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Ahh, there’s a gentle breeze in the air, the
flowers are blooming, and YIKES, your indoor
cat has suddenly started spraying near the
windows! What’s that all about?
Well, it’s springtime.
For many of us, spring is a time when we can
enjoy a little fresh air by opening the
windows. Unfortunately, this can create a
few problems for some cats. This is the time
of year when male cats go in search of
females for mating. Depending upon where you
live, that can mean more cats roaming
through your property. It could be a female
cat in heat, or an intact male following her
scent. The sight of more cats in the yard
can create stress for your indoor kitty. She
may sit by the window, hissing and growling,
or she may even spray against the wall where
the window is located (by the way, both male
and female cats can spray.) Even if your
kitty doesn’t resort to spraying, the sight
of an unfamiliar outdoor cat could trigger
some redirected aggression. This occurs when
she can’t access the primary source of her
agitation, so she lashes out at the nearest
unsuspecting victim.
If your cat has started spraying and you’ve
recently been keeping the windows open,
there’s a good chance she might be reacting
to the sight and/or scent of an outdoor cat.
Have your cat checked by the veterinarian
though, before assuming it’s behavioral.
It’s important to rule out an underlying
medical cause. There could also be other
reasons for the spraying behavior, so use
your detective skills to get to the root of
the problem.
If you do notice unfamiliar cats outdoors,
cover the bottom part of the windows with
white or opaque paper. This way, your cat
can still enjoy the view of birds in the
trees and you’ll get plenty of sunlight. In
addition, place a cat tree or window perch
for your cat at another window where outdoor
cats aren’t visible. |
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