Why is my neutered cat urine marking indoors? What vaccines does he need?

Hi there. Cases like this can be very challenging, because of the need to sort out how much of a role continued medical issues might be playing vs. behavioral issues like stress and anxiety. In general, urinary marking issues in cats are very treatable, but it's hard to give much more than basic advice (keep litter boxes clean, make sure they're in convenient locations, reduce stress in the household, etc.) without a more in-depth behavioral history and in-person evaluation. Because of this, I would recommend getting in touch with a veterinary behaviorist who can evaluate your kitty in person and help you put together a detailed plan to work on this issue. There's a good chance this can be dramatically improved with professional help. You can search for a board-certified veterinary behaviorist in your area here: www.dacvb.org , or ask for a referral from your regular veterinarian.

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Rabbit. Spraying can be due to a medical or behavioral problem. Good news is that both are treatable. Medical problems are usually due to cats developing Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease or Syndrome, also known as Feline Interstitial Cystitis. This has many causes including stress, infection, urinary crystals/stones which all lead to bladder inflammation among other changes including spraying. I would advise making an appointment with your veterinarian so they can examine him and perform some tests including a urinalysis to see if there are signs of a medical problem. Sometimes blood tests are required to make sure the kidneys and internal organs are functioning properly. Once a diagnosis is made there are various ways to treat this including drugs to treat the stress, infection (if any), and the inflammation. Sometimes a special diet is advised if crystals are present. Or even surgery if urinary stones are actually present depending on the type of stones and how big/how many there are. Behavioral problems are assumed if the medical tests come back normal. These problems can be addressed with some medications in the hopes of decreasing/stopping the urine spraying. One last thing, if it's medical and a lower urinary problem, male cats can block with this disease which can prevent them from urinating. If you notice no urine production, get him evaluated immediately. Good luck with Rabbit. I hope this resolves soon.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It is great that you decided to get your cat fixed! To be considered fully vaccinated, she will need at least a rabies vaccine, FRCP vaccine, and I recommend an FeLV vaccine for outdoor cats. These are all potentially deadly or extremely common viruses that cats can get from each other or wildlife such as raccoons. Although your cat is indoor only, there is a risk that she may run away and be exposed. I recommend having her microchipped and wear a collar in case this happens so that the two of you can be reunited. She should also be on monthly flea control, even f she is only indoors to prevent flea infestations.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Inappropriate urination is hard. It is best to rule out medical causes first (bladder stones, crystals in the urine, urinary tract infection) before assuming it is behavioral. I would confine the cats in a room for 1-2 weeks where they can not see the outdoor cats. Use a Feliway diffuser in the room and set one up where they were marking. Get blinds or keep the blinds down so they can not see the cats. You can try to talk to your neighbor but I doubt they will keep them inside. Cleaned the soiled areas with an enzymatic cleaner like Nature's Miracle and Anti-Ichy Poo. Then let the cats back out. If they continue to mark then I would ask your Vet for Prozac. Good luck! https://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=37240

Hello. There is no reason that a cat that previously blocked should not receive vaccinations. At the very least, the rabies vaccine should be kept up to date. For feline distemper/leukemia, as long as Ray has received the kitten series, & 1 booster one year later, then I am OK with boosting this vaccine every 2-3 years. Cats can slip outdoors so it is best to try & keep immunity up. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Great question, and good on you for wanting to get Lucchese neutered and vaccinated! Feline core vaccines include FVRCP (feline distemper combo) and a Rabies vaccine. If he is an outdoor cat, the FeLV vaccine (feline leukemia) should be considered. You can get him vaccinated at the same time as getting neutered, so I would make an appointment with a local vet to get these procedures done. I hope this helps!

Causes of urination outside the box can be urinary tract infection, crystals in the urine, stones in the urinary tract, trauma to the area, or difficulty getting into the litterbox due to pain, or other reasons. It is important that you make an appointment to have Moon seen by your veterinarian as soon as you can to help determine the cause of his behaviour and to start treatment. If you notice his straining to urinate/unable to produce urine, this is a medical emergency and she should be seen by a vet immediately. I highly recommend speaking to your vet about having Moon neutered, as this kind of behaviour can happen in male cats as a form of marking behaviour, and sometimes having them neutered can help reduce or eliminate the marking. It is also possible that Moon is exhibiting signs of stress in his home environment. You can do the following to help make sure Moon’s environmental needs are being met. Cats need at least one litterbox per cat plus one extra to help reduce stress associated with the litterbox. They should be placed in separate rooms, away from the food and water bowls, must be scooped at least daily (preferably multiple times a day)and washed out at least weekly with a mild soap, followed by thorough rinsing. Cats need a lot of space to explore, but keeping them indoors is much safer than letting them outside, due to the risk of injury from cars, wildlife, other animals, etc. The key is providing space (particularly vertical space for climbing, such as cat trees, ledges, and the like) inside the home. Visit http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=T&C=33&S=2 , healthcareforpets.com and https://indoorpet.osu.edu// for tips on stress reduction. Also look into Feliway, a synthetic pheromone that is available in a diffuser and spray form that promotes calm feelings in cats http://www.feliway.com.