A common annoyance with domestic cats, constituting 40% of all house soiling complaints, happens when one's cat stands back to an object and releases a pungent spray. This is called 'cat spraying', and is directly related to the cat marking their territory. It's mostly un-neutered male cats (toms) who spray, but some female cats are known to perform this activity as well when in heat.

Cats can spray for multiple reasons. Territorial disputes can cause them to spray. Another cat in heat can cause them to spray. The stress of fighting with another cat can cause them to spray. Normally cats mark their territory to reduce conflicts with other cats. Most of the time they spray outside, but if there are conflicts inside they will do it there.

Once the cat sprays something it must be thoroughly washed immediately as the unpleasant smell will entice the cat to spray again. When cleaning the object avoid substances with ammonia in them as the cat spray has a similar scent and the cat will confuse it with its own spray and spray again.

How can you stop this annoying habit or can it even be stopped? Neutering a male cat will greatly reduce the occurrence of cat spraying. A cat whisperer or someone trained in cat psychology can help resolve or minimize the problem by identifying conflicts within the home. You can rearrange furniture or place objects around a particular location that a cat is spraying to make it a less appealing site. Until conflicts are resolved with neighborhood cats, you might have to keep your cat indoors to prevent spraying outside of the home.

Don't ever try to punish your cat by bringing him into the area and hitting him. This will lead your cat to be fearful of you. Your cat will probably have increased stress, which can in turn make your cat spraying problem worse.

It does not matter if you have taken everything presented into consideration, there is always a chance some cat spraying will occur. The goal is to reduce these events as much as possible, and learn to accept the times they do happen as a side effect.