Do cats mark territory like cats: what to do and how to wean them off

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Cats mark their possessions in much the same way as male cats. Many owners have encountered the problem of a cat marking during heat. The main difference is that to leave a mark, females can begin to shit, scattering excrement. Cats also mark their territory more frequently. This is due to the fact that they are very sensitive to odors and they must be sure to prevent the presence of foreign odors from other animals.

Marks or shits

There are four types of soiling, each of which will not please the owner:

Urine odor marks.
Marked by the smell of feces.
Urinating in the wrong place.
Defecation in the wrong place.

Before you "draw your guns" and start fighting, make sure you've pinpointed the problem! First things first , make sure your cat is healthy.

, especially if she always went to the litter box and suddenly started getting dirty. A cat will never shit (cause an unpleasant odor) of its own free will; this must be accepted as an axiom!

What are marks and who leaves them?

The mark is the animal's scent identifier. It's no secret that an adult cat marks its territory regularly and very abundantly, but do cats mark? Definitely yes, but less often and for more compelling reasons.

Not many people know how cats mark territory. It is generally accepted that the marks are only urine. In fact, animals additionally mark their territory

secretions (fluid) that is secreted between the fingers and from the glands located in the area from the corner of the lips to the base of the ear. The smell of feces is also suitable for tags, fortunately, it is not used often. To summarize, a cat or tom marks territory when:

Leaves traces of urine; the cat lifts its tail and shakes it, at which time streams of urine “irrigate” the desired area.
It rubs its muzzle against the legs of tables, doors and openings, the owner and his things.
Sharpens its claws on scratching posts, furniture, wallpaper, window frames, doors and openings, floor surfaces.

It is believed that only cats mark... but this is not true. All animals leave scent

(dogs, rodents, mustelids). Males a priori take on the function of protecting the territory, so they mark more abundantly. A cat may mark while in heat, stress, or motherhood.

There is also such a thing as “tagging tendency” and the likelihood of its development directly depends on the animal’s temperament. Certain cat breeds may be more finicky, jealous, demanding, or sickly. That is, the marks of such animals will have a completely justified motivation: dependence on attention, jealousy, preference for a certain tray or filler, pain or discomfort.

A cat peeing on the bed is not a mark!

When a beloved cat (and females are prone to this) begins to make puddles on the owner’s bed

, we can say that the problem has reached the top of Everest. Usually, the owner comes to the conclusion that the cat has gone crazy and decides to get rid of it. This is justified like this: “she needs to live in the private sector, on the street”, “she does it out of spite”, “she doesn’t love/hates me”... but the situation is just the opposite.

Unspayed and neutered cats urinate in the bed with equal success, since eliminating sexual heat does not eliminate the real cause. The reason is the cat’s dependence on joy hormones

that she receives when communicating with you. Yes, being overly affectionate on your part encourages your cat to pee on your bed. Let’s make a reservation right away: changing mercy to anger will not help, but will only worsen the problem!

When a cat pees on your bed, it asserts that it is one with its owner: “you are a human and I am a cat, there is a single individual, we are so close that I have the right to mark your private place with my smell.” How to stop a cat from peeing on the bed? The only way out is to establish balanced, harmonious, healthy relationships. Start controlling the degree of your pet’s excitement from communicating with you. If the cat is very dependent on affection, switch it to play or try to communicate remotely. You cannot ignore a cat, but it is necessary to restrain its emotional impulses a little.

It is much less common for a cat (more common in males) to urinate on the bed of the family member with whom she has the worst relationship

. This "bad" thing is:

Lack of attention from a specific family member. The fact that the “bad” one is rude to a beloved family member. The fact is that the “bad” one gets all the attention of a beloved family member (most often a child).

This situation can be interpreted as a cry of indignation, especially if the act of urination is performed in front of the owner

To solve a problem like this, you need to be even more careful. A sharp reaction on your part will be understood as “falling out of love, abandoned, found a replacement” and acts of attracting attention (peeing on the bed) will only intensify

New tray or litter

Situation.

