The Cat Behavior Answer Book - Arden Moore [53]
This product comes in a spray as well as a diffuser that plugs into an electric outlet. The diffuser emits this synthetic scent (humans can’t smell it) 24 hours a day and lasts for about one month. You can spray Feliway directly onto urine marks and household items such as sofas, drapes, and doorframes without worrying that it will cause a stain.
In extreme cases, urine-marking cats may need calming medications for a period of time. Studies have shown that these drugs can reduce incidents of urine marking up to 75 percent. I urge you to work closely with your veterinarian in administering these medications and then gradually weaning your cat off of them.
We are fortunate that we have many more “weapons” available today than a decade ago to counter urine marking, but it still requires patience, consistency, and compliance with veterinarian’s or behaviorist’s recommendations to ensure success.
IS IT SPRAYING OR MARKING?
The terms can be used interchangeably. The only difference is body position and sometimes, the volume of urine that is released.
SPRAYING occurs when a cat backs up to a vertical surface and squirts urine while standing. Both male and female cats will spray, though the behavior is far more common in intact males, who spray as a form of sexual advertising and as a threat to other males.
MARKING happens when a cat squats and urinates on a horizontal surface, such as a bed. This behavior is triggered by emotional stress or general apprehension (from watching their beloved owner pack a suitcase, for example).
Both spraying and marking should be distinguished as behavioral issues. However, keep in mind that some cats avoid the litter box simply because they don’t like the location, detest the type of litter (especially citrus scented), or are unable to perform in the litter box due to a health problem.
Litter Box Avoider
COCOA, AN EIGHT-YEAR-OLD SIAMESE, was described by her owner as laid back and comfortable around house-guests. Betty told me that Cocoa was adopted from a humane society when she was about a year old. Betty adored Cocoa’s ready purr and cuddling nature but became frustrated and perplexed when Cocoa began defecating outside her litter box and choosing carpeted areas inside the home. The episodes occurred a few times a week.
Medical exams ruled out any physical condition causing Cocoa’s change in bathroom behavior. I explained to Betty that some cats defecate outside their litter box as a way of marking their territory. In Cocoa’s case, however, considering her relaxed temperament, the reason most likely was due to a preference of surface or material (carpet versus litter box) rather than territorial motivation.
The game plan called for having Betty clean the soiled areas using a bacterial or enzymatic odor-neutralizing cleaner to completely remove the scent of feces, which can be a strong stimulus to return to the same spot. Next, I suggested that Betty keep a journal of the times and places where Cocoa eliminated to aid in choosing the best litter box location.
Betty confessed that she caught Cocoa in the act once and scolded her, causing Cocoa to flee the room. I explained that punishing Cocoa would not stop the unwanted behavior. In fact, it could cause Cocoa to continue this misdeed when Betty was out of sight.
To stop the cycle, I had Betty confine Cocoa in an uncarpeted room with a new litter box for a few days. The room included feline amenities like toys, cat tree, window to view, food, water, and warm bedding. Instead of the hooded litter box Cocoa used, I recommended an open version because some cats don’t mind urinating in a hooded box but prefer not to be enclosed when defecating.
Because Betty had a large home, I also urged her to get a second litter box and to fill both with unscented litter instead of the scented type she was currently using. I told her to keep the depth between two and four inches and to scoop the litter