Need help with spraying ASAP!

[micks_mom]

Im new here - just looking for some advice. We adopted an abandoned 1 yr old cat in Dec 05 and he was wary & somewhat aggressive, but in the last year that we've had him he's calmed down alot. When we got him my husband & I were in our own apartment & Mick (our cat) didn't spray. We took him to the vet when we first adopted him & she said it appeared that he had been neutered, but couldn't say for sure and asked if he was spraying & we said no because at the time he wasn't. We moved in with my in-laws while my husband went back to school & Mick sprayed a few times the first few weeks but stopped.(My inlaws have 2 female cats). Mick settled in fine at the inlaws & actually made friends with the one female & a comfortable truce with the other. But we recently moved in with my parents who have 2 cats (male & female) and in the 2 days Mick was there we found 11 spots where he sprayed & my mothers male cat followed him around constantly. So, we took Mick back to the inlaws where he was comfortable and he seemed fine, but my mother in law just called to say that he's started spraying here & there again. We are at my parents for another 6 months before we can be on our own again & Mick will be the only cat again, so this behaviour needs to stop. My question is do we take him back to the vet & have her check again to see if he's truly neutered or possibly one teste hasn't dropped & this is causing the spraying? Any help or advice would be welcome.

[Hunter's_owner]

Yeah I would bring the cat to a vet and get neutered for sure

[micks_mom]

When we took him to the vet originally she felt his testicles & thought he was neutered but couldn't completely say he was because he wasn't treated by her....has anyone else had this experience? I'm assuming he's stressed by the moving maybe? But if he's fixed, is it possible for him to still spray?

[Hunter's_owner]

Originally Posted by micks_mom

When we took him to the vet originally she felt his testicles & thought he was neutered but couldn't completely say he was because he wasn't treated by her....has anyone else had this experience? I'm assuming he's stressed by the moving maybe? But if he's fixed, is it possible for him to still spray?

I'm sorry, I don't know too much about neutered cats, but I have never heard of a vet who couldn't tell for sure if a cat was neutered

Also, I know in dogs, if a testicle hasn't descended, it is still removed during the neuter, as it can cause complications if it is left. This happened to one of my dog's littermates.

[jessi76]

Originally Posted by micks_mom

But if he's fixed, is it possible for him to still spray?

yes it is possible. i had a male cat once who did just that. had him nuetered at under a year old, and he still marked in the house. I had an older female cat at the time - indoor only. my vet suggested letting the male cat outside (supervised) ... I ended up rehoming him (various reasons) to a dear friend who did just that - and the marking in the house behavior stopped. as soon as he was allowed outside (again, i repeat, supervised - I don't agree w/ just letting cats out "willy nilly" - too many dangers).

[badger]

Oh yeah he's stressed!! Cats take a long time to adapt to their surroundings and you seem to have moved quite a bit. Throw other resident cats into the mix plus the possibility that he may not be neutered, and you may as well write 'spray here' in every corner of the house.

So. Totally normal behaviour and kind of sad for Mick. He doesn't know where he belongs anymore. Dogs identify primarily with the person - if you are there, wherever it is, your dog is more or less a happy camper - but a cat identifies much more with his surroundings, his territory. He checks out the possible risks (including other animals), learns how to deal with them (or not) and establishes his perimeter. Then he can relax and enjoy life. You and your affection are part of it, but if the perimeter is not secure, he is not happy.

1. I do not understand how a competent vet could not determine whether or not he is neutered. Take him to a new vet, have him examined, and if the deed has not been done, get it done. A neutered cat is a less nervous cat.

2. Until you can get this done, if your MIL is not freaking out too much, confine him in one room with litterbox, toys, a radio on low for company, and a nice bed. He should get some visits during the day, you're not isolating him from humans, only the other cats. Even if he knows these cats and has been fine with them in the past, all that moving has re-ignited his anxiety.

3. When he is neutered, bring him home with you. Confine him again for at least a week or ten days. Scrub all the areas where he has sprayed and treat with one of those special solutions that actually remove the smell (which encourages the cat to repeat at the same location).

4. Slowly re-integrate him with the other cats, supervised at first. Don't let him wander around the house at night, keep him with you. Watch his interaction with the other male. They need to learn to tolerate each other, but any intimidation (such as constant stalking) should be discouraged (with distraction, not punishment). I would also shut him up again when there is no-one home, at least at the beginning.

5. Spraying is learned behaviour, so there may still be a few accidents. But if you re-integrate him very slowly, it should subside.

6. He needs your reassurance as well. Make sure he gets one-on-one playtime with you, like in the old days when he ruled over all he surveyed and didn't have to share.

Good luck! Look at it from Mick's perspective and all will become clear.

PS Ask the vet to make sure he doesn't have a urinary infection, just in case.

[micks_mom]

thank you for your advice - it seems to make sense...eventhough Mick has been some trouble we love him like a baby....My mother in law says she's okay with him being there so we'll try the isolating thing...we are coming to visit Mick at least twice a week & then on the weekend too....he's booked to see the vet Friday so I will ask her about the uti possibility. Thanks for your help!

[Hunter's_owner]

Also get them to make sure that he is neutered. This would help a lot of problems if it turns out that he isn't

[micks_mom]

we are taking him to the vet Friday to check again about the neutering and if not he's definately getting it done!

[rainbow]

Well, Badger has given you lots of good advice so I just wanted to say welcome to the forum and please post pics of Mick.

[micks_mom]

how do I get a pic of Mick to show up next to my name....I've added a pic to my profile but see that you guys have them attached to each message?

[badger]

Go to top left of page, User CP, then Edit Avatar, then Browse (bottom of page). Pictures can be no more than 75 pixels.

[micks_mom]

thanks - I'm at work on my lunch again but will try it when I get home!