Spraying
Cats are a territorial species, such that they are ‘attached' to the area in which they live. The known environment provides stability and coherence. However, they can form social relations with other individuals who share their territory including their owners, other cats, and other animals.
The territoryA cat's territory is an area delimited by different types of marking; for example, urine spots and scratching (visual and smell). Other types of marking that are not visual also exist. All marking is a way for your cat to communicate with other cats.
This article discusses urinary marking.
To understand why your cat feels the need to mark, it is essential to understand that its territory is divided into several areas, each of which has a specific function:
- Activity areas: hunting area, playing area, elimination area (urinary and faecal), observation, sunbathing, etc.
- Isolation area: where it likes to be alone, a place for sleeping, or cleaning. A place that the cat is willing to share with us humans.
- Aggressive area: your cat's ‘personal space' and if you interfere with its borders, you risk being attacked. This area is can vary in size, which is why some cats will attack, whilst others will not.
- Social life areas: places where all the cats can mix without aggression, where they can play together and meet each other.
All these areas are interconnected by paths, and urinary marking identifies these paths and provides a signal to other cats entering the area. This ensures the stability of the territory and thus reassures your cat.
Urinary marking
It is important to differentiate urinary marking from elimination of urine due to dirtiness.
A spot of urine for marking is usually eliminated onto a vertical surface and the cat stands upright with a straight tail, meows, and does not cover the urine, which is passed in small amounts and has a strong odour.
It is normal that your cat performs this marking which is related to the presence of others. It is normally of little importance because often facial marking is sufficient to appease your cat. Urinary marking can sometimes have sexual significance such as to mark the cat's presences to females and other males.
Destabilisation of the territory leads to pathological marking. Possible changes include: a change of living place, a change of furniture, the arrival of a new cat, an over-population of cats.
To stop these markings, it is essential to eliminate the cause and re-organise the territory, where possible.
Another reason that your cat can begin pathological marking is anxiety which can be induced in your cat by errors in distribution of food, the cat's inability to adapt to environment, existing phobias, etc.
Treatments
The treatment depends on the cause of the urinary marking and to view the complexity of the problem a consultation with your vet is generally required. For the control of pathological marking, the use of medicines is nearly always necessary.
In addition, pheromone diffusers are available that may ‘reassure' your cat and may resolve the problem in simple cases. For this solution, it is also necessary to check with your vet.
A handy hint: to clean away the urine, don't use bleach. Use sparkling water or wine vinegar. Also there is no point in shouting at your cat, because your pet will not understand and this could also increase the animal's anxiety and therefore increase urinary marking!
Conclusion
It is important to understand the lifestyle of your cat to understand the problem of urinary marking, which is often a big worry for us humans. It is also important to see the difference between inappropriate urination and urinary marking, both of which may be caused by completely different reasons. In all cases, take time to observe your cat to ascertain the problem and its origin.
Stéphanie Lom, Veterinarian
