What Age Do Cats Start Spraying And What To Do About It

Spraying is known as that irritating habit your cat displays when they begin urinating outside their box to mark their scent. It’s usually accompanied by meowing and other feline noises, but not always. If your cat has suddenly picked up this unfortunate habit, keep reading while we list several reasons that can cause it as well as what age it usually starts occurring. We’ll also tell you what you can do about it.

Why Do Cats Spray? Sexual Maturity The primary reason cats spray is because they’ve reached sexual maturity, and it’s their way of letting other cats know they’re available for mating. A cat trapped indoors that goes into heat can make quite a mess out of your home as it usually doesn’t stop with the urinating. Continuous howling and scratching at the furniture and drapes are also likely to occur. Image Credit By: Konstantin39, Shutterstock What Can I Do About It? The best way to prevent your cat from tearing up your home when it reaches sexual maturity is to get it spayed or neutered. There is no right answer as to when is the best time to get your pet spayed or neutered. However, most doctors recommend doing it at 5-6 months of age because the cat is large enough to handle the procedure and accept the anesthesia safely. It usually has a routine by this time and is comfortable in its home, so it will have an easier recovery. However, you can also get your cat spayed or neutered at 6 to 8 weeks of age, but many people wait until after their first heat cycle. Territory Marking Cats are territorial animals and may mark their territory using urine, just like dogs do. It’s more likely to occur if other cats come into the yard or you suddenly bring a new cat into the home. It’s also more common in male cats. Image Credit: Helen Liam, Shutterstock What Can I Do About It? Usually, a cat marks its territory in the corners of the yard, and it will do it more frequently when other male cats are getting close to the border. You may be able to discourage other male cats from visiting by placing cedar chips around the perimeter, as most cats hate the scent of this wood and will move on to another area. Anxiety Anxiety is another common reason that cats spray in the home. Your cat may suffer from anxiety if you bring another cat home, especially a second male cat. However, loud noises from things like yelling or traffic can also upset your cat if they continue long term. Other signs of anxiety include dilated pupils, overgrooming, and a tail held close to the body. Image Credit: Kittisak Chysree, Shutterstock What Can I Do About It? If you feel your cat is suffering from anxiety due to noise out of your control, you can try building a shelter or cat condo where it can hide to get some relief. If the problem is a new cat, we recommend placing the cats in separate rooms. You can bring the cats together again slowly with a controlled process that allows them to adjust to each other’s company at their own pace. While some cats may never get along, the situation shouldn’t be so stressful that one or more cats are spraying, and bringing them together slowly should allow them to at least coexist without continuous fighting or spraying.

When Do Male Cats Start Spraying? Most male cats begin spraying at about 6-7 months after reaching puberty around 4-6 months old. Image Credit: cunaplus, Shutterstock Are There Benefits To Getting My Cat Spayed Or Neutered?

Your cats are much less likely to wander off when they are spayed or neutered. Intact cats, especially males, will wander off several times a year searching for a mate and may not come back for days at a time. Females that don’t make their nest in your home will make it in a hidden location, and they too will be gone for a week or more while giving birth and caring for the kittens.

Neutered male cats are less likely to suffer life-threatening injuries failing other male cats for the right to mate with a female. These injuries can cost you thousands of dollars in medical bills, and the filing will damage the cat’s most vital areas like the eyes and ears, which tend to suffer the most.

Not getting your pet spayed or neutered increases its risk of getting cancer by 8% to 12%.

A spayed or neutered cat has a much more even temperament that is more friendly toward humans.

Having your pet spayed or neutered eliminates the risk, but your pet will contribute to the feral cat population.

Since sprayed and neutered cats are less likely to wander off, they are less likely to catch and spread disease.

Image Credit: Simon Kadula, Shutterstock

Summary If you don’t get your cat spayed or neutered, you can expect it to start spraying and having erratic behavior once it reaches about six months old. Once your cat no longer goes into heat, this behavior and spraying should subside, and your cat will be friendlier with a more even temperament. However, it may continue to spray in an attempt to mark its territory from invading male cats or because it’s suffering from high anxiety due to noise or other cats in the home, and you will need to address those issues as well. See also: Do All Cats Spray? Is It Normal? What You Need to Know!

Featured Image Credit: Piqsels

Why Do Cats Spray?

Sexual Maturity

The primary reason cats spray is because they’ve reached sexual maturity, and it’s their way of letting other cats know they’re available for mating. A cat trapped indoors that goes into heat can make quite a mess out of your home as it usually doesn’t stop with the urinating. Continuous howling and scratching at the furniture and drapes are also likely to occur.

What Can I Do About It?

The best way to prevent your cat from tearing up your home when it reaches sexual maturity is to get it spayed or neutered. There is no right answer as to when is the best time to get your pet spayed or neutered. However, most doctors recommend doing it at 5-6 months of age because the cat is large enough to handle the procedure and accept the anesthesia safely. It usually has a routine by this time and is comfortable in its home, so it will have an easier recovery. However, you can also get your cat spayed or neutered at 6 to 8 weeks of age, but many people wait until after their first heat cycle.

Territory Marking

Cats are territorial animals and may mark their territory using urine, just like dogs do. It’s more likely to occur if other cats come into the yard or you suddenly bring a new cat into the home. It’s also more common in male cats.

Usually, a cat marks its territory in the corners of the yard, and it will do it more frequently when other male cats are getting close to the border. You may be able to discourage other male cats from visiting by placing cedar chips around the perimeter, as most cats hate the scent of this wood and will move on to another area.

Anxiety

Anxiety is another common reason that cats spray in the home. Your cat may suffer from anxiety if you bring another cat home, especially a second male cat. However, loud noises from things like yelling or traffic can also upset your cat if they continue long term. Other signs of anxiety include dilated pupils, overgrooming, and a tail held close to the body.

If you feel your cat is suffering from anxiety due to noise out of your control, you can try building a shelter or cat condo where it can hide to get some relief. If the problem is a new cat, we recommend placing the cats in separate rooms. You can bring the cats together again slowly with a controlled process that allows them to adjust to each other’s company at their own pace. While some cats may never get along, the situation shouldn’t be so stressful that one or more cats are spraying, and bringing them together slowly should allow them to at least coexist without continuous fighting or spraying.

When Do Male Cats Start Spraying?

Most male cats begin spraying at about 6-7 months after reaching puberty around 4-6 months old.

Are There Benefits To Getting My Cat Spayed Or Neutered?