What Age Do Cats Start Spraying? 2023 Complete Guide

Spraying is the annoying behavior your cat exhibits when it begins peeing outside its litter box to indicate its smell. Usually, but not always, it is accompanied by meowing and other feline sounds.

If your cat has suddenly developed this undesirable behavior, continue reading "What Age Do Cats Start Spraying? %year% Complete Guide" by BestForPets (bestforpets.org) for a list of potential causes and the age at which it often begins. We'll also explain what you can do in response.

Why Do Cats Spray?

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1. Sexual Maturity

Primarily, cats spray to signal to other cats that they have attained sexual maturity and are available for mating. A cat in heat that is confined indoors can create quite a mess of your home, since it typically does not stop at urinating. There may also be persistent howling and clawing at the furnishings and draperies.

What Are My Options?

Spaying or neutering is the greatest way to prevent your cat from destroying your house once it reaches sexual maturity. There is no definitive answer as to when your pet should be spayed or neutered.

Nonetheless, the majority of veterinarians advocate doing the treatment between 5 and 6 months of age, when the cat is mature enough to handle the procedure and comfortably take anesthesia. It normally has a routine and is comfortable in its home at this point, so its recovery will be simpler.

Alternatively, you may also spay or neuter your cat between 6 and 8 weeks of age, but most people wait until after their first heat cycle.

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2. Territory Marking

Cats, like dogs, are territorial creatures that may mark their territory with urine. It is more likely to occur if other cats enter the yard or if you bring a new cat into the home unexpectedly. It occurs more frequently in male cats.

What Are My Options?

Typically, a cat will mark its territory in the corners of the yard, and it will do so more frequently when other male cats approach. You may be able to deter other male cats from arriving by scattering cedar chips around the perimeter; most cats dislike the smell of cedar and will avoid the area.

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3. Anxiety

Anxiety is another prevalent cause of indoor cat spraying. Your cat may experience anxiety if you bring in another cat, particularly a second male cat.

But, prolonged exposure to loud noises such as screaming or driving can also distress your cat. Also associated with anxiousness include dilated pupils, excessive grooming, and a tail kept close to the body.

What Are My Options?

If you believe your cat is suffering from anxiety due to uncontrollable noise, you can construct a refuge or cat condo where it can seek solace.

If a new cat is the cause of the problem, we propose placing the cats in separate rooms. You can reintroduce the cats to each other in a regulated manner that allows them to acclimate to each other at their own speed.

While it is possible that some cats will never get along, the scenario shouldn’t be so stressful that one or more cats are spraying, and introducing them carefully should allow them to survive without constant fighting or spraying.

When Do Male Cats Start Spraying?

After reaching puberty at around 4-6 months of age, most male cats begin spraying around 6-7 months of age.

Are There Benefits To Getting My Cat Spayed Or Neutered?

• Spayed or neutered cats are substantially less prone to stray when compared to unaltered cats. Many times a year, intact cats, particularly males, will go off in search of a mate and may not return for days. Females that do not nest in your house will do so in a secret spot, and they will also be absent for at least a week while giving birth and caring for their kittens.

• Male cats that have been neutered are less likely to sustain life-threatening injuries when competing with other males for the chance to mate with a female. These injuries can result in tens of thousands of dollars in medical expenses, and the file will harm the cat’s eyes and ears, which are its most essential organs.

• Leaving your cat unaltered raises its chance of developing cancer by 8 to 12 percent.

• A cat that has been spayed or neutered has a more balanced temperament and is more sociable with people.

• Your pet may contribute to the wild cat population if it is not spayed or neutered. 

• As cats that have been spayed or neutered are less likely to stray, they are less likely to get and transmit illness.

Summary

In the conclusio of “What Age Do Cats Start Spraying?” by BestForPets (bestforpets.org), if you do not get your cat spayed or neutered before the age of six months, you should anticipate it to begin spraying and exhibiting unpredictable behavior.

After your cat is no longer in heat, this behavior and spraying should cease, and your cat’s disposition will become friendlier and more even.

Nonetheless, it may continue to spray in an attempt to establish its territory against invading male cats or because it is suffering from extreme anxiety due to noise or other cats in the home; you will need to handle these concerns as well.