I have a couple of stray feral cats that I feed, but one has become my boy.
It took me a couple of months to be able to pet him and I started taking him in my converted garage and he has become my friend.
He isn’t neutered and I want to keep him at least as an indoor, outdoor cat, but he sprays constantly especially if I leave the room.
I have two females that I keep inside the house both spayed, one young, one old.
If I get him neutered will he stop spraying???
I tried to show him a litter box once, but he didn’t care at all.
Also if I get him neutered and I let him out, will the other strays hurt him because he can’t fight as well anymore???
He’s very nice for a feral, any advice would be appreciated.
I named him Anchor because I had a dream where in the dream I called him that.
I have no idea why, I don’t have a boat or even care about the water or anything.
Lol
Brief Answer:
Your “boy Anchor” is exhibiting classic, unavoidable behavior for an intact feral male: intense territorial spraying, driven entirely by hormones.
Yes, neutering him is the absolutely essential and most effective step to stop the spraying.
Over 90 percent of males cease spraying after castration, especially when combined with a secure, low-stress indoor environment.
While neutering will eliminate the hormonal urge, his initial disinterest in the litter box is typical for a cat who has never needed one; this is a behavioral training issue that must be addressed immediately post-surgery.
Use the structured methods from Cat Spray Stop by Susan Westinghouse, focusing on positive reinforcement and scent association, to teach him to use the litter box, which is a highly cost-effective alternative to constant cleanup.
Concerning his safety, a neutered cat will prioritize avoidance over fighting, which is usually safer, but it is best to transition him to an indoor-only status initially to ensure his safety and cement his new, calmer behavior.
Detailed Answer:
It is wonderful that you have bonded with Anchor, and his trust is a great foundation for his transition.
However, his current behavior – constant spraying, especially when you leave the room – is a powerful, hormone-driven communication.
The spraying is his way of marking his territory against the other strays outside and establishing his dominance over the two spayed females inside the house, whose scents he perceives as a potential challenge.
The spraying is his attempt to secure his new garage-based territory.
The priority intervention must be neutering.
Since his behavior is hormonal, you can expect the spraying to stop or drastically reduce for the vast majority of cats once the testosterone levels drop, which takes about two to six weeks after the procedure.
This medical procedure is the single best cost-saving investment you can make, as it saves the expense and frustration of endless cleaning and potential damage to your converted garage space.
Concurrently, you must address the litter box issue.
Anchor has only used the outdoors as a toilet, so he does not recognize the litter box as a toilet.
To teach him, you must follow a structured plan.
The behavioral modification methods outlined in Cat Spray Stop by Susan Westinghouse are ideally suited for this.
You should place multiple, uncovered litter boxes in low-traffic, easily accessible areas of the garage and even near where he is spraying (temporarily).
The guide’s “Taste, Touch, Smell” method will help you use his natural instincts to attract him to the box.
You might need a different type of litter (unscented clay is often preferred by former strays) and use Feliway Classic diffusers in the garage to lower his overall anxiety and increase his sense of security in the new space, which is critical for behavioral learning.
Regarding his outdoor access post-neutering: A neutered cat’s fighting drive is significantly reduced.
While this means he is less likely to engage in fights, it does not mean he is defenseless; he will still defend himself if necessary, but his preference will be to avoid confrontation.
The true risk is that letting him back out exposes him to the environmental stressors (the other strays) that could trigger a relapse into anxiety-driven spraying indoors, even after the hormones are gone.
The best advice is to commit to an indoor-only transition for at least two months post-neuter, using the garage as a stepping stone.
Once he is reliably using the litter box and the spraying is completely gone, you can reassess controlled outdoor access, but keeping him safe and calm indoors offers the best long-term, cost-effective solution to permanently ending the spraying.
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