Dear Gwen,
I have a neutered male Persian cat and he has an awful habit of urinating wherever he pleases. He will use his litter box from time to time. We moved to this apartment three months ago so he shouldn't be still marking his territory. What can I do?
signed disgusted

Dear Disgusted,
Your cat may still be territorial scent marking or he may simply need a refresher course in litterbox training. It is not uncommon for a neutered male cat to spray. The primary cause of the spraying is insecurity in his territory. Moving into a new home or changes in the environment can cause a cat to spray. If the previous occupants had a cat, your cat may be reacting to the smells that cat left behind.

Help your cat increase his confidence and feeling of security in his still relatively new home. Give him tons of praise, affection and attention for simply breathing. Constantly reassure him that he is the most wonderful cat in the world. He is so special that you bring him gifts (toys and treats) daily. Play with him, massage him, talk to him, do everything to rebuild his self esteem.

Long haired cats such as Persians are very particular about their litter boxes. I suggest that you change the litter box every day. Use less litter so you can throw it all out daily. Clean the litter box and rinse it with a lemon juice solution to neutralize any ammonia smells. Stale cat urine has an ammonia like odor, so if you are using ammonia products to clean the litter box, it could be repelling your cat.

By regulating his feeding schedule you should be able to catch your cat using his litter box. Refresh his litter box training by giving him lots of praise and reward for using his litter box.

Helping your cat feel secure, a squeaky clean litter box and reward for good behavior should clear the air in your apartment.







Perfect Paws Related Reading Links:
More on Scent Marking and Litter Box Tips
Litter Box Training
Territorial Insecurity

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