The cat went safely into the old shabby trough. The owners are tired of looking at this terrible pot. They bought a chic, beautiful tray, and at the same time decided to change the filler. It’s no good, they say, to put the old newspaper in the new one. Moreover, there is now a grate at the bottom. As a result, the cat will pee anywhere, and won’t even go near the new “toilet.”

What to do.

Return everything as it was. What is more valuable to you: your own sense of smell or the ugly tray in the bathroom? So decide. Cats really don't like changes in their lives. And the new latrine may also have an unpleasant chemical smell. A person does not feel it, but for an animal it is extremely stressful.

By the way, the grate at the bottom of the toilet creates severe psychological discomfort in an adult animal. The kitty has a genetic reflex: pee - bury it. How can you do this if your claws keep clinging to the bars? It is much easier to do your insidious deed in the master’s bed, in the laundry basket, behind the furniture. It's easy to bury there. And it doesn’t matter that there is nothing to cover the puddle with, there is no filler nearby. The main thing is that the process itself is effortless.

Advice. If changing the tray and filler is vital for you, then first thoroughly wash the new dish. Then dry thoroughly and add old filler. Gradually add a new one to it - this way you can easily and painlessly retrain your cat. At the same time, get rid of smelly stains throughout the house. By the way, choose absorbent granules without fragrances. Maybe it’s the pungent floral aroma that is causing the cat’s abnormal behavior.

Why do cats mark territory?

Its own unique scent on the bushes and trees of its territory makes a cat who goes outside the house more confident, communicates its presence to other cats in the neighborhood and is a calling card for potential mating partners. For an indoor cat, spraying urine on furniture or some new objects brought into the house can be a calming and protective action.

During the mating season, males leave marks to attract females, in turn, females, when highly excited, leave marks to attract males. Therefore, for full-fledged cats, “spraying” behavior is more typical than for castrated cats. Castration is a good way to stop unwanted splashing.

Castration of males after they begin leaving marks results in a complete cessation of this behavior in 80 percent of males of all ages and a reduction in 10 percent over the next few months. There is much debate about the benefits of early castration (before puberty) over late castration in preventing splashing behavior. Research shows that this does not matter: the results are the same for cats castrated both at an early and later age.

Unfortunately, approximately 10 percent of spayed males and 5 percent of spayed females continue to mark. Neutered male cats and female cats who spray urine to mark territory most often do so in response to other cats, but it can also be a reaction to people.

Males living in the same house with females are more prone to “spraying” than those living in the same territory with males. In general, the more cats there are within the house, the greater the likelihood that one of them will begin to “mark” the territory. In some homes with many cats, the arrangement of shelves and boxes allows each cat to have some alone time. You can try to find a new home for some cats to relieve stress for the rest.

HOW CATS MARK TERRITORY

When marking territory, cats take a very characteristic pose: they lift their tail and twitch it finely. They stand up and squat on their hind legs, releasing small portions of urine onto a vertical surface. Scratching is more than just sharpening your claws. Glands between the paw pads help the cat “scent” the objects it scratches with its scent.

Urine (and sometimes excrement) plays the role of an odorous mark, and even we with our insensitive noses will not pass by it, especially if the mark was left by an uncastrated male, who mixes a particularly “fragrant” secretion of the anal glands into the stream. They say that on a calm day, another cat can smell a mark left by such a cat from a distance of 12 meters! Such signals last a long time (up to two weeks, depending on the weather), and cats can learn a lot about each other from these messages, even after several days. Such chemical markers have a certain rate of decomposition (unless they are washed away by rain) - this means that another cat, wandering into the area, will receive information about how long ago the mark was left, about the age of the owner, his (her) gender and readiness to mating, and maybe even about character. This allows many cats to live in "overlapping" areas and, using scent marks as flags, notify each other that a particular cat (or tom) is nearby and ready to meet.

Follow your cat in the garden and you'll soon spot scent marks, see them being left, and notice other cats approaching, reading messages, and sometimes leaving their own nearby. Close observation will also reveal more subtle marks left where cats rub their chins. Where you live, there are many feral street cats, including many sterilized females and males. Their messages can be so intense that even humans can easily discern this smell! Urine contains highly corrosive uric acid, which can corrode iron and other metals, destroy wood and damage plants.

