When do male cats start spraying?

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

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.

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;)

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

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!