OMG, Peggy is SPRAYING!!! Need advice! :(

[Kirsten]

Let me explain the situation first:

My mother and Reinhold are out of town over the weekend, and asked me to look for their pets, especially Peggy. She's supposed to stay inside all the time while they're away, so I've planned to show up at Tillyschanze several times a day and play with her and spend some time with her.

I looked for her this evening, and she was upset because she wanted to be left outside. She was all whiny and it sounded to me as if she's in heat already (the appointment for her surgery is scheduled for next Thursday). When I left, I left her in the house and she was upset, but a couple of minutes later I had to go back inside because I saw from outside that one window was still open. When Peggy saw me coming back, she became totally excited, ran up the stairs in front of me, walked into "her" room, and then did the "quivering tail"-thing with her butt pointing to a card board box and - sprayed!!! I could hardly believe my eyes. After all, she's female! (Lily is doing the waggling butt thing too, but luckily, she's doing the dry version of it.)

I was kind of shocked, and decided not to tell my mom and Reinhold about it, at least not now. I know they are not very tolerant when it comes to this, they always say they would go crazy with a cat like Luna (who's constantly pooping outside her box and pees on the rugs).

What do think? Are there any chances that this behavior might disappear once Peggy has been spayed? Is it a territory thing? Is she doing it because she's in heat? Or because she's upset that she has to stay inside?

Besides, Peggy seems to be a very dominant kitty lady. She's running Dino off, and he - a six year old tough guy formerly known as Dino the Meano - fears her and submits to her. Can you believe that?


Kirsten

[catmandu]

Female Cats will spray Kirsten,a way to let the Boy Cats know that she is available.
I hope that they didnt leave the spaying off,too long.
All you can pray for that spaying will stop the spraying!!

[catnapper]

I wouldn't say anything to them about it. It might be an isolatd incident of her being mad she's left alone AND left inside.

Besides, its THEIR fault for not listening to you about making her an indoor only kitty from the start. She wouldn't be missing the outdoors if she wasn't ever introduced to them and granted free access from the very beginning. Though I'm sure they won't loke to hear that! And I'm sure you've already THOUGHT that!

[Kirsten]

Yes, I think it's definitely their fault!

BTW, she's not going be an indoor cat forever. This is only for the time my mother and Reinhold are out of town. I'm feeling very bad for Peggy, knowing that she's alone up there, unhappy AND in heat!

Female Cats will spray Kirsten,a way to let the Boy Cats know that she is available.

Thank you Gary, I didn't know that. It's so unfair: Peggy will get into trouble once my mother and Reinhold find out about this, but I'm sure the spaying thing could have been avoided when they would have spayed her a couple of weeks ago, when I told them to do so. But they didn't listen to me. And now, Peggy is in heat!

Kirsten

[kb2yjx]

Kirsten!!! I am so sorry to hear about the latest problem with Peggy. Poor you and poor kitty!!! Best to keep things under your hat and HURRY UP THURSDAY!!! Good luck!!! I just pray that she does not spray when your mother is at home, for fear that she will put Peggy outside for her behaviour, and we KNOW what will happen!!! Sandra

[CalliesMom]

OH NO! Poor Peggy. I've never had a female cat spray before and didn't know they sprayed to let toms know they were "available." I hope the behavior doesn't continue once she is spayed.

[jazzcat]

Oh no Kirsten, I'm sorry to hear that.

My vet told me what Gary said and he also said a female can spray when she's very upset. Maybe Peggy doesn't like them being gone. I hope that is all there is to it so she will stop when they get back.

[Kirsten]

Thank you everyone. I spoke to my vet today and told her about the spraying, and she confirmed that they do that when they are in heat. Chances are good that it stops once she's spayed, but you shouldn't wait too long. And she agreed with me that it would have been better to have her spayed a couple of weeks ago.

My mother, however, cannot see my point (of course she does not know about the spraying), she thinks she was too small.

I saw Peggy again tonight, and she cried and whined ALL THE TIME. She wanted to go outside, and she was upset because I didn't let her. When I spoke to my mother on the phone, Peggy came to me and purred (she has the loudest purr I ever heard!) and when I hold the phone to her face, my mother talked to her and Peggy hugged the phone and kissed it, and she gave the phone headbumpies. Looks like she was happy to hear my mother's voice. It was so cute!

Kirsten