peeing question

[James Singleton]

I have a 1 year old F5 savannah and she pees everywhere in the house. She especially likes to pee on clothes and blankets. She will even pee on blankets when they are on me. But she also pees along the walls. She does use the litter boxes most of the time, she knows about them and they are available, but she just chooses not to. She doesn't have any health problems, she just prefers to pee on clothes and blankets.

1. Generally will spaying a cat do anything to stop her from peeing everywhere?

2. I am going to try to quarantine her when I am not home since that is often recommended, but I don't really understand how this will help anything.

I can try hiding all of my clothes and other fabric items, but she pees on other things too. She pretty much will pee on anything.

This problem drives me nuts, but at the same time I feel bad locking her in the bathroom because she will be bored and uncomfortable.

Does anyone have any advice?

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

1. YES. Spaying her is essential if you wish to stop this behavior.

In fact if you don't spay her then you can clean all you like, she will continue that behavior. Having an intact female cat in the house means you acknowledge that her behavior is hormone-driven not a deliberate or malicious intent and you need to continue just cleaning everything after her.

My advice is to spay her, invest in a case of good enzyme cleaner (AntiIckyPoo or Unique Distributors Odor Eliminator) and clean your house thoroughly...and continue to monitor and clean while the hormones leave her system and she loses the urge to mark your house and advertise her presence to all surrounding male cats.

 

[James Singleton]

do intact females do this even if they aren't in heat?

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

Some do...and especially if the pee is not completely cleaned up. Any residual urine odor will inspire a cat to mark there again. Most store-bought enzyme cleaners are not sufficient and many household cleaners (especially those that are bleach-based) will attract the behavior also.

Some cats only tend to mark when in heat, but not all. Sounds like you got one of the other type...

 

[Patti]

If your girl is not spayed then she will continue to mark her territory - it is a natural behavior in an intact cat. Unfortunately, now that she has been doing this for some time, even after spaying her you may have difficulty breaking her of the habit. I have never had a problem with boys stopping after neuter, but girls are another thing...