There are many benefits of neutering a male cat, but unfortunately neutering a cat will not stop him from spraying, because that is his way of marking his territory to tell any other cat in the area that he lives there. All cats spray but, thankfully, most of them do it outdoors.
If he is spraying indoors, then anxiety is probably the number one cause, which could be brought on by a new cat moving in two doors down, or you buying new furniture, moving to a new house or even having a baby.
If he is spraying in a certain spot, you need to clean the area thoroughly with a bio-enzyme washing powder (please check for colourfastness on carpets) and then, once you have rinsed that off, rub the area with surgical spirits, because this breaks down and removes the fatty deposits found in cat spray. Cat spray is far more concentrated than normal urine, which is why it is so pungent.
If your cat has taken to spraying on the carpet, you may need to remove it, as the spray will have soaked into the underfelt, making it impossible to clean properly.
Once the area has been thoroughly cleaned, you can put his food bowls there, as cats will not spray around their food.
If this doesn’t solve the problem, you would need a qualified behaviourist to come and do an in-depth study as to the reason why your cat is so anxious.
Wendy Wilson, behaviourist
