Will a Cat Stop Spraying After He's Neutered?
Spraying, or the marking of a cat's territory, is an instinctive urge that nearly all cats have. Spraying is a behavior in male cats where they mark a wall or other vertical areas with urine. In addition to providing health benefits to a cat, neutering is often the easiest way to stop this behavior.
What is Spraying?
Spraying is part of a cat's instinct to mark its territory. By marking an area with urine, a cat communicates to other cats that that area is his territory. Spraying is almost always a trait of intact ("unfixed") male cats who live in a multi-cat household. These intact cats, called tom cats, will often spray due to hormonal urges until they are neutered.
When to Neuter
The appropriate age to neuter a male cat is six to seven months of age. Different veterinarians may have different opinions on what the best age is, but to prevent spraying and other unwanted behaviors, such as aggression, a male cat is best neutered before it reaches sexual maturity, which occurs at this time. Sexual maturity is when the hormones that cause a cat to spray start cycling through the cat's body.
The Process of Neutering
There are many ways to neuter a cat. The most common procedure, according to veterinarian Janet Tobiassen Crosby, is to sedate the cat, and use anesthesia so that the cat feels no pain and is unaware of what is going on. Tiny cuts or incisions are made to the scrotum of the cat, and the testicles are removed. Stitches or sutures may be used, although in indoor household cats, this is often not necessary and the cuts are allowed to heal on their own. Once the testicles are removed, the brain stops signaling the body to produce sexual hormones, leaving the cat with little or no urge to spray.
Recovery from Surgery
Some veterinarians prefer to keep felines overnight after surgery, and some allow you to take your pet home that day. A cat often recovers a mere two hours after surgery when the anesthesia has fully worn off. A cat is able to move about freely, albeit with some discomfort, within the first day after surgery. Restricting activity and excessive licking of the surgery site is indicated, as this may cause complications. A cat should be able to urinate appropriately without pain within the two hour time period after surgery. A majority of hormonal signals are reduced, and an owner should expect to experience a reduction or stop in spraying behaviors almost instantly.
When Will the Spraying Stop?
Sometimes the behavior stops immediately after the surgery. The hormones that cause spraying can sometimes take as long as one month post-surgery to cycle out of the cat's body, especially if the tomcat was altered after reaching puberty. Approximately 90 percent of male cats will cease to mark their territory after being neutered.
Why A Neutered Cat Still Sprays
Neutering is not always effective in controlling the marking behaviors of cats. When the cat is part of a multiple cat household and there are other unaltered males around, the behavior may continue. Stress and improper amounts of quality time may also result in a neutered cat continuing to spray. A clean litter box will encourage and welcome a cat to eliminate in the proper spot. Another important factor that may lead a neutered cat to continue marking behaviors is improper clean up of prior marked sites. Clean with products that contain natural enzymes, which feed upon the bacteria that cause the odor. Products that contain ammonia are not a good choice, as ammonia is one of the main components of cat urine, and can actually encourage the marking of an area.
If the Problem Persists
In some cases, an altered cat will spray or urinate in inappropriate places because of a health issue. If marking behavior continues up to two months post neutering, or your cat shows signs of pain while urinating or other unusual behavior, call a veterinarian or licensed animal care professional. The behaviors may be due to a urinary tract infection or, in some cases, more serious health issues. Be aware that even in healthy cats, up to 10 percent of neutered male cats will continue to spray.
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