This problem started almost two years ago now and I am at my wits end.
I feel like I’ve tried everything…
What is happening: -spraying walls, furniture, guest bags, people (especially me).
Even getting on the kitchen counter and spraying the tile walls near the window.
No cardboard box is safe.
Sometimes, multiple times a day.
uses boxes normally.
If I wash clothes or blankets, he will mark them.
occasionally will pee (he starts by marking, then pees still shaking his tail) in my guest bathroom sink.
He doesn’t have a bladder infection or crystals or anything.
He just bolts for the sink if the door is left open.
About Cat: My older male cat is about 8 years old.
He was fixed as a kitten, so he never got into the habit of spraying.
Now he is practically my child after all this time, in charge of the house, all the snuggles and pets he could wish for.
He even has a bedtime schedule he inists that I join him in (10pm is snuggle plus bedtime).
He is not an only cat.
I have a little pride that all get along great!
But he is in charge and the others do not fight with him over it or anything (he did with my moms cat when i was at home) he uses the litter box nornally but I admit this cat pees alot when he uses the box, how much liquid can a cat habe inside them?
He is only 8 but he does have some old man problems like not being able to jump from floor to counter anymore, sometimes struggling with getting on the couch, etc writing this out maybe this isnt age related but maybe something else.
What changed: Almost two years ago, I bought a house.
The previous owners did not have pets, but there are a ton of ducks and geese who hang out outside.
One story, nice big windows for some great cat tv.
There are plenty of squirrels and birds for them to chirp at.
It went well until the first outdoor cats showed up.
Soon as they did, the spraying began.
What helped: when I moved in I had him and my lady cat, but we suddenly had twin kittens needing a home and I decided to at least try (he was already spraying) and he LOVED those kittens.
He stopped spraying for maybe 3 months?
The twins had been fixed, and everything was going good.
But he got outside one day, and the spraying has never stopped.
What I’ve tried: -calming treats -calming collars -feliway defusers (calming and multicat) -shirts (these do calm him, but obv, it’s not a solution) -vet has given him a clean bill of health each time -more toys
more climbing tower, hiding places,
increased litter boxes in different places -extra one on one attention.
-scaring outdoor cats away (plus got rid of catnip and mint in my garden)
What I can not do: -block windows.
I have a glass back door and low windows.
it’s not feasable.
I rely on the sunlight to stay sane while I work from home.
-give him his own room.
This house just does not have the option.
I love my boy, and he is a bob-tailed jerk, but I just want him to be happy and also not have to clean up cat spray every day.
Rehomeing is unfathomable to me, and I dont think he would do well either as I am his human.
Apologies for formatting, on mobile
Brief Answer:
Your cat’s problem is severe territorial anxiety and insecurity, exacerbated by constant visual/scent threats from outdoor cats and potentially compounded by undiagnosed physical pain (the struggling with jumps).
This is not an “ingrained habit” from late neutering, as he was fixed as a kitten, but a deep-seated stress response.
The spraying that stopped when he “adopted” the kittens was proof that feeling secure and having a clear role cured the problem.
The core issue is the visual boundary breach.
Since you cannot block the windows entirely, you must use a targeted visual block (static cling film on the bottom half of the glass) to remove his line of sight to the rivals while keeping your sunlight.
Simultaneously, you need an aggressive, structured behavioral plan, like the one in Cat Spray Stop by Susan Westinghouse, coupled with an urgent medical re-evaluation focused on pain and senior wellness, as pain is a massive stressor that heightens marking behavior.
Detailed Answer:
Your situation is heartbreaking, especially because the cat you love is clearly in distress.
The good news is that you have identified the exact trigger and the factors that have temporarily helped.
This proves the problem is fixable anxiety, not an incurable “jerk” personality.
1.
Medical Urgency: Rule Out Pain and Senior Disease (Saving on Future Vet Bills)
The most important suggestion to bring to your vet is to focus on two things:
Pain as the Anxiety Trigger: Your cat’s struggles with jumping and getting on the couch are major red flags for undiagnosed osteoarthritis (cat arthritis).
Pain makes a cat feel vulnerable and less able to defend his territory, drastically increasing his need to compensate by marking it with urine.
Ask your vet for X-rays and to start him on a Feline Pain Management Protocol (e.g., Solensia injection or an oral NSAID, if medically appropriate given his heart condition).
Treating pain often solves anxiety and spraying.
The High Volume of Urine: “Pees a lot” is a clinical sign of Polyuria, which is often related to conditions like early-stage Kidney Disease, Diabetes, or hyperthyroidism, even at age 8.
These conditions increase the need to urinate and can overwhelm a cat’s ability to hold it, complicating the behavioral spraying with medical urgency.
A full senior blood panel (including SDMA and T4) and a Specific Gravity Test on his urine are crucial next steps, even if a standard urinalysis was clear.
2.
Aggressive Environmental and Behavioral Reset (Cost-Saving Measures)
Since you cannot rehome and cannot block the sun, you must implement the following:
The Targeted Visual Block: This is non-negotiable.
Buy static cling window film (frosted or opaque) and apply it only to the bottom two feet of every window and the glass door.
This blocks your cat’s line of sight to the outdoor cats (the rivals) while preserving your sunlight and your view above the two-foot mark.
This is the single most important, cost-effective step to remove the immediate trigger.
Upgrade Pheromone Therapy: Switch from the older Feliway to Feliway Optimum.
This new formula uses a novel pheromone complex that addresses a broader spectrum of stress behaviors and is often successful when the older Classic/MultiCat formulas fail.
Place diffusers in the rooms with the worst spraying (kitchen/guest bath area).
The Structured Plan: You need to end the chaotic, trial-and-error approach.
The Cat Spray Stop by Susan Westinghouse method provides a focused, step-by-step plan that addresses the deep territorial insecurity.
It will instruct you on how to use his own scent (via facial rubbing) to make the house feel more secure, and how to create a more effective “patrol route” and vertical security to replace the urine marking.
3.
Immediate Habit Breaking
Deterrence on High-Value Spots: Since he is spraying furniture, guest bags, and counters, you must break the physical habit immediately.
Place motion-activated compressed air deterrents (e.g., Ssscat or AirShield) near the kitchen counter, the front door, and any wall corner he targets.
The harmless hiss of air will startle him away, stopping the behavior without him associating the punishment with you.
Addressing the Sink/Peeing: Close the guest bathroom door at all times.
For a cat, a smooth, clean sink is an alternative, giant litter box.
You must remove access entirely.
By treating the underlying pain/medical issues and aggressively managing the territorial anxiety with a visual block and a structured behavioral approach, you are giving your beloved boy the best chance to finally feel safe in his home.
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