Can Female Cats Spray?

Like most pet lovers, you may probably be wondering can female cats spray? Well, while male cats have accrued an infamous reputation over the ages of making urine markings, female cats can also do it. It is very important to note that there happens to be a wide variety of dissimilarities between the exact anatomy of female and male felines. However, the capability to make scent markings is a common trait among all cats irrespective of their sex.

Both female and male cats do possess special glands in their cheeks, paws and in close proximity to their bladders. These glands are in a position of secreting a kind of liquid discharge, which contains pungent chemicals. Given, you might not remark any smell when your pet cat rubs their cheeks on your hands. But you will certainly notice an unwholesome odor when she proceeds to spray. Such urine markings are known to come with an acrid and offensive odor.

• What causes cats to spray?

The main reason that makes all cats, even female ones, to spray is an urge to establish territorial boundaries. They can also engage in this bad habit in an attempt to lure possible mates. Spayed female cats are known to very infrequently exhibit the urge to find male mates. Yet they can still possess strong territorial inclinations. When you decide to introduce new pets or even a furniture article in your home, you can spark territorial tendencies in your female cat. On the other hand, the accumulation of frustrations from stress can trigger your female cat to spray periodically. The major cause of this type of spraying can be attributed to your cat not accessing sufficient rest, play or even a dietary change.

• How can you be able to prevent your female cat from engaging in spraying?

According to statistics, spayed female cats are less likely to engage in spraying as when compared to their male counterparts. In fact, only one in every twenty female cats which are spayed can make urine markings. This is about one-half of the number of all neutered male cats that can engage in spraying. As such, making the wise decision to have your female cat spayed can prevent them from making urine markings in your home.

Nevertheless, it is critical to have this operation done when your cat is still young, ideally from 5 to 6 months of age. Waiting until the time she reaches puberty to have your female cat spayed can prove to be ineffectual in preventing them from spraying. This is because such a time is usually the period when your female cat’s hormones start kicking in. This naturally makes it extremely difficult to completely prevent them from spraying even if you take the precaution of having her spayed.

• Other ways of preventing spraying from your female cat

Besides spaying, there are still other means of effectively doing away with spraying tendencies in your female cat. To begin with, the moment your pet makes urine markings somewhere in your home, make it a point to clean them as soon as you can before she makes it a habit. This is especially important if you have more than one cat in your home. One spraying incident can trigger the remaining cats to do it as well.

In the event, your female cat persists in spraying even after undergoing a spaying operation, eliminating stress factors can be a practical solution. To which end, assign your pet cat a serene and secluded area in your home where she can sleep. Also, take the necessary time to ensure that you provide her with a scratching post and a couple of toys to play with, during the time you are absent from home. Should your cat only spray one particular area of your house, move her food and water dishes there. This will restrain her from spraying as all cats never like to mark with urine the areas where they feed.

Alternatively, you can place an aluminum foil or spray cat repellent at the areas your female cat prefers to mark. Finally, if all the above remedies fail to produce the desired results, you should consult with your vet over the exact treatment options that can prevent this behavior. Well, now you definitely know the answer to the question, can female cats spray? Along with the various things you can do to correct such an annoying habit.