Male cats also like to leave their excrement and urinate in visible places along the property line or in areas that are especially often attacked. They often leave such marks on tree stumps or in the middle of the path - where they wait for an opponent to appear. This behavior is a favorite way of self-affirmation among many wild animals. Smell is a very convenient form of communication for those who, like cats, are at night and cannot always see scratches on trunks and other visible signs. As for the strong smell, it will undoubtedly be detected and interpreted correctly at any time of the day!

It should also be remembered that we, unwittingly, can bring various odors into the territory of our own cats. Returning from some place where many cats live (such a place could be, say, any rural street), we bring particles of dog or cat urine on our shoes. When we park our car away from home, we have no idea that it has been sprayed, leaving an odorous mark. When we come home, our own cat may think that a stranger has invaded its territory.

One such cat began to actively mark his own home, which did not delight the owners. After rummaging through their memory, they remembered: the cat had developed a bad habit since their son began dragging his new bicycle into the house at night, bringing a whole bouquet of new aromas on its wheels. The cat lost his calm and confidence after the usual smell of his home changed in an alarming way. By sprinkling the rooms with an odorous secret, he was only trying to establish himself, to prove his superiority over an invisible rival. The bicycle moved into the barn, and the cat calmed down, because he was no longer threatened by the ghost of the invader.

A similar incident occurred with a cat living in an apartment in a city multi-story building. The owners were able to reduce his habit of marking things with urine to a minimum. They began to take off their outdoor shoes before entering and put them away immediately so that external odors that were disturbing to the cat would not penetrate into the apartment. The cat again felt safe in his own home, and he no longer had the need to mark his territory with urine. Indoor cats, of course, are accustomed to a much more stable odor background in their apartment, so any, even the slightest, change can be perceived as an attempt to invade

Most cats are quite capable of coping with new smells, but “accidents like this” show how sensitive cats are to the “language of scents” and how important it is for us to remember the importance of smells in their lives

When to sterilize?

For cat owners, the relevant question is why sterilization of the animal is necessary. Females are capable of bearing offspring without even reaching one year of age . During the period of estrus or puberty, the cat marks corners, behaves aggressively, may begin to scratch, meow loudly, especially at night. The owner begins to get annoyed by this and the problem arises: “when can a pet be sterilized?”

Puberty in cats occurs at about 6-8 months of age. Of course, this is the middle age; in fact, this happens individually for each female and may occur a little later, closer to a year. To figure this out, you need to visit a veterinarian.

For young individuals, this is the safest time for surgery. To carry out sterilization, the animal must be physiologically ready. Only a specialist can provide such information after examining your pet.

A young cat that has not yet had its first heat has its ovaries removed during sterilization; in an older animal, the uterus and ovaries are removed . Doctors usually insist on removing the uterus, because after some time inflammatory processes may begin in it. You don’t have to wait until the first heat to remove the uterus, but a prerequisite for the operation is that the female is physiologically formed.

Why does a cat mark?

Sexually mature cats mark their territory instinctively, but this is not entirely typical for cats. If a cat starts peeing in the corners (and not only) the reason is physiological or psychological.

From a physiological point of view, the cause may be pain... but here it is difficult to distinguish between where the cat shits and where it marks. In any case, you must first cure your pet, and only then demand obedience.

Instincts and hormones

Why does a cat mark? There are many reasons, but the most popular of them is the instinct of protecting the territory. Marking corners and the front door with its scent, the cat leaves a letter to the stranger: “I live here, don’t interfere and you’ll stay safe.” Personal scent helps an unneutered cat attract a female cat

for mating. If a cat marks during heat, she attracts a male.

The combination of sexual and territorial instincts does terrible things. The pet marks the owner's house and clothes

with only one goal - to continue the family line and ensure the safety of the offspring.

Stress

When nervous, cats mark much more intensely. There is only one piece of advice here – think and analyze. Something is clearly wrong. Perhaps you or a family member is having a conflict with your pet. A change in the usual rhythm of life may prompt you to leave marks. It is known that after moving

or similar stress, even castrated animals can “foul.” Stress factors include:

Changes in work schedule or daily routine - business trips, unusually long absence from home.

Conflict situations - quarrels, shouting, conversations in a rude, raised tone.

