So I just got a new cat, 1 year old male and he has been spraying left, right and center.
The person I got him from had 12 cats so gave one away and he told me to keep him locked in a room for the first day with a litter box to fix the problem with spraying as he mentioned the cat never sprayed at his home.
Now, I am kind of confused as I don’t see how this could be a solution but the spraying and it’s smell has kind of forced me to lock the cat in a room.
But I am feeling bad since he’s crying to be let out.
He has allowed me to pet him and has eaten, a few nibbles from my hand too!
What should I do reddit to stop the spraying?
Brief Answer:
Your new cat’s spraying is almost certainly a direct result of two key factors: a surge in territorial anxiety due to the sudden move and the high probability he is an unneutered male.
The previous owner’s advice to confine him was inadvertently correct for the wrong reasons; isolation reduces his anxiety by limiting the overwhelming new territory, but it is not a solution.
The core problem is hormonal and stress-related.
You need to immediately confirm his neuter status with a vet.
If he is intact, emergency neutering is the single most effective, cost-saving step, stopping spraying in over 90% of male cats.
Simultaneously, you must commit to an enzyme cleaning protocol to eliminate all existing urine odor and pheromone residue, and plug in a Feliway Optimum diffuser near his current room to lower his high stress level, allowing him to feel secure.
The small room confinement is appropriate for a short, controlled transition, but should be paired with proactive stress reduction.
Detailed Answer:
I understand your confusion and distress; the odor from spraying is overwhelming.
Your instinct that simply locking him up is not a solution is correct.
The cat’s spraying is communication, not defiance.
He was suddenly taken from a high-cat-density environment (12 cats) and placed into an entirely new, foreign space where he detects no familiar scent markers, hence his intense need to “mark” his territory to feel safe.
This is classic stress-induced, territorial anxiety, which is heightened if he is intact.
The crucial first step is to confirm his neuter status.
Given his age and the severity of the spraying, if he is unneutered, his high testosterone levels are mandating this behavior.
Please call your veterinarian to schedule him for immediate neutering.
This procedure is routine, safe, and will prevent nearly all future hormonal spraying, saving you exponentially more in cleaning and property damage than the cost of the surgery.
While he is confined, you must use this time constructively.
The room should be his safe base camp.
This area needs two crucial, cost-effective interventions:
Pheromone Support: Install a Feliway Optimum diffuser in the room.
This releases synthetic “happy messages” that communicate safety and security to him, counteracting the anxiety that drives the spraying.
This is a powerful, non-pharmaceutical tool to calm him down as he acclimates.
Cleaning Protocol: Every single area he has sprayed must be cleaned with a specialized enzyme-based cleaner (e.g., Nature’s Miracle or Anti-Icky Poo).
Do not use any cleaner with ammonia, which mimics urine and encourages re-marking.
You must break down the pheromones completely; if he can smell his own mark, he must remark.
Since he is accepting petting and hand-feeding, you are establishing a positive bond, which is excellent for trust.
Once you have a neuter date, and the Feliway is running (give it 3-5 days), you can begin supervised, short excursions out of the room.
Always end the excursion back in his safe room before he shows signs of anxiety or marking, making the room his secure retreat.
If he is already neutered, then this is purely stress and anxiety, and you need to proceed with the Feliway, enzyme cleaning, and a structured introduction to the house, perhaps consulting a resource like the Cat Spray Stop guide for a step-by-step environmental modification plan to secure his new territory.
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