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My neutered male cat sprays for attention. How can I stop it?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered

Is there a surgery to stop a neutered male cat from spraying. Not an UTI. No recent changes. Almost always to get my attention to eat etc.

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

Licensed Veterinary Technician

Published on March 9th, 2016

No, there isn't. If you have multiple cats, keep a litterbox per cat plus an additional box in a "neutral" area of the house. Try litterbox attractants. You can find them in most pet stores or at www.pet360.com. Consider pheromone sprays or collars to decrease any stress or anxiety. If he can see out a window, draw the blinds to restrict his view. He could be seeing an outdoor cat that he perceives as a threat. Use a small animal repellent along the border of your property. Use an enzymatic cleaner such as Nature's Miracle to thoroughly clean sprayed areas.

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Other Answers

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    Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT

    Licensed Veterinary Technician

    Published on February 16th, 2017

    Neutering will help with the behavior. It will not be a quick fix though. Lucifer will need to be "trained" to use the litter box. Provide several boxes throughout your house. Use different types of litters in covered and uncovered boxes to discover his preference. You may use litterbox attractants to get him into the box. Use an enzymatic cleaner, such as Nature's Miracle, to thoroughly clean soiled areas. The meowing may be his acknowledgement of a nearby fertile female. Intact males have a tendency to wander or roam in their search to mate/breed. This behavior should also decrease after surgery as hormone levels decrease.

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    Answered By Rebecca, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on June 27th, 2018

    Thanks for using PetCoach. It can be very difficult to break the cycle/habit or inappropriate urination. Be sure that there are multiple litter boxes in different areas of the house, use Feliway diffusers throughout the house and try to minimize stress for the cats. There is no one fix for this behavior problem. Here are some articles that can give you a start. https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951285 https://veterinarypartner.vin.com/default.aspx?pid=19239&id=4951508 https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/tips-for-dealing-with-urine-spraying-in-cats/ https://drsophiayin.com/resources/cat_behavior/

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    Answered By Amber W

    Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

    Published on March 25th, 2018

    Hello and thanks for using PetCoach! Inappropriate elimination (peeing or pooping outside the litter box) in cats can be frustrating and difficult to treat. The first step you should take is scheduling an appointment for Mr. Kittyman to see a veterinarian. Many times a cat will start going outside of the litter box due to health problems like urinating tract infections, pain, urinary tract inflammation and digestive problems. Once you have established that there aren't any medical reasons for inappropriate elimination the following may be helpful: 1. Cats will urinate or defecate outside of the litter box for stress related reasons. Therefore it is best to keep the litter boxes in several different, quiet areas of the household. 2. A pheromone diffuser like Feliway can be quite helpful. 3. Ensure you have at least one litter box in the household per cat plus one. For example, if you have 3 cats, then 4 litter boxes are recommended. 4. Feeding an all canned food diet can help if there is inflammation in the bladder. There are also prescription diets available to help with bladder inflammation or digestive issues. Your veterinarian can help you choose the best one for your cat. 5. The litter boxes should be cleaned once to twice daily and completely emptied and washed weekly. Most cats prefer litter to be the clumping type that is kept a few inches deep. Certain litter types like Dr. Elsey's Cat Attract litter may be helpful. Litter boxes should be very large with a low cut out to make it easier for older cats with arthritis to climb inside. 6. If you are still having problems after taking the above steps you may want to talk to your veterinarian about behavioral medication. This article may be helpful to you: https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-common-litter-box-mistakes/

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