The appearance of a child - yes, yes, cats often begin to mark after the appearance of a small, screaming person in the house... who eats up all the time and attention of the owners.

Lack of peace - no matter what happens, the cat should have an inviolable place where it can be in peace and solitude. Never touch a cat in a shelter, do not pet it, do not take it out, do not cover it, do not put toys nearby, and certainly do not scold it.

Imagine that this shelter is fenced off with a blank wall, it is inviolable and completely safe for the pet.

Dominance, competition and jealousy

It’s interesting that when dog lovers are faced with competition, the identification of the problem is correct, but cat lovers often make mistakes. It is believed that a cat expresses its dislike by hissing, beating and fighting, but this is not so. If your cat is jealous of another pet

- these are marks, but if towards a child or family member, these are both marks and non-marks...depending on what goal is being pursued.

The cat with the highest rank is obliged to mark his territory with a smell, but if he does not agree with his position, he begins to re-mark

. Sometimes it reaches the point of absurdity: a jealous cat marks everything after its opponent: litter box, sofa, doorway, scratching post, etc. If this situation is left to chance, it will not end well, the cats will not “get used to it” and the conflict will become open.

How can you help your pet during a difficult period?

Almost every owner of a furry beauty, taken by surprise by the violent manifestations of natural instinct, thinks about how to calm a cat during heat. The methods used must be not only effective, but also safe for the animal’s subsequent reproductive health.

Signs of heat

Some animals remain calm during estrus throughout their lives and do not cause inconvenience to their owners, but such cases are a rare exception. As a rule, a cat in heat poses a serious problem for household members.

Before you begin to take measures to pacify your pet’s sexual behavior and think about the question of what to do if the cat has gone on a spree and is yelling, you should make sure that the restless behavior is not associated with any disease. To do this, you need to see the main manifestations of estrus in a cat.

A characteristic sign of estrus in a cat

You can recognize an approaching problem by the behavior of your pet. In about 2-3 days, the animal becomes restless, requires increased attention from the owner, often rubs against its legs, and walks with its knees slightly bent. This change in behavior signals an impending heat.

The biggest problem when keeping a cat is the stage of sexual receptivity (actually, estrus itself, estrus). This stage lasts 7 - 12 days. The animal becomes annoying, constantly rubbing itself against legs and pieces of furniture.

When stroking the area of the sacrum, it falls on its hind legs in a specific position: it raises its pelvis and moves its tail to the side. Very often, owners complain about cats leaving marks. Pets mark walls, furniture, and shoes.

Thus, the animal tries to leave as many of its odors and traces as possible to attract the cat.

Most pets disturb household members with nightly screams and meows. At the same time, the cat can make very loud and shrill screams, as if something is in great pain.

Of course, such violent sexual behavior of the pet causes a lot of inconvenience to the owner, and he thinks about how to help the cat when it is in heat. First of all, you need to treat this problem with understanding.

The animal is not able to control the natural instincts that rush over it. Therefore, scolding, punishing, and using violence is useless and even harmful.

When a cat is in heat, it is already in a stressful situation, and rough treatment of it by household members will aggravate the already nervous state.

First of all, you should pay increased attention: talk affectionately, stroke, comb, and pick up the cat. This will distract her and calm her down. When scratching, do not touch the pelvic area.

But stroking the head, neck, and abdomen will be pleasant for the animal and is not associated with sexual behavior.

Active games are very useful for cats during hunting. They will help to distract from sexual instincts, relieve tension and stress. Intense play exercises improve the animal's muscle tone, which has a beneficial effect on reducing the estrus period. In order for the cat to show activity, you should purchase a new toy or teaser for it in advance. This will arouse interest and distract the pet.

These methods will help calm your cat

During estrus, appetite is reduced. Feed should be in small portions. The cat should have free access to water. It is necessary to ensure that there are no digestive problems (diarrhea, constipation), since problems with stool will cause even greater concern in the animal’s behavior.

An artificial reduction in daylight hours helps to reduce the violent manifestation of the sexual instinct. To do this, you should reduce the lighting level and keep the curtains closed. Darkening helps reduce the duration of estrus and reduces the intensity of its manifestation.

