Why Cats Spray, and What It's Really Telling You

In this guide

Urine spraying is one of the most misunderstood habits in cat behaviour. It is a form of territorial marking carried out by adult cats, and while experts still debate its exact purpose, the leading theory is that it helps cats communicate with one another from a distance. It seems to let cats coordinate their movements around a shared territory, effectively allowing them to "timeshare" the same ground without bumping into one another, and to reduce the chances of a physical confrontation.

Interestingly, there is no evidence that a cat encountering another cat's spray mark will avoid the area or back away from it. What the mark probably does convey is timing: because a cat's sniffing behaviour and flehmen response differ according to how fresh or stale a scent deposit is, cats may be able to work out roughly when a mark was left. Scent matters so much to cats that they possess a second, dedicated organ of smell, the vomeronasal or Jacobsen's organ, which allows them to effectively "taste" important odours.

This organ sits behind the front teeth, connected to the nasal cavity by two small openings in the roof of the mouth. To use it, a cat opens its mouth and draws air across these openings, producing a curious grimacing expression known as the flehmen response.

In the domestic, neutered pet cat, spraying has likely taken on additional roles beyond straightforward territorial signalling and now often reflects the animal's emotional state. Cats may spray during periods of social stress, potentially as a way of bolstering their own confidence, coping with anxiety, or simply as a displacement behaviour. Seeing a cat spray a fence, bush or wall outdoors is entirely normal. Spraying indoors, however, is a different matter and usually signals that the cat feels insecure and that something in its environment is causing distress.

What does spraying actually look like?

A cat that is about to spray will typically back up against a vertical surface, often after first sniffing the spot intensely and showing the flehmen grimace. It stands with its tail held straight up and quivering, raises its hindquarters, and may tread with its back paws while releasing a small jet of urine, usually under two millilitres. Occasionally cats will mark horizontal surfaces too, such as clothing dropped on the floor, either crouching or standing to do so. These marks can be surprisingly hard to spot; sometimes the only clue is the smell, or a faint brown, sticky smear on a skirting board, radiator or door. Electrical equipment, floor-length curtains, plastic bags and items of clothing are also common targets.

Is spraying only a male behaviour?

No. Both male and female cats spray, though males do so more often. The habit is considerably more common among cats that have not been neutered, which points to a hormonal influence and suggests the behaviour conveys information about the sprayer's reproductive status. Around 90 per cent of intact males and roughly 95 per cent of intact females show a marked reduction in spraying once they are neutered or spayed.

How common is it?

Among neutered cats, an estimated 10 per cent of males and 5 per cent of females spray. The likelihood rises sharply with the number of cats living in a household: it can reach as high as 86 per cent in homes with seven or more cats, and some studies have recorded rates as high as 100 per cent in households with ten or more.

What should you do if your cat sprays indoors?

Speak to your vet first. If your cat is young and not yet neutered, the most probable explanation is sexual maturity, and neutering at this stage usually stops the spraying while also reducing the odds of roaming, fighting and unplanned litters.

It would be a mistake, though, to assume every case of spraying is purely behavioural. Painful conditions can cause a cat to adopt a spraying posture while urinating, and research suggests that as many as 30 per cent of cats presented for spraying actually have an underlying medical issue, such as cystitis (also known as feline lower urinary tract disease). Your vet may want to test a urine sample or run other checks to exclude illness before referring you to a behaviour specialist.

"But my cat doesn't seem stressed"

Cats are a self-reliant species, responsible for their own survival, and showing obvious distress could make them vulnerable to attack, so they are naturally good at masking pain, illness and stress. The signs are there, but they tend to be subtle, and are often only picked up by noticing changes in a cat's usual habits. Indoor spraying is itself a strong indicator that something is not right in your cat's world.

What might be stressing your cat?

Not every cat reacts to pressure by spraying, since temperament plays a big role, and the source of stress can come from other cats, from people, or from the environment. Common triggers include:

• Conflict with other cats sharing the home
• A dense population of cats living nearby outside
• A strange cat getting into the house, for example through an open window or cat flap
• Building work or redecorating, which disrupts the cat's territory
• New arrivals in the household, such as a baby, lodger or dog
• The owner being away more, or a change in work routine
• Punishing the cat inappropriately
• Too much, or overly intrusive, handling by people

What can help while you wait for a referral?

Once you have consulted your vet, it is best to wait for a behaviourist to properly assess your cat's individual circumstances. In the meantime, a few general measures may help:

• Clean sprayed areas with a 10 per cent solution of biological washing powder, rinse well, dry, and then wipe over with surgical spirit
• Set up a new feeding station at each sprayed spot and place a small portion of the cat's daily food there
• Alternatively, treat sprayed areas with Feliway spray according to the instructions on the packaging
• Use a Feliway diffuser to help lower overall stress and anxiety
• Provide enough safe indoor litter trays, one per cat plus one spare, spread across different locations away from food, water and beds
• In multi-cat households, make sure every resource, beds, bowls, scratching posts, litter trays, high perches, hiding spots and toys, follows the same one-per-cat-plus-one rule, spread around the home
• If full-length curtains have been targeted, clean them and consider pinning them up out of reach for a while
• If your cat can see outdoor cats through glass doors or low windows, cover the lower section with opaque film or cardboard so neither cat can see the other

The spraying has stopped, do I still need the vet?

Spraying tends to come and go depending on whether the underlying stressor is present. The problem often returns, and the longer it is left unaddressed, the harder it can become to resolve, partly because it is a perfectly natural feline behaviour and the triggers, such as cats outside, are frequently beyond an owner's control. If you know a stressful event is coming, using a Feliway diffuser in advance can help cats with a history of anxiety-related marking. With the right guidance, the problem can usually be reduced to a manageable level, though ongoing attention to your cat's long-term wellbeing is worthwhile.

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