My cat sprays when guests visit. Is it anxiety or a medical issue?

Question

Hello. I inherited my grandpa's cat in December. She sprays on the walls and drapes every time someone comes over. She doesn't do it otherwise. She will scratch the door until I let her out if I put her in a room with the door closed. What do you think? Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Female | spayed | 15 lbs

Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA · Accepted Answer

Poor Spook! If this behavior only occurs when you have visitors in the house, it may be related to stress or anxiety - urine marking is a common response to stressful situations for many cats. Spook may also have a medical issue causing her to urinate inappropriately on things, such as a urinary tract infection, bladder stones, or FIC (feline idiopathic cystitis). I would recommend having her examined by a vet as the first step in addressing this problem, since if she has a medical issue, this will need to be treated appropriately in order to make any progress at stopping the behavior. If her exam and lab work are all normal, you can also speak to your vet about whether she might be a good candidate for anti-anxiety medication - many cats with inappropriate urination related to stress respond well to SSRIs such as Prozac or similar medications. You could also try a Feliway diffuser along with a natural calming supplement like Zylkene or Composure to see if this helps.

My cat sprays when guests visit. Is it anxiety or a medical issue?

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