Bathing the animal late in the evening will help prevent night screams. This should be done if the room is warm and there are no drafts.

The bathing procedure itself will distract the cat, forcing it to take care of its wet fur for a long time, lick itself and put itself in order.

Licking fur is not only a hygienic procedure, this ritual acts as a sedative and reduces nervousness and stress.

You can calm your furry pet with herbs that have a sedative effect. Such plants include chamomile, thyme, and motherwort. They can be given in the form of decoctions and infusions in the absence of an allergic reaction.

If none of the proposed methods has a positive effect on your pet, you can consult a veterinarian. The doctor will advise you on how to calm your cat during heat. The ferromone drug “Feliway” helps to safely reduce an animal’s nervousness.

Popular products such as Kot-Bayun and Fitex based on medicinal herbal extracts, and Stop-Stress, a mild sedative, have a calming effect. The above drugs are not hormonal substances; they act gently on the animal’s body and do not cause side effects or addiction.

The herbal components of the preparations do not have a negative effect on the health of the animal.

Sedatives for cats during heat

Many pet owners have probably heard that it is impossible to give hormonal medications to a cat during estrus.

However, often the owners of a cat that has gone on a spree resort to the use of drugs such as “Sex Barrier”, “Contrasex”, “Antisex” and their analogues for their own comfortable life.

The use of hormonal substances inhibits sexual arousal and activity in the animal.

However, uncontrolled and regular use of drugs leads to reproductive dysfunction, purulent inflammation of the uterus, and breast cancer.

These drugs are used only during the period of absence of sexual heat, but in no case during estrus! The purpose of using these medications has nothing to do with calming a cat during estrus.

During heat, cats often begin to mark their territory, furniture, objects in the room, and shoes. This behavior is dictated by ancient sexual instincts, and it is almost impossible to correct it.

If a cat goes on a spree and starts peeing anywhere, under no circumstances should you punish it. The animal does this unconsciously, under the influence of sex hormones.

Marks allow the female to spread her scent as far as possible, so cats mark not only furniture and objects in the room, but also the owner’s shoes, which smell like the street.

The owner should understand that marks are a manifestation of the animal’s sexual behavior, and they are in no way related to the cat’s bad manners or bad behavior.

What should you do if your cat marks during heat and nothing helps? The owner of a furry pet should be patient during this period and under no circumstances scold. Punishment will lead to even greater stress in the animal, which is already suffering under the influence of natural instincts.

We suggest you read: Why the gosling does not eat medicine for goslings

The best solution would be to stock up on a special odor-eliminating agent or disinfectant. Furniture and valuables should be insulated during the animal's heat with film, covers, etc. Marks left behind should be thoroughly washed and then an anti-odor agent should be applied.

A solution of citric acid and vinegar copes well with odor.

Due to the fact that during estrus a cat marks especially strongly, this period is difficult for owners. It is worth noting that aggressive psychological influence on the animal: intimidation, screaming, will not help in this situation. You should use all your patience, show affection and care. What can be done in this case?

You can try the following:

Do not raise your voice, talk to your pet calmly and affectionately, calm him down.
You can pat the animal on the head and gently scratch its belly (you cannot touch the tail).
To release excess energy, when the cat begins to mark, give her “tasks” from time to time. For example, catch or bring a toy.
You need to feed in small portions, but the amount of water should be sufficient, especially in hot, stuffy weather.
It is also permissible to bathe your pet in warm water, but there should be no drafts in the room.

Calming herbal preparations also help well. They are not addictive, so how often the animal likes to “walk” does not matter. For example, stress-relieving drugs: “Cat Bayun”, “Fitex”. You can also try catnip in bags or in spray form (spray or place in your pet’s favorite places).

Why cats start marking territory

If a cat begins to leave marks throughout the apartment, the cause of this problem should be identified. This will help you understand how to wean the animal from such actions.

