The question “How to wean a cat to mark territory in an apartment?” – one of the most relevant for the owners. Fortunately, such problems do not concern all owners of the meowing-hissing brotherhood, but many owners have experienced all the “delights” of this phenomenon in full. The assertion of experts that the cat marks the territory instinctively does not somehow console me. Let s try to figure out why the cat puts “tags” in the apartment and whether it is possible to take any measures against this.
Why the cat marks the territory
Marks on furniture, carpets and (oh, horror!) The clothes of the owners are nothing more than a manifestation of natural feline instincts. The cat declares that he is the main one in the area “outlined” by him. If a cat is released into the yard, it leaves traces of urine in various areas of it. And, if Murzik is not allowed out of the apartment, then … guess yourself. The beast chooses living rooms as spheres of influence.
No wonder, because he simply has no choice. If several glorious representatives of the feline family live in the apartment, then the “division of ownership†is done by the older cat. If a young relative begins to do something like that, then such actions are akin to an encroachment on power. The elder beast gives the impudent a thorough bashing, and something like an absolute monarchy reigns again.
So, the solution to the problem suggests itself. In order not to resort to radical measures like castration, the cat needs to be made clear who is in charge of the family. As soon as he understands this, there will be no need for scent marks. The territory is alien, and there is nothing you can do about it.
A few more reasons for leaving marks
Of course, the main reason for the “unseemly” behavior of the cat is that he simply wants to show “who is the boss”. Sometimes the situation is more complicated. Cat tags are a kind of “hieroglyphs” with the help of which the kitty wants to convey certain information to others. And the fact that the owner made a squeamish face and ignores the signals given by the pet is not a pet s problem at all.
- The label is a kind of visiting card of the animal. From it, it becomes known what the sex, age of the cat, its state of health, the degree of activity. In the wild, knowledge of this peculiar language helps to survive. Lions, tigers and other panthers use this script all the time. And their little cousin is no worse.
- Thirst for love. Leaving marks in the corners, the cat expresses hope, the owner will bring him a lady of the heart. If you ignore his tactful request, he will “delight” you again and again with aromas of passion.
- Health problems. The cat is trying to convey to the owner that not everything is in order with his health, that he needs help.
- Fear. Marks are a kind of self-affirmation of an animal, an attempt to convince itself that it is safe, it has nothing to fear. The beast increases self-esteem, and that s it!
- Jealousy. The owners invite guests, have children and bring other animals into the house. Disorder! Forgot who s boss? Get it!
- Boredom. The animal is trying to draw attention to itself. “Master, play with me! Not? Get it! “
Many are wondering at what age a cat begins to mark? As a rule, these are sexually mature cats (from 7-8 months). However, half-year-olds are also disgraceful.
Important! Routine urination and labeling are two different processes and need to be separated. Both liquids have different chemical composition and smell differently.
How to get a cat to treat its owner with respect
The main thing is not to beat the animal, not to raise your voice at it. If only because it is useless. The cat is engaged in “demarcating the territory” instinctively and simply does not understand why he so angered the owner. Of course, there is little good about cat tags. No “Chanel†can be compared with the secretion of the feline glands in terms of odor persistence. Therefore, if you want to keep a thoroughbred breeder, you will have to reeducate your pet. Be patient. Teaching your pet “the rules of good taste” will take more than one day. The main thing is to explain to the animal its secondary position in the house. If all your attempts are unsuccessful, then castration cannot be avoided.
Feline Ethics: A Few Lessons
So, you found the shameless at the scene of the crime. It s time to teach him the first lesson. Remember how cats hiss at each other, trying to prove their superiority. Take the beast by the collar. At the same time, the cat will reflexively tuck his tail and paws. Agree, the situation for a cat is quite humiliating. Now is the time for you to reincarnate as a cat. Make a hissing sound, like an angry kitty, and with a sharp movement of the “cat s paw” strike a sharp blow to the ears of the animal. You cannot harm the cat, but he will understand that the cat is the owner is more important than him, and the owner of the apartment is clearly not him. A sign that a lesson has been learned is a plaintive meow – a plea for mercy. Consider that the first lesson was successful.
Sometimes the lesson is wasted, and the beast, as if nothing had happened, spreads “amber” throughout the apartment. Try masking the marks with detergents and then spray with a strong scent. Gradually, it will come to the cat who is in charge of the family, and the problem will disappear by itself.
- If the problem of “incorrect” behavior is banal boredom, then it is worth playing with the animal. Do not leave your mustachioed-striped friend alone for a long time. Cats do not like this very much.
- Observe your pet. If the tagging cat looks unhealthy, show it to your veterinarian. It is quite possible that everything will return to normal after the animal recovers.
- Don t give your cat a reason to be jealous. Try to show that he is loved in the family and that no one pretends to the place that he occupies in the family hierarchy.
Important! Attempts to give the cat hormonal drugs can seriously harm the health of the animal. The use of special sprays is effective only for young animals. These funds do not work on an adult animal.
Castration
Many argue that castration is indecent, unsympathetic, inhumane and, in general, barbaric. They argue until they throw a couple of blouses, T-shirts or shirts into the trash. Sometimes removing the testes from a cat is the only solution to the problem. Very little time passes, and the owners forget about the feline scents.
When a small kitten appears in the house, it is impossible to predict all the behavioral nuances of an adult animal. It is impossible to determine in advance whether the animal will mark the territory in the house. And, if, starting from the age of 7-8 months, the cat began to divide spheres of influence, then, most likely, he will not part with the bad habit for a long time.
In addition to the fact that the animal stops marking territory, castration has a number of other advantages.
The cat will stop suffering from unrealized sexual instinct. After all, you are not ready for every hysterical cry of a pet to drag him a pretty female? Even if you are ready to humbly wipe the traces of feline activity in the corners and stoically endure the screams of the sufferer – think about whether you need to torture the animal.
- Castrated seals are affectionate and calm.
- Sometimes cats run away from home in search of a cat. After castration, this problem disappears by itself.
- The risk of genitourinary diseases is reduced.
- Neutered cat marks: what to do
- Sometimes the cat continues its “ugliness” after the well-known manipulation in the veterinarian s office. There may be reasons for this.
- Castration took place quite recently. Usually, veterinarians warn the owners that an instant decrease in hormonal levels does not occur. You need to be patient and wait 2-3 weeks. Sometimes the cat continues to “delight” the owners with aromas for another 2-3 months. The irrepressible sexual instincts of the animal gradually subside and, in the end, come to naught.
- The cat was neutered as an adult. This is a problem for about 5% of all castrated animals. Their sexual hubbubs are produced not only by the testes, but also by the pituitary gland and the adrenal glands.
- Cryptorchidism (one testicle is not descended into the scrotum, but remains in the abdominal cavity or under the skin). Removing the testis with a skin incision or abdominal surgery helps to solve the problem.
- Features of animal behavior. If there are no external manifestations of the disease, consultation with a specialist zoopsychologist is necessary.
Now you have learned why the cat marks in the house. If necessary, you can put this knowledge into practice.