spraying.
I've always been advised to wash areas with biological washing powder as this has enzymes which destroy the smell molecules. Nothing with ammonia or bleach as this atract the cats to the same spot.
There are specialist cleaning agents available but they will be expensive. UrineOff is one we used and it seemed effective ...we used to buy in bulk...5litre containers..no less..!!
Getting wee out of wood floors may take a while..
I know it's stressful but I'm sure a solution will come to you soon.

S
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bobbys girl
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Re: Do I or don't i

Post by bobbys girl »

Willow went through a phase of spraying (not long after we got Grace), her main targets were electrical sockets. Apart from the short-circuits I'm surprised she didn't kill herself! :shock:

We can always tell when someone has upset Purdy, the microwave gets it. Have you any idea how hard it is to rid a kitchen of microwaved cat pee?

There is a product by four paws called 'Industrial' (cleaner). It has a pleasant enough soapy smell and does seem to not only mask the pee smell, but put off any re-occurances in the cleaned area. We get it from Jolleys. Not sure who else stocks it. It works on everything bar the microwave - where I think the pong might be too engrained (we can't smell it)
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