Perhaps the pet is sick. This is the first thing that should come to the mind of a loving owner. Urolithiasis or cystitis forces cats to go anywhere other than the litter box. It simply hurts for the cat to go to the toilet, and she begins to associate the litter box with pain, so she begins to look for a place where she may not experience pain. The animal must be immediately shown to a veterinarian.
If after the examination it turns out that the cat is healthy, it means that she sees a threat to the territory in which she lives. The culprit may be a new family member - a person or another animal. The cat immediately decides that the stranger will begin to take over its territory, so it begins to mark it. Therefore, when a new animal appears in the house, you need to immediately allocate its own place in the apartment.
If there is no stranger in the apartment, and the animal continues to mark, it is possible that another animal has marked very close to the front door. In this case, it is necessary to drive away the stranger and remove all traces of his presence.
A cat may mark when there is a change in environment or as a result of stress. If the house has been renovated, or you have just moved to another apartment, the animal will begin to mark this new environment for it. An animal can also leave marks after sterilization, experiencing enormous stress. Because a visit to the veterinarian, an operation performed, post-operative recovery - all this does not pass without a trace on the animal’s psyche, and it begins to leave puddles everywhere. In this case, you can give the cat a sedative or simply wait until she gets used to her new state.
During heat or sexual heat, as well as if an animal of the opposite sex lives nearby, male cats begin to mark everything around them, even after castration and sterilization. Castration in this case does not help and the cat continues to do its wet job. Same with cats. After sterilization, they continue to leave very faint marks that the owners do not even notice. However, during heat, the cat begins to mark especially strongly, as she hears that somewhere nearby there is a screaming cat who senses her condition. At the same time, she begins to fear that the cat will be able to seize her territory, so she begins to mark and mark the boundaries of her possessions, like a cat. In this case, the animal is weaned from such actions only when there are no sexual partners nearby.
There are such situations that when a cat gets to strangers, as a sign of protest and out of resentment, it begins to shit anywhere. In this way, the animal makes it clear that it should be returned to its previous owners.

The cat started shitting everywhere

Actually, the problem is in the title of the topic. Until recently, everything was fine: the cat did its business in one tray. A couple of times there was a violent reaction to rustling bags left on the floor - she peed, nothing else was left on the floor. But now, excuse me, she pooped on the bed. What to do with the cat?

I’ll also stand and listen. My cat started shitting on the rug near the tray. The tray was clean and the cat did not experience any visible stress. I have no idea what to do. Pees, as before, in the tray.

Our cat, God's Dandelion, also peed everywhere for 2 days. I immediately took her to the vet - it turned out to be a kidney infection, and this was her way of making it clear that she was in pain. So, if suddenly a cat starts “out of the blue” to shit, it’s very likely that she just wants to tell you that she’s sick. Although I’m not a cat person and I don’t particularly like cats, I have to admit that they are far from stupid

Urgently drags to the doctor, here’s what to do. If it hurts a cat to go to the toilet, it thinks that it will be easier in the most convenient and safe place, so it shits in the bed. Often problems worsen due to excess weight.

Ours just went to the vet last week. Healthy. Children's age is only 4 months. We have 2.5 living at home. They didn’t offend us - there was always plenty of food, clean water too, a whole cartload of toys, including a house. We stroked them, and didn’t yell at them, and didn’t poke our faces anywhere, because... This will confuse the cat even more. The tray is always available. What the animal lacks is not clear ((

If the cat is sick, then understand to forgive. If a cat takes revenge on you, you, the person who loves it, feeds it, plays with it, shelter, comfort. then, there is only one option - to put the ungrateful creature out the door and forget about the problems.

If the cat is sick, then understand to forgive. If a cat takes revenge on you, you, the person who loves it, feeds it, plays with it, shelter, comfort. then there is only one option - to expose the bad luck

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How can a cat mark territory?

Cats that want to mark things perform the following algorithm of actions:

fits a vertical surface;
straightens up and raises its tail, shaking it a little;
excretes a little urine horizontally.

Sometimes when an animal marks objects, the posture may differ slightly. The main similarity is the extremely small amount of fluid released. Usually it is no more than 1 ml.

To mark territory, cats often rub their faces against certain objects. Many owners think that their pet lacks affection, but in reality everything is much simpler. On the face of cats, near the eyes, there are special glands that produce a strong odor. A person does not feel it, but other animals immediately understand that the place is already occupied.

