Do all male cats spray and mark their territory?

Fblack · Member Joined: 31 Mar 2004 Posts: 49

I am getting a new kitten next month. I am considering a male cat. But I don't want to have issues with a male cat spraying and marking his territory. I plan to have him fixed. Will this stop spraying problems? I just saw a show on cats on TV and a woman actually puts a diaper on her male cat.

eman · Member Joined: 21 Dec 2004 Posts: 340 Location: Canada

hi,
i had the same concern when i got Max. i asked the spca the same question and she said because he is neutered, it is less likely.
Max was neutered when he was 3 months old. a friend told me that if they were neutered before reaching adulthood, it makes the chance of them spraying even less. Max is now 1 year and 2 months. he hasnt sprayed and hopefully it will stay that way.

DeLaUK · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 8:07 am Post subject:

I agree with eman from my own experience with male cats and from what Ive been told by vets. With an older cat just getting neutered the spraying has been going on so long that they might not stop although even in those cases it is usually reduced. With a kitten its better to neuter before the 'habit' starts.

Chezza · Posted: Mon May 01, 2006 8:28 am Post subject:

Iv just had my male Jasper done, he is 5 months old, I wrote the Spot of Bother post about wee wees..
Since he's been home, he hasnt done it again.
Jay my other male was done about 4 months old, never had a problem with Jay, he's a very very clean pussy cat, they say they can get done when there balls have dropped, excuse the saying, couldn't think of anyhting else lol Embarassed

Fblack · Member Joined: 31 Mar 2004 Posts: 49

Do female cats spray? I have a 2 year old female who never sprayed. She was fixed at 6 months.

vene · Super Senior Member Plus Joined: 25 Mar 2004 Posts: 4254

Milo is fixed and never sprays indoors. He occassionally sprays the backyard bushes to mark his territory when there are other cats in his domain. A very stressed out cat can spray in a new environment or when they have UTI's. Don't know about female cats.

t_chelle16 · Moderator Joined: 22 Mar 2004 Posts: 3437

When we got Romeo, he was a year old and wasn't neutered yet. He never sprayed, but he did emit that odor. After we got him neutered, the smell went away. Ghost Kitty was already neutered when we got him and he's never sprayed.

-Chelle

nern · Moderator Joined: 14 Mar 2004 Posts: 5042 Location: NY

Yes, female cats spray too but not as frequently as males tend to. Spaying/neutering decreases the chances of spraying. Although, as I think someone else may have mentioned, a stressed out cat may spray/mark whether neutered or not.
Tiddy is fixed but he sprayed the bush in front of the house when I had him out on his harness once.