When do male cats start spraying?

[Kirsten]

Just heard Lily's brother Baghira is suspected to have sprayed in the living room of the neighbors' house, but he is only 3 months old!

Baghira is still living with his kitty mommy's family, friends of mine, and since Lily moved here, Baghira found a new friend in the neighbors' cat, a non-neutered male. He's spending a lot of time in the neighbors' garden now and also walked into their house, but now they found out a cat has sprayed there and they think it's Baghira.

But isn't he too young for that? I think it could have been their own cat as well. After all, he's getting his territory invaded by the baby boy!

Kirsten

[jenluckenbach]

Just a thought. Timmy (my 3 month old foster), and my RB cat Thumper both STOOD to pee. They went in the box, but they never learned to squat. So not all sprayings are a form of "marking". If he went outside the litter box, it COULD be a dominance issue or it could be a health issue. Or it could just be an accident. The important thing is to make sure they know who did it and then have the cat checked out.

[Barbara]

If the neighbor's cat is not neutered he is much more likely to be the culprit.
I could imagine he had to make sure it's his house when little Baghira just walked in. Tigris was about 6 months when he started to feel like a man, Filou 9;)

[Kirsten]

Jen, you're right, it could have been for many reasons. I don't know where these neighbors have their litter boxes, but with Baghira walking into their house, it looks very much like a territorial thing to me. Would be the best to catch one in the act to make clear whether it's a health problem or a behavior thing!


Barbara, I think you're right, it's very likely it has been the neighbor's cat itself! As far as I know, he's NOT neutered!

So... 3 months is a bit too young, isn't it?

Kirsten

[greendoor678]

I too have heard of male cats standing (not squatting) to pee but not actually marking their area.

I can't imagine a cat only spraying once, anyways.
They usually go to town w/ it!