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You can often notice that cats sniff each other's anus when they meet. The anal glands, which secrete an odorous secretion, are located in this place. Raising its tail, the pet seeks to show its scent. You can notice this if you stroke it along the back. At the same time, the cat will begin to protrude the back of its body.

Cats wash themselves not only to maintain cleanliness, but also to distribute secretions throughout the body.

For example, by licking the genitals, they spread the smell from the anal glands along the back of the body. The secret will be more clearly visible to other animals.

Representatives of the cat family have very small glands on their paws. When cats sharpen their nails, they mark objects. This leaves visual marks and a corresponding smell.

Cats can mark not only with the help of fluid secreted by the glands, but also with saliva. However, it does not carry any information about the animal’s sexual behavior, for example, about the onset of estrus.

Features of behavior

Females start asking for a cat at around 6-9 months of age , this will also depend on the breed. If during the period of heat the cat asks for a male, and you plan to breed kittens, it is better to postpone mating until at least one and a half years. At too early an age, up to a year, cats do not always manage to produce healthy offspring.

Those owners who have not had cats before should know some of the peculiarities of the onset of estrus. During this period, not only physical but also psychological changes occur in the animal. Characteristic features include the following:

The animal's behavior changes suspiciously. The pet can be overly affectionate or overly aggressive.
“Cat songs” last a very long time and do not stop even at night. All this is accompanied by a loud, inviting meow.
Urination becomes more frequent.
The gait becomes unnatural: paws are bent and the tail is raised up.
Appetite decreases.
The pet begins to lick the genitals more often (due to discharge).
The animal may begin to mark its territory; sometimes the cat shits during heat, including on the bed.

It is worth noting that during heat, one or more of these signs may appear. This period rarely occurs without symptoms.

Various means to combat the cat's tendency to mark in the apartment

So, what to do if a cat marks in the apartment? Of all the drugs and folk remedies used in this case, only a few that are effective can be identified. Depending on the individual characteristics of the animal, one or another remedy may be useful.

Pet stores sell a lot of drugs, the most common of which are Antimetka, Zooklin and Antigadin.
Many owners speak well of potassium permanganate, which discourages the cat from marking anywhere. This product can be used to wipe the floors or add a drop at a time in those places where a pet usually sneaks in for this criminal purpose.
The pungent smell of citric acid has a similar effect.
Others find it helpful to apply essential oils and aromatic components to the marked areas. If this does not scare the cat away in the future, it will at least eliminate the unpleasant aroma of cat urine.

Repelling with foil, sprays and other methods

If a cat is marking its territory, what to do is a question that cannot be answered definitively. There are several methods.

You can scare away your pet by using regular foil. Basically, the animal chooses one or several places for its tracks. Having found them, you need to lay foil there. Cats do not like to touch this material because the rustling sound irritates them.

You can stop your cat from marking his territory using foil.

If you don’t have time for experiments, then you can purchase a proven product in the form of a spray, which contains cat pheromones that help improve the psychological state of the animal. You can purchase this product at a pet store.

Advice! When you have absolutely nothing at hand, you can use folk remedies, for example, lemon juice or citrus-scented essential oils. Their smell has a deterrent effect on cats.

How to stop a cat from marking territory

Owners can draw curtains, lower blinds and keep the cat door closed if outdoor cats are causing problems for indoor cats. But it is unlikely that the owners will agree to return to the old house. Bring in old furniture or “give back” the child to eliminate the causes of “splashing” behavior.

For cats who mark their territory in response to new situations or people's actions that reduce the size of their feline domain, a quiet, unchanged room can be life-saving and helpful. Later, the cat's territory may be expanded when present owners can calm the cat or when the cat is brought to order through therapeutic therapy. Splashing behavior may also be associated with delayed punishment. The goal is to catch the cat at the moment of an unwanted action (spraying urine in this case) and administer the punishment so that he associates the unpleasant sensations with the place or bad behavior, and not with you. A carelessly splashing cat can be doused with a water pistol, a trap or a cocked inverted mousetrap can be prepared on a favorite laundry pile.

