Dealing with the need to spray
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Cats, particularly those in a multi-feline household, need to show who's boss
Several readers have contacted me about a problem with their cats - and it’s one I’m facing now too.
All our households are multi-cat, and our boys have started spraying the walls and cupboards, cat urine in its worst form.
Thep, one of my soi boys, has been spraying rather thoroughly upstairs and down. Sometimes the house smells very, very bad, horrible in fact.
He isn’t spraying because of something I’ve done. It’s all about territory and the way a cat marks places to tell other cats what he owns.
Neutering solves part of the spraying problem. All my cats have had their Operation. Without hormonal forces racing through their bodies, the need to spray is reduced - but neutering may not solve all your problems.
All the animals in your household need to be neutered. Every animal knows who’s had the Operation and who has not. Un-neutered animals tend to claim the top-spot in the group, and you end up with lots of fights and spraying, even from the neutered members.
In fact, I know why Thep’s spraying. First, another soi cat is trying to take over his soi. This black boy might be beautiful, but he’s so aggressive he’s even tried to enter my house. Thep has to leave his urine around, just to make sure his rival knows who owns his home.
We also have a new cat, Varee, who just joined us, and Thep has to make sure she understands who’s the boss too.
The good news is that neutering has reduced the smell of Thep’s urine, but it still has an unpleasant odour.
The best way to remove the smell is to clean the area immediately with a solution of one part water and one part white (clear) vinegar, any brand. Then wash the area again with clean water. If the smell persists, repeat the procedure.
Some people tell me that club soda is also effective. I use it too, but only after the vinegar solution.
I’ve begun to spray, too. Available now in many veterinary clinics is a hormonal solution developed to calm cats. This solution is available as a spray you operate by hand or as an automatic spray operated electrically. It also comes as a collar with the solution in the material.
The hand-spray, which I use, lasts about three days, and then I spray again.
Yes, the stuff is really expensive, Bt600 or Bt700 per piece, depending on the clinic. It does seem to work, though, at least so far.
When Thep comes in from the soi after yet another confrontation with the black cat, he relaxes immediately. He lies on the sofa, his eyes half-closed, all the cares of the day washed away.