Another approach to solving this problem is to make the area the cat is marking less attractive. Remove the urine as thoroughly as possible so that the cat does not try to freshen up its previous work. Clean the marked area with enzymatic or biologically active detergents, rinse the cloth several times and wipe dry. Do not use cleaning products that contain ammonia as the odor is similar to urine. Cover the area where your cat marks with aluminum foil or rub with strong-smelling substances such as mothballs or lemon drops. You can place your cat's food and water near the marked area, as not many cats like to get dirty where they eat.

If attempts to curb your cat's splashing behavior by neutering, changing the environment, or using mild punishment have failed, your veterinarian may suggest drug therapy. Most common medications include female hormones (progestins) and tranquilizers such as Valium, given orally or by injection.

A single injection or several weeks of oral progestin suppresses marking behavior, especially if the environmental factors that initiated it have disappeared. If these factors remain, the unwanted behavior resumes when the medication is stopped. With long-term use and large doses of drugs, treatment can cause side effects - diabetes, weight gain, inactivity. Another negative side is the ineffectiveness of progestin treatment in females (only 20 percent of cases stop spraying urine in females, versus 50 percent of successful cases in males).

Another commonly recommended treatment is oral Valium or other tranquilizers. This treatment produces approximately the same results for females and males, with a cessation or marked reduction in splashing in 55 percent of cases. Side effects with this treatment: weight gain, drowsiness, and the appearance of unfriendliness or an indifferent attitude. As a veterinarian, I can accept an increase in unfriendliness or indifference on the part of my patients. The bad news is that urine spattering usually returns after drug therapy is stopped.

As is the case in most situations in life, there is no surefire way to prevent or stop bad cat behavior right away. as soon as it started. The best thing to do is to try to understand the reasons for bad behavior and try to eliminate or change the circumstances that cause such behavior.

Why do cats mark objects in the house?

Cats begin to mark their territory due to the influence of various irritating factors. Unlike cats, they do this much less often, so the owner may confuse the marking process with urination. The list of main reasons is as follows:

During illness, the pet can relieve itself outside the tray. The problem arises mainly due to the formation of kidney stones and the development of cystitis. The animal, on a subconscious level, gets the impression that the pain is manifested precisely because of the tray, so it looks for other places of fusion of need. The situation can be corrected, but to do this, the pet must be shown to a veterinarian. Otherwise, the disease will progress.
Representatives of the cat family may mark their territory due to the arrival of a new person or another animal in the house. The pet will perceive such an update as a threat to its territory. The main instinct will advise him to mark objects, showing who is in charge in the house. If the problem is the arrival of a new family member, then only time will help. The cat must get used to the person in order to “accept” him. When getting another pet, you need to be prepared to share the house between them. Otherwise, there will be little chance of avoiding conflict.
Sometimes a pet begins to mark objects as a result of another animal marking the front door. The owner will have to get rid of the foreign smell and try to prevent the situation from recurring.
There have been cases when a cat began to mark corners in the house after moving. For her, the new environment has not yet been explored, so instincts are triggered. Over time, everything returns to normal.
After sterilization, the cat marks in the apartment due to the stress it has experienced. There is no need to scold her, since time must pass for the animal’s psyche to recover. In severe cases, you may want to consult with your veterinarian about giving a sedative medication to calm your pet's nervous system.
A cat may mark its territory due to raging hormones. After reaching 7-8 months, it becomes a sexually mature individual. If a cat lives in the neighborhood, the female begins to mark the corners of the house, showing the boundaries of her possessions. The whole problem here is the activation of instincts, since against the backdrop of hormonal surges there is a fear of losing territory. Sterilization does not actually help in this situation. The animal returns to normal and continues to mark. The only salvation will be to get rid of the potential sexual partner, at least for the duration of the heat.
There are situations when a cat has to be left with strangers. She begins to mark her territory as a sign of protest or simply due to stress. The animal’s behavior returns to normal only after returning to its familiar environment.

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What cat owners say

The cat marks the corners, the smell permeates the entire apartment. Many owners of furry pranksters have encountered this behavior. What do they advise you to do?

Sterilization is the best solution, according to cat lovers.
Some owners think it’s worth punishing properly once.
Still others recommend washing corners regularly with disinfectants.
Still others insist, show it to a veterinarian, in case it’s related to a disease.

The best option is the first one. Sterilization in most cases relieves owners of cat leprosy in